The Penelopiad

The Penelopiad
Margaret Atwood

From the Publisher:

Margaret Atwood’s Penelopiad is a sharp, brilliant and tender revision of a story at the heart of our culture: the myths about Penelope and Odysseus. In Homer’s familiar version, The Odyssey, Penelope is portrayed as the quintessential faithful wife. Left alone for twenty years when Odysseus goes to fight in the Trojan Wars, she manages to maintain the kingdom of Ithaca, bring up her wayward son and, in the face of scandalous rumours, keep over a hundred suitors at bay. When Odysseus finally comes home after enduring hardships, overcoming monsters and sleeping with goddesses, he kills Penelope’s suitors and–curiously–twelve of her maids.

In Homer the hanging of the maids merits only a fleeting though poignant mention, but Atwood comments in her introduction that she has always been haunted by those deaths. The Penelopiad, she adds, begins with two questions: what led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to? In the book, these subjects are explored by Penelope herself–telling the story from Hades — the Greek afterworld - in wry, sometimes acid tones. But Penelope’s maids also figure as a singing and dancing chorus (and chorus line), commenting on the action in poems, songs, an anthropology lecture and even a videotaped trial.

AND IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON, so let us cut that short because if you want to know what THEY say you can google it, but you are here to hear what I have to say...

My thoughts:

This is no new book at all. Margaret Atwood is amazing in her writing, and even if you don't like her style you can't deny that. This book doesn't get the credit it deserves because it adds depth and a woman's perspective on a very famous legend that casts it's large shadow over it.

One of the best things about this novel is you don't have to have a clue about the original tale to pick this up and dive in. It takes us beyond the dutiful, faithful, patient figure we've been fed in Homer's description and adds, depth, deception, whit, and compassion; all things each of us can relate to. We may also like the slight rebellious nature that we wouldn't expect from this heroine. Atwood brings Penelope to life, takes her from a charming house wife to a woman we'd all love to collaborate with.

It is hilarious and thought provoking all at once. Give it a shot, I think you'd like it.