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Title details for The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood - Wait list

The Penelopiad

by Margaret Atwood
Laural Merlington
Audiobook
0 of 1 copy available
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Now that I'm dead I know everything — The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus retold on audio. Margaret Atwood gives Penelope a modern and witty voice to tell her side of the story, and set the record straight for good.

  • Creators

  • Series

    Myths

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 14, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780857865700
      • File size: 96204 KB
      • Duration: 03:20:25

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      In this sly updating of a famous Greek myth, Odysseus's wife, Penelope, gets to tell her version of events. What was she really up to while Odysseus traveled the wine-dark sea? Margaret Atwood's Penelope is a smart, wry, and witty storyteller. Laural Merlington dramatizes these characteristics admirably. She reads Penelope's narration with verve and clarity, capturing the dry humor and philosophic tone that Atwood has written into the character. To add further philosophic comment, Atwood transforms the 12 wayward maids killed by Odysseus upon his return into a Greek chorus. Their words are produced by the layering of multiple tracks of Merlington's voice; it's a disembodied, comforting effect that works well, given the maids' discomforting message. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 24, 2005
      Drawing on a range of sources, in addition to The Odyssey, Atwood scripts the narrative of Penelope, the faithful and devoted wife of Odysseus and her 12 maids, who were killed upon the master's return. Atwood proposes striking interpretations of her characters that challenge the patriarchal nature of Greek mythology. The chapters transition between the firsthand account of Penelope and the chorus of maids as listeners are taken from Penelope's early life to her afterlife. Laural Merlington charmingly delivers the witty and perceptive Penelope with realistic inflection and emphasis. Some of her vocal caricatures seem over the top, but most voices maintain a resemblance to our perceptions of these mythic people. The maids are presented as a saddened chorus by a cloning of Merlington's voice. These dark figures speak straightforwardly in their accusations of Penelope and Odysseus, while, at other times, they make use of rhyming. This format works well, though sometimes the cadence and rhyming scheme are off beat. This benefits the production by creating an eerie resonance and haunting demeanor that enhances this engaging tale.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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