We are arguing about the pronounciation of this title: PeneLOPiad, or PenELopiad? Not that it makes much difference to a mind-boggling, brilliant, and generally superlative book.

I have been looking forward to reading this book for about four months now- I haven’t read it before for numerous good reasons, none of which currently spring to mind, except the fact that I haven’t owned it. Mum bought it, though, and I read it when I was in Adelaide for the weekend (it only took a few hours – it’s very short).

It’s by Margaret Atwood, who can always be coounted on to write interesting stories; it’s part of a series of classical myth re-writes, which I am very excited about: the other one that has been published, to my knowledge, is Weight, about when Herakles takes the weight of the world from Atlas’ shoulders so he can steal the apples (of the sun god?) as part of his Labours. I don’t know what the others will be like, but the few other authors I recognised sound promising.

Anyway – obviously, it’s The Odyssey from Penelope’s point of view. She doesn’t like Cousin Helen, and that is refreshing. She’s also telling the story from Hades (taking a walk through the asphodel… having a bite of asphodel… go and look at Sisyphus…), with a few chapters given to the hanged maids doing a Greek chorus thing.

I cannpt recommend it highly enough. It provides a slightly acerbic, much more real counterpoint to cunning Odysseus’ tale.