Oedipus: trapped by destiny

Oedipus is the latest Greek myth to get graphic-novel treatment for younger readers. As with other books in Pommaux's series, the myth is distilled to the barest essentials for a simple, uncluttered story in which the illustrations play a key role in storytelling. Readers follow King Laius as he orders his newborn son, Oedipus, to be killed in order to avoid a tragic prophecy, only to realize that, despite all calculations, the oracle's predictions cannot be avoided. Short narrative paragraphs and cartoon bubble dialogue convey key elements of the myth, complete with footnotes to assist with pronunciation. The author makes excellent use of the large-size, full-color illustrations to bring interest to the pages, though the characters are occasionally flat and expressionless, which dampens the tension. A list of characters and an index, both illustrated, provide additional context, as does an author's note. While this effectively teaches the basic elements of the story in a digestible format, George O'Connor's Olympians series might offer a more inviting package for readers hungry for more Greek mythology.--Hayes, Summer Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 5-8-A succinct retelling of the Greek tragedy of Oedipus, the king who fulfilled the prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, this title provides the basic facts of the story. Rendered in muted, somber tones, the illustrations emphasize backgrounds. Characters, on the other hand, are small, as if dwarfed by events beyond their control. The layout is a combination of spreads and panels. Some of the text appears in cartoon bubbles, but most of it is in narrative format and is occasionally presented at the very top or bottom of the page, where readers might overlook it. Pronunciations for names are also provided at the bottom, which can make following the tale confusing at times. The opening endpapers reveal a map of Greece that shows the locations of various events and an inset of a Greek drinking cup depicting Oedipus with the Sphinx. The closing endpapers include an illustrated index for characters and locations, providing more information on each. This is a solid introduction to a Greek classic, but the even tone undermines the horror of the tragedy. VERDICT A good addition for schools with a focus on classics but not captivating enough to capture the interest of Rick Riordan readers.-Jaclyn Anderson, Madison County Library System, MS © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The Greek tragedy is given modern graphical packaging. The straightforwardly retold text, translated from the French, isn't particularly noteworthy, but the open and free-flowing comic presentation, which doesn't constrain the art to traditional panels, is suited to visual learners. Character profiles and an illustrated index provide useful background information. Reading list, websites. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Reimagined through a hybrid picture-book/comics lens, Oedipus meets his cataclysmic fate. In this third volume of the Toon Graphic Mythology series, Oedipus and his tragic prophecy are given the spotlight. He's doomed even before his birth, as an oracle has foretold that if the baby of Laius and Jocasta is born male, he will kill his father and marry his mother. When their child is indeed born male, Laius orders him to be abandoned in the wild. As fate would have it, the boy is saved by a shepherd and raised by a king and queen in faraway Corinth. As Oedipus grows into a young man, his own rage and violence surprise him, and he flees Corinth, ending upunbeknownst to himback in his homeland, his destiny inescapable. Creating something that's not quite a picture book nor a graphic novel, Pommaux uses a lovely combination of text and earth-toned illustrations dotted with conversational word bubbles to breathe life into an old tale. Helpful pronunciation prompts are interspersed throughout the text to help young readers achieve a greater sense of understanding. Also included is a pictorial list of main characters, an index, a map, and a list of books and websites for further reading. This pairs exceptionally well with George O'Connor's excellent Olympians series, creating an entirely immersive experience. A well-wrought and edifying adaptation. (Graphic mythology. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Oedipus is the latest Greek myth to get graphic-novel treatment for younger readers. As with other books in Pommaux's series, the myth is distilled to the barest essentials for a simple, uncluttered story in which the illustrations play a key role in storytelling. Readers follow King Laius as he orders his newborn son, Oedipus, to be killed in order to avoid a tragic prophecy, only to realize that, despite all calculations, the oracle's predictions cannot be avoided. Short narrative paragraphs and cartoon bubble dialogue convey key elements of the myth, complete with footnotes to assist with pronunciation. The author makes excellent use of the large-size, full-color illustrations to bring interest to the pages, though the characters are occasionally flat and expressionless, which dampens the tension. A list of characters and an index, both illustrated, provide additional context, as does an author's note. While this effectively teaches the basic elements of the story in a digestible format, George O'Connor's Olympians series might offer a more inviting package for readers hungry for more Greek mythology. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 5–8—A succinct retelling of the Greek tragedy of Oedipus, the king who fulfilled the prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, this title provides the basic facts of the story. Rendered in muted, somber tones, the illustrations emphasize backgrounds. Characters, on the other hand, are small, as if dwarfed by events beyond their control. The layout is a combination of spreads and panels. Some of the text appears in cartoon bubbles, but most of it is in narrative format and is occasionally presented at the very top or bottom of the page, where readers might overlook it. Pronunciations for names are also provided at the bottom, which can make following the tale confusing at times. The opening endpapers reveal a map of Greece that shows the locations of various events and an inset of a Greek drinking cup depicting Oedipus with the Sphinx. The closing endpapers include an illustrated index for characters and locations, providing more information on each. This is a solid introduction to a Greek classic, but the even tone undermines the horror of the tragedy. VERDICT A good addition for schools with a focus on classics but not captivating enough to capture the interest of Rick Riordan readers.—Jaclyn Anderson, Madison County Library System, MS