Parents' Guide to

The Iliad

By Barbara Schultz, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Gods and men manipulate war in exciting, gory epic.

Book Homer Adventure 2004
The Iliad Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 15+
age 17+

gangnam style

It's awesome!!!!!!!!!!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

The book definitely has many fine qualities: poetic language, brave warriors, interfering immortals, strong and caring friendships, and exciting battle scenes. The Iliad is not studied by middle or high school students as commonly as Homer's Odyssey, perhaps because the war portrayed in The Iliad includes so many individual battles and characters that its 500-plus pages become a lot to digest.The book also weaves in and out of the "present" of the book, as character often reflect on past events; The Odyssey is somewhat more linear, and the narrative is easier for students to follow. However, several of the intertwining plots in The Iliad are essential to read and understand for any student of the classics.

Book Details

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