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Iokaste: The Novel of the Mother-Wife of Oedipus

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"Iokaste: The Novel Of The Mother/Wife Of Oedipus" by Grossack and Underwood tackles a great greek myth with gusto exposing a woman/wife/mother's point of view to which the likes of Bulfinch & Hamilton would thoroughly appreciate!

The prologue of the novel is set 40 years into Iokaste's reign as Queen Of Thebes on the impending dawn of the day of her demise for her "unspeakable acts". She is questioned by her youngest daughter, Ismene if the "talk of Thebes" is true and Iokaste must answer in the affirmative.

While Iokaste seats her daughter beside her, she tells her child the family story from her beginnings - Iokaste's prophetic betrothal and royal destiny at the tender age of 14 through the present day tumultuous Thebes...

There is little that is written about Queen Iokaste/Jocasta/Epikatse (depending on your preferred or precise translation) and this historical/mythological novel is an authoritative, entertaining and wonderful retelling of one of the most powerful Greek stories in history!

If you enjoy mythology of ANY kind, you will really appreciate this novel as I did!

Happy Reading!

"Iokaste: The Novel of the Mother-Wife of Oedipus" is a thoroughly entrancing read, a page turner, simply impossible to put down! Grossack and Underwood reveal rich new dimensions of character depth and plot development in their innovative retelling of the story of Oedipus through Iokaste's eyes.

Instead of another scholar's staid translation of the well-worn Greek text, Grossack and Underwood take us on a compelling journey. Told from the perspective of Iokaste, this novel begins with Iokaste's ill-fated marriage to King Laius, the father of her child Oedipus. As the story unfolds, the authors treat us to a beautiful combination of well-developed character story lines. It is easy to fall in love with the tragic plight of each character.

Laius is held captive to his woeful and single-minded focus on a prophecy that eats every day at his happiness. How one wishes he would live life! Iokaste is an innocent victim of unending and unfair fates. Yet she is a passionate and rich spirit for whom one cannot help but feel wonder and compassion. Oedipus's fate stems from the ill-fate of his Mother. Like Iokaste, he is seemingly innocent, but the Gods, whom Oedipus serves unwaveringly, plague his life with bad omen. And Kreon is a loyal brother in the beginning, yet over time a leader of questionable morals. His story leaves a slightly bitter taste, and one wonders how he has thus far escaped the prophecy of the Gods. The characters come alive with an honesty and accessibility almost never seen in traditional renditions of the Greek classic, truly a treat for any lover of a good read.

Grossack and Underwood's captivating novel whirl winds the imagination into a contemplation of Fate and how to live life to the fullest. Well researched and academically sound, yet powerful and evocative to a modern audience, "Iokaste: The Novel of the Mother-Wife of Oedipus" is grounded in a spectacularly balanced cross-comparison and combination of ancient Greek mythology. A must read!

What an enjoyable read! The Greek myths were not novels or anything like them, even in Homer's telling. So it's great to delve back in and give them novelistic heft, which this book does quite well. Despite the non-action-packed subject matter of the Oedipus myth, and despite the rather heavy lunk of scholarship it wears on its sleeve, the book manages to be an absorbing page-turner.

The writing is engaging, playful, odd, right on the mark, flowered with surprising cultural history and imbued with emotional resonance. The thread of destiny and its relation to faith is both gripping and nuanced, and has, as does the whole tale, the tang of the real. Those familiar with the story will have a few of those silent-on-a-peak-in-Darien moments.

I have not thought much about the Oedipus story in 35 years, but do remember that it was pushed down my throat in school, as many of today's students may feel. However, there is not a dull page in this book, and no lineage charts or maps to make reading it seem like work. All the info is there, though, deftly incorporated in the text. The book is pure pleasure, and as they say, is so enjoyable that you learn without realizing it. I loved the book, as did my daughter who read it along with her Oedipus studies in school.

There's the great advantage too, to the woman's perspective in the book. For example, we see the teenage Iokaste physically restrained by two different men within a short passage and hear her thoughts express a wide range of feelings, all of which a growing American girl will grapple with today. Also, she shows us the upbringing of a daughter of nobility -from the time when she is displayed as a possible bride choice, through the taking away of her infant son due to fear of the prophecy, to her growth into her duties as queen. This is a truly multi-layered character.

I question the birth scene, only because I suspect that young women of the time had infinitely more knowledge and support about the natural birthing process than young mothers do today, and did not experience it in as painful a way as we do. But I have a home-birth mom's perspective and who knows what was the case?

The myth surrounding Oedipus is one that is well ingrained into the psyche of modern culture, thanks to the twin pillars of the original Oedipus cycle of stories from ancient Greece, and the more modern adaptation of those mythological stories by Sigmund Freud into a controversial feature of the human psychological development. The Oedipus complex is well-known; the stories from which Freud derived his inspiration are similarly well-known, but generally only from the perspective of Oedipus.

It was not uncommon in ancient mythology and drama (there was no way to separate the two conveniently) for the narratives to be told from one perspective only, that of the hero or the tragic figure, which, in the case of Oedipus, is one in the same. Even more rare is the voice of a woman - Antigone is a rare character in ancient Greek stories in this regard.

Authors Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood collaborated to add a new dimension to the Oedipus tale, one that is both modern and faithful to the ancient stories - here we meet the primary character Iokaste, the mother of Oedipus, doomed to marry her son despite best efforts to prevent the event, and in becoming his wife to commit a sin that would mean the downfall of the family, if not the city of Thebes.

Iokaste is presented here as a strong character, not merely the victim upon which these tragedies are played out - a mother who loses her son, only to regain him again in a most shocking fashion, one that is incredibly costly. Iokaste is presented here in full emotion and full action - near the conclusion, Iokaste recounts that she has been queen of Thebes for nearly forty years. The reader can sense the heartbreak as she thinks, 'I have four - nay, five children, and a husband whom I adore; who has adored me up until yesterday.'

Iokaste is presented here as an introspective woman, but also a woman of action. Fate has dealt her a bad hand, but she still finds love and value in those around her. She is a strong woman, but as with all human beings (particularly in the Greek stories), fate is ultimately stronger.

The writing is lively and intense, and the action is both interesting and dramatic; this is no dry-and-dusty tome from days of yore. The authors do us a service in adding a new element to the narrative of Oedipus; perhaps a sequel following Antigone would be a good follow-up? One can hope...

I've loved Greek myths since I was a boy so when I encountered this book through a review, I looked forward to a new telling of the Oedipus story in the form of a novel. The new point of view was particularly interesting because of the authors' command of the details of both Greek life both secular and religious. Further, the character development is believable and entrancing. This is particularly unusual when dealing with myths where, to maintain their archetyple identities, each character plays their unchanging role and does not deviate - there is no character development. Truly incredible was the treatment of Tiresius. A great book - I hope the authors have more books in their plans for the future.

Most readers are familiar with the tale of Oedipus Rex, as well as the psychological term Oedipus complex, derived from the relationship between Oedipus and his mother and subsequent wife, Iokaste. Unlike the Greek tragedy, this book is told from the point of view of Iokaste and takes the tale many levels higher, revealing psychological subtleties within the personas of Iokaste and the characters surrounding her. At age 14, Iokaste is chosen by the god Apollo to wed Prince Alphenor, son of King Amphion of Thebes. When Amphion's wife blasphemes the god Apollo, the oracle predicts doom for her 14 children, and Iokaste's betrothed dies. Laius, son of King Labdakus, who ruled Thebes 30 years before, returns to Thebes to claim the kingdom and weds Iokaste. On the night of their wedding, the oracle warns Laius that he will be killed by his own son. Laius withdraws from Iokaste, not knowing she is already with child. When their son is born, Laius binds his feet and instructs he be left on a mountain to die. Instead, the child is given to King Polybus of Korinth, who recently lost his son. Polybus names the child Oedipus, meaning swollen feet.

As a young man, Oedipus is told by the Delphic oracle that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Never having learned he was adopted, Oedipus is distraught over this news and vows never to see his parents again. He meets up with Laius, who is traveling to Delphi to seek the oracle's counsel, and the two argue. Oedipus kills Laius, unaware that he has set in motion the ultimate fulfillment of the oracle's prophecy.

With profound vibrancy, IOKASTE magically transports the reader into the ancient world of Greek mythology. The visual imagery created by the authors is vividly detailed, the mindset of the characters engrossing. It is interesting to note the politics of the time, constant dedication to the ritualistic worship of gods, and delegation of all things good and bad to a particular god's mood. The Sphinx is a fascinating character, made more realistic by her portrayal in this book, specifically her role in the contest of wit to choose the next king of Thebes. The conspiracies and subsequent rationalizations of Iokaste and her brother Kreon are thought-provoking and insightful.

This riveting story flows fluidly from page to page, written in an engaging style that holds the reader's attention from the very beginning. This is one book that begs to be read more than once in order to appreciate and absorb each and every nuance of the characters, history, and tale of tragedy. It is suggested educational facilities utilize IOKASTE as an introduction to Greek mythology, as this is one book that will instill fascination and respect, leaving no room for boredom.

First, I have to admit that I don't like the story itself, but then it is a story from Greek mythology and most of those tend to have very strange twists and often end badly. Regardless of the story, I loved the book. I've been recommending it to friends. I put off reading it for a over a week after returning home with it. Then I picked it up because I had a little spare time before leaving for work. I was late - very late - for work, and I picked it up again shortly after returning home. I finished it that night - couldn't put it down. This from a guy who *never* has any problem falling asleep (narcolepsy has that one benefit). The writing is superb. I really cannot speak to character development because I was carried along with the story and didn't focus on such details - perhaps I should reread it and be a bit more technically minded. The narration was detailed enough that I could see everything in my mind's eye without being burdensome. That's a very fine line to walk, and the authors walked it masterfully. Since I do the SCA thing (www.sca.org), I will praise the book at each event I attend. I look forward to the authors' next book!

I have always been fascinated by Greek mythology, so I was excited to read Iokaste, a new take on a famous tale. Although I already knew the surprising plot twists of the original story, Iokaste had more than enough new aspects to keep my interest. Told from the perspective of Oedipus' mother, Iokaste, the tragedy takes on new life. Through the gripping narrative, I was rewarded with new insights as to how the tragedy could have occurred. Iokaste became a young woman that it was easy to empathize with, instead of just the mother that should have known better. Even though I knew how the book must end, I found myself hoping that maybe this time, things would work out differently.

Both well-researched and entertaining, this book left me wanting more, and I hope the authors will write another book soon. I would recommend Iokaste to anyone with an interest in Greek mythology or ancient history, although even a reader who knows nothing about the original story will be rewarded by this new perspective.

Despite the distinctly Kretan (Evan's Minoan re-creation) backdrop depicted on the front cover, "Iokaste, the Novel of the Mother-Wife of Oedipus" distinguishes itself as a thoroughly readable, enjoyable and faithful adaptation of one third of the Oedipus myth as restructured by the great Sophocles in his play "Oedipus Rex."

Rather than concentrating on Oedipus as ill-fated king, author team Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood focus on the plight of Iokaste (Jocasta), the hapless victim most affected by the unopposable reality revealed by the oracle of Delphi and through Apollo's wandering spokesperson, the Tiresias. (Note that in this retelling Sopholces' character Tiresias becomes less a distinct character and more of a personification of the proclamation of the gods and the rejected truth of the Laius/Iokaste/Oedipus connection. Grossack and Underwood's employment of `Tiresias' as a title is reminiscent of Marion Zimmer Bradley's use of the title "the Merlin" in her book "The Mists of Avalon" as an office rather than that of an actual personality. By doing this, they masterfully force the reader's sensibilities to move backward in time to a place where a very definite and different social structure existed. The reader feels the great pull between religion and politics while still enjoying all the elements of myth and mystery intertwined with the ambitions of humans. Along this line is the authors' rather clever treatment of the Sphinx and its riddles. Infusing the known story with a rivalry that pits Dionysius' Maenads against the more conventional belief in Apollo, Grossack and Underwood exhibit their skill at making the most of known resources; they craft a realistic palpable world that is both primitive and sophisticated.)

Likewise, the authors do a fine job of depicting Iokaste as a woman motivated by her desire for love and domestic peace but who falls prey to her sometimes uncertain morals as she attempts to invalidate the dour prophesy that hangs over her head like the sword of Damocles throughout her entire adult life. Embroiled in politics from the moment of her betrothal at fourteen (14) to the son of Thebe's puppet king, Iokaste reeks of beauty and an unfulfilled need for both sex and love. Conventional in her belief in the gods and their proclamations, she moves forward with great assuredness strengthening her role as a well-loved queen while seeking to quench her needs as a woman without betraying her beloved city. As readers, we cannot fail to empathize fully with her situation.

Thankfully, Grossack and Underwood do not infuse their story with any jumble of 20th/21st century religious irreverence or feminist propaganda. The characters of this novel remain true to the thinking of a time where the gods ruled supreme and the idea of one's fate overshadowed ambition, righteous behavior or just desserts. Iokaste has no need to trouble herself grumbling about "a man's world"; she is queen, mother to her land and she views her role and responsibilities in this arena unselfishly and seriously.

With this in mind, I recommend this tale of the mother-wife Iokaste. Although told as a first person narrative which I believe makes it far more difficult to impart the character with different shades of emotion, the authors succeed in demonstrating this beautiful woman's range of pathos, set against an ancient world that could have been difficult to comprehend through modern sensibilities. I eagerly await their next offering in their Tapestry of Bronze series of novels.