Title: Zeus is a Dick
Author: Susie Donkin
Page Count: 240
Published: 5th November 2020
Genre: Fantasy – Mythology
I got this as a preview copy from the nice people at Netgalley . I will always be honest about a book no matter if I paid for it or not. There are also affiliate links in here, too 💜
I love learning about mythology but, you know, hate reading dull-ass books. I’m fickle and that’s alright – I’ve come to terms with it. So when something comes along with the word ‘dick‘ in it, (I swear I’m in my 30s…) AND it’s written by one of the writers of Horrible Histories, I can’t not give it a go.
I’m going to say this right now – if you’re not familiar with British culture, the majority of the references will go right over your poor noggin.
I had high hopes for this little book. I really, really wanted to love you. Greek Gods are known to be dramatic, egotistical maniacs with a tendency to have sex with anything that moves after all. Yet there was just a little something that didn’t make me fall in love with it.
And I think that little something was the pace. This is a short book. 240 pages to be exact and there’s a LOT of information to cram on in there. One minute you’re getting to know all about Medusa and the next, Zeus’ next victim has been turned into a cow. The books goes fast and it leaves no prisoners behind.
That being said, if you are after a whirlwind of a book which gives you the basic understanding of the complex (and incestual) relationships of these mythical figures, then get this on your list pronto.
Despite my lack of enthusiasm, this book takes something that I would have otherwise found dull as a kid and whacked a big ol’ slice of modern-day references onto it with a slide of humour. Little Jen would have loved this, but Big Jen just wished it was a tv show instead.
One thing I have learned though is that Zeus is indeed a massive dick.
Zeus is a Dick will be published on 5th November 2020.