The Penelopiad - Margaret Atwood

 

Here Atwood and I are two roads that diverge into the woods. That's because we see Penelope differently: while we agree that being smart and ordinary-looking should be way more than enough to earn universal respect and recognition, I believe that she was given that long before Atwood's novella. 

Or perhaps the way in which I always thought of Penelope is different from the way most people (or at least most men) thought of her through the centuries, which is a distinct possibility. 

Still, looking at this through the prospective of the twelve maids that are supposedly so dear to Atwood might have been a more interesting approach (at least for me). Instead, the maids here are reduced to a - sometimes incongruous - chorus, and I think ultimately even Atwood doesn't do them justice. 

And if I was to retell the Odyssey from a different perspective for the umpteenth time, I'd probably be looking at the events through Argos's eyes. Seriously. 

Omero, Iliade - Alessandro Baricco

 

The most significant thing about this book was finding an old copy of it in my parents' library, with a message from my mom to my grandfather - one of those wise uneducated people who studied until he was 12 before starting to work in the fields but still had time to learn the first book of the Iliad by heart. 

This book is a truly commendable effort, making Homer accessible to a wider public, retelling the story in prose, and focusing on the human dynamics (so much so that the gods are completely left out as an editorial decision). 

Compared to Christa Wolf, obviously, it pales in terms of literary significance, but in terms of bringing Greek mythology "to the Italian masses" I really think this book is second to none and, because of that, it should be applauded. 

Cassandra - Christa Wolf

Why did I have to spend years being taught - and being made to absolutely hate - ancient Greek grammar, instead of spending more time actually learning their (hi)stories?

Seriously, had a teacher ever thought of making me read this book (instead of memorizing μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος and repeating it like a parrot!) I would have actually quickly grown to like - and later most likely to love - Greek mythology. 

Instead, it took my 36 years to get closer to the life, troubles, thoughts and loves of some of the most fascinating characters ever produced by the human imagination. My daughters (aged 3 and 6 now) ask to be read stories from a children's version of The Odyssey before bed and won't have to study ancient Greek unless they really, really want to - who knows how that will work out!