Customer Reviews

I Am Arachne: Fifteen Greek and Roman Myths

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This small book would serve nicely as an introduction to classical mythology for the middle grades and interested adults as well. Spires' tone as she retells the tales of not only Arachne, but of Pandora, Orpheus and Eurydice, Sisyphus, Endymion and others as well, is just wry and arch enough to be quite delightful and so appealing. This is captured very well in Gerstein's simple and almost cartoonish illustrations. It's just so fun to hear Eurydice saying "I was married to Orpheus for about fifteen minutes when I was bitten by a poisonous snake and brought down to the underworld. So much for my happiness." Spires' characterizations of these well-known archetypes are always on the mark. The cast of characters list at the end of the book is also useful, if not essential, and also set in a droll prose. The work well fills the gap between the D'Aulaires' classic Book of Greek Myths and the more adult By Jove! Brush Up Your Mythology by Michael Macrone and the also wonderful and more recent Friendly Guide to Mythology by Nancy Hathaway. Entertaining and painlessly edifying, all.