Troy

Rating:
Summary: An Instant Classic
Review: This story overviews the last few months of the Trojan War from a new perspective, that of the infamous city Troy. It focuses on two sisters, Xanthe and Marpessa, orphans who were found in the mountains, and now work in the palaces of Troy. Xanthe, the older of the sisters, takes care of Astyanax, the son of Hector and Andromache. She also works in the "Blood Room", where wounded Trojan soldiers are taken and cared for. Marpessa, the younger sister, is more mature than Xanthe, perhaps because she can see the gods when they walk among mortals. She works in the palace of Helen and Paris. The Trojan War has been going on for more than ten years, and the girls and their friends can hardly remember a time when the Greek tents weren't camped outside Troy's legendary walls.

The book starts at the beginning of the end, in a sense, and we watch the infamous Achilles and Hector battle, hear Helen have second thoughts about leaving Sparta and her family, and watch Andromache slowly break under the strain of being strong for her son.

At the same time the fictional characters have their own stories. The crossed loves of Xanthe, Marpessa, their friends Polyxena and Iason, and a young soldier Alastor make the story more real, not just about the royalty.

Since the girls live and work with the famous figures in history, (Helen of Troy, Hector, Priam, etc.) we learn all about the people that they work and interact with. The great thing about this book is that unlike other works about the Trojan War, it doesn't try to show the characters that you've heard of in a certain way. For instance, it doesn't make Helen an evil person, it doesn't make Paris lazy and selfish. The two sisters get a lot of emotions vented on them, and through this we can see what the heroes and famous figures of old are thinking and feeling. The sisters' experiences and interactions show us how the famous acted, but the sisters themselves don't pass judgement, since they have lived with these people for their whole lives.

The under-running theme of this book is something that is never said or stressed in any way, a great thing with Ms. Geras' writing. It shows you that the people of Troy are the same as we are today. They have the same thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams. It makes the mythology and people and events a lot more believable with the emotions coursing through. This book is a classic that anyone should read, whether you like ancient times or not, because it is the first taste of a real ancient time, one that you can envision actually existing.

By Amy H., Miller Place High School

Rating:
Summary: Troy
Review: Troy is a magnificent book depicting life for ancient Greeks and Romans. It required a little homework to understand all of the gods, but it was worth it. After picking apart this book, it did not take me long to realize that this book was truly about love. All that happened in this book had to do with love. The sacrifices, the sisters, and even the war. Adele Geras beautifully depicts what happened in the raid of Troy, and even though it was a bit gory, you could really feel what it would have been like to be there. The author has a terrific way of writing, where you can truly connect to the characters, and you want them to succeed just the way that you would want a close friend to. Because this book has so many characters, it's a little confusing following who the chapter is about, but the scene banners at the beginning of each chapter help. I also enjoyed the gods participation in this novel, foreshadowing the whole time. It just made me want to keep reading even more. I encourage anyone who's looking for an interesting, exciting, and challenging book to pick up Troy.

Rating:
Summary: A bit of a disappointment
Review: Upon first seeing this book in my local bookstore, I immediatly picked it up and began to read the blurb. It seemed intriguing so I read the first couple pages. I did not want to buy it in hardcover, because I knew it would not take me long to read. When it came out in paperback, I thusly bought it and began to read. The story moved along at a good pace, but it was very dry. The book won all these prestigious awards, but I thought it wasn't much of a representation of Troy. I have been fascinated by the Greeks and their mythology for many years, and although this was seemingly accurate, it lacked meat. It seemed like it was more of a textbook than a novel. The characters, although well developed, did not seem very emotional. The times when a speech rang of vengeance, I was somewhat appalled, they seemed so pathetic and juvenile. These supposed "speeches" were melodramatic and seemed like the author was trying to create an aura of emotion but didn't know how to write. Ms. Geras created a good background, but I felt like the ending was very weak and the book was very dry for such an amazing story. Not to say that the book was necessarily horrible, but I had much higher expectations and was sorely disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Troy: a novel
Review: Xanthe, an adolescent living in the city of Troy, is struggling to find herself as the war rages on and on outside the walls. Join her and those around her as they live their lives in the final days of Troy.

The book, Troy: a novel, written by Adele Geras is a romantic war story about the life inside Troy before the great city crumbled. Opposite the Iliad, it shows the war of Troy from the perspective of the Trojans. It shows "the other side of the story". It will take you in and will not let you go until you have read every last word. I give it a perfect ten and if you're going to read any book, make it Troy: a novel. Perfect for reading over and over again. An epic story, an instant classic, and a best seller for young adults.

DM