The first chapter pulled me in!

I know a bit about the story because of Troy (the movie) but don’t know most of it. This is probably the darkest, most depressing myth retelling I’ve ever read and one of the few that has made me cry.

Slower paced compared to Lynn’s other books and my least favorite of hers so far.  I will say I did enjoy getting to know the characters and marked a lot of memorable passages! I also was glad to finally learn the rest of the story surrounding Clytemnestra and Orestes.

I didn’t love how much Clytemnestra talked down about other women, especially Helen, her own sister. She’s trapped in a marriage to a man she hates and has never loved and yet she seems to think she’s the only woman stuck in that situation?! 

Clytemnestra is very complex and often times unlikeable. I can sympathize with her for losing her daughter but that doesn’t give you free rein to be shitty about other women and act like you’re a goddamn martyr. Oh and the way she treats Electra, her youngest daughter? Listen she was annoying and arrogant but she’s a child and she can clearly tell that her mother has favorites and she’s not one of them-of course she’s going to act out and hate you?!

This was the most infuriating, pick me, internalized misogyny book that Lynn has written thus far in the series. The other 2 I’ve read do a great job of giving a voice to women but this one does so at the cost of tearing other women down the majority of part 1. Anyone saying there’s feminist undertones in this story has to be joking. The amount of times whore is used and Clytemnestra victim blames made me set the book aside for 3 days to calm down.

Lastly this is me being Nitpicky maybe but twice she mentions Penelope and her suitors when the suitors did not arrive to Ithaca yet! This book takes place mostly during the war in Troy, but the suitors don’t show up until after the war has ended and Odysseus is on his (long journey) home. Just made me irritated that such a glaring mistake was mentioned not once but twice. Also, Athens did not have an acropolis nor democracy at this time for another 500+ years?! Sooo many inaccuracies that are easy to research😭

Overall it’s not the worst myth retelling I’ve read but it was wildly disappointing compared to Lynn’s other novels and especially as a so-called “feminist retelling.” I’m hopeful other Clytemnestra retellings are better so far now I’d say it’s a skip and to research the myth/plays rather than read this retelling.