Very enjoyoable
Atwood's retelling of Homer's, "The Odyssey", provides a glimpse of the epic poem from the perspective of Penelope, the fateful wife of Odysseus. Through Penelope's interpretation of events (from Hades) the reader is exposed to a feminist perspective that appears to transcend the late eighth century BC period in which the epic is thought to have been written. Penelope's gaze provides a view of women as property, unable to make decisions, personal or otherwise, without the approval of a male. Telemachus' treatment of his mother during his father's absence is a prime example of how patriarchal rights of the time supersede those of women, even when the woman is a parent. The fate of the twelve maidens provides another example of how women fall victim and prey to the patriarchy. The fact that the maiden's judgment was upheld in a modern court of law serves to further Atwood's assertion of an oppressive patriarchy; one that remains, albiet to a lesser extent, in existence today.
"The Penelopiad" is structured in the style of a Greek tragedy where song, dance and poetry are integral to the narrative. This is a very creative and highly accessible novel. It has certainly increased my interest in "The Odyssey" (although I have no intensions of reading it) and could serve as an excellent introduction to that work. This read came by way of recommendation from a co-worker (thanks Ms. B!. I probably wouldn't have read this under any other circumstance. I'm glad that this was my first experience with the author; I'm looking forward to more. Highly Recommended!
Light, Fun and Witty but Ultimately Aimless, Disappointing
2 and 1/2 Stars.
'The Penelopiad' is a sharp and clever novella, infused with Atwood's usual wit and charm. But beware: this is merely Atwood-lite.
Let me first start by saying that I am a huge fan of 'The Odyssey', it's one of the earliest books I've read and, as such, will forever occupy a small corner of my heart. So when I found out that one of my favorite authors, Margaret Atwood, would be putting her own personal twist on Homer's classic tale I became ecstatic. But I think anticipation for the book created a bit of over-expectation on my part.
The book primarily focuses on the tragedy of Penelope's twelve maids. Here in lies the problem for me, the character of Penelope is fairly well developed while the twelve maids seem one-dimensional. Their death is a major emotional arch in the story but since the maids are so underdeveloped it's hard to find empathy for them by the time the tragedy comes about. I get it and I think it could have worked if Atwood gave us more time between Penelope and the maids, or even just the maids by themselves. On the other side of the coin, I think using the maids as a chorus was clever and worked, for the most part.
Recommended to fans of 'The Odyssey'
Delightfully Cheeky
Margaret Atwood can write in many tones, but cheeky has to be her best. She made the story of the long-suffering Penelope and the insufferable Odysseus a delight to read, with character revelations poor old Homer couldn't possibly imagine and a chorus of maltreated maids that not only provided commentary but the real backbone of the plot as well.
Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds: A Novel of Scandal, Love and Death in the Congo
A Lackluster Protagonist for a Lakluster Story
Disappointing. My hope was for a retelling of The Odyssey that would give a richer, more intriguing and unique viewpoint of Penelope and her maids over the twenty-year span of Odysseus' absence. What it instead ends up being is a boring recounting of Penelope crying, filling up the time doing nothing, or being sarcastic about life now that she inhabits the Underworld. She speaks in far too modern a tone, and sounds much more like a feminist mouthpiece than anything else. The book also assumes knowledge of the Odyssey--granted, it is a retelling of sorts, but should be enjoyable without me puzzling over certain names or events. And Penelope herself is, in a word, boring. The redeeming factor of the book lie in the interludes, songs and poems and small scenes featuring Penelope's maids acting as a Greek chorus. They are beautiful, clever, and occasionally terribly moving or even funny. They provide the only relief throughout an otherwise dragging story.
Light, satirical and racy
Definitely different than any Atwood I've read. Told from the perspective of Penelope, Odysseus's long suffering, devoted wife, about what really went on during his travels ... and most of it is not flattering of Odysseus or, frankly, of Penelope. This story is light and satirical, if a bit racy at times. An amusing and extremely quick read that broke up the heavy subject matter I have been reading as of late (e.g., The Road, No Country for Old Men). Makes me want to go back and read The Odyssey all over again!
