4 out of 4 stars
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The Angry Man and the Weaver: Re-imagining the Odyssey is a historical fiction by Alexander Mescavage and Eunice Taylor. It was told in alternating narrations of Odysseus and Penelope. This novel spun an exciting and engaging tale of their destiny, love, and adventure.
Odysseus had a rough life as a child. Unable to feel anything, his parents worried about him. It seemed that he was always angry, and this earned him the name, “The Angry Man”. Fortunately, the Gods heard the constant prayers of his mother, the Queen. With the help the Wise Goddess, he was able to change little by little. From an emotionless child, he grew up to be a fine warrior with a very sharp and cunning mind. His intelligence and wit earned him aliases such as “Fox” and “Talks Like Snowflakes”. One day, he was summoned to The Land of the Palace. Those summoned would compete for the hand of Helen “Sunshine” of Sparta, the most beautiful woman in the world. He knew a lowly king of a little island would be unfit to marry a spoiled princess. However, he still graced the invitation as a sign of respect. Little did he know that on the same festivity, he will meet her destined partner in life, a woman named “Weaver”.
I commend Mescavage and Taylor’s ingenuity for creating such a compelling novel. The modern portrayal of the characters made it enjoyable to read. Moreover, the characters were more multi-dimensional and relatable. The characters’ way of talking did not modernize. Even so, readers could grasp the reason behind the characters’ actions. The novel was also rich in character development. For example, Angry Man’s shrewdness was developed well with the guidance of the Wise Goddess. Angry Man showed plenty of improvement. From a child who enjoyed killing and torture, he became a respectable king.
In the book, Mescavage and Taylor changed the characters’ Greek names to their Bronze Age equivalent. Some characters also had many names. For instance, Helen’s name became “Sunshine”. When she married, her name changed to “Virtuous”. The authors gave a word of caution about this change in the introductory part of the book. It was confusing at first, but as the story went on, I got used to it. I also noted some missing quotation marks but it did not hinder my pace in reading.
Overall, I give The Angry Man and the Weaver: Re-imagining the Odyssey 4 out of 4 stars. This book is a good match for readers who are interested in Greek Mythology. Readers who want to enjoy the heart-warming tale of Penelope and Odysseus’ love story would enjoy this book as well.
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The Angry Man and the Weaver
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