The OdysseyThe Odyssey
Score Classic
What it's about
After the Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus takes ten years to get home to Ithaca. On the way he blinds a Cyclops, resists the Sirens, visits the underworld and is held captive by a goddess. At home, his wife Penelope holds off a crowd of suitors who want her and his kingdom, and his son Telemachus sets out to find him. When Odysseus finally returns, in disguise, he plans his revenge.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books and is one of the founding stories of Western literature, the original adventure.
You'll love it if you liked
The Iliad
The Metamorphoses
The Divine ComedyGood to know
It's a long poem; Emily Wilson's and Robert Fagles's translations are the most readable. The ending is violent.
By the numbers
- Readers19 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Homer
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Quick answers
Is The Odyssey worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books and is one of the founding stories of Western literature, the original adventure. It ranks #1,974 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Odyssey about?
After the Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus takes ten years to get home to Ithaca. On the way he blinds a Cyclops, resists the Sirens, visits the underworld and is held captive by a goddess. At home, his wife Penelope holds off a crowd of suitors who want her and his kingdom, and his son Telemachus sets out to find him. When Odysseus finally returns, in disguise, he plans his revenge.
How long does it take to read The Odyssey?
About 8 hours (300 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Odyssey?
If you liked it, try The Iliad by Homer, The Metamorphoses by Ovid or The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.