Reviews

Bull by David Elliott

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a_strix_named_strix's review against another edition

4.0

Now THIS is the Greco-Roman mythology retelling in verse I've been looking for!
Let's run through my checklist...
It has a meaningful reason to exist, as opposed to having no identity. This story isn't another Madeline Miller retelling (meaningless, hypocritical fluff that doesn't actually offer any real commentary, just alludes to grander ideas). It has its own identity as a sort of Hamiltonian retelling (with actual reason behind its decisions for being the style it is, as explained in the Author's Note).
The story it draws on is meaningfully reexamined. The view of the Minotaur is one that I find intriguing . The plot carries weight. I can’t explain TOO much without spoilers.
Et al.
I did find the book a bit too cheesy at times, but it definitely was a genuinely fun, entertaining, and even thought-provoking at times version of one of my favorite myths.

navithefairy's review against another edition

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dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

amwright's review against another edition

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challenging sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

alexan13's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved everything about this. The poetic forms, the character voices, Poseidon. Such an excellent, fresh re-telling of the story of the Minotaur, one that was funny and contemporary but also raised deeper questions about the myth and what it's endurance might say about humanity. I found it to be fresh in both voice and angle of approach. Highly recommend.

aclopez6's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this because I am looking for more novels in verse to offer to my students, but this one is a bit odd. While I appreciated the author's intentionality with his rhyme scheme, the content and voice made the audience unclear. I think I would offer this to students as independent reading, but not for our curriculum. Quick read though.