Review: Corydon & the Island of Monsters (The Corydon Trilogy, Book 1)
Parents need to know that this book is rather gory in places, and among many deaths is that of a major character. There is also implied sex and a fairly graphic childbirth scene. Kids will be exposed to the names of characters from several famous myths, and the book includes a witty glossary with pronunciations.
Families who read this book could discuss the unusual point of view. Why do the authors depict the monsters as heroes? How does this differ from the original myths? Also, it might be fun to read the original myths upon which this book is based, and compare them to this book. Readers may also be inspired to check out titles in the bibliography, which includes books, films, and video games.
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this book is rather gory in
places, and among many deaths is that of a major character.
There is also implied sex and a fairly graphic childbirth
scene. Kids will be exposed to the names of characters from
several famous myths, and the book includes a witty glossary
with pronunciations.
Families who read this book could discuss the unusual point of view. Why do the authors depict the monsters as heroes? How does this differ from the original myths? Also, it might be fun to read the original myths upon which this book is based, and compare them to this book. Readers may also be inspired to check out titles in the bibliography, which includes books, films, and video games.
Common Sense Media Review
Written by a British mother-son writing team (the mother is
an Oxford professor, the son, now 11, was 8 when they began),
this is the first of a planned trilogy. The main attraction is
the twisted point of view, in which the traditional heroes --
Perseus, Jason, and the like -- are cowardly, venal, and
lunkheaded, while the monsters are not only noble, kind, and
(except for the endearing Lion) intelligent, but are also the
most fleshed-out characters in the book.
This is a good introduction to some famous stories for kids, and it can be a treat for parents, too: Anyone who has ever wondered just what exactly was so heroic about Perseus (who needed the help of two gods and a host of magical items to kill Medusa while she was sleeping) and Jason (who only succeeded because a witch fell in love with him) will find here a story that makes a lot more sense.
The book suffers from some rookie flaws. The pacing is erratic, as is the tone, which veers wildly from wide-eyed high myth to snarky anachronisms (such as Perseus's recruitment techniques, which owe a great deal to McDonalds Happy Meals). Even more annoying, especially to young mythology buffs, are frequent references by various characters to events that haven't happened yet, and even (probably thanks to the Oxford prof) English writers such as Shakespeare.
But the story is also surprisingly moving, especially a mother-son relationship created by this mother-son writing team. Young readers will look forward to the next two installments of Corydon's rich and exciting adventures.
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