Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

Did you like Meg Cabot's version of the Underworld? How is it different from the representation of it in Greek mythology?

Here is a map of Greek Underworld I found:

image:

Cool map! I thought Cabot did a good job with describing her Hades. I could see it perfect in my mind. My imagination makes Hades a little more spooky. The workers running around in hoods like Death. The book's Hades has men with Tattoos (I don't know why tattoos are so scary??). I did like though how the new Hades included people though who were modern like the guy trying to make his cell phone work. I wonder if John will take Pierce's suggestions and change things in the underworld in the next book???? ?

Angie wrote: "The book's Hades has men with Tattoos (I don't know why tattoos are so scary??)."

I wonder if the hooded men were supposed to be stand-ins for Cerberus. Maybe their tattoos were of slavering, three-headed dogs.

Tatiana wrote: "Did you like Meg Cabot's version of the Underworld? How is it different from the representation of it in Greek mythology?"

Pierce missed the boat so we don't know whether the boat man is anything like Charon.

I wonder if people would've needed two coins to get on the boat? :)

Angie wrote: "I wonder if people would've needed two coins to get on the boat? :)"

That seems to have been an ancient belief - and one of the possible reasons that coins were placed on the eyes of the dead. Of course, Pierce wouldn't have the coins because she wasn't buried yet.

I liked Cabot's version of the Underworld. At first, I didn't because I didn't get why John Hayden and not Hades was running the Underworld. But after some thought, I realized that she made multiple underworlds, so that she could create her own without destroying the one in Greek and Roman myths. I like to think that this Underworld is the one John Hayden created, so it accounts for a lot of it. This Underworld is just a port-of-entry, not the final destination, so it can be whatever she wants it to be.

Kim wrote: "I liked Cabot's version of the Underworld. At first, I didn't because I didn't get why John Hayden and not Hades was running the Underworld. But after some thought, I realized that she made multi..."

I also wondered if the different underworlds were for different religions too? I think I remember reading that?

I visualized it as sort of the same thing as the Percy Jackson books, so I really didn't see it all that differently.