Artemis: Wild Goddess of the Hunt

December 1, 2016
O'Connor offers a portrait of the Wild Goddess of the Hunt as probably the last of the Olympians you'd want to cross.Born without labor pains (unlike her twin brother, Apollo) and a picture of gap-toothed charm as a child, Artemis grows into a lissome young white hunter with a ferocious glare beneath blonde bangs and a short way with all who offend her. Acteon learns this when he spots her bathing and is transformed into a deer to be torn apart by his own hounds, as does Queen Niobe of Thebes after she sets herself up as a replacement for the twins' mother and sees all 14 of her children slaughtered. To keep temptation at bay and her sworn virginity intact, Artemis ultimately even has an arrow for her soul mate, the peerless hunter Orion--himself born, so the tale goes, from a bearskin on which Zeus, Poseidon, and Hermes "all, uh, micturated" ("Fun with words, kids," O'Connor comments in an endnote). He is portrayed here as a brown-skinned hunk with a herculean physique. Though the Olympians here are, by and large, a pale lot, groups of humans and demigods display some variation in hue. Artemis and Atalanta in particular show rather a lot of skin, but artful hand placement and angles of view keep things PG. Admire her--from a distance--and don't dis her or her mom. (notes, character profiles, discussion questions, reading lists) (Graphic mythology. 8-14)

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Starred review from January 1, 2017

Gr 4-8-With the latest in his series of books focused on the Greek deities, O'Connor brings to life the goddess of the hunt. Various individuals share anecdotes, weaving a nuanced portrait of Artemis: formidable, quick-witted, occasionally cruel, yet always deeply devoted to the natural world and intensely protective of women and girls. The images are dynamic, with the use of different perspectives creating drama and suspense. Blonde, blue-eyed Artemis is illustrated with cool tones, befitting her characterization. Complementing the visuals, the writing is exciting yet lyrical, evoking the poetry of the original legends. Some stories contain violence, and there is brief nudity but nothing explicit (in one scene, the hunter Actaeon spies the goddess bathing naked and as punishment is transformed into a stag and devoured by his own dogs). The back matter is particularly noteworthy: in "Greek Notes," O'Connor provides insightful-and witty-commentary, and his bibliography will intrigue readers curious about the source material. Though the author is true to the original tales (never shying away from their less savory elements), he injects a feminist perspective, emphasizing Artemis's strong relationships with other women and, in "Greek Notes," referring to Actaeon as a "creepy peeping Tom." VERDICT An excellent addition to graphic novel and Greek mythology collections.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

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