Stephen Fry’s “Odyssey”: Like, OMG This Ancient Story is Actually So Relatable???
Okay so I just finished listening to Stephen Fry’s “Odyssey” audiobook and I literally can’t even right now! This is the 4th book in his Greek Myths series, and tbh I wasn’t super excited at first cause like, aren’t Greek myths just boring old stories they force you to read in school?? But Stephen Fry makes this ancient stuff feel FRESH and kinda addictive??
So the whole book is about this guy Odysseus who’s trying to get home after fighting in the Trojan War for like, ten whole years (can you imagine?!). He thinks he’s gonna just sail right back to his wife Penelope and his son who he barely knows, but then Poseidon (the ocean god who’s super petty) gets mad at him and is like “LOL NOPE” and makes him wander around for ANOTHER ten years! Talk about the worst vacation ever!!!
The craziest part is all the wild stuff that happens to poor Odysseus on his way home. He meets these one-eyed giants called Cyclops and this six-headed monster thing, and gets stuck with this witch who’s totally into him, and almost gets killed by these singing ladies called Sirens. It’s basically like every horror movie and fantasy show combined into one epic journey. And through it all, my man Odysseus is just trying to get back to his family! Major relationship goals, even if he does hook up with a few goddesses along the way (which is kinda problematic but I guess standards were different back then??).
Stephen Fry’s writing style is SO entertaining. He takes these ancient stories and makes them feel like gossip your friend would tell you over coffee. He’s super funny too, like he’ll be describing some tragic death scene and suddenly throw in this modern joke that makes you snort laugh. His narration on the audiobook is honestly the best part – he does all these different voices for the characters and gets really dramatic at all the right moments. You can tell he’s having a blast telling these stories.
But I have some issues with this book too. First of all, it gets SUPER repetitive sometimes. Like yes, we get it, Odysseus is “wily” and “clever” – Fry uses these words approximately 5 million times. And some of the adventures drag on forever while others feel super rushed. Also, can we talk about how Odysseus is kind of a jerk sometimes?? Like, most of his crew dies because of his bad decisions, but the book treats him like he’s this amazing hero we should all aspire to be.
And the way women are portrayed is mega yikes. They’re either loyal wives waiting at home (Penelope), dangerous temptresses trying to trap men (Circe, Calypso), or literal monsters who want to eat you (Scylla). I know it’s an ancient story but Fry could’ve maybe commented on this more instead of just being like “that’s how it was back then!”
The ending is pretty satisfying tho, not gonna lie. When Odysseus finally gets home and has to deal with all these dudes trying to marry his wife, it’s like the ancient Greek version of an action movie. There’s disguises, secret identities, an archery contest, and a SUPER bloody finale. I was literally on the edge of my seat even though I kinda knew how it would end!
Overall, I’d give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Stephen Fry is a literary genius for making these ancient stories feel so current and binge-worthy. It’s like he’s the cool professor who makes you actually want to learn about old stuff. The book has its problems for sure, but it’s way more fun than reading some dusty translation from a textbook.
If your only experience with Greek myths is being forced to read them in school, you NEED to check out Fry’s version. It’s like the difference between watching a Shakespeare play performed by bored high schoolers vs. seeing it with a cast that’s actually passionate about the material.
Just be warned – once you start with Fry’s Greek myth books, you’re gonna want to read all of them! I’m already planning to go back and read the first three books in the series (Mythos, Heroes, and Troy) because I’m lowkey obsessed now. Who knew ancient Greeks were so dramatic and entertaining???
P.S. The audiobook version is 1000% worth it just to hear Stephen Fry make his voice all deep and scary when he’s doing Poseidon!
