The Tale of Paradise Lost: Based on the Poem by John Milton
Grade 6-9 - Willard's retelling is sensitive to the poet's imagery and preserves such inventions as the darkening flames of Hell and the golden architecture of Pandemonium. It also keeps Milton's chronology: starting "in the middle" and supplying suspense to the well-known tale. Thus, Satan is already in Hell when the story begins. He devises a plan for revenge, quickly escapes, and insinuates himself into Paradise. Only then do readers learn of his rebellion, endure 20 pages of battle (including the diabolical invention of the cannon), and witness the creation of the Earth and humans. Now Adam and Eve (as well as readers) are as aware as possible of God's goodness, so that the Fall immediately after is all the more shocking. In a swift denouement (Willard eschews Milton's stately pacing), Adam sees the future of his kind, and is reassured about the Messiah. Satan's triumph is foiled when he and his followers turn into hissing serpents. Daly's miniatures (small pages often further subdivided) are modern/medieval composites. More emblematic than realistic, they are too tiny to be much more than pleasingly decorative. While this volume lacks the full characterization of the actors, the epic grandeur ofParadise Lost, and other devices of the genre (catalogue, invocation, epithets, etc.), for those who would never read the poem, and for some devout Christians, it will do nicely.- Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.