Member Reviews
Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook is today's mythology book 110 percent. Liv Albert's comments about these characters brings a modern look at the stories of old while also keeping true to the myths themselves. This is the perfect book for the mom who is homeschooling her kids through the pandemic or for someone who is just getting into the Greek myths.
What a beautiful retelling of Greek mythology. I absolutely loved the illustrations. The book is very organized and flows from one topic to the next effortlessly. The author definitely has a sense of humor which is a refreshing change to most history books. I will be purchasing this book when it’s released for sure.
It's funny because as soon as I got approved for this book (thank you!), I received a notification that my library book on Greek mythology was ready to pick up. I thought I could read both and compare. I started reading page one of the library book and immediately said "Nope." It read like a textbook and was way too wordy.
This read much easier. Still a whole bunch of info that I'm not sure I'll retain, but way more engaging and humorous. I appreciate that very much.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced copy.
I've already decided to purchase this book when it comes out. I rarely feel that strongly.
This was so much fun to read!! The entries aren't flowery and the explanations aren't slanted to any kind of agenda. It's just concise, matter-of-fact explanations of some of the greatest (and worst) stories in Greek Mythology.
What this book really does, though, is look at these events with the full awareness of today's society standards. The result is rather funny and entertaining at the very, very least. I've dabbled in my own research off and on over the years, and it was still captivating.
I would recommend this to all interested. It's an excellent introduction if you're unfamiliar, but if you already know and love the stories? Just as enthralling. Bite-sized tales that leave you feeling like you just visited an old friend.
I adore Liv’s podcast Let’s talk about myths baby! And was so excited when I found out she was writing a Greek mythology book. I can hear her talking when I’m reading it that’s how clear her voice is. This is a great introduction to Greek mythology if you are looking to dip your toe and she gives great rundowns of all the important gods and goddesses as well as popular and important myths that writers are still drawing from today in literature. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous I cannot praise them enough and the colors just leap off of the page. Highly recommend especially if you’re a fan of the podcast.
I think this book is amazing for someone that needs quick reminders on Greek mythology stories/characters.
I’ve already read Mythos by Stephen Fry so most myths were still fresh in my mind, but here’s what this book had that Mythos didn’t have:
- gorgeous illustrations
- references to recent fiction works
I learned a lot of things through those fiction references, like how in Hercules the three Fates were also mixed up with the Graeae, (so not really accurate) because I had been wondering about this.
It also got me into Lore Olympus, which was very addicting!
Honestly I would recommend this just for the illustrations, they were mesmerising.
Liv Albert. If you are a podcaster, you might have come across this name. She is the author of “Let’s talk about Myths, baby!” podcast. She features and talk about mostly Greek & Roman mythologies and the way of ancient world. She is amazing and talented. So naturally I went into this illustrated book with high expectations.
Before entering the review, you should know two things about me - I love mythologies; I am a sucker for illustrated books (they make me happy. Don’t judge!).
I knew about 10-15 Greek Gods before reading this book. Had no idea there would be 40+ of them! Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes! This book summaries the glory, popularity, gossip and/or stories for every single one of them with a mesmerising illustration. You could say that this book is a garland for Greek Mythology. Amazeballs!
Another best part? At the end, Liv has listed sources, books and podcasts that are alive out there in the world for further reading and listening! I can’t wait to buy this book for my home library!
Thank you Netgalley & Adams Media (Simon and Schuster) for the arc in exchange for an honest opinion.
My bookstagram - @monikas.bookblog
I have been a fan of Liv's from her podcast "Let's Talk About Myths Baby!" This book is easy-to-read for fans of Liv or newcomers just getting into Greek mythology. Liv's narration of the gods, monsters. and heroes give a refreshing modern perspective to these ancient myths.
Hmmm... Come here if you feel the necessity to have a Disney animation reference included in what at times seems like every entry in your Greek myth encyclopaedia. There is merit in some of the cultural references here - 'you know the name at least, he/she/it was in Harry Potter/Percy Jackson/some other book no-one's heard of', but constantly making out that Disney's Aladdin was some kind memorable ur-text for the teens this is aimed at is wide of the mark. Surely.
The writing here is exceptionally easy to read, however, which is definitely a plus for this book, as are the design and the artworks (even if the apple for fairest would have no takers, on this visual account). There is by default a handful of times where the 'A begat B – read about it under C' format of some of it gets more than a bit confusing, but as I say every Greek myth guide like this suffers that to some extent. Counter to that is the fact the entries are constructed so the core legend or myth (or begatting – not the term this uses, BTW) is definitely to the fore, which is always helpful. I would hope the teenaged reader of this had access to much more measured, authoritative (and less modern culture-referencing) books of similar ilk before they turned to this, but as a revision guide perhaps its clarity is commendable.
Thoroughly entertaining
I loved this book. It was a fun, well-written read. The short profiles didn't get bogged down in detail but were thorough enough to help me place the characters into context. I fell into the trap of “I’ll just read one more”. I was never able to read just one more, it would always run into a few more. The illustrations are beautiful and help make the book a joy to read. .
Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
I love Greek Mythology - I should do part of my degree was Classical History and Mythology! But academics can take their subject far too seriously. This is not that kind of tome. There is the usual hit list of Gods/Goddesses and Demi-gods and the various humans with who they get entangled. But even as their histories and major feats are being discussed there is a vein of irreverence that is really refreshing.
Mixing modern day vernacular and references together with the established historiography of the myths was a great touch, making it easy to digest and assimilate.
There are plenty of illustrations to keep your brain engaged. There are also links within a certain characters section to let you know other characters they were involved with and where you might find more information on them within the book.
Education with a side of cheeky irreverence - loved it!
GREEK MYTHOLOGY: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook: From Aphrodite to Zeus, a Profile of Who's Who in Greek Mythology
WRITTEN BY: LIV ALBERT
I am so grateful to have received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Adams Media and Author Liv Albert which chronicles all of the gods, goddesses and heroes in this gem of a handbook which can be read as a primer for beginners. I have always loved novels that included the Classics interwoven in their narratives. They can be based on Egyptian, Greek or Roman Mythology and I am a fascinated reader.
This is a brilliant compilation of mostly Greek Mythology with beautiful illustrations. I can't wait until this is published on May 5, 2021 because I am hoping that it is available in a physical book which I am going to buy because this is a favorite.
When I was in the tenth grade in High School I was first introduced to Greek Mythology in a quarter of my World History class. I seemed to have a natural affinity for it as I received an A, without putting much effort to it. That class ignited a life long love of every type of Mythology.
My favorite parts of this book and there are many were about Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. They are quite comprehensive and they tie in other mythic figures. I really enjoyed how the author intermingles Odysseus with the Trojan War and Circe. She tells how Paris had to choose between the three goddesses and the consequences of his choice.
Many year's ago I read Margaret Atwood's short book which I bought a Special Edition that included her book called, "The Penelopiad," which is a retelling of Homer's Odyssey through the lens of Penelope, which I quite enjoyed. Also in that Special Edition was a wonderful retelling of "Hercules," by Jeannette Winterson. I treasure that box of three small volumes because they are signed by the Author's and they are an attractive boxed set.
I also own the physical hardback First Edition, First Printing of the stunning retelling of the romantic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, called, "The Song of Achilles," written by Madeline Miller. She is the same Author who wrote the excellent novel called, "Circe," which is the next book that I am going to read. "Circe," came out in 2020, and I have heard it is phenomenal. Just like this handbook which I highly recommend. So put this brilliantly written "Greek Mythology on your to be read list and pick up a copy on May 5, 2021 when it goes on sale or look for it in libraries. You will be so glad that you did. Easily a Favorite of mine for 2021.
Thank you to Net Galley, Liv Albert and Adams Media for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#GreekMythology #LivAlbert #AdamsMedia #NetGalley
The Greek Mythology handbook is really detailed and organized with lots of interesting facts. We learn about each of the different gods, goddesses, and more. There's a lot of information but the author links them together and tells us the individual stories. It explains what each god/goddess is famous for and their backstory. The layout is easy to follow along with and the illustrations are gorgeous. I would definitely buy this to have for my personal book collection once it comes out. There are even recommendations of movies and books in Greek mythology towards the end.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Adams Media for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,
This is such a phenomenal addition to the podcast that Albert has put years of information and love into.
I received this as an e-arc via NetGalley (thank you so much!) and the only "gripe" I have with it is that I would've loved to see even more art within the book, because all of the art that we do get is truly stunning and it simply left me wanting even more. It helps give this book the certain vibe that I think the author was going for.
Taken as a book on its own without the art, I would also recommend this book to anyone who is new to Greek mythology, or who wants to own an info filled book with a ton of great information. This doesn't just focus on the main gods, you get so much more packed in, such as entries on Jason and Medea, as well as many more characters from within Greek myths that are more lesser known than Zeus or Poseidon.
I'll be picking up a finished copy as soon as it's released so that I can have it to reference whenever I need to!
-This has been crossposted to Goodreads!-
Thank you Adams Media for providing this eARC for me through NetGalley!
As someone who loves Greek mythology and has been wanting to learn more about it, this handbook was a perfect way for me to do so! The book is laid out and organized well into categories so it is easy for the reader to find what they are looking for. On top of this, there is BEAUTIFUL art throughout that depicts the gods, goddesses, monsters, heroes, etc. I also really enjoyed how Liv Albert points out where some of these characters are familiar from in pop culture such as movies and other books such as Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, Circe by Madeline Miller, and Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe. Overall, it was truly a really good way to learn about all the important myths quickly and in an entertaining way!
I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and have been since high school. This contained a lot of information and I loved how when a myth had other versions we got to read about them too. I found the beginning a bit chaotic, and hadn’t it been for the fact that I already know pretty much what was going on, I would’ve been super lost. Although, I think it was mostly due to the amount of information that had to be crammed in a short amount of space.
The illustrations in general were very nice, and the cover is beautiful. As for the content, it was very complete; it contains a lot of information. Even though I thoroughly enjoy Greek mythology, it is ridiculously easy to get lost in family trees and storylines in general, and it is nice to refresh them every now and then. Also, I learn various things that I did not know about, and I even made some connections that for some reason I hadn’t noticed before (like the apple of discord taking place during Achilles’ parents wedding… I feel dumb).
I like that it was divided in different sections (what is Greek mythology?, the Olympians, Deities, etc. and heroes and mortals); it makes everything clearer, especially since there are so many characters, and some of them has such similar names (Theseus and Perseus or Nereids and Naiads to name a couple). To this, added the fact that I studied all of this names in Spanish, and there are some names that I have never heard in English, and as a consequence my brain just reads as a series of nonsensical noises.
I loved the fact that they included Achilles and Patroclus together in the same chapter, because in my mind they cannot be separated.
The last thing to highlight is how the author uses the proper terms for the mistreatments and abuses at the hands of the Gods (Zeus especially). Zeus did not “court” women, he simply raped them and didn’t respect them at all. It is a good thing that the author addresses these issues.
Now this was a fun book! Kudos to Liv Albert. Most people won’t know how much Greek mythology has filtered into our lives, and I think people will be surprised on hearing how some modern day lingo has actually originated from greek mythology and how much they might already know in passing. I was surprised too, that plenty of everyday words and namings have their origin from this mythology.
The references to popular culture was great, as it really helped to bring the old into the now and definitely helped me remember certain tidbits which I then tied the information to popular characters, tv or film.
Each ‘character’ so to speak, has their own dedicate page, with information that was greatly communicated and easy to read. You definitely don’t need any prior knowledge on this subject as the author works perfectly at communicating this fairly complex field, going into a fair amount of detail and overview on each of the characters included.
The info is given in a nice, nifty layout and I love the whole design of the book, along with the illustrations and pictures that go with them (they are just stunning!). It’s a very addicting book, and it’s so easy to keep reading on with ‘just one more chapter’, as each dedicated characters chapters are fairly short but informative, meaning you can easily get carried away with the story tellings. I couldn’t put the book down!
There is a lot of gods, goddesses, heroes and mortals included in this book so it can get a bit overwhelming after a while trying to remember everything and all the wordy Greek names but the author is great at constantly linking characters together so there’s plenty of little recaps throughout.
I loved reading about the stories attributed to each character, and the authors tongue in cheek way of writing was very engaging, fun and made for an overall great read. Really loved it and I learnt an awful lot about Greek mythology. Definitely worthy of a 5 star rating!
An excellent and sometimes humorous guide to Greek mythology, that is suitable for beginners discovering the subject or those who, like myself, have always loved it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for letting me have an advance copy.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook.
I've loved Greek mythology since I was a kid and I've been lucky enough to be approved for requests when a new book about Greek myths is available.
This is a quick read, a handbook as the title implies, of the most famous and infamous heroes and monsters in Greek mythology. I've heard of all of them but this is a good primer for anyone unfamiliar with Greek mythology and wants to familiarize themselves.
I thought I knew nearly all there was to know about Greek mythology but I was pleased to learn a few things including:
1. Persephone's name before her abduction by Hades
2. Hades isn't the villain he's made out to be; in fact, he's hardly involved in god/mortal disputes and shenanigans and despite the fact he KIDNAPPED his wife, he remains faithful to Persephone
I also appreciated Ms. Albert calling Zeus' and other gods' frequent dalliances with mortal women and demigods for what it is: assault. Rape.
I liked how the author broke each myth down with quirky titles, explaining why this god/goddess is famous and the best myth attributed to him or her.
The author also includes a selection of her favorite books about mythology, retellings and novels, including historical research and plays penned by the original storytellers themselves, Greek and Roman poets.
This is an ideal read for anyone looking to learn more about Greek mythology.
This is very well organized and quite detailed. More than just a basic guide... Good enough for high school students who need to do research..... Adults will enjoy it as well. Not a storybook though if you are looking for just stories...... I enjoyed it a lot.