The Penelopiad

By: Margaret Atwood

Narrated by: Laural Merlington, Margaret Atwood

WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY THE AUTHORNow that all the others have run out of air, it’s my turn to do a little story-making . . . So I’ll spin my own thread.
Penelope . . . immortalised in legend and Greek myth as the devoted wife of the glorious Odysseus, silently weaving and unpicking and weaving again as she waits for her husband’s return from the Trojan war.

Now, in Atwood's wise and witty retelling of the myth, Penelope wanders the underworld, spinning a different kind of thread: her own side of the story – a tale of lust, greed and murder.©2005 O.W. Toad Ltd.

Critic reviews

Atwood takes Penelope's part with tremendous verve...she explores the very nature of mythic story-telling.

Interesting take on an old tale

Creative and curious- almost makes we want to re read the stories of greek and Roman gods.

Great story, narration—not so good

I love Atwood. Her work is always interesting, insightful, and beautifully crafted, and if what you want is an Atwood novel, this is a good. That said, the sound effects and narration style made me deeply consider returning the book, specifically the effects for the maidens voices was just poorly done. The main narrator is otherwise ok.

A fantastic read with excellent narration!

I was so impressed with this book. It absolutely stands as an outstanding contribution to the mythologically-based fiction genre. The pacing keeps you engaged, and the story Atwood chooses to tell is refreshing and enticing. The narrator does an amazing job at capturing the tone and attitude of Penelope, and the Chorus of Maids segments were haunting and immersive.

(There are two editing errors in the audiobook, both where a paragraph is read twice, and there is also classical music playing during these errors? Not a big deal, but worth mentioning!)

The chanting of maidens is distracting

The story is good, and interesting, but it is hard to continue with the book because of the chanting from the maidens. Especially the frequency of it.

A Neat Little Retelling

I enjoy everything Margaret Atwood has put to paper and this short remaining of Penelope through her pen is another great read and reminder of the real role women have always played in our stories even though their side of the story has often been left unwritten. Thank you Margaret Atwood for being the voice of so many forgotten women. ❤️