Island of the Minotaur: Greek Myths of Ancient Crete

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

This compilation of the Greek myths of ancient Crete presents the
stories as one long continuous epic, spanning the centuries. It begins
with the birth of Zeus on Crete and describes his special relationship
with that island; continues with the island’s colonization by the
Phoenicians (told through the medium of the myth of Europa); details the
development of Crete’s power and glory through other myths; and
culminates with the well-known saga of Atlantis, which heralded the end
of Minoan civilization.

The myths follow each other naturally and flow seamlessly one into the
next. Imposing a logical chronology on the mass of material was a good
idea, because this approach makes the information much more accessible.
The narrative style is straightforward and easy to understand. Though
the language is suitable for children as young as eight, nothing of the
sophistication and dense imagery of the myths is lost in the telling.
The stories are not oversimplified or dumbed down in any way. The actual
discovery of the Palace of Knossos by Sir Arthur Evans in the 19th
century is described at the end of the book. The book includes a helpful
glossary of names and places.

The myths are presented in a beautiful picture-book format. The
illustrations have a robust, muscular quality that is in keeping with
the vigorous physical nature of life during this period. This subtle
stylization nicely complements the text, although because it has a
modern look, it is nothing like the formal, repetitive painting style of
the Minoans themselves. Highly recommended.