![]() ![]() So pick it up for a teen in your life, or maybe even for yourself. Some of its language and imagery make it inappropriate for younger verse novel fans. Though BULL, like many verse novels, is a quick read and could appeal to many reluctant readers, I would reserve this one for teens older than 13. As a verse novel, it is a daring breath of fresh air. Told in several shifting points of view, BULL is a reimagined version of the greek myth Theseus and the Minotaur, told in poems that are an exciting mix of shocking, humorous, and heart-wrenching. SEE THE STORY OF THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT And after reading the jacket flap copy, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! So, when I stumbled onto BULL by David Elliott while searching "verse novels" on my local library's catalog, I was intrigued. Though they occasionally touch on the paranormal (like in Lisa Schroeder's I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME or Carolee Dean's FORGET ME NOT) it is rare to find a verse novel that ventures outside of the real world. They are most often realistic stories set in a familiar world or one we can read about in history books. ![]() ![]() Verse novels often deal with difficult issues such as heartbreak, death, abuse, broken families, bullying, illness, and even slavery. By that I don't mean the characters or settings (although that is good too, of course), but diversity in the types of stories told in the verse format. I have always believed there should be more diversity in verse novels. David Elliott turns a classic on its head: this rough and rowdy retelling of the Minotaur myth in verse will have readers. ![]()
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