Legends and myths contain nuggets of truth, oft buried beneath the detritus of time. Layer upon layer added until sometimes what is has become a distorted reflection of what was. With Minotaur, Simpson has given us just such a story of what might have been.
Not the chimeric creature of legend, half human and half bull, he who would become known as ‘Minotaur’ is simply a young man who had the misfortune of being born with an unfortunate birth oddity. Long after the events surrounding the labyrinth, and long after Knossos has crumbled to ruin and faded to tattered memory, the demi-deity Asterion tells the true story of his life, and those events, to the poet Ovid.
Asterion, though big and strong, is an undeniably gentle soul. Despite a childhood of abuse and neglect, he manages to preserve that nature, instead of growing bitter or vicious. I’m recently diagnosed autistic, neglected/ emotionally abused by immediate family to whom my differences were viewed a burden. As such, my heart and soul hurt so much for Asterion. I resonated with him, singled out and mocked for his differences.
Fair warning– this story takes time to unfold, allowing you to savour it. More narrative oriented than many today, geared as those are to shorter attention spans and smaller attention spans. Makes sense, given Asterion’s gentle. scholar bent. He’s recounting his history for the poet, Ovid.
Simpson has woven a captivating tale that presents different takes on several Greek myths and legends. Demi-deity status notwithstanding, it is easy to believe this is the nugget of truth behind the myth of the minotaur. If you enjoy Greek mythology or alternate histories, or you just want an enjoyable read, you’ll definitely want to check this nifty novel out.
