Greek – Cannonball Read 17

Athena growing up

Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War by Imogen and Isabel Greenberg

January 5, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Imogen and Isabel Greenberg know Greek mythology. I am sure they know a lot of things, but we will focus on Greek Mythology and the Goddess of Wisdom and War: Athena. Or more accurately the title is, Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War. This is the first in a stand-alone series. Athena’s grandmother, Gaia is book two, but you can read it first if you wish. And since I had read her story first, my opinion of Athena was a little jaded. I was expecting […]

What a Mother

Tales of Great Goddesses: Gaia: Goddess of Earth by Imogen Greenberg

November 29, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Tales of Great Goddesses: Gaia: Goddess of Earth by Imogen Greenberg and Isabel Greenberg on the illustrations is a picture book graphic novel that shows how the “Sisterhood fights the Drums of Chaos” (their words not mine). Or in other words, it is a modern take on the Greek mythology with a pro-female look. Gaia is the Earth and the Mother of All. She created the world, and she ruled the land and Earth, while her husband the sky. And then the trouble starts. From here […]

Not until I helped kill a man did I realize how complex an act a murder can be

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

August 28, 2022 by carmelpie 6 Comments

A month or two before, I would have been appalled at the idea of any murder at all. But that Sunday afternoon, as I actually stood watching one, it seemed the easiest thing in the world. ― Donna Tartt, The Secret History “Time, and repeated screenings, have endowed the memory with a menace the original did not possess. -Donna Tartt, The Secret History Based on my experience reading The Goldfinch, I knew that my next Donna Tartt book would be a serious undertaking. After being […]

Adapting to Graphic Novel puts a new spin on things

The Lost Hero: Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan

May 1, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I had a big spell where trying to concentrate on reading anything more challenging than push or pull the door recently. I took a break from reading and got myself sorted out a little and finally finished The Lost Hero: The Graphic Novel. Adapted from the novel by Rick Riordan, Robert Venditti’s story is the “other side” of the Greek/Roman mythology of his famous series Percy Jackson. Knowing that series can help. Even having read the original novel could help. But there are still a […]

Humanizing a Goddess

Circe by Madeline Miller

February 27, 2020 by thewheelbarrow Leave a Comment

I bought Circe last year after it won a few awards. I finally read it because a friend from work read it and recommended it to me. We were both changing jobs so I wanted to read it while we still worked together so that we could discuss it. It was fantastic. It reminded me, thematically, of Grendel by John Gardner in that the premise is the book is the POV from a character that is considered an antagonist in a different, famous story. Like […]

Aren’t we all a little monstrous?

November 19, 2014 by Fiat.Luxury Leave a Comment

This is an odd, original, remarkable book. I didn’t know anything about it when I picked it up–let’s be real, I was just looking for a short book so I can finish my Cannonball in time! And it was unlike anything I’ve read this year. This short (160 pages!) novel in verse is Anne Carson’s modern re-telling of a Greek myth that was originally told by Stesichoros, a Sicilian Greek of the early classical era. In the original, Heracles murders the red-winged monster Geryon and steals his […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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