Thursday, August 11, 2005

The Great God Pan by Donna Jo Napoli


Pan is a hybrid. A half goat, half god. He is cursed, and the curse states that he can transform into other creatures, but he cannot transform into a complete goat or god. He can only do this if he truly loves someone and she loves him back. Until now, he has lived in his forest home, dancing among the flowers and maenads, until he saw a human in the forest. Iphigenia, daughter of Helen and Theseus, but raised by Queen Clymenestra and king Agamemnon, soon learns to love Pan, and Pan loves her. The day Iphigenia's mother, Helen, is kidnapped, is the day Pan must make the most important choice of his life.

THE GREAT PAN is a touching story about true love, woven together magnificently by Donna Jo Napoli. This tale is wonderful for people who love reading about Greek myths and stories about Greek gods. This story has a light and happy mood, until the prophecies and the curse take place in the book. What caught my eye about this book was that it was by Donna Jo Napoli, an amazing writer that takes old myths, legends, and folktales and transforms them into amazing stories. -Olivia R.

1 comment:

Ms. B said...

Have you read Quiver by Stephanie Spinner? It's a retelling of the story of Atalanta from Greek mythology. I think you'll like it!