Title of the work
Country of the First Edition
Country/countries of popularity
Original Language
First Edition Date
First Edition Details
Carolyn Hennesy, Pandora Gets Angry. New York: Bloomsbury, 2011, 310 pp.
ISBN
Official Website
Genre
Action and adventure fiction
Mythological fiction
Novels
Teen fiction*
Target Audience
Children (8–12 y. o.)
Cover
Courtesy of Bloomsbury, publisher.
Author of the Entry:
Allison Rosenblum, Bar-Ilan University, allie.rose89@gmail.com
Peer-reviewer of the Entry:
Lisa Maurice, Bar-Ilan University, lisa.maurice@biu.ac.il
Daniel A. Nkemleke, University of Yaoundé 1, nkemlekedan@yahoo.com
Weng Chen (Jade) (Illustrator)
Carolyn Hennesy
, b. 1962
(Author)
Carolyn Hennesy, born June 10, 1962, is an American actress, writer and campaigner for zoos. She trained at American Conservatory Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London as well as earning a dramatic scholarship to the California State University at Northridge. She studied with the Groundlings and became a member of the Sunday Company. She also trained at the ACME Comedy Theatre and was a founding member of the all-female improv troupe, Ovaryaction. In 2001, she received the Natalie Schafer Award for Outstanding Comedic Actress, and the Ovation Award in 2011 from the LA Stage Alliance. She has appeared in numerous films and television series, and is best known as an actress for the part of Diane Miller on US day time soap opera General Hospital. She has also played recurring roles in Cougar Town, Revenge, and vampire series True Blood. Although she has a popular 25+ year career in film and television, Hennesy is also an author. In 2011 she published a novel based on characters from General Hospital, The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli. Her series of children’s books based on the character of Pandora begins with Pandora Gets Jealous (2008), and continues with Pandora Gets Vain (2008), Pandora Gets Lazy (2009), Pandora Gets Heart (2010), Pandora Gets Angry (2011), Pandora Gets Greedy (2012) and Pandora Gets Frightened (2013). She is involved in "a number of causes including caring for our wounded warriors and helping those with debilitating physical issues regain their self-esteem, but chief among all causes is the issue of animal rescue"*. In addition, she teaches improvisational comedy, and has a flying trapeze act. In interview Hennesy says she drew on her own "notebook" from when she was thirteen in writing the novels.
* Author's official website (accessed: September 23, 2020).
Sources:
Offical website (acccessed: February 1, 2018).
Interview with Carolyn Hennesy (acccessed: February 1, 2018).
Bio prepared by Amanda Potter, Open University, amanda.potter@caramanda.co.uk and Allison Rosenblum, Bar-Ilan University, allie.rose89@gmail.com
Sequels, Prequels and Spin-offs
Previous book: Mythic Misadventures (Series, Book 4): Pandora Gets Heart
Summary
The fifth instalment in a series of books takes the classic story of Pandora's box and gives it a young, adventurous, partly contemporary twist – Pandora is Prometheus' thirteen-year-old daughter. In this book, Pandora and her friends encounter a new set of powers in Persia as they cross the desert on camels, but are obstructed by mysterious sandstorms and frightening strangers on the way. This time they are assisted by a cute Persian boy who helps Pandy and her friends search for Persia's secret Garden of the Jin. In the garden, where genies hide their treasure, there is a lamp that was once used to imprison a genie named Giondar in whom Rage is hiding. In the garden, after a series of tests at which each, in turn, fails until the final stage, at which Homer manages to succeed and save his friends, the group manage both to restore Alcie from the Underworld and capture Rage.
Analysis
Like the previous book in the series, this one mixes Greek mythology with that of another culture, in this case Persian/Arabian, bringing a fresh twist to the usual trademark Henessy comedy and characterization. The introduction of genies and Persian magic add exoticism and an element of fantasy to the book.
Again, the books, aimed at a slightly older teen/young adult audience as the protagonists age and develop, provide lessons for life. In particular in this case, the negative effects of rage/revenge and temptation. We see that when, in the Jin's garden, those that could not resist the temptation to take from the treasure were punished. The reader is also shown how a range of things, not only material goods such as money or clothes, but also relationships, family, friends, and love can entice people to act, and how dangerous this can be. It further emphasizes the strength required to persevere in the face of hardship (the group must deal with the loss of Alcie) and the regret that stems from bad choices (Pandora comforts the youngest sister who became depressed because it was her actions that had enraged Giondar). Included as well is the concept of taking charge of your own life, shown through Alcie being given a new chance at life – one she has complete control over.
