Greece

Review also includes:

Egypt, 978-0237536046

There is a well-intentioned feel to these books of myths with their introductions, glossaries and indexes; fact boxes mingle with the stories and on first sight we are intrigued and enticed. However, the retellings prove disappointingly scanty, and references difficult to follow up. The mix of fact box and story is confusing and distracting, and while a ‘family tree’ of the gods is a good idea, in Egypt the illustrations are inconsistent enough for it to be difficult to identify individuals quickly. There are also some inaccuracies in the text.

Willey’s illustrations (mixed media with a great deal of computer manipulation) retain something of her old naive style, but fail to convey the majesty and weight of the gods. The Greeks are over-romanticised: Zeus is more roué than chief god; his doe-eyed colleagues gaze vacantly while the ‘hideous’ Chimaera could be from The Lion King, giving the whole an air of fairy tale rather than conveying the essential power of myth. The Egyptians are appropriately stylised, but lack cohesion.

Trying to be all things to all purposes, these titles ultimately fail. Rome and The Vikings are also available. Use with care.