The Odyssey
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Cover Story
The cover illustration for this issue is by Tony Ross for Allan Ahlberg’s latest addition to the ‘Happy Family’ series, Miss Dirt the Dustman’s Daughter. We are grateful to Puffin Books for their help in producing the cover of this November issue.
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The Odyssey
Victor Ambrus
I have to confess that I've always had something of a blind spot for myths and legends so it took me quite a while to get around to looking at this large format, 96-page book. Once I did, I was hooked from the first paragraph: 'The war lasted so very, very long. Then suddenly it was over in a flash of fire, a splash of blood and a trampling of horses. Men whose ships had rolled idly over a thousand tides in the bay of Troy mustered by the water's edge in groups.' I can't compare this retelling with other versions for you but the text has a superb epic ring to it and there are powerful illustrations on each spread including a number in full colour. Odysseus is courageous, arrogant and pompous by turns and we even feel some sympathy for poor old Cyclops. I'm ashamed to say that I've still got my blind spot but I'll certainly find space on my shelves for this powerful retelling.