Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Odyssey by Homer Adapted and Illustrated by Gareth Hinds YP FIC HOMER

Odysseus fought for years in the Trojan War, helping to win it with his cunning strategies, but he did not receive a hero’s welcome. Instead he is opposed by the God of the sea, Poseidon and sent through many strange and perilous adventures, while his kingdom and very home are supplanted by suitors attempting to marry his wife and take his throne. He must defy terrifying creatures on land and sea, witches, Gods, fate, and the sea to make it home and win back his life.

This is EPIC! Not just because it is an Epic Poem, but also because it is Epic as a visual translation of an epic poem. Hinds does a perfect job of bringing the language of Homer to the page and making it relatable. His art is excellent. I found myself reading several chapters multiple times just to savor the art. He makes you truly care about the characters with how well he captures faces and emotions. He is just as skilled at rendering believable monsters and showing fast and bloody action. I read the final climactic battle scenes five times to really appreciate all the carnage and bloodshed (poetically described, of course)! Any and every person should also read the original The Odyssey (883.01 HOMER), but any one that enjoys the Odyssey or wants help in understanding it should absolutely read Gareth Hinds’ adaptation.



No comments: