Autobiography of Red
by Anne Carson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Anne CarsonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1998-08-01
ISBN: 037570129X
Number of pages: 160
Publisher: Vintage
Book Reviews of Autobiography of Red
Book Review: An Excellent Interpretation of an Ancient Myth in Verse
Summary: 4 Stars
It's hard to believe this is considered poetry, but it is called "a novel in verse" with good reason. Structurally you will know you are reading something that transcends that of generic narrative form, and certainly better than most ego-boasting poetry. Carson has taken the story of Herakles and Geryon and turned into a contemporary gay romance, but done very tastefully. It deals with issues of rape, incest, sexual identity, philosophy and much more. Traditionally, Herakles is seen as the one who slays Geryon, the beast, but Carson tells the tale from that of a confused and sexually disrupted Geryon's point of view.
The first 2 chapters or so (only a few pages long each) and the last chapter (an interview with Socrates) both soiled the beauty of the work for me. They (I believe) try to set up and conclude for us the ancient story of Herakles and Geryon, but really it doesn't flow at all with the rest of the work, and it just leads to confusion. Not a very captivating start, but i guess i can see why, historically, it is important to know the context of the characters. Regardless of these slight obstacles, Autobiography of Red is an excellent and powerful read, and very beautifully written, and certainly one i recommend to anyone wanting to try branching out to a new, approachable and fun style.
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