Title: The Wanderings of Odysseus
Author: Rosemary Sutcliff Copyright Date: 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction Pages of Book: 131 Pages
Publisher: Laurel-Leaf Reading Level: 5th to 8th grade
Summary: Odysseus is sailing back to Ithaca when be breaks off from the main fleet. When they landed they plundered the city for they were allies of the Trojans. They then killed their cattle and feasted. The Thracians attacked them and the Greeks were forced back into the open seas. He doesn’t have good luck at the next place they seek refuge so they end up in the land of the Cyclops. They are become trapped in the Cyclops cave and to escape Odysseus stabs the Cyclops in the eye. The Cyclops is Poseidon’s son and so Poseidon puts a curse on Odysseus. After that the winds are not on Odysseus’s side. With the help of Aeolus, he helps them have the winds in their favor as long as they don’t open the bag. When they are almost to the shore of Ithaca his seamen are curious what is in the bag and opens it. This sends them back into the sea. After a storm hit their ship it ripped it to shreds and Odysseus was sent out into the sea. Where he was saved by Calypso and held captive on her island. Meanwhile Odysseus’s son sails out to try to find his father. Many men were trying to get his mother to marry them since the though Odysseus was dead. The Gods make Calypso release Odysseus and with the help of Athene Odysseus makes it back to Ithaca. He disguises himself as a beggar and only tells his son who he is. He goes up to the palace and request that they have a competition between the men to determine who marries Penelope. Penelope decides that its time and whoever could shoot Odysseus’s bow, she would marry. No one can shoot it until Odysseus asks if he can try. They all laugh and mock him until they see that he has won the competition. Then him and his son slay all the men.
Reaction: I have to say that I was very happy when I finished this book. I think mainly because I don’t like reading about Gods and mythical creatures. It just isn’t something that I could get into at all.
Problem: Odysseus has a major problem because he doesn’t have the Gods in his favor and he is trying to get back to his home after the war.
Recommendation: This is one of the few books that I have read that I don’t think I would recommend to anyone. I guess maybe if I had a child who was really into Greek myths and that type of stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment