Ithaca

May 2, 2016
Dillon’s vibrant retelling of The Odyssey is set during the aftermath of the Trojan War and centers on Telemachus, son of the Greek war hero Odysseus. The book deftly chronicles the 16-year-old’s feelings of abandonment, humiliation, and anguish as he tries to protect his mother, Penelope, and discover the whereabouts of the father he has never met. Penelope was pregnant with Telemachus when Odysseus left their island home of Ithaca for the battle of Troy to rescue the celebrated beauty Helen. The Greeks were victorious after many years because of Odysseus’s legendary act of subterfuge, the Trojan Horse. Back in Ithaca, Telemachus’s home is occupied by lewd, savage men who steal the family’s valuables, squat in their courtyard, and torment Penelope. Telemachus reluctantly decides to leave his mother and search for his father. Dillon’s (The Story of Buildings) use of the father-son bond and their parallel journeys—Odysseus’s traumatic, meandering trip toward home and Telemachus’s turbulent ascent to manhood—is as rich as it is complex. This is a smart and highly readable adventure, and a fresh take on a classic story. Agent: David Haviland, Andrew Lownie Literary.

June 1, 2016

Novelist and nonfiction writer Dillon (Truth; The Story of Buildings) crafts a sentimental tale featuring the well-traveled cast of Homer's epic poem The Odyssey. Told from various points of view including that of Odysseus; his son, Telemachus, who was left behind when Odysseus went to fight the Trojan War; and other classical characters, the novel explores the emotional lives of legendary figures. In this retelling, there is room for uncertainty, compromise, and resentment; the result is a more human and touching story about an aging warrior with a lot of fight left who finally comes home to find his kingdom has crumbled and that he is at odds with a son raised on a legend, who now wants only to find peace. VERDICT This fresh take on an ancient narrative will capture the imagination and heart of readers both new to and well versed in Homer's works. It will also attract fans of Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

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