Aparna’s Reviews > The Iliad > Status Update

This is a bit like war and peace where I’m loving the peace/ politics but not enjoying the war. So many people die that I don’t even try to like a character anymore. They will die. It’s like I’m reading jujitsu kaisen again.

I’d be surprised if somebody who knows nothing about The Iliad has enjoyed these 4 four books. Wikipedia groups these books under the name ‘Exposition’ and that is exactly what it is.

There are some good things sprinkled in - Agamemnon V Achilles and learning why the war began. But those long paragraphs in Book 2 were not needed at all, still it’s the equivalent of your town getting a shout-out in a song.

Diomedes needs to be nerfed after the kill streak he just had

I’m low key impressed with myself reading 75 pages on my commute to and from work. Still, 75 pages is only three chapter lmao (don’t ask me how its 15%, kindle works in mysterious ways)

Chapter 2 was just an intro to every single character.

Chapter 3 summarised:
Menalaus is the strongest!
Odysseus is a commander!
Paris is… pretty

It was only a matter of time before I picked up the Iliad. I have chosen to read the Emily Wilson translation - perhaps a controversial choice but it felt the most digestible to me.

I’m watching Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey & as this is technically the prequel to it, my aim is to finish this book by Sunday. Wish me luck.

So far, Agamemnon is greedy, Achilles is prideful, & Odysseus is the best