SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

July 5, 2019 by Lori Henderson

Review: Olympians: Apollo, The Brilliant One

July 5, 2019 by Lori Henderson   Leave a Comment

Review: Olympians Apollo: The Brilliant One
By George O’Connor
All Ages (9-14)
First Second, January 2016, ISBN: 978-1626720152
80 pgs., $9.99

The eighth volume of the Olympians series shines its light on the god of prophecy, music, and healing, who turns out to be impulsive, prideful, and vindictive. His stories are told by the Muses, the goddesses of inspiration who find their inspiration in Apollo.

There are seven stories told by the nine muses, with a few of them doubling up. Each muse tells their story in the art form they inspire. Polyhymnia, the muse of religious hymns, uses a hymn to Apollo to tell of his birth and arrival on Olympus. The other muses tell of Apollo getting vengeance on the snake Python for hounding his mother Leto while she was pregnant with him and his sister, his dealing with a satyr who dared compare his musical talents to Apollo’s, two stories of Apollo’s failed relationships, and the story of his son Asklepios.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

What really comes out in this volume is what a complicated individual Apollo was. He could be petty and spiteful, as the tale of the satyr Marsyas shows, but in the tale of Python and Asklepios, it’s his strong feelings for his family, his mother and son, that drive him to the acts he commits. It shouldn’t be too surprising that a god whose relationships always end in tragedy would act out violently in defense of the few people he still has in his life. He was firm in his convictions and paid the consequences, often in servitude, for them. But he never regretted them.

The volume ends on a clever twist that plays into Apollo’s gifts and ties the stories all together. O’Connor’s choice of stories does a good job of showing all the sides of Apollo, both good and bad. The different forms of storytelling used by each muse enhance the stories’ impact, even if the style isn’t readily noticeable at first. While all the Greek gods are made more relatable by their human characteristics, none seem more human than Apollo.

Filed under: Graphic Novels

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
All AgesGreek mythologyolympians

About Lori Henderson

Lori Henderson is a mother of two teenage daughters and an avid reader. She blogs about manga at her personal blog Manga Xanadu as well as contributing and editing for Manga Village. She blogs about all things fandom (mainly Doctor Who) at her other personal blog Fangirl Xanadu. She's been at it so for over 5 years now and counting!

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

June 2022

Ghosts of Science Past | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

June 2022

Exclusive First Look at 'Scurry' | Preview

by Lori Henderson

June 2022

Review | Mickey Mouse: Zombie Coffee

by Lori Henderson

May 2022

Fence: Rise | Exclusive Preview

by Lori Henderson

May 2022

Review: Red Scare

by Lori Henderson

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

The Yarn LIVE at ALA 2022!

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Publisher Preview: Ellen Myrick (Part Three!)

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Review | Red and Rover: Fun’s Never Over

by Mike Pawuk

Heavy Medal

Mock Newbery Update – Our List of First Half Suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Book Mail: Dachshunds, monsters, magic, climate change, and more!

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Shark Week, Vanilla Ice Cream, and the Honda CRV: Bob Shea and Brian Won Team Up for ADURABLE

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Eight Essential Isekai Manga for Beginners | Mondo Manga

18 Superb Graphic Novel Adaptations for Kids and Teens

PEN America and Trust Project Release Newsroom Transparency Tracker | News Bites

10 Graphic Biographies Bring Notable Figures to Life | Stellar Panels

Reviews and Coverage of the 2021 Eisner Award Nominations

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2022


COPYRIGHT © 2022