Quiver

Rating:
Summary: Fast-paced, effective, and evocative
Review: In this retelling of the story of Atalanta, Stephanie Spinner continues in the tradition of great novelists like Mary Renault who render ancient history and mythology fresh, accessible and immediate without adulterating the original power of the stories. Atalanta, a mythical huntress with a remarkable story, is still a teenaged girl -- confused, hormonal, and horse-crazy. Anyone who has ever been a adolescent girl or known one will feel a certain affinity to and sympathy for her.

Spinner doesn't fall into the trap of stylistic modernization, however. Despite her character's accessibility to the modern reader, Atalanta remains undisputably an inhabitant of an ancient, mythical world in which creatures like centaurs are an unremarkable (though smelly and obnoxious) aspect of everyday life, and the gods are flawed, mercurial and fickle. Apollo and Artemis carry on conversations filled with the idle, slighty vicious barbs one would expect from siblings, though not, perhaps, from devine ones. That our heroine, long-suffering and stoic, is at the mercy of these creatures seems the ultimate injustice: she is so much better than they.

I suppose that injustice is part of what makes "Quiver" so convincing and evocative of the original myths it is based on. The Greek Gods of Homer and Ovid were never especially divine in judgement or emotion; what makes them so terrifying and moving is that they are just like us, only bigger, more powerful, and even more ruled by the drives and emotions we deem ignoble, primal, and unmanagable. In this godly muck of jealousy, revenge and chaos for the sake of it, Atalanta is a beacon of level-headedness, humanity, and nobility.

Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: Quiver was a wonderful integration of mythology, romance, and adventure. I have recommended this book to many of my friends and my Latin teacher. The main character, Atalanta, was one of many characters beautifully brought to life through dialogue and description. Spinner's Quiver was a delicate mix of the many tales of Atalanta. I hope to read many more books by Stephanie Spinner in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful retelling of Greek Myth of Atalanta
Review: Spinner retells the Greek legend of Atalanta, a royal born fosterling with athletic grace whose father and king orders her to marry in spite of her vow of chastity and devotion to the goddess Artemis. When Atalanta consents to race potential suitors on the condition that losers die and only the man to beat her will win her hand, Eros intercedes with his arrow of love. More in this version than in others, Atalanta seems a strong female character with some control over her destiny, in spite of her offerings to the goddess and the intervention of fate.
Students studying Greek myth will recognize traditional elements such as prophecy, humans desiring to become godlike, and the punishment of prideful humans. What makes Spinner's version stand out are her savory details that lend a tangible quality to the historical period. The insertion of imagined conversations between the gods as they wager on the outcome of the human events they manipulate is unique and raises the story up a notch while adding a note of humor.
A map, author's note about the various version of the story and a quick who's who of the key deities flesh out the background. While this is not a replacement for Hamilton or Bullfinch, the freshness of this timeless story has appeal for teens today. Pair with McLaren's Aphrodite's Blessing (Atheneum, 2002) for an interesting comparison of two takes on the tale.