Even anticipating that I would love this, it still managed to surprise me in many aspects. This story is, indeed timeless for its nuanced portrayal of (toxic) masculinity and the dichotomy embedded in society being, ultimately, incredibly harmful to everyone. But it also allows the men to be dynamic, especially by today’s standards. Plenty of feminine traits are praised and normalized. In some ways western culture regressed rather than progressed to this current standard of masculinity.

Then the story itself was surprising because it both began and ended at points I never expected, knowing just a little of the Trojan War. It frames what is important and what the “message” is in a very sophisticated way, denying catharsis, yet revelling, carrying the reader up, in the devastation and brutality of war.

To both ends the prose work is absolutely stunning. Wilson absolutely did it again. I do not see how this could have rendered things better nor helped the reader along with the opaque antiquated cultural elements. The flow is perfect, the rhythm a perfect song. Absolutely a landmark reading experience for me.

My one and only complaint is that the forward should be an afterward, which is the case for like 90% of any classic release. I don’t know why, but it is a truism at this point. Baffling.

Oh, also, this is great on audio, as you might expect from a translation of this sort.