From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10–Spinner's Quiver (Knopf, 2002) was a somber and fully imagined re-creation of the myth of Atalanta. Quicksilver, as befits its subject–the god Hermes–is lighter and occasionally even silly as the author aims for the appropriate narrative voice for this multifaceted deity who escorts the dead to the underworld. In the early pages, the trickster aspect of Hermes's personality dominates as the messenger god runs errands for Zeus, the father he loves, and gets involved in the lives of the mortals and demigods whom he encounters. At times he seems almost like the wisecracking buddy on a sitcom. But as the story continues, Hermes's more serious side comes through, and his narration takes on darker tones. Because he is not generally a central figure in the myths, Spinner's Hermes is something like a tour guide, recounting the actions of others–Persephone and Demeter, Perseus, Odysseus–and commenting on their foibles, as well as offering insights into their all-too-human behavior. The author excels at portraying her subject's longing to please his father, his sense of loss when his half-brother Apollo goes too long between visits, his love for Calypso, and his deep disdain for cruelty, particularly apparent in the chapters dealing with the Trojan War. Not quite as successful as Quiver in completely inhabiting an ancient world and mind-set, Quicksilver nevertheless offers an entertaining version of several important myths and a view of divinity starkly different from the Judeo-Christian one. Offer this title alongside Bernard Evslin's Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths (Bantam, 1984), which contains masterful retellings.–Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Gr. 8-11. "It's dark and gloomy and it smells like dead sheep, but when Zeus says go to Hell, I go," says Hermes, sending Spinner's latest fictional retelling of Greek mythology off to a roaring start. Narrating in a voice that is irreverent, sophisticated, and contemporary (Hades is a "walking bad mood"), Hermes recounts his pivotal role in a variety of familiar myths. He ferries the casualties of the Trojan War to the underworld; helps broker the deal that divides Persephone's time between worlds; gives Perseus the sword to slay Medusa; and persuades Calypso to release Odysseus, among other stories. As in Quiver (2002), a novel based on the Atalanta myth, Spinner seamlessly weaves necessary background information about the cast of celestial characters into a narrative filled with thrilling action and violence that is drawn straight from the original stories. Teens will connect with Hermes' immediate, often very funny voice, and they will appreciate that the gods, despite their mighty powers, struggle with familiar human dilemmas. A rich, accessible entree into classical mythology. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
