About the Book
Title: Zeus is a Dick
Author: Susie Donkin
Genre: Mythology
Pages: 191
Edition Read: Kindle eBook
Dates Read: December 14-18, 2024
Blurb: In the beginning, everything was fine.* And then along came Zeus.
*more or less
Ahh Greek myths. Those glorious tales of heroism, honour and… petty squabbles, soap-opera drama and more weird sex than Fifty Shades of Grey could shake a stick at!
It’s about time we stopped respecting myths and started laughing at them – because they’re really very weird. Did you know Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, was born of some discarded genitals? Or that Hera threw her own son off a mountain because he was ugly? Or that Apollo once kidnapped a boat full of people while pretending to be a dolphin?
And let’s not even get started on Zeus – king of the gods, ruler of the skies and a man who’s never heard of self-control. In fact, if there’s one thing most Greek myths have in common, it’s that all the drama could have been avoided if SOMEONE could keep it in their toga…
Horrible Histories writer Susie Donkin takes us on a hilarious romp through mythology and the many times the gods (literally) screwed everything up! Stephen Fry’s Mythos by way of Drunk History, Zeus is a Dick is perfect for those who like their myths with a heavy dollop of satire.
“It’s about time someone called him out on all this.” – Hera, Goddess of Marriage, wife of Zeus
“Worst. Father. Ever.” – Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, daughter of Zeus
“Oh yeah, focus on him. I never did anything wrong. Nothing to see here.” – Poseidon, God of the Seas, brother of Zeus
“Just a real dick, honestly.” – Many, many people
Review
Yes, I did pick this one up only because I needed a “Z” title for my A-to-Z Challenge, but I am so glad I did. This book was so fun.
I’ve always loved mythology. When we would study Greek mythology in school (usually in English class for some reason?), it was always a good day. So many fun and interesting stories. Looking back on them, there were a LOT of ridiculous things going on. Donkin has such a good time with this – you can tell that she knows a lot about the subject – but the way she tells the myths is really what makes the book.
She takes the stories of the Olympian gods and puts a modern spin on it, while still staying true to the original material. It is witty, sarcastic, with an extra helping of snark and never fails to point out just how silly these powerful beings can be. This will be a short little review since this was a short little book, but if you enjoy your mythology with a side helping of humor, you will definitely enjoy this.
GoodReads rating: 4 stars
Categories: Books I've Read
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