Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
It
should be noted that most people think the Trojan War was started with an apple;
in fact, it was swan sex. If Zeus could
have kept it in his chiton things would have been much better for some people.
Fry’s
retelling of the Troy cycle ends with the Fall of the City and begins with the founding
of the city and the Trojan line. It’s Fry,
of course, so there is swan sex.
Okay,
let’s be honesty, Fry’s series of Greek myth retellings, of which Troy is the
third, is an easily accessible, immensely readable, slyly funny needed update
on Hamilton’s Mythology. Look, I love
Hamilton. I’ve read and re-read Hamilton’s
mythology. I love it. Don’t get me wrong. But you have to admit, there is a simplicity
to the retellings. Fry’s retellings are
long (he’s taken three books so far) but there is a sense of humor and, even judgement. They
are more accessible in tone and less dry. They are a great way to get anyone interested
in the Greek myths.
There is
something immensely satisfying reading a book that weaves in all the various
sources and discusses the more morally ambiguous issues – such as Odysseus say. There are appendices that discuss the various
historical conditions. Fry gets points to for putting the sacking into perspective,
and also connects to sackings in history.
What was
particularly nice was the lack of bias, which sounds strange I know. The thing is that many modern retellings even
straight forward ones such as this tend to side with the Trojans. Not surprisingly really, in our modern sensibilities
Helen should have the right to chose who she wants to be with, and that sacking
was barbaric. Fry, however, presents both
sides as good and bad. This is important
because, let’s be honest, the Trojans violated xenia, when Paris ran off with Helen, the god, and, in the version Fry
uses, Menelaus’ son (who does not grow at all during the war). While Fry does not spell this out, he does emphasis
the underhandedness of Paris’ behavior, and one of the running themes of the
book is Paris’ behavior.
By
contrast, while Agamemnon does still come across as a spoiled king, Fry also
deals with him fairly, pointing out how the seers always just see at the most inopportune
times and how he is constantly accepted
to sacrifice. He also points out the
places where the High King did show to various people.
It is a
more even handed approach to the war; even the gods who do sit in judgement are
also taken to task.
Troy is
an excellent retelling of the cycle.
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