The story of Theseus and the Minotaur is well-known. Greedy King Minos vexes the capricious Poseidon, which ultimately leads to the unwitting Queen Pasiphae giving birth to a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a human. Flash forward many years and Asterion, the Minotaur, is a widely-feared monster living in the heart of an inescapable maze, awaiting a deadly encounter with the Greek hero Theseus.
David Elliott’s novel-in-verse, “Bull,” is more than just a retelling of this tale. Using a variety of poetic forms and rhyme schemes, Bull tells the story from the perspective of each major party. There’s Poseidon, of course, with his all-powerful swagger and appropriately rhythmic yet inconsistently structured verse. There’s Minos, with all his manipulative bravado in rhyming couplets, and poor, bemused Pasiphae with her broken verse. Asterion the bull, of course, has a central role, his narrative structure changes as he grows from a sweet child beloved by his mother and sister into a monster forsaken by all. Elliot’s presentation of these characters and their motivations will change the way modern readers view the roles played by these mythological figures.
Retellings of classic tales can be hit or miss, but “Bull” is a resounding success. Not only does it expand the scope of the original story by filling in the gaps of Asterion’s formative years, but it does so in a way that is immediately engaging. Readers will find themselves quickly drawn in by Poseidon’s irreverent wit, and it will only be a matter of time before they’re nodding along in time to the rhythm of his verse. The pacing of this slim novel-in-verse never flags, which makes for an instantly satisfying read. The dark humor, occasional swearing and certain elements of the tale (in particular, the circumstances under which Asterion is conceived) make this more appropriate for older teens and adults. In a world of countless young adult retellings of classics, “Bull” maintains the original tale’s integrity while simultaneously creating something new and fresh — a rare feat indeed.
Courtney Waters is a teen services coordinator at Missouri River Regional Library.