Curtis’s Reviews > The Iliad > Status Update
Curtis
is on page 295 of 761
Things seemingly coming to head? Dire straights for Greeks due to only Zeus; Greeks begging Achilles to join, Patroclus being pressured to do something. I know what's coming, I just don't know when. But things getting more linear, rather than feeling like stalemate with side stories, so that's improvement! Long tangents a bit tricky--Nestor went on for pages about 'back in my day.' Challenging but enjoy the setting.
— Sep 21, 2025 10:15AM
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Curtis
is finished
Ending is best part; gets back to Homer I fell in love with. Funeral games dragged on, but by that point was going with the flow. Ending feels so abrupt it almost feels incomplete, like missing a few pages. God drama interludes best parts throughout, broke up monotony of war. Feels overlong, slog in many parts, see why Odyssey more popular. Lessons of humility, futility of war & grudges, hand of fate & lot in life.
— Oct 01, 2025 11:03AM
Curtis
is on page 525 of 761
Achilles joins! More ferocious fighting before with better pacing; a clear climax. Still isn't reaching heights of Aeneid's Troy battle, but fun! Athena my favourite goddess--gods unleashed, no holds barred; Achilles nearly gets killed by a river diety. Humour too, especially gods exchanging insults like its Jersey Shore. Hector saved only by Gods interceding despite everyone knowing their fate/story already; odd!
— Sep 28, 2025 01:27PM
Curtis
is on page 481 of 761
Daunting middle section; highly repetitive, like 'X begat Y' sections of Bible. Even after Patroclus, book very slow to get Achilles into fight; 1st a long battle over body, then forging new armor plus multi-page description of the shield. Not nearly as engaging as Odyssey. Drama between gods most interesting so far, how all events/blame attributed to them, mortals writing stories about Gods to justify events.
— Sep 28, 2025 08:57AM
Curtis
is on page 197 of 761
Pattern of fighting broken up by what looks like paths out of the war which only circle back to more fighting. Not much has substantially changed since Achilles moped his way out of the fight in book 1--a commentary on how we continue to fail finding diplomatic solutions to conflict & resort to mass violence? God drama source of most momentum; Zeus preventing Gods from directly aiding fight. Fickleness of fate.
— Sep 17, 2025 05:40PM
Curtis
is on page 133 of 761
Won't enjoy as much as Odyssey because how battles are done, & it seems battles will cover majority of book. Highlights within this; Diomedes kicking ass, even fighting off Gods that attempt to stand up for Troy. Gods want blood & have power to make conflict linger on even when peace is sought due to grudges/loyalties to one or other side. Book seems a microcosm of entire 10 year war despite covering only weeks.
— Sep 16, 2025 11:38AM
Curtis
is on page 57 of 761
Thank god I gave myself a Trojan War refresher before starting! Thrown right in, no explanation of why war started (assumes you already know), 9 years into 10 year war. Achil/Agamem's fight over a woman slave mirrors Helen of Troy causing war. Big emotions, moping, pettiness among both humans & gods. Literary themes well crafted, but dated aspects (big list of armies, diatribes etc) intimidating! Excited for more :)
— Sep 11, 2025 03:27PM
