Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia: An Odyssey Book Review
The adventures were memorable. The kindness shown to strangers stayed with me longer.
Words and photos by Kim Ju-yeong, freelance journalist
Jigubyeol Sigoljwi | Book-loving travel and everyday-life blogger and YouTuber
This Odyssey book review looks at Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia (“A First Read of the Odyssey”), written by Yang Seung-uk and published by Tamnaneun Chaek. It’s an accessible retelling of Odysseus’s journey home to Ithaca, Greece, after the Trojan War.
If you’re curious about Homer’s epic but aren’t quite ready to tackle the original, this is a welcoming place to start. The adventures—with their giants and sorceresses—certainly held my attention. But what stayed with me just as much was the way people treated strangers, and that powerful longing to get home.
Book Details
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Title: Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia (“A First Read of the Odyssey”)
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Author: Yang Seung-uk
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Publisher: Tamnaneun Chaek
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Based on: Homer’s Odyssey
Take a Look at Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia
Note: The following sections contain spoilers for a few episodes.
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Discovering Greek Mythology in an American High School Classroom
Greek mythology brings back a very particular chapter of my life.
As a high school exchange student in West Virginia, USA, I spotted “Mythology” on the course list while choosing my classes. An entire semester devoted to Greek mythology? At the time, that felt wonderfully unexpected.
My exchange semester at a public high school in West Virginia, USA, through Youth For Understanding (YFU)
Curiosity persuaded me to sign up, but reading the stories and completing assignments in English was no small challenge. I ended up with a B+, yet the names of those gods and heroes stayed with me long afterward.
Later, whenever names like Nausicaä and Circe turned up in games, movies, or comics, it felt like running into familiar faces.
Reading this book brought me right back to that classroom.
The War Is Over—So Why Does Getting Home Take So Long?
At the heart of the story is Odysseus, a hero of the Trojan War. With the fighting over, you’d think he could simply return to his family. Instead, his journey home stretches on for a full 10 years.
There’s the encounter with Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant, a stay on Circe’s island, and one crisis at sea after another. I kept turning the pages, wondering what could possibly happen next.
Yet somewhere along the way, the simplicity of his destination begins to matter more than the spectacle of his adventures. The place he wants so desperately to reach is home: Ithaca, where his family is waiting.
This is my own little home base in Seoul, South Korea. 🙂
I love traveling, too, but even when I’m thrilled by an unfamiliar landscape, homesickness can catch me off guard.
My experiences hardly compare with his ordeals, of course. Still, I understood that feeling of having somewhere to return to.
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Greek Hospitality Through a Traveler’s Eyes
What especially caught my attention was the way strangers were treated.
Odysseus and his companions ask the Cyclops to welcome them as guests. Their request rests on the belief that protecting strangers is a duty upheld by the gods.
The giant, on the other hand, has little regard for those rules.
I’m a Christian, and this reminded me of the Bible’s parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus also taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself”—though actually living that out is very hard.
It brought back memories of the help I’ve received from strangers while traveling in different countries. Someone giving you directions or offering you a seat and a moment to rest—small kindnesses like those can shape how you remember an entire trip.
Eumaeus, the swineherd who welcomes Odysseus despite his ragged appearance, especially stayed with me. He isn’t generous because he has plenty to spare. He treats his guest with respect even though his own circumstances are difficult.
This is pretty much what I look like wandering around these days.
It made me wonder how those ancient traditions of hospitality might live on in Greece today. If I visit someday, I’d love to experience everyday life there as much as the landscapes and historic sites.
When Greek Mythology Feels Surprisingly Real
The gods in Greek mythology get jealous, lose their tempers, and take opposing sides. Seeing such familiar human emotions play out in their world makes these ancient stories feel unexpectedly close to home.
The death of Odysseus’s companion Elpenor also left an impression. After drinking, he falls asleep on a roof. When he wakes and gets up in a hurry, he falls to his death.
It feels all the more senseless because he dies in an unexpected accident, not a battle with some enormous monster. Even in an adventure story, life can end without warning. That gave the tale an added weight.
Odyssey Book Review: Why It Works for First-Time Readers
I’d recommend this book to anyone revisiting myths they encountered years ago, as I was, or looking to get familiar with the main characters and events. Following an accessible retelling made the classic feel much less intimidating.
If you want to savor the verse and language of Homer’s original, though, a complete translation would be a good next step.
After I closed the book, one question lingered.
How do I welcome the strangers who cross my path?
I began this Odyssey book review following Odysseus on his long journey, but finished by looking more closely at my own daily life. Perhaps that’s one of the pleasures of returning to an ancient story today.
Take a Look at Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia
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I’d love for you to follow along.
Written by
Jigubyeol Sigoljwi | Book-loving travel and everyday-life blogger and YouTuber
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