Cyclops

Fisher, Leonard Everett

ISBN 10: 0823408914 ISBN 13: 9780823408917

Publisher: Holiday House, 1991

Synopsis

Describes the encounter between the cyclops Polyphemus and Odysseus and his men after the end of the Trojan War.

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews:

A well-known illustrator chooses a heroic tale that is especially well matched to his own powerful style: the story of Odysseus's terrifying encounter with Polyphemus, one of the ``ugly, mean giants who had one hideous eye in the center of their foreheads...and made thunderbolts for Zeus.'' Fisher cites several standard sources for his narrative, which simply restates the stark events in Homer's original. Seeking refuge in the Cyclops's cave, Odysseus and his men are discovered and trapped; Polyphemus devours several before the wily wanderer and his remaining men contrive to blind him and escape by hanging beneath the giant's sheep as they exit from the cave. Merely serviceable prose, but Fisher's paintings wonderfully convey the tale's strength, terror, and universality. The mariners and their ship are tiny against the roiling waves, Sicily's mammoth cliffs, and the giant's fearsome bulk, yet they are undaunted. Polyphemus is a muscle-bound immensity whose single eye glares from a curiously realistic face that's sure to lure any child fascinated by such monstrous figures. The play of the Mediterranean sky's lush blue against the giant's flesh tones, his fire's evil glow, and the black depths of his cave enriches the drama. A fine achievement. (Folklore/Picture book. 8+) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Publishers Weekly:

Fans of Fisher's well-sourced retellings of the Greek myths will shiver with terror at this emotive episode in the adventures of Odysseus. The most electrifying aspect here is the astonishing art: readers' attention is grabbed with the cover painting of the hideous Cyclops and held by one riveting spread after another. The mariners' boat is dwarfed and battered by waves; the sky is an ominous blue-black; the landscapes are dramatically lit by a sun that breaks through heavy clouds. The richly toned paintings intensify the theatricality inherent in the confrontation between Odysseus and the mythic monster. Excitement builds with the interplay of light and shadow in the paintings of the doomed captives in the one-eyed giant's cave; the giant himself is so immense and threatening that the pages can barely contain him. Although the story's grisly aspects make it less palatable to those youngsters at the low end of the age range, this is in any event enticing fare. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Holiday House
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0823408914
• ISBN 13: 9780823408917
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32