Verse novel review: BULL by David Elliott

BULL
by David Elliott
Young Adult verse novel
HMH Books for Young Readers

I have always believed there should be more diversity in verse novels. 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. Verse novels often deal with difficult issues such as heartbreak, death, abuse, broken families, bullying, illness, and even slavery. They are most often realistic stories set in a familiar world or one we can read about in history books. 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.

So, when I stumbled onto BULL by David Elliott while searching "verse novels" on my local library's catalog, I was intrigued. And after reading the jacket flap copy, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

See for yourself:

SEE THE STORY OF THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT 

Minos thought he could
Pull a fast one
On me,
Poseidon!
God of the sea!
But I'm the last one
On whom you
Should try such a thing.
The nerve of that guy.
The balls. The audacity.
I AM THE OCEAN!
I got capacity!
Depths! Darkness! Delphic power!
So his sweet little plan
Went big time sour
And his wife had a son
Born with horns and a muzzle
Who ended up
In an underground puzzle.
What is it with you mortals?
You just can't seem to learn:
If you play with fire, babies,
You're gonna get burned.

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. As a verse novel, it is a daring breath of fresh air.

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. Some of its language and imagery make it inappropriate for younger verse novel fans. So pick it up for a teen in your life, or maybe even for yourself. And prepare to see the verse novel in a whole new light!