Waiting for Odysseus

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Summary: Clemence McLaren is a mastermind! This book is amazing!
Review: As soon as I was asked to read this book, I was ecstatic. I had just finished reading Inside The Walls of Troy, another fantastic book by Mrs. McLaren, and I was lusting after another book by her. I really love her unique way of portraying her way of looking at the story, and telling it through the women in the story. Through her books, I looked at the women in ways I had never thought of looking at them. I had never imagined Penelope the way Mrs. McLaren showed her, and thinking of her that way truly opened my eyes. I am always on the lookout for new books, and my favorite genres are Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, and Science Fiction. Of all of the Historical Fiction books that I've read, Clemence McLaren is definetely my favorite author. In other books I've read, it's always from the same viewpoint, but she really gets into the characters heads, and shows you their personality in a new light. Books like Waiting for Odysseus and Inside the Walls of Troy are inspirations to all aspiring writers. Anyone who is interested in Greek Mythology has to read them. They are true gems in the group of retold Greek Myths.

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Summary: Not my favorite retelling
Review: Four women retell The Odyssey through their relationships with Odysseus in this historical fiction piece. McLaren introduces Penelope, the faithful wife who fell for her warrior husband at first sight; Circe, the seductive siren who kept him captive for years; Athena, the goddess who favored him, and Eurycleia, his nursemaid.
Impressively, each voice is distinct. Athena is done particularly well, with just the right degree of arrogance and benevolence befitting a goddess. She is a master at manipulation. Circe uses sex as her weapon, and Penelope was just pathetic. The issue of Odyssus' infidelities is never addressed, and Penelope becomes an icon as a patient, faithful, and unquestioning wife. Such a view serves to subjugate women. Granted, this is historical fiction, and perhaps historically, culturally accurate, but it is frustrating that such gross inequality between the sexes is still touted as ideal.
The story itself is frustrating, because McLaren leaves out the good parts in the retelling. Perhaps women may not have embellished upon the gory details, but to skip over the battle scenes and skim over the Trojan War makes the book devoid of any excitement and alienates many adventure fans.
McLaren did a wonderful job with Inside the Walls of Troy: A novel of the women who lived the Trojan War. The characters were real, had some power, and were sympathetic. The point of the McLaren's work is to make ancient Greece more accessible to today's students; while the details of culture and history are excellent, Waiting for Odysseus is a disappointment overall.

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Summary: BAD!
Review: I am those kind of guy who like to read real life story of people and this is not it. I don't enjoy reading it. I read the first two chapters and I can't continue. the story line just seemed impossible for me.

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Summary: Excellent for young readers new to mythology.
Review: I got this book from my local library, and I have reread it many times. This story is faithfully retold, with richer characters compared to those classics you get in school textbooks. Odysseus, although the main character, is rather vague compared to other characters in the story, while Penelope's loyalty to her husband is touching. Expect some divine intervention from the gods as well.

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Summary: A Page Turner
Review: I have always been interested in the Ancient Greeks and Romans, their stories have fascinated me. As I read Waiting for Odysseus, I would read a passage and say, "I remember this from history class in sixth grade," or "I remember reading about this!" The book provided me with new knowledge about the time period and helped me recall my knowledge from the past. Who knew that all these women loved Odysseus? Now I know. Once I started the book I read it straight through. McLaren does an amazing job of keeping the reader excited throughout the book. This love story is entwined with action and adventure and told in a thrilling sequence by Odysseus' lovers.

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Summary: This is a very good book!
Review: I loved this book! The whole time I felt like I was inside the book! I recomend this book to anyone who loves Greek Mythology. Whether you know every thing about Greek Myths or if you know nothing, this is a good book, really good. Read this!

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Summary: AWESOME!!!!!!
Review: I really liked this book! It really made me want to learn about The Odyssey. I really liked the way it was written. I would defidentily recomend this book to any one! One of my fave books!

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Summary: One of the best books ever!
Review: I think that all of Clemence McLaren's books, like this one, are simply amazing!! Her ability to put herself into every character she writes about, like Helen, Cassandra, a witch, or a goddess, she can do it all. I recommend her books to anyone, young or old, who wants to learn about Greek myths, or just wants to read a good book. Waiting for Odysseus, Inside the Walls of Troy, and the best book of all three, Aphrodite's Blessings: Love Stories from the Greek Myths, are all amazing!! Buy her books, and you WON'T be dissapointed! Thank you McLaren!

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Summary: Review for Mr. Goldman-GHS
Review: I thought this was a great book, especially for girls who are interested in Greek mythology. I was assigned this book to read and see whether or not my teacher should buy a class set. My answer is definetly yes. I also went ahead and read her two other books (both are excellent, I may add). This book has many facts combined with spellbinding tales of adventure, romance, virtue, heroism, and all is viewed through the eyes of women. The last example was the fact that decided my liking this book, so many of the books on Greek mythology are written from a man's gory point of view. This book has dynamic parts of light and dark to tell the age-old story of Odysseus in a new aura. I liked this book a lot and I believe that all Greek history lovers, be they boy or girl, should read this and get a new angle on Odysseus' drama.

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Summary: Thank you!
Review: I would like to personally thank Mrs. McLaren for writing this wonderful book as well as 'Inside the Walls of Troy'. I found both of these spectacular books absolutely fascinating and I strongly contradict those illiterate people out there who don't appreciate good literature. I already knew the stories of the Iliad and the Odyssey when I read these books, but they gave me a whole, new and different point of view on the subject. The first time I read the book, I couldn't put it down. I believe this book will now rank among my favorites, which I read over and over again. Some of those books are the 'Golden Compass', and 'Wild Magic'. This book defienetly is destined to be ranked among the best. I would also like to thank Mrs. McLaren for visiting our classroom, and I encourage her to keep on writing, for those who truly appreciate good literature.