I just finished reading "Weight" by Jeanette Winterson.

I found Winterson's portrayal of Heracles/Hercules (which took me an embarrassingly long to realize they were the same person) very interesting. His crude and sometimes vulgar language/behavior stand in stark contrast to Disney's portrait of Hercules we all know and love. ;] She successfully humanized the gods by highlighting the most basic human attribute; sexual desire. Some of the scenes, especially those between Heracles and Hera, are prettyÂgraphic.

The novel was also heavily philosophical, pounding on the simple question of "why," showcased by the buzzing in Heracles head and Atlas realization that he can simply "put the world down." It also explored subjects such as boundaries and freedom, and how the burdens of the past and future can be powerful enough to crush the present, which I found to be particularly interesting.

Winterson also included several personal narratives, interjected at various points throughout the novel. She paralleled the mythological storyline with her own experiences, though I found this ineffective and disconcerting, taking away from the piece as a whole.

Any thoughts?