Review of Calypso’s Longing, A Woman’s Odyssey of Love

[Lani Beckler]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Calypso’s Longing, A Woman’s Odyssey of Love" by Jo Anna Bella.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Review of Calypso’s Longing: A Woman’s Odyssey of Love by Jo Anna Bella

If you have ever felt the agony of lost love or the heartbreak of betrayal, you might relate to this epic poetic journey. The author writes from the perspective of Calypso, and it is in her own words that she tells the story of her meeting Odysseus and finding love. Her story embraces all the emotional ups and downs that lovers face, along with the devastating reality of not belonging and feeling that we are not enough.

This is not a typical tale of Greek myths, gods and goddesses or even an Odyssey retelling. This is the story of a woman who didn’t know love or what it felt like to be loved. As she discovers those feelings for Odysseus, their love grows, even though she knows that there is the possibility he may not choose her. Calypso writes of their adventures, their intimacy and their connection with one another being so deep that it felt as if nothing could touch them.

Calypso’s journey doesn’t end there. With Odysseus’s departure to her own homeland and wife, she is left alone once again. Calypso writes about her longing for him and her anger at being left behind. The reader can feel the despair through her words and for a moment it feels as though there is no hope. Calypso turns that despair into something else. She turns herself inward and discovers who she is and the beauty of what she experienced in loving Odysseus so deeply.

I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The writing flowed from one line to the next in almost a cadence that made it feel as if I was reading the lyrics of a song. I want to caution those that decide to embark on this journey, that there is a sensual side to this book and I would recommend this book for adult readers. I don’t have negatives about the book, but I rated it a 4 out of 5 because I wouldn't consider it a book that "wowed" me enough for a 5 star rating. I thought the writing was easy to read and understand even though it is in poem form. It was clear to interpret who was speaking throughout each poem and to follow along with the story line.

******
Calypso’s Longing, A Woman’s Odyssey of Love
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Thapelo Buthelezi]

I am not interested in Greek mythology, so this might not be a good book for me. Because of that, I will gladly pass it. But thank you for sharing this good review with us. You did more than a good job.

[Kibet Hillary]

It is good to read that apart from the fact that it did not meet some 'expectation', all the other aspects of the book were likable. I have always enjoyed reading about Greek mythology and this will be one more book to dive and see how the relationship plays out in the novel. Thanks for the review, @Lani Beckler.

[Zahra Abdallah 2]

It seems like a good to read although was sadden story of love. I enjoyed its content but I remember how heartbreak of betrayal give painful. For someone who does not know what is love, coming trouble for each step of his/ her life

[Gabriel Barros]

Calypso’s Longing é uma obra profundamente poética e emocional que reconstrói, de forma original e intimista, a figura mitológica da ninfa Calipso. Jo Anna Bella não se limita a revisitar a Odisseia, mas oferece uma nova lente — feminina, sensível e dolorosamente humana — sobre o amor, o abandono e a jornada interior.

Narrado do ponto de vista da própria Calipso, o livro transforma mitologia em confissão, e mito em memória afetiva. Através de uma sequência de poemas que beiram o lirismo musical, acompanhamos sua descoberta do amor ao conhecer Odisseu, suas angústias diante da incerteza, e, mais tarde, a devastação causada pela partida dele. A escrita de Bella é íntima, fluida e carregada de emoção — não há distanciamento entre narradora e leitora: somos levadas diretamente para o centro do coração partido de Calipso.

O aspecto mais notável da obra é justamente essa cadência poética que conduz a narrativa com suavidade e intensidade. Os versos se entrelaçam em uma estrutura delicada, sem perder a clareza ou o desenvolvimento do enredo. É possível acompanhar perfeitamente quem está falando, o que está sendo vivido e como cada emoção se transforma ao longo da história.

Diferente de outras releituras mitológicas que apostam em reviravoltas dramáticas ou recriações do universo dos deuses, Calypso’s Longing foca no íntimo: é o retrato de uma mulher que nunca havia sido amada e que, ao finalmente experimentar o amor, se vê confrontada com sua efemeridade. A autora equilibra com sensibilidade os temas da paixão, da entrega e da solidão, sem nunca cair no melodrama.

Outro ponto a ser considerado é a sensualidade presente na obra, que aparece de forma natural e artística, e contribui para o aprofundamento da conexão entre Calipso e Odisseu. Por essa razão, a leitura é mais apropriada para o público adulto.

Embora a obra não alcance um impacto transformador que justificaria a nota máxima, ela é consistente, tocante e muito bem escrita. É o tipo de leitura que não exige pressa, mas sim presença — ideal para quem busca poesia com alma e significado.

[Nana Samantha]

A hauntingly lyrical retelling of devotion, abandonment, and feminine strength.

Calypso’s Longing is a poignant and introspective exploration of love from the perspective of the oft-forgotten nymph in Homer’s Odyssey. Told in poetic prose, the book reframes the myth of Calypso not as a seductress or obstacle in Odysseus’s path, but as a woman deeply in love—and ultimately left behind.

Rather than simply recounting the events of the myth, the story delves into emotional realism, showing Calypso as more than a mythic figure. She is a mirror to every woman who has loved fully, waited too long, and faced the silence of being forgotten. Her island, Ogygia, becomes a metaphor for isolation, timelessness, and emotional limbo, where longing itself becomes both sanctuary and prison.

The writing is elegant, melancholic, and deeply human, weaving classical imagery with modern emotional resonance. At times, it reads like a love letter to grief, to memory, and to the act of loving someone who has already left. Through Calypso’s voice, the book subtly critiques patriarchal myth-making and offers a reclaimed narrative: not of passivity, but of fierce, silent endurance.