The Iliad – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise
The Iliad
book2001
90%
WISE Score
The original 'Real Housewives' but with spears and chariots. It’s the foundation of every action story ever told, and in this version, it's actually readable.
The Iliad
book
2001
90%
WISE Score
The original 'Real Housewives' but with spears and chariots. It’s the foundation of every action story ever told, and in this version, it's actually readable.
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Screenwise Verdict
If you try to hand a middle-schooler a dry academic translation of The Iliad, they’ll use it as a doorstop. This version is the antidote.
It’s fast, brutal, and captures exactly why humans have been obsessed with this story for three thousand years. It’s not 'safe' in a sanitized, Disney-fied way—characters are petty, the gods are jerks, and the deaths are messy—but it’s the definition of enriching. It’s a great way to build a foundation for classical literature without the 'brain rot' of modern social media tie-ins.
Age Fit
While the original poem is a high school slog, this Gillian Cross retelling is perfect for 10-14 year olds who have outgrown Percy Jackson but still want epic stakes and legendary battles.
WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
62
It's a story about a brutal war fueled by ego and 'rage.' While it models loyalty and honor, the gods are petty and the heroes are often self-centered. It's emotionally heavy rather than 'warm.'
Imaginative
95
This is the blueprint for epic fantasy. The scale of the Trojan War, the interference of the gods, and the legendary status of the characters invite deep curiosity about history and mythology.
Safe
70
It is extremely violent. We are talking about bronze spears through faces and bodies being dragged behind chariots. It's 'literary' violence, but it's graphic for sensitive readers.
Enriching
98
It's the foundation of Western literature. It explores complex ethics, the cost of war, and the human condition. Gillian Cross makes these high-level concepts accessible without dumbing them down.
Parent Info
✓
Why It Might Be Great
Gillian Cross strips away the academic dust and gets straight to the blood, guts, and ego of the Trojan War.
It provides a massive vocabulary and cultural literacy boost—your kid will finally get all those 'Achilles heel' references.
The pacing feels like a modern novel rather than an ancient poem, making it easy to finish.
It forces readers to grapple with the idea that there are no clear 'good guys' or 'bad guys' in war.
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What to Watch For
The violence is descriptive; people don't just 'die,' they get bronze points through their eyeballs.
The treatment of women—who are essentially treated as 'war prizes' or property—is a central plot point that needs context.
Conversation Starters
"Why is Achilles so angry, and is his pride worth the lives of his friends?"
"If you were a god watching this war, which side would you pick and why?"
"Does Hector feel more like a hero to you than Achilles does? Why?"
"Is it possible for a war to have a 'winner' when everyone loses so much?"
