Sara H. (pianoducky) reviewed on 2/19/2011 + 16 more book reviews

Atwood's take on the myth of Odysseus definitely introduces the reader to alternate takes of the story. She consulted several other sources aside from the ubiquitous tale to bring us other perspectives. This book is told from Penelope's point of view. As the daughter of a Naiad, she does get weepy at the drop of the hat, however she is a clever woman and dealing with staying afloat in a man's....er, I mean her cousin Helen's world ;). For me the fascinating point of the story was the different locations. Sometimes we're in real time, with Penelope dealing with all the chaos around her as her husband is off on his adventures. Sometimes we're in Hades, learning about life after death. And in between acts, a greek chorus of the 12 unfortunate maids injects the whole read with their tragic point of view. I liked how Atwood plays on the symbolism of 12 and 13 and brings up the possibilities of a feminist reading, albeit one that doesn't end well, even within the original text. I recommend it even if you haven't read the original Odysseus, this is a good story and while short, it gives the reader quite a few things to think about.

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