| Title | : | Icarus |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781773702438 |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published October 25, 2017 |
The boy who donned wax wings and flew too close to the sun. Follow the tale of Icarus. And that of the father who tried to save him ... but brought his life to an end.
You will come to love him. Then you will watch him fall. Live the tragic story as you never imagined possible.
Icarus Reviews
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I wrote this.
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A lot of us know the story of Daedalus and Icarus and know the tragic ending of the Greek myth. When I purchased this book on Kindle, since it had been recommended to me, I thought that I was going to read a fun retelling of the story of the myth of Icarus. I love Greek mythology, so it seemed like this would be perfect for me. And it was perfect, but it was so much more.
How does a writer take a story that many people are familiar with, know to expect a tragic ending, but still rip the readers' hearts out? Especially when the story does not deviate much at all from the myth? While reading this, I found myself thinking: "Maybe it won't end the way I think it's going to end." or "Please don't let this thing happen."
I had to think about this book for a day before I figured out why Adam Wing was able to still devastate a reader who is familiar with the myth. One, he is a superb writer. Two, he gave the characters' humanity you don't get from the myth, and he inserted a level of pathos that the myth itself cannot match. A third of the way through the book, when you are fully invested in the characters, you will feel a sense of dread, knowing what is to come for these people you now love.
Adam Wing did an excellent job of telling an ancient tale in a way that engages the reader, has them flipping the pages, while equally excited to know what is to happen and also dreading it. This was flawless and gorgeous. I can't recommend it enough. -
This is an exceptionally well-written piece with prose so smooth and flowing it feels as if the writing of it required no effort at all from the author.
It was mid-afternoon and the sun hammered down on them like an open flame. Beyond the stony hills and sharp ridges of the coast below, where armies of reflected light made shimmering displays of war on the sapphire fields of the Aegean, Daedalus almost thought he could see fingers of steam curling up off of the horizon...
Adam Wing's Icarus is a story derived from the popular Greek myth. It's a enchanting book with rich and colorful characters, easily placing you in the moment. Be warned, you may cry.
Highly recommend. -
4.25 stars
this was so good and I am crying
full review when I have the words and I'm not in shambles -
Icarus by author Adam Wing is a clever and well written interpretation of a classic myth, taking characters from a famous story and giving them new depth.
I am in love with Adam Wing's writing. No sentence, no word, no clause has been placed without care and forethought, making for a vivid and engaging read. I'm a big fan of metaphor and literary words and they abound in this book. The literary words give it class; the metaphors are never too far out there, yet imaginative enough for the mind to create a beautiful comparison. The narration carries the confidence of a seasoned storyteller, whether it's intentional or not, and it works wonderfully for this tale.
The Greek myths are widely admired, a peek into the minds of our ancient ancestors and how they made sense of themselves and the world. The Greeks believed in progress and destiny, and the myths, although sometimes cautionary, are never preachy like religious parables can be. This wonderful retelling is a huge compliment to one of the most famous, the cautionary tale, Icarus. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more from this talented writer. -
I've never read a retelling of Icarus before, so when the author offered me a copy for review, I was excited to get to it!
Right off the bat, Icarus was earnest and likeable. And his first meeting with Onetas was adorable. Daedulus, on the other hand, was not more interesting than truly likeable. At this point in his life, he's fairly calloused and hardened. It's obvious he loves his son, but beating the boy for disobeying the rules meant to keep him safe rather than, you know, actually explaining the danger to him makes him less sympathetic. But his intellect and his scheming make him a fun character to follow nonetheless.
I did appreciate the changes to the retelling. The original myth has Icarus falling from the sky from sheer hubris and stupidity, but this story makes the moment multi-faceted. He's not some pride-filled boy that wants to flout his father's rules. He's a poor kid that's been kept shackled and silent finally having a chance at freedom. It's a much more understandable mindset, and the moment is all the more tragic for it.
While anyone with even a glancing knowledge of the original story knows it ends in tragedy, I was not expecting it to be quite as tragic as it became. The last fourth reads like a horror story and was a bit jarring in it's tonal shift. I appreciate the use of the labyrinth and the careful line the author walked between realism and myth, including all the most iconic fantasy moments, but not having the gods pop in every other chapter.
The only reason I could not give this book a solid 5 star was that it felt slightly thin at times. That the cast of characters was small was understandable, but I would have preferred a few more signs of menace from the antagonist and more scenes with the young romance. But what is there is an incredibly enjoyable read. -
Icarus is a novel that reimagines the myth of Icarus and Daedelus in such a way that it feels like an actual historic event. By no means is this a repetition of the myth. It is a unique tale that expands upon the myth to give us a possible backstory into the driving emotions behind Daedelus' need to escape from Crete.
The author cleverly alternates between Icarus and Daedelus, telling us the tale of an impulsive and clever child, and the knowledgeable, but somewhat arrogant father. Icarus grows from a shy child to a strong willed individual after making a friend (something his father forbid him to do). Icarus is very likable, and I was rooting for him throughout, wondering whether he would escape the fate that happened to him in the myth. The story is set in Crete and the description of the characters going about their lives makes you truly feel like they are living in ancient Greece.
The characters are fantastic. The author manages to make each personality distinct and believable, even for the more minor players. I found King Minos particularly captivating...in a reprehensible way. The story is thoroughly entertaining and extremely well edited. I read most of this novel in a day.
I have nothing but compliments for this well crafted novel and highly recommend that you give it a read. Easy five stars. -
Adam Wing does a phenomenal job bringing the tragedy of Icarus to life with new beats that keep the story fresh and relatable. More than worth the read for any fan of Greek Mythology.
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The story begins with a description of Icarus trying to catch octopuses. It's effective in a couple of ways. Firstly, who the hell knew trying to get some of the tentacled buggers could be so gripping? (Seriously, I'd happily take a book on this alone). Secondly, and more importantly, it helps us come to know the depth of our title character's cleverness and determination. This is where Wing shines. His characters are not the flat folk of myth. They breathe, fume, speak, and wobble in three dimensions, particularly in the case of Daedalus. I hated Ik's father upon meeting him but brimmed with empathy when I had to say goodbye. There is no more enjoyable experience than having to reckon with and reevaluate my feelings for a character.
You don't need to know the myth to enjoy this book. If you know it well (this is the sort of thing I nerded out about hard when I was Ik's age), you'll be comfortable, too. It's early goings for 2020, but I know this will stay one of my favorites of the year. Ik's final thought has been ringing in my head and chest for weeks. -
A well done adaptation of the myth of Icarus. The presentation of Icarus as an intelligent character alongside his unusual ideas of fun and often petulant attitude immediately drew me in. This book was a blend of humour and tragedy and my only complaint is that it was so short. I would have liked the relationship between Onetas and Icarus to have been seen more and developed more within the book, as this would have heightened the tragic element for me. That being said what we do see of all the characters is still satisfying and this is a lovely read as it is.
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loved this book, fabulous tale amazingly written, great writer
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This book kept my heart racing
This book had me flipping through the pages from the very start. There are so many truly intense scenes in this book. The story itself felt unique and interesting. -
Different but good
Admittedly I did not know really anything of Icarus before reading this book. It took me a few pages to get into the world, but once I got it, I was hooked. I felt strongly in both the “Son” and “Father” sections.
I could see each characters’ sides and wanted their desires. The relationship Icarus builds with Oentas was interesting and not what I expected but in reading it I couldn’t imagine it happening differently. The mysteries of the labyrinth intrigued me and I wanted to know more. The end threw me for a loop but
after finishing the book and researching the original story I realized I should have known it was coming.
But still. For going in blindly, I was peasantry surprised with this unique retelling -
“fly for me.”
many dumb icarus’ story down to only the fall— to his arrogance in how he challenged the sun. this story is a great retelling of a story in which you already know the end. similar to song of achilles, the tragedy is coming, and yet you still continue to read.
daedalus’ love for his son, misunderstood and overbearingly strict as it may be, fueled his desire to free his son from the fate of a slave. so, he gave his only son wings. a beautiful story, retold in a beautiful way. -
I have been told that my first review was "too much", haha.
So to clarify: I really enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it to all of you lovers of ancient worlds, teen angst, the struggles of brilliant men, ravenous tyrants, mythical monsters, and above all, great writing.
Cheers, Mr. Wing! -
An amazing retelling of a classic story, definitely worth the read :)
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Everyone knew Ik was a moron.
Truth?
Lie?
Deception?
All the above?
If you are interested in this book, I’ll take a wild guess and say you are somewhat familiar with the myth of Icarus.
I live next door to Greece. We share a lot of history and our religion, and being practically a family all their myths are my own. So to say I was apprehensive going in would be an understatement. Now I see there was no need for that. I’ll borrow the author’s words and say that this is not re-imagining, but the retelling of that myth. Adam moved a couple of things around, added and subtracted, and the result is one of best Icarus myth tellings I have ever read. But make no mistake, it’s still a Greek tragedy.
All myths, legends, and fairytales are primarily constructed to teach us a lesson or five. As entertaining as they are, being funny and cute is not their function. The entertainment part is there so we can swallow the pill a tad easier. Therefore, you can read this story in two ways.
You can take the philosophical stand and learn that most of the time there are no happy endings in life. If you are born different, you have to hide your true self in order to survive. If you are different in any way, disabled, queer, anything other than normative, pretending to be something you’re not is the only way out. But then, sometimes there is no way out. No matter what you do. And sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you will fail. Sometimes you have to bid your time and accept punishment for not conforming until you can escape. You need to be cautious and protect yourself, because most of the time that thing that sets you apart is the very thing that will eventually bring you down.
Sometimes your good intentions don’t mean a thing, and can only be hurtful. Sometimes you pave, not just the road, but your own entire hell with your good intentions. And yes, sometimes even the unconditional love can seal your faith and end you.
Yes, it is a tragedy, but it gives you a chance to learn on someone else's mistakes. Because when you learn the lessons you are prepared for the real world. You just have to remember to use them.
Of course, you can read it just as a story. And it is an amazing story. Witty, quick, without unnecessary lag and all the boring parts. Magnificently portrayed setting, realistic characters you can so easily bond with. It’s the story about family, great friendships and first love. It’s the story about everyday life and hardships and pains.
You can read it in many different ways, but you have to read it. This book is going straight to my favorites shelf and whatever I say I can’t recommend it enough. I’ll be talking about it for a long time. Read it. I mean it. Thank me later. -
Powerful and poetic reimagining of the Icarus myth. I'm not familiar with all the details of the original story, just the broad strokes that most people remember, and enough to know this tale was unlikely to have a happy ending, but I really appreciated this imaginative take that brought the stuff of legend down to a very human and relatable level. Exploring both the viewpoints of Icarus and his father, Daedalus, the author speculates on the motivations and events that might have brought them to their final destiny. Icarus, a young boy struggling with an overbearing father and overwhelmed by confusing emotions for a new friend, is, of course, a sympathetic figure. But the surprise to me here was Daedalus, portrayed as a father who maybe loves his son too much, stifling Icarus's dreams and passion in a desperate attempt to keep him safe at any cost. Plus there's a very effective use of the Labyrinth and Minotaur mythos that adds greatly to the tension of the storytelling. This novel is a touching rumination on love and freedom that will appeal to fans of thoughtful and beautifully written fiction.
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This is such a powerful retelling of the Icarus myth with a focus on the internal motivations of Icarus and his fraught relationship with his father, Daedalus. In a brutal world where life is cheap and the only way Daedalus knows how to keep is son alive is through demanding complete obedience and heaping emotional and physical abuse on Icarus in the face of any defiance, Icarus struggles to find himself and understand the world around him through his isolation. His budding friendship with another boy, Onetas, opens him to a new world of adventure and discovery, but at the cost of his safety. Wing tells this story with lyrical, poetic prose well-suited to the mythology and writes compelling, flawed characters that try their best to navigate the difficult world they inhabit. Note that the violence, physical and sexual abuse, and objectification of women, can make this world difficult for readers to navigate as well.
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We all think we know this story - this myth. And despite knowing that Icarus' downfall was somewhat deserved, I found myself hoping, wishing, needing Adam Wing to choose to end this fable differently.
Icarus, an adult fiction telling - not retelling, definitely not simply a retelling, is the smart, sassy, humorous, and intelligent telling of the story of Icarus and his father Daedalus. Although the moral and myth of the story hold true, the tragedy of Icarus comes at the hand of his own hubris, I became so attached to the young man through his personality, his relationships, his evolution - I simply could not bare to see his downfall.
Adam Wing's imaginative imagery and poetic prose were engaging and truly brought the Greek world of Crete to life. If only high school allowed for myths to be studied through writing like this.
So looking forward to the next book by this author. -
After reading Adam Wing's novella, Matriarch, I was excited to read his take on the Greek myth of Icarus. I was not disappointed. Author Wing has a talent for using vivid imagery, placing the reader firmly in the setting, while still allowing a reader to use his own imagination to envision the story. This creative take on the famous Greek myth was original and fascinating. From the first page, Icarus (Ik) captivated me. The way Wing pits the physical beauty of Crete against the tyranny of King Minos adds another layer of subtle irony to the story. I won't give away any spoilers but the relationship between Daedalus and Icarus is as relevant today as it would have been hundreds of years ago. What resonated most for me in this book was the reflection on what freedom truly means. I would definitely add Icarus to your TBR pile!
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This is a book where myth and legend are carefully curated into a well-crafted tale.
In his intro, Mr Wing explains his objectives, which I interpreted as crafting a balance between the essence of the myth and melding it with what we know of scientific possibilities in the 21st Century.
But this book is so much more than that. This book explores such a wide range of compelling themes that I found myself being drawn into the world, times this book is set in and its themes which still weave through the fabric of our society today. It is simply enthralling with a good pace and wonderful scene setting and of course the story narrative itself.
This is a masterful creation and I cannot recommend it highly enough. -
A new spin on an old myth
Wing's Icarus is one of those stories that you feel needed to be told. I am a fan of mythology and Icarus is one of stories that always stands out in my mind. This story told by Wing brings it to a new level, a new dimension of storytelling. Wing pens a remarkable story, and what once seemed like an old myth is a wonderful fantasy. This is the first of Wing's work that I've read, but I look forward to reading more by this author. -
Icarus took one of my least favourite Greek myths and managed to change my opinion on it. The characters are so beautifully thought out and realistic that even though I already knew how the myth ends, I loved the character of Ik so much I found myself hoping it would change. This was definitely one of the best books I read all year.
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This book is a brilliant spin on an old myth. There is excellent world building that truly grounds the reader in Ancient Greece. Most importantly, we come to know Icarus and his father. It creates a humanistic angle to this old tale and my heart aches for it.
If you love a good myth retelling and characters you come to love, give this story a read. You won’t be disappointed! -
If you're a fan of Ancient Greek Mythology, then you'll love this book. It's the retelling of the story Icarus. Wing made me feel like I was in Crete exploring the landscape. The story is well written, and centers on the stressful relationship between Icarus and his father, Daedalus.
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Wow!! Icarus by Adam Wing is an incredible read! The writing is outstanding and the imagery is so alive and powerful that it continues to live with me. I am in awe of this book and I will be thinking about it for a long time! I loved it and I highly recommend it!!
