Fantastic Language, But Sometimes Difficult

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	• Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles (Myths, The) Jeanette Winterson Canongate U.S., 2006 - 176 pages average customer review:based on 19 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Fantastic Language, But Sometimes Difficult

Jeanette Winterson retells the ancient story of Atlas and Heracles. Atlas, punished by the gods, is forced to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Heracles, needing Atlas' help to complete one of his labors, offers to hold the world until Atlas has finished helping. How will their arrangement work out, and how will these two mythic figures feel and think about their respective fates? Do they, in fact, have predetermined destinies?

Winterson remains true to the backbone of the ancient story, but she provides the characters with unique thoughts and novel conversations. Winterson also weaves a personal, first-person story into the novel. And a brand new, and thought-provoking ending finishes the novel off.

I loved the majority of Winterson's language. It is poetic, but it is engaging and concise, and it guides my imagination, helping me to create marvelous images. Most of her language sounds great - rings true - to my inner ear as I'm reading. And some of her scenes near the end, mixing the ancient Atlas with a modern environment, are very compelling, and have continued to stick with me.

Still, portions of the novel - sometimes significant portions - were very difficult for me to follow. In these sections, while Winterson's language remained clear, and while I could understand each individual sentence, I somehow lost track of the bigger picture. I couldn't figure out what emotions or insights the language intended. In these sections, I simply couldn't figure out what Winterson was driving at. I don't think I belong to the book's target audience; I think someone with a different view of the world might understand the book better than I. In any event, because these sections of the book were difficult for me, the book, overall, sometimes seemed scattered or undirected.

On a final note, some of the scenes involving sexual content seemed bizarre, unnecessary, and fairly vulgar.

This didn't detract from the novel so much, though, and neither did the passages that were difficult for me. So many of Winterson's sentences and scenes were great! Her language was a very good experience.

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Confusion?

Perhaps I'm confused. Isn't the author conflating 2 different Atlases? As far as I know, there are 2 Atlases in Greek myth. One is one of the sons of Poseidon & Clito. He later ruled Atlantis and gave his name to that unfortunate continent/island. The other Atlas was a Titan and according to the most cited tradition was one of the sons of Iapetus and Clymene. A less cited tradition makes Atlas the son of Uranus. In any case, according to the most cited tradition, Atlas the Titan is not the son of Poseidon, but rather Poseidon is Atlas' (the Titan's) cousin. In addition, in neither tradition is Gaia an immediate parent. If I'm really not confused & Ms. Winterson is actually 1) changing Atlas' parents and 2) conflating the two Atlases to make a point, I think she should have brought this point into her otherwise interesting, absorbing and thought provoking retelling and interpretation of this important myth (relating to Atlas the Titan).

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Great read for the Winterson fan

I haven't read any of the other books in the myths series, but may do so after reading this interesting interpretation. I'm a huge Jeannette Winterson fan, and this work holds true to her poignant style. With only a few words she can take you to impressive depths of introspection and contemplation - a feat I experience rarely in the literary world. Weight is no exception. If you're not familiar with Winterson's work and are looking for something different I recommend this book. If you are familiar with her work and crave more of the same, I also recommend this book.

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Sparse style limits Weight

Like the artwork that adorns pottery from ancient Greece, Jeanette Winterson's Weight relies on a simple, unadorned structure to tell a story. While amazing in many ways, the artwork is ultimately made up of line drawings and struggles to hold the attention of those in a Hi-Def world.

Part of Canongate's Myth Series, Weight is the story of Atlas and Heracles (sic). Atlas is condemned by the gods to hold up the weight of the world. But Atlas has something Heracles needs. Only Atlas can retrieve the Golden Apples of Hesperides, apples which Heracles has been charged with obtaining as part of his labors.

Heracles agrees to take on Atlas burden for a short time, so Atlas can retrieve the apples. The story advances from there.

While Winterson states that the choice of the story of Atlas and Heracles was on obvious one when presented with the idea for the myth series, I do find it a bit strange. Almost any interpretation of Atlas would have to be very introverted and the story does not lend itself to much dialogue.

I picked up the book after learning about the Canongate Myth Series. I love the concept behind the series. I was not familiar with Winterson's other books.

Winterson does present some interesting concepts about rewriting one's own story and creating one's own world, I would just prefer the message be presented with a more palatable, tastier structure.

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A touching, unique read

So far I've read Lion's Honey, The Helmet of Horror and this novel from the myth series and have enjoyed them all. I've also read a couple of Jeanette Winterson's other novels (The Powerbook is my favorite) and really enjoy her style. This novel I found very touching, though not her best work. While the character of Hercules is incredibly unlikeable, and I sometimes got a "man-hater" vibe from Weight that I haven't found in her other works, overall I enjoyed this. The character of Atlas was very complex and well-developed for such a short book, and I was suprised by the introduction of the dog Laika. Laika was the first living creature sent into space by the Soviet space program in the late 1950's, and who died shortly after takeoff. Her presence in the novel is so incredibly moving. It's these unique touches that keep me coming back for more of Winterson's work. Weight is a quick read, and not easily forgetable. Not my favorite of either Winterson's or the Myth series, but enjoyable and touching nonetheless.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

With wit and verve, the prize-winning author of Sexing the Cherry and Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit brings the mythical figure of Atlas into the space age and sets him free at last. In her retelling of the story of a god tricked into holding the world on his shoulders and his brief reprieve, she sets difficult questions about the nature of choice and coercion, how we choose our own destiny and at the same time can liberate ourselves from our seeming fate. Finally in paperback, Weight is a daring, seductive addition to Canongate?s ambitious series of myths by the world?s most acclaimed authors.

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