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| Ithaka | 
 enlarge | Author: Adele Geras
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Category: Book
List Price: £12.99
Buy Used: £0.49
You Save: £12.50 (96%)
New (8) from £6.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 511792
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.6
ISBN: 0385603916
EAN: 9780385603911
ASIN: 0385603916
Publication Date: November 4, 2005
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence!
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| Customer Reviews:
wow November 4, 2007
wow! This book was truly great. It was funny, sad, romantic, and I loved the way that the Greek Gods and Goddesses were worked into the plot. I would recomend this to teenage girls who love reading historical fiction like me!
I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEE THIS BOOK! November 19, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
this is a fantastic book. My mum bought it for me, and i got straight into it. The characters are realistic, and i could really relate to Klymene as she was growing up.
The book is about Penelope, living in Ithaka while Odysseus is fighting in Troy. It also tells the story of her young maid, Klymene, and the effects of love, secrets and revenge.
The plot was snappy and really interesting, the description was realistic, and i felt like i was there.
One of the best books i have ever read-Five Stars *****!
 Courtesy of Teens Read Too October 14, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
If you've ever read the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, you know that the author focuses on the thrilling journey of Odysseus. After the Trojan War has ended, Odysseus must battle witches, supernatural monsters, and even gods to gain back his lands and his faithful wife from the thieves that have kidnapped her. In the story of ITHAKA, the focus isn't on Odysseus, but on those that were left behind--first when he went off to war, and then when he fails to return home after the war ends.
The book is narrated by Klymene, a teenage girl who serves as handmaiden to Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. It's been two years since the Trojan War ended, and still her husband has not returned home to rule their land. There is a steady, never-ending stream of suitors vying for Penelope's hand in marriage, hoping that the (mostly) faithful wife will soon realize that her husband is gone forever. Penelope is not sought after because of love, but because of her wealth and the lands she will soon possess if she gives her husband up for dead.
For Klymene, it's difficult to fathom why Penelope is so determined to stay faithful to a husband who is most likely never to return. She soon learns about love and the matters of the heart, however, when she becomes infatuated with Odysseus's troublesome son, Telemachus. Matters are complicated even further when Klymene realizes that she, a lowly handmaiden, is not the apple of Telemachus's eye. That privilege belongs to another young woman who has come to serve in the household, Melantho.
One of the most interesting parts of ITHAKA is the paranormal aspect of Klymene, who is able to see the gods. She is also a keeper of secrets, and since she deals every day with individuals who would do anything to keep those secrets safe, it's a somewhat demanding job.
This is not a retelling of The Odyssey. This is a completely different story, full of magic and heartbreak, joy and sadness, and the trial and error of growing up. There's something for everyone here, with mystery, romance, and action-adventure. If you love historical stories, or those based on myths, you won't go wrong with ITHAKA.
[...]
Sumptuous storytelling! January 5, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I loved this book which brings to life the characters left behind on the island of Ithaka when those black ships sailed off to Troy. Mostly it's the story of Odysseus's family, his son Telemachus and his faithful wife, Penelope - seen though the eyes of Klymene, first Telemachus's playmate, then Penelope's handmaiden. But it's her story too. We see her growing from girl to young woman facing moral dilemnas, rapacious men, and heartbreak. Klymene is Geras's brilliant invention, a character who fits into the ancient story and makes it accessible to modern readers. It's bleak but not depressing. Read on! Emotionally involving, the story carries the reader to another world,which can be experienced through all the senses. You see hear and smell the Greek island. You see, hear and smell the characters including those capricious gods who play havoc with human lives. Sumptuous storytelling!
Ithaka revisited October 30, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
One of the best books for mature young readers written in the last twelve months. This refreshing and refreshed classic story is told by a consummate contemporary storyteller. The gripping story of Odysseus's journey home is seen through the eyes of those left behind, Penelope and her young handmaiden, Klymene. Weariness, boredom, longing and yearning are skilfully depicted by Adele Geras, who has a compassionate eye for the delights and turmoil of love. Even though experienced readers know the outcome of Penelope's patience, this version brings a fresh understanding and insight to what it means to be placed in sentient stasis. The earlier companion novel, 'Troy' represented a high water mark in this novelist's career but 'Ithaka' has achieved a higher standard yet.Adele Geras employs all of her sensitive emotional intellegience and provides a fresh perspective, which will appeal to those who enjoy retellings of the Greek legends, such as, 'The King must die' by Mary Renault. A truly five star novel
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