[The Odyssey (Puffin Classics)] [By: Homer] [December, 1997]

by Geraldine McCaughrean

Genres: Classics, Mythology, Fantasy

Paperback Bunko

About the author

Geraldine McCaughrean is a British children's novelist. She has written more than 170 books, including Peter Pan in Scarlet (2004), the official sequel to Peter Pan commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital, the holder of Peter Pan's copyright. Her work has been translated into 44 languages worldwide. She has received the Carnegie Medal twice and the Michael L. Printz Award among others.

Reviews

[Danielle]

Guys don’t make fun of me, I’m really excited for the odyssey movie but I didn’t think I’d have the time to read the actual odyssey so I settled for the spark notes version

[Sara]

Good and it made me think to all the songs from epic the musical.

[Juliana]

As one who struggles with my attention span, reading this illustrated children's edition of The Odyssey was a foot in the door to understanding this ancient story. There were a few places where I felt the spirit of the story was lost in the retelling. For example, nixing entirely the interaction of Achilles and Agamemnon in the underworld. I understand the cut, given that they don't play a more active role in the Odyssey. However, I feel that both their stories could have been told briefly as the important elements of their story we're missing. For example, Achilles told Odysseus that dying in glory serves him nothing in the underworld, which would be news to a great Greek war hero like Odysseus. Living a normal life into old age brings more joy than glory upon one's name and dying young, as there is no joy in the underworld. As for Agamemnon, his murder by his wife Clytemnestra upon returning home from Troy was relevant to Odysseus coming home in disguise.
However, I was generally pleased and found it very intelligible and understandable for a young audience.

[Ayla Everwood]

This book was okay. This book is trying to get the basic gist of the story in a short amount of time, and it has the main events of the original book. However the book either changes major and minor details or adds things that was not mentioned in the original book. For example, it discredits Penelope's idea for the challenge the suitors do and gives it to her son. I believe it was very important to the original version because back then women were treated as lesser. The fact that they show how wise Penelope is in the original version is amazing. Another thing that bothered me was the book mentions that Athena fell in love with Odysseus when this has not happened in the first place. She is one of the only goddesses on the Pantheon that is a virgin along with Hestia and Artemis. Her main temple is called Athena Parthenos meaning the virgin Athena. Along with this, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, does not affect Athena. Athena is Odysseus's mentor and I find it very odd that the author added that she fell in love with him when that is not the case at all. Some of the changes don't mean anything but a couple of them completely go against how the character is in the original version. It is a good version to read to young kids because it is simplified but if you want to get into reading rewrittings of the Odyssey I would not recommend this one.

[Natalie Poe]

Totally understand that there were some differences and simplifications from the original work done with this book but it was a hit with my 8 year old. She had a million questions for me about the movie we went to see on date night and I told her about the story. Her curiosity was peaked and she continued to ask questions about what happened to Odysseus on his travels.
The next day she spotted this in the kids section at the bookstore. I thought it would be a great way for her to be introduced to the story and she absolutely loved it! I think simplifying these classics for kids gives them a fondness for the stories themselves so that when they grow older they can dive deeper and have a true appreciation for the original.

[Ophelia Gold]

What a great story. Having never knowing anything about what lies within these pages, I was delighted to find a magical fairytale. 'The Odyssey' is full of Kings, Queens, God's, goddess's, mermaids, giants, the underworld, witches, ghosts and the list goes on and on. It's Disney's 'Hercules', meets 'Pirate's of the carribean,' mixed in with a little 'Game of thrones'. Gorgeous story, a real page turner and I would give a 10/10 recommend.

[Caitlin Ellis]

I finished this book quickly, it’s a short and simple account.

[Carroll]

Short, condensed version filled my need for a review of this story.

[Euan Cook]

It’s fine.

[Natalie Fowler]

A really sweet retelling of the Odyssey suitable for younger readers. Lovely figurative language to explore and discuss. Highly recommend.

[Sarah Nelson]

Interesting story telling, Odysseus is a disgustingly ego based man.

[Evy]

Only “copy” of the odyssey I could find in my house 😭 I need a refresher before I see it on Sunday.

[Max Hoffman]

100 page shortened version of the odyssey. Good for what it is. Read for the movie

[Fitr]

baby steps into the Odyssey

[Kensy]

4.5 stars, I want to read the original version now!

[Christy Bollinger]

Excellent pocket odyssey

[Crystal Boudreaux]

Such a classic and great adaptation to share with my students! I love the adventures of Odysseus and seeing exactly where his strength and wit will take him.

[Candace]

3.5. Great intro into the original if you’ve never read it before and want the quick synopsis (especially if you plan to see the movie soon). Also great for younger readers!

[Lily Knesevitch]

This was okay.

Really short and condensed version of Homer’s Odyssey. First off, this retelling was really different from the original work because, since the original begins following Telemachus and Penelope for a few books and then having Odysseus only recount the story to the reader later, it starts off with the beginning of the story and skips over his recounting of it. A lot is different, and even though I’ve never actually met the Odyssey, I’ve read some shortened summaries of the books, so here’s a quick list of the ones that I can think of off the top of my head:

1.) There is no run-in with the Cicones
2.) Odysseus does not meet with many of the souls (Achilles and Patroclus, Agamemnon, his own MOTHER, Anticlea) in the Underworld. However, he does meet with Elpenor, so props for remembering the one that everyone always forgets, I guess…
3.) Barely any if any mention of Mentor (or Athena mentoring Telemachus, for that matter)
4.) It’s a passing comment, but they mention Athena… being in love with Odysseus? Which makes NO SENSE AT ALL, since Athena is one of the 3 maiden goddesses!
5.) Calypso also only gets, like, a few sentences where she’s featured at most and they completely skip over the whole 7 years where she’s kidnapped and is abusing him (sure, this is a more YA book, but you can go into serious topics in kids books without making it too not for kids! It’s a YA book! “Not Sorry For Loving You” (I have my own opinions on Calypso; however, I will not share them so as to make start a war in the comments) did this perfectly, I mean, COME ON PEOPLE!!!)
4.) Apparently, TELEMACHUS came up with the challenge and NOT PENELOPE (that still makes me mad 😤)
5.) Suitor slaughter is condensed (again, this is meant to be a younger audiences book, but the Odysseys sure wasn’t! And after “Hold Them Down” and “Odysseus”, I WANT MY SUITORS SLAUGHTERED!!!)

So, what did I learn from this? Well… that EPIC: The Musical and the original Odyssey are far better than this and that you should just go read (or listen to, in the case of EPIC: The Musical) those instead.

[Lauren]

"You're not Odysseus"

-- a kid in my science class