Collected Miscellany

A while back I stumbled on Atalanta and the Arcadian Beast by Jane Yolen & Robert Harris at Half Priced Books and picked it for a couple of bucks.  After having read the Merlin Triology by Yolen I decided it was a good time to check out this Young Hero Series.  I had already read one rendition of the Atalanta story (Quiver by Stephanie Spinner) so I was also interested to see how another YA author approached the story.

You really don’t need to know anything about the myth, however, to enjoy the story.  It really reads like a fast paced adventure story.  Here is the publisher’s teaser:

When her adopted father is slain by a strange beast, Atalanta is determined to take care of herself. She is happy in the forest with only her friend Urso — a giant bear — for company. She wants nothing to do with the world of men.

But the ferocious creature that killed her father is still out there, and Atalanta can’t resist the opportunity to hunt it down, even if that means she has to join forces with a group of hunters to do so. Atalanta must prove that she is as strong and brave as any of the others, as they search together for the deadly Arcadian Beast.

It is an interesting blend of action adventure and subtle explorations of issues like family, gender and identity that are so prevalent in Greek mythology

More below.

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The few dedicated regular readers of this blog will know that I am fascinated by myths and legends and of their reworking and re-imagining. So it is not a big surprise that I was intrigued by the novel Ransom by David Malouf.

Edmund White’s NYT review has a concise plot summary:

David Malouf’s “Ransom” reimagines the tragic story at the heart of “The Iliad.” Achilles mourns his childhood friend Patroclus after he is killed by Hector. Achilles takes his revenge by killing Hector in battle and desecrating his body.

The central action in Mr. Malouf’s novel occurs when Priam, Hector’s father and king of Troy, travels in a mule-drawn cart with half of the city’s treasure (the “ransom”) to plead for the return of Hector’s body so that it can be buried properly. Two instances of towering grief meet in the encounter.

As is so often the case, your knowledge of the backstory and your expectations will play a big role in your take on this story.

Those with a stronger knowledge of the Illiad and the story at the center of the novel might have stronger feelings and/or higher expectations that those who read it “straight” as it were.

But one thing I think everyone can agree on is that it is beautifully written and, at times, quite moving. More below.

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At a recent trip the local library with the kids I stumbled upon this little gem.  As regular readers will know, I am interested in myths and fairy tales and enjoy seeing how authors rework and retell this classic stories for young and old.

The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greeks Myths, Retold by Cynthia Rylant is aimed at children but it makes for an enjoyable read no matter how old you are.

Here is the publishers blurb:

Newbery Medal-winner Cynthia Rylant retells her favorite stories from Greek mythology, breathing fresh life into the tales of Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus, and Psyche. The writing is lyrical and understated, a perfect tone for stories that introduce young readers to themes of love and loss, pride and forgiveness. Carson Ellis’s elegant black-and-white illustrations lend an aura of beauty and mystery.

Rylant’s style and tone reminded me of a good story teller sitting down and offering their version of these famous stories.  They are simple and straightforward – and thus enjoyable for young people – but they also contain brief commentaries or observations about human nature and life – which make them interesting and enjoyable for adults.

The reason these stories have stood the test of time is because they offer reflections and insights into human nature. And even as she simplifies them, Rylant keeps this foundation intact. But she doesn’t beat you over the head with some didactic lecture, but instead slyly offers her take on what these stories are getting at and why they resonate with us even today.

I think PW sums it up well:

The small format reflects the book’s purpose: to be a pleasurable sampling of some well-known Greek myths, their ideas and morals distilled to their core.

This would make a nice collection to have for bedtime reading, or storytime, but it would also be great for older readers wanting to get their feet wet with a simple introduction to the Greek myths.