Apollo The brilliant one

George O'Connor

Book - 2016

"Mighty Apollo is known by all as the god of the sun, but there's more to this Olympian than a bright smile and a shining chariot"--

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j292.13/O'Connor
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Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room j292.13/O'Connor Due Mar 31, 2024
Subjects
Genres
Graphic novels
Published
New York : First Second 2016.
Language
English
Main Author
George O'Connor (author)
Edition
First edition
Item Description
"A Neal Porter Book."
Physical Description
77 pages : chiefly color illustrations, genealogical table ; 26 cm
Audience
Grades 7-9.
ISBN
9781626720169
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

It's fitting that the entry in O'Connor's popular Olympians series focusing on Apollo, god of music, among other things, would be narrated by the nine muses. Each of the seven stories (a few of the muses pair up) matches the style of its teller. For instance, Clio, muse of history, presents the story of the death of Apollo's son, Asklepios, as a kind of documentary, referring often to the historical record while reading from a scroll. Meanwhile, Melpomene and Thalia, muses of tragedy and comedy, respectively, recount the tale of Marsyas, who challenged Apollo's standing as best musician and met a grim end (or a comical one, depending on who you ask). Since there are so many stories about Apollo, these brief glimpses offer a tidy overview of the god, with an emphasis on his more human qualities. O'Connor's bright, colorful, clear-lined artwork, particularly of the dancing muses, captures movement and emotion beautifully and adds an engaging undercurrent of comedy. Informative back matter, including further reading and endnotes, closes out this excellent piece of graphic nonfiction.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4 Up-Narrated by the nine Mousai, or muses, who were worshipped alongside the brilliant son of Zeus, the eighth entry in O'Connor's masterful graphic novel series continues in the tradition of his previous "Olympians" tales. Starting off with Hera's pursuit of Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis, and Zeus's lover, the muses relate different myths, each fleshing out a different aspect of the god of light's personality and legend. From his many charms and character flaws to his often failed romances, Apollo is presented as the most human of the Greek gods. Telling his story through the muses' perspectives is a successful device that O'Connor employs-each of them share a story that is in tune with their area of expertise. For example, Erato, the muse of mimicry and love poetry, recites a poem about Hyacinth, the prince of Sparta, who was caught in a love triangle with Apollo and Zephyros. Within this tale, some of the panels feature her miming some of the particulars. It is details like these, plus the creator's in-depth research, matter-of-fact and humorous tone, and expressive and dynamic art that continue to make each entry in this series a must-have. The variation of panels and the alternating dark and light-infused color palette add to the work's overall pacing and appeal. VERDICT A shining example of a graphic novel that educates and entertains.-Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

O'Connor makes out his latest Olympian as a tragic hero "who has had many loves, but whose loves seldom prosper." To say the least. No sooner are the frowning lad and his twin sister, Artemis, welcomed to Olympus by their father, Zeus, than Apollo is off to avenge his mother, Leto. He riddles Python, the humongous serpent who had harried Leto at Hera's instigation, with fiery arrows. He then proceeds himself to harry the virgin nymph Daphne until she is transformed into a laurel, gruesomely flense the satyr Marsyas for claiming to be a better musician, kill his bosom buddy Hyacinth, prince of Sparta, with a misguided discus, and get Artemis to shoot the unfaithful mother of his own not-yet-born son, Asklepios. Finally, he later sees his miraculously rescued son himself killed for creating, as Hades puts it, "a glitch in the system" by healing so many mortals. These and other incidents are narrated, sometimes in Classical meter or rhymed prose, by the nine worshipful Museslissome figures who pose and dance gracefully through the panels, then gather at the end to explain why their immortal patron's unique blend of gifts and faults is profoundly inspirational: "The most divine god is also the most human." As in previous series entries, the backmatter includes commentary, analysis, reading lists, and discussion questions. Apollo's darker tendencies overshadow his divine radiance here but, as usual, make better tales. (Olympian family tree) (Graphic mythology. 8-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.