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The Odyssey
British & Irish, European, Poetry Regional & Cultural
This prose translation of the Odyssey is so successful that it has taken its place as one of the few really outstanding versions of Homer's famous epic poem. It is the story of the return of Odysseus from the siege…
- Release Date
- 1998
- Length
- 587 pages
- Publisher
- OUP Oxford
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Our Review
About the book
The ancient Greek epic follows Odysseus on his decade-long struggle to return home after the Trojan War, through monsters, gods and temptations. Meanwhile, in Ithaca, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus hold off suitors who want to claim his household.
Our review
The original road story, still astonishingly alive, cunning and strange nearly three thousand years later.
It is easy to forget how inventive The Odyssey is. Rather than marching from Troy to Ithaca in order, it opens with a son searching for news, then lets Odysseus tell his own wild tales at a foreign court. The Cyclops, the Sirens and the sorceress Circe have become shorthand in our culture, yet in context they are surprising, often darkly funny, and full of moral ambiguity.
Odysseus is clever, boastful and frequently responsible for his own troubles, which makes him far more interesting than a simple hero. The final books, set in Ithaca, are tense and brutal in ways that may startle first-time readers. Your experience will depend heavily on the translation; we recommend sampling a few, since modern versions differ greatly in tone and readability.
What we loved
- A nested, surprisingly modern storytelling structure
- Odysseus as a deeply flawed, cunning protagonist
- Penelope’s quiet intelligence and resilience
Keep in mind
- The violent homecoming can be jarring
- Choosing a translation matters; some are far more readable than others
Read it if you like
Readers who enjoyed Madeline Miller’s Circe or want the source behind countless modern stories, from Joyce’s Ulysses onward.
The verdict
A foundational epic that rewards every reader willing to find the right translation and settle in.
