Achilles in Heels

by Theophanes Avery | Humor |
ISBN: 9798678763990 Global Overview for this book
Registered by TheophanesAvery on 8/6/2022
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by TheophanesAvery on Saturday, August 6, 2022
This was by far the best thing I have ever written and I am so excited to be sharing it with the world one wild release at a time!

Released 1 yr ago (8/14/2022 UTC) at Little Free Library, Pickity Place in Mason, New Hampshire USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

This is by far my favorite thing I have ever written and I left it in the godmother of all little libraries which seemed soooo fitting. The whimsy and humor of both complimented each other so much and I sincerely hope someone finds it and loves it as much as I did.

Journal Entry 3 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, September 14, 2022
I was delighted to find this one still in the lovely Little Free Library when I stopped by to drop off some books of my own. Looking forward to reading this one!

Journal Entry 4 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, December 2, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this sprightly, often-wacky retelling of the story of Achilles and Patroclus - and Deidamia (aka DD), the princess who falls for Achilles-as-Pyrrha. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud scenes - especially early on, as Achilles' mother Thetis attempts to convince her grubby, wild 12-year-old son that he needs to cross-dress as a girl to avoid being drafted into an upcoming war. (His best pal Patroclus finds this beyond hilarious; some of his reaction scenes had me laugh-crying in empathy.)

[Some spoilers follow.]

Since this book does follow many of the incidents from mythology, it's no surprise that - eventually - Achilles is persuaded to go along with his mother's plans, but he isn't happy about it, not least because he's being sent to the court of King Lycomedes to dwell among the other handmaidens and princesses, and his pal Patroclus won't be going along. The scenes of his early attempts to convince everyone that he's a girl - at age 14 a rather large, smelly, hairy, big-footed girl - smack of slapstick comedy with more than a touch of at-odds-with-one's-body feelings.

I should note here that the story includes a lot of anachronistic language, concepts, and even pop-culture references, while the behavior of the characters and the local society remain based in ancient Greek mores (for the most part) - which means that the teens feel obligated to go along with the Rules As They Are, including poor DD's awareness that she's pretty much bound to become a wife to whoever her father chooses, instead of getting to travel the world the way she wants. And Achilles himself is stuck doing what his mother wanted, and having to learn to live in the restricted, body-conscious manner of high-class young women. While it is rather hard to believe that he could pull off his impersonation, it seems that the other girls are willing to accept whatever excuses he offers for not undressing in public, etc. - and their own restricted lives might contribute to that.

Anyway, for some years we take it as given that he's fooled everyone - except for Chiron the centaur, who spots him at once, and promptly drops into an over-the-top hilarious series of ever-wilder euphemisms for menstruation, by way of "hinting" to Achilles that his impersonation is going to hit a major roadblock very soon. When he finally gets an explanation for what "the hunt for red October" means, he's pretty much appalled - but manages to work it into his routine.

Eventually he gets a pleasant surprise for a change - Patroclus turns up, to attend school with the boys at court. And some of the classes are co-ed, and the archery contests are as well, so the childhood friends get back together - as much as they can when everyone thinks Achilles is Pyrrha. DD is clearly jealous of Achilles' interest in Patroclus, while the guys are pretty much oblivious. And then...

Well, those of us who know the mythology will not be surprised by the way Achilles and DD eventually hook up (thanks so much, Dionysian rites and copious alcohol!). This leads to considerable angst, as DD keeps her pregnancy quiet while consumed with dread over what will happen to her and the baby - and very much confused at how the girl she loved turned out to be a boy who she still also kinda loves, but who seems more devoted to another boy. The way in which the three worked all this out was really rather charming, and while I knew they weren't going to get a happy ending, I think the book takes things as far as it can while remaining positive. (Readers who really *want* a happy ending and don't already know how the Trojan War works out for everybody should probably just avoid looking up the mythology {rueful grin}.)

Very entertaining book overall!

[For another novel that uses anachronistic/snarky methods of retelling a Trojan War story, see Mark Merlis' An Arrow's Flight, which deals with the fate of Achilles' son Pyrrhus - last seen in Achilles in Heels as he's torn away from his loving mother and fathers.]

Journal Entry 5 by wingGoryDetailswing at LFL - Caldwell Rd #43 in Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Released 1 yr ago (12/6/2022 UTC) at LFL - Caldwell Rd #43 in Nashua, New Hampshire USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book in this welcoming-diversity Little Free Library on this rainy day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2022 What's In A Name challenge. ***

** Released for the 2022 Keep Them Moving challenge. **

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