Book Review: Beowulf

In today's video I'll be reviewing Beowulf

Beowulf Written Review:

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[kurtfox]

"You gotta read the book at the right time for you." EXACTLY so! This is why I no longer create TBRs. I might want to have knocked off In Search of Lost Time, or Ulysses, but if I am *forced* to read it because of my TBR list, it doesn't stick or I abandon it. I am very much a mood reader... but my TBR pile of books is huge, so I always have something of the appropriate genre.

[kevinrosero]

Yep. Monstrous hell bride got got. Heaney himself could not have said it better.

My favorite line from Beowulf: "And so he mourned as he moved about the world, deserted and alone, lamenting his unhappiness day and night, until death's flood brimmed up in his heart." (Heaney)

[csp]

I really relate to the bit about classics—you gotta wait until one calls to you. They just don’t work when you force them

[Raine]

I really liked Beowulf in high school but I was skeptical when my husband rented the 2007 movie from Blockbuster. Turned out I loved the movie, much to my surprise. Screenplay was written by Neil Gaiman and Cristin Glover starred so I should have known. I appreciate and enjoy your book reviews very much, thanks.

[zoobee]

I think Beowulf is considered the first literary narrative of Old English Anglo Saxon, so the 'mother' text of English literature. The atmosphere you recognise in Game of Thrones is interesting. It very much haunts the imagination of aesthetics of old Britain or British inspired stories of a certain kind

[csp]

I’m pretty sure someone wrote Beowulf from grendels perspective and that sounds pretty cool. Loved the review

[angelacraw]

Thank you for your enlightening review. I loved this book.

[ianp]

I read that translation a few years ago - completely agree with your assessment!

[jamesduggan]

I thought you covered all the bases, though I might add a few things: first, we get that sense of Deus ex Machina when we follow a great hero - not because the hero does God's work, but the inevitability of good triumphing over evil is the influence of the supernatural. Thus, in the American Western, the bad guys' bullets never hit vital areas and the good guys make impossible or miraculous shots. However, from the perspective of a storyteller, Beowulf epitomizes actions which drive us to tell others - so we have something important to say which will make people listen to us.

[DogEaredMusings]

I am intimidated by Beowulf but I loved your hero analysis
Also the idea of a book calling to you when you are ready for it will be sticking with me for a while :)
Thanks for this review!

[MusingsofaCat]

The new translation by Maria Dahvana Headley is also really really good! If you have difficulty with the older translations this one is much more modern, personally, I enjoyed reading it in conjunction with the Heaney translation. My five year old absolutely loved the Headley tho! I was reading it aloud to her hoping she'd fall asleep, and she listened to the whole thing wouldn't let me stop lol

[christina]

Thanks for the review Alana. I read this for the first time last month and drew similar connections with the opening forest scene in GOT and the Hobbit.

[KellyannMitchell]

This is why I love listening to your reviews Alana. I haven't read Beowulf as yet but your review is definitely gonna be a point of reference for a clearer understanding of its meaning🙌

[martasoltys]

That happened to me with THE STONE ANGEL. I hated it in high school, but I reread it and I understood Hagar and why she's such a disappointed woman. It's so good.

[blueberrymuffinv]

I just read Beowulf so was happy to see this review! I also wanted to reread it since first reading it in high school. However, as I read it, I realized I confused it with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 😂 so I'll have to read that one next.

[Yesica]

Drat, you just made me put a hold on it at my library. I've never read it but I want to watch this but... I don't want my very first reading of it influenced in any way.

[amyofhearthridge]

My two boys enjoyed this book a lot! They listened and read along. 😄

[creativelytorn]

Yeah Beowulf is one of those things I read in school that I don't remember much. Same with The Odyssey and Julius Caesar. Should go back to them at some point.

[monejade]

I read The Great Gatsby in high school, understood enough to get a good grade on the assignment but didn't care for it. Watched the movies as well. But ONLY this year did I actually enjoy it 😂 I think sometimes you need to do a little living before classics call to you 😅