Island of the Minotaur
retold by Sheldon Oberman, illustrated
by Blair Drawson
Grade 4-8. Crete offers an effective site to stage the
Greek myths, although a few figures assume unusual
importance here. An informative introduction connects
the myths with the political struggles between Minoans
and Greeks, and a few details about Cretan history and
ritual are worked into the stories. In 13 tales,
Oberman covers the high spots, whether indirectly
(creation, Jason and Medea) or as a main event:
Cronos, Zeus, Europa, Minos, Theseus, Daedalus, and
Icarus. Chapters are linked for narrative impetus, but background is repeated when necessary so that each tale is self-contained. The author adds fairy-tale touches and soft-pedals the brutality. There are some omissions (Persephone, Psyche, Atalanta, Artemis, Orpheus, and Eurydice are among the missing). The myths end with the destruction of Thera (Atlantis), followed by an account of Arthur Evans's discovery of Knossos. The glossary is good, but gives no pronunciation help. Colorful illustrations punctuate the large pages of text, but are not in the mode of the narrative. The nonhuman figures are modern and gripping, with a Picasso-esque bull and a mazelike background to the Minotaur, for instance. Human figures are cartoonishly distorted, with little effort to use Minoan motifs, dress, artifacts, etc. While the author takes the stories seriously, the illustrator somewhat undercuts them. Nevertheless, the discordant pages are relatively few. This volume should compete successfully with the many myth retellings available.� Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI. From School Library Journal
An engaging compendium of ancient tales, April 6,
2004
Presented by Sheldon Oberman, Island Of The Minotaur:
Greek Myths Of Ancient Crete presents classic tales
including the story of the deadly Minotaur that roamed
the terrible Labyrinth, the winged boy Icarus who flew
too close to the sun, Theseus' struggles against the
ruthless witch Medea, and much more. A final, true
tale of Sir Arthur Evans, a real-life treasure hunter
who discovered the buried secrets of the ancient
Minoan civilization adds a particularly welcome
embellishment to this outstanding compilation of
Hellenic mythology. Full-color illustrations by Blair
Drawson well serve to highlight this engaging
compendium of ancient tales told down the generations
from antiquity to the present day. - Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
Greek myths are the rich but complex stories of the lives of the gods and the mortals whose destiny they control. The origins of many of the most famous myths are Minoan and arose from a civilization that was wiped out by a catastrophic volcanic explosion. Today, the myths appear bewildering but tantalizingly familiar. In Island of the Minotaur (Tradewind, $29.95), the late author Sheldon Oberman retells the myths as a continuous story, and the intricate connections between the gods and mortals become excitingly clear. With strong, bold and dramatic illustrations by Blair Drawson, the exhilarating tales of the curse of Cronos, of the flights of Daedalus and Icarus and of the truck that Theseus plays upon the Minotaur in the labyrinth come alive. This is a wonderful introduction to the myths for both teens and adults.
-Alison Chadsey, the Times Colonist
Famous and Forgotton Myths
One for all those who don't groan at Christmas when
"Jason and the Argonauts" is shown for the umpteenth
time!
This wonderfully illustrated book for ages 9-14
retells famous and forgotten myths of the Minoans of
Crete. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions destryed the
island empire but their imaginative tales and puzzles
were rescued by the Greeks and entered into Greek
mythology.
The tales are retold as one continuous story.
The book concludes with a chapter on Arthur Evans
(1851-1941) who discovered the lost world of the
Minoan civilization after exploring sites on Crete in
1896. --"The Teacher" April/May 2004 London England
Crete offers an effective site to stage the Greek myths, although a few figures assume unusual importance here. An informative introduction connects the myths with the political struggles between the Minoans and Greeks, and a few details about Cretan history and ritual are worked into the stories. In 13 tales, Oberman covers the high spots, whether indirectly (creation, Jason and Medea) or as a main event: Cronos, Zeus, Europa, Minos, Theseus, Daedalus, and Icarus. Chapters are linked for narrative impetus, but background is repeated when necessary so that each tale is self-contained. The author adds fairy-tale touches and soft-pedals the brutality. There are some omissions (Persephone, Psyche, Atalanta, Artemis, Orpheus, and Eurydice are among the missing). The myths end with the destruction of Thera (Atlantis), followed by an account of Arthur Evans's discovery of Knossos. The glossary is good, but gives no pronunciation help. Colorful illustrations punctuate the large pages of text, but are not in the mode of the narrative. The nonhuman figures are modern and gripping, with a Picasso-esque bull and a maze-like background to the Minotaur, for instance. Human figures are cartoonishly distorted, with little effort to use Minoan motifs, dress, artifacts, etc. While the author takes the stories seriously, the illustrator somewhat undercuts them. Nevertheless, the discordant pages are relatively few. Thus volume should compete successfully with the many myth retellings available. -- School Library Journal - June 2004, by Patricia D. Lothrop
- Rambles, written by Tom Knapp, published 21 February 2004 |
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