Customer Reviews

Goatsong: A Novel of Ancient Athens

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well researched and screamingly funny, Goatsong parades a century of literary, political, and philosophical heroes before the unsympathetic gaze of a goatherd and finds them wanting. Eupolis of Pallene, an up and coming playwright, usually finds them wanting in courtesy, dignity, and heroics, but he manages to sketch such legends as Aristophanes, pericles, and Alcibiades so perversely that the reader transforms fundamental assumptions before realizing that the book in fiction, and comic fiction at that.

Eupolis descrbes and lampoons the institutions of chorus selection, legislative debate, and marriage with little historical and cultural relics which further deter one from suspending disbelief, but even he dows nto escape his own boil-lancing mirth. If one hasn't a sense of the absurdity of the Peloponnesian War-era Athens by the end of this book, at least a few thousand laughs will have elapsed in the process

The only reason I give 4 stars is that Goatsong has a slower pace and is slightly more cynical (if that's possible) than other Holt titles I've read, but it was definitely worth the time. Be aware it's not a rollicking good time like Who's Afraid of Beowulf or Expecting Someone Taller. But I fully intend to make my children read this book during the next Presidential campaign and then discuss it with them every time a political diatribe from one party or the other (further) pollutes the media.

If you're a classical scholar, you will need a sense of humor and self-deprecation to enjoy this book. If you've been forced to study or actually enjoyed studying the classics in high school or college, you should still remember enough to get at least some of the jokes. I'm pretty sure I missed a lot of them, but I loved Eupolis' interpretations of classics like the Odyssey--from a child's perspective. I also enjoyed Eupolis' apologetic explanations about actually liking or admiring people it was politically necessary to villify.

There is a definitely eerie resonance with the current political situation, and the rabid anti-war camp would probably love this book and only retain what seems to support their beliefs. This book has a lot more to say than that, and the speech by Cleon about killing all the males in Lesbos is a masterpiece--how many people will really get it, I wonder? Did I? There are so many layers of brilliance here that I can't possibly list them all. Since I'm not a classical scholar, I probably missed some of the major points. But really, this book is so good it will always be relevant about democracy and western politics.

Tom Holt is a master of satire and parody. You may not always agree with him, but I hope everyone who reads Holt's work ends up a little wiser, more open-minded, and self-honest than when he or she started.

Wow! I just finished reading The Walled Orchard series, and it was incredible! I don't think any other book has made me laugh this much before. Yet, this book is not all about jokes. Behind the jokes, I felt that there was a pretty strong message. Tom Holt is a genius of a writer. I can't wait to get more of his books. I think that anyone and everyone would love this book.

I remember trying to read this years ago and somehow never managing to really get started.
However the time was right to try again,and I was surprised at how easy it was to read and how witty and finding that the wit in no way cheapened or distracted from the 'historical'aspect of the story.
It was also a pleasant surprise to find that there is a sequel; *the walled orchard*,of which I'm about to get stuck right into.
So,give it a go,you might just surprise yourself.