Scan barcode
kylosten's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This started out as a good retelling of Clytemnestra after being married to Agamemnon.
The writing style was good. Adding emotion to the characters to give meaning behind their actions was also well done overall. I liked that Clytemnestra, at the heart of everything was motivated by a deep love for her children and the story did a good job showing the tragedy of her story lies in a society rooted in misogyny.
I think having some idea of the original stories is helpful since this starts in the middle of Clytemnestra's story.
The incest storyline in part 2 felt like it was just there to appeal to Song of Achilles fans and a bit disingenuous tbh. While I appreciate LGBTQIA+ storylines and representation it felt like it would have made more sense as a strong brotherly relationship. The romantic aspect kind of came out of nowhere.
And I understand incest was likely viewed differently in the time these stories were written since there are marriages between cousin/affairs among family members (and that some interpretations of the two characters are romantic). It just felt unnecessary here and took away from the overall second half for me.
The writing style was good. Adding emotion to the characters to give meaning behind their actions was also well done overall. I liked that Clytemnestra, at the heart of everything was motivated by a deep love for her children and the story did a good job showing the tragedy of her story lies in a society rooted in misogyny.
I think having some idea of the original stories is helpful since this starts in the middle of Clytemnestra's story.
The incest storyline in part 2 felt like it was just there to appeal to Song of Achilles fans and a bit disingenuous tbh. While I appreciate LGBTQIA+ storylines and representation it felt like it would have made more sense as a strong brotherly relationship. The romantic aspect kind of came out of nowhere.
And I understand incest was likely viewed differently in the time these stories were written since there are marriages between cousin/affairs among family members (and that some interpretations of the two characters are romantic). It just felt unnecessary here and took away from the overall second half for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child death and Incest
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
shay43geek's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Torture, and Grief
Minor: Slavery and War
momma_needs_to_read's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
daniellereadslikealot_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Clytemnestra is one of my favorite people to read about in Greek mythology. Her story is so heartbreaking and tragic, but there’s such a strength and resilience to her that you can’t help but admire. That absolutely came across in A Spartan’s Sorrow. The action starts pretty quickly here with the murder of her daughter at the hands of Agamemnon and from there, we see Clytemnestra fight to protect her remaining children. One thing that I thought was really well done was how Electra was written. She absolutely infuriated me with her loyalty to Agamemnon, but you can’t help but notice how similar she and Clytemnestra were with their convictions and stubbornness. I loved that we got to read Orestes’ POV and see him grapple with doing what the gods demanded of him vs what he thought was right and the consequences of those actions. The book is a little slower paced at times, but there was always a lingering tension under the surface. I can’t wait to read more by Lynn!
TW: murder, violence, child death
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence
More...