Corydon and the Island of Monsters: No. 1 - Rilegato

Druitt, Tobias

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0689875371 ISBN 13: 9780689875373

Casa editrice: Simon & Schuster Children's, 2005

Riassunto

Corydon is thrown out of his village for being born with a goat's leg. Captured by pirates and put into a freak show with other monsters, he finds out he is the secret son of Pan. He meets Medusa the gorgon, the Minotaur, the Sphinx and many other mythical creatures and, with the aid of a magical staff, manages to free them and lead their escape into the mountains. But Zeus, king of the classical gods, is alerted to their escape and forces his son, Perseus, to raise an army of heroes to pursue and kill them. When Medusa's baby son is stolen from her by Perseus, the battle becomes personal. Now not only do they face a devastating army, but they must also rescue the baby gorgon. But first Corydon must travel deep into the Underworld to uncover the secrets of the staff...

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Recensione

Writing under a pseudonym, a mother-and-son team sets out to view the ancient Greek mythological landscape from a reverse angle in this captivating trilogy opener. The Olympians have been on top for a long time, but their adversaries, the older gods, are stirring. Into this simmering conflict fall young Corydon, a shepherd outcast for having a goat`s foot, and his trio of surrogate mothers.
They are the bickering but affectionate gorgons Euryale and Sthenno, who have taken him under their metal-feathered wings, and Medusa—cast here as a smart, snarky single mother carrying Poseidon`s child and transformed by Athena into snake-haired hideousness because of it. Joining a contentious rabble of fellow monsters, this uncommonly mixed family squares off against Perseus, a glib, hunky bully who has raised an invading army with relentless marketing and plenty of help from his dad Zeus. But the climactic battle, capped by Medusa`s heartrending, heroic sacrifice, turns out to be a skirmish in a larger struggle—in which Corydon has some central role to play, if he can but discover what and how.
Reading this witty, profoundly sapient take on the old tales will leave readers impatient for the sequels.
KIRKUS REVIEWS
Peer reviews:
'I enjoyed this book so much that I couldn't put it down. I found the reversal of the heroes and monsters enthralling, and I loved the mythical ideas.' Tabitha, 10
'Corydon rocks! Can't wait for the sequel. It would make a great film.' Leo and Clare (twins) age 11.
'I really liked the blend of myth and fact. I also enjoyed the way each and every monster had its own personality, and the way the monsters liked loneliness. In other words, this book is a must.' Jessica, 10.
"This book is based on greek mythology, but it has been given a little "tweak" to make the monsters good and the heroes bad (at least, that's what the monsters think!). This is a great story about an outcast boy befriending many monsters (such as Medusa and two harpies). I would recommend this book for children of a secondary school age, but no higher unless they are a fan of greek myths. This book is very well written and has inspired me to read up on some more greek myths."
Hannah, age 12
This book was astonishingly haunting and beautiful. It gives the idea
to young readers to believe in themselves, even if they are in constant danger of grief. It includes rich language, flowing sentences, and a steady plot. One needs to have his or her thinking cap jammed on when reading this book. This author creates a blizzard of words that forces you to think. The vivid characters and plot help you to see all the details. This book is so powerful I just could not put it down. It was also powerful in an emotional way, especially the ending. When Medusa died, I could not read it without having tears in my eyes. If there is anything else to say, it is, "keep on writing Tobias Druitt!"
Juliana, middle grade student

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Simon & Schuster Children's
• Data di pubblicazione: 2005
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0689875371
• ISBN 13: 9780689875373
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 384
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: non disponibile