01_in_emilyon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Child death
h_sloan's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, and Sexual assault
elysareadsitall's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Phaedra" was a difficult read, but I'm glad to have read it. The Night Chorus of women in the story was heartbreaking and fascinating, and they were my favorite part of the book. This book follows Phaedra as Theseus kills her brother the minotaur, runs off with her sister, returns without her, marries Phaedra, takes her to Athens, and leaves her in the dangerous court alone. Phaedra is then raped by Theseus's son Hippolytus, and his trial follows.
The story dives headfirst into the politics of Athens and women's bodies. It's infuriating and hard to read, but it's realistic and important too. The prose is stark and driving. The book was quick to read and difficult to put down. Because it's a well-known myth, I knew what was going to happen, but I kept reading with hope and a need to know how Shepperson would wrap up the story.
The story is told in several perspectives. The characters Shepperson chose were confusing to me at first, but their parts in the story became clear quickly and made perfect sense. I liked the variety of perspectives because it showed how the ripple effects spread wide. Besides the Night Chorus, I was most drawn to Phaedra's perspective because she changes the most over the story and has a lot of inner turmoil.
The story dives headfirst into the politics of Athens and women's bodies. It's infuriating and hard to read, but it's realistic and important too. The prose is stark and driving. The book was quick to read and difficult to put down. Because it's a well-known myth, I knew what was going to happen, but I kept reading with hope and a need to know how Shepperson would wrap up the story.
The story is told in several perspectives. The characters Shepperson chose were confusing to me at first, but their parts in the story became clear quickly and made perfect sense. I liked the variety of perspectives because it showed how the ripple effects spread wide. Besides the Night Chorus, I was most drawn to Phaedra's perspective because she changes the most over the story and has a lot of inner turmoil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Rape, Child death, Suicide, and Sexual violence
jmdeal's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Child death
coffeekitaab's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a pretty heavy read...
I haven't read Greek mythology since school and have always wanted to read more as an adult. This has been the first opportunity I had in a long time and I found I was still as interested and had never come across the story of Theseus, Phaedra and Hippolytus.
Trigger warnings should be checked.
I really enjoyed the story being told from the perspective of the female characters, and the author did well to commit to the different narratives. I do feel it was weak for a novel that is set out as a "feminist retelling". The characters are helpless before the dominating males and, even the goddesses seem subjected to their violence and treachery. I felt uncomfortable at how explicit the description of male harassment, violence etc was so trigger warnings flagged here.
My only other gripe is at times there was an assumption that the reader was well versed on the different myths which left the writing hanging to your the reader's imagination. Of course that does not work unless you know the tales, so I lost myself in these moments and found it a bit frustrating. This was a 3.5* for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't read Greek mythology since school and have always wanted to read more as an adult. This has been the first opportunity I had in a long time and I found I was still as interested and had never come across the story of Theseus, Phaedra and Hippolytus.
Trigger warnings should be checked.
I really enjoyed the story being told from the perspective of the female characters, and the author did well to commit to the different narratives. I do feel it was weak for a novel that is set out as a "feminist retelling". The characters are helpless before the dominating males and, even the goddesses seem subjected to their violence and treachery. I felt uncomfortable at how explicit the description of male harassment, violence etc was so trigger warnings flagged here.
My only other gripe is at times there was an assumption that the reader was well versed on the different myths which left the writing hanging to your the reader's imagination. Of course that does not work unless you know the tales, so I lost myself in these moments and found it a bit frustrating. This was a 3.5* for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent
house_of_hannah's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.
I actually did not realize this is considered an adult book until after I finished it. Based on the writing this 100% comes off as YA. Re-reading the description of the book, I definitely see why this would be considered adult, but I feel that the description gives false expectations for the book. Saying that Phaedra, "sparks an overdue reckoning" is misleading, as the very opposite happens...and then the book ends.
I was really looking forward to reading a story from Phaedra's POV, but instead we must also read the POV's of a multitude of other characters. Out of 56 chapters in this book, only 17 are Phaedra. There are characters that really added nothing to the story, and I found myself bored while waiting for it to return to Phaedra's point-of-view.
Speaking of the cast of the characters, everyone comes off as quite one-dimensional. We are only ever shown one aspect of their personality, so everytime that character pops up that is the only thing ever discussed about them. For Phaedra it's painting, Hippolytus is riding horses, Theseus is democracy, Medea her children, etc. We never really explore deeper as to who these characters are.
Unfortunately, I also found the plot to be lacking. Once Phaedra is in Athens she rarely leaves her rooms, so huge amounts of time pass by without anything happening. A good majority of the book is simply conversations that Phaedra has with a few characters in her bedroom. As the book revolves around one event, there isn't anything else that happens that is really of any interest.
Which brings me to the main topic of this story: rape. The description of this book makes it seem like the oppressed women are going to be heard, and perhaps get some justice, but that doesn't happen. Almost every page of this book talks about the brutalization of women. Every man is a rapist, and every woman has been raped. I was expecting some sort of uprising, or mass court hearing where women were going to tell their stories, be heard, and gain back some power for themselves. Yet Phaedra is the only one to speak. The other women remain nameless voices in the night.
With how this book ends I honestly do not understand the purpose of it. I get that this is a Greek tragedy, but with minimal plot and no character growth I am struggling to care. We simply stayed surface level on a topic that should have been delved into so much deeper. There were sparks in the beginning that led me to believe we would be heading for some serious and well needed discussions, but it just never happened.
Here are those quotes:
"It was not until ten summers later, when Theseus was to come to Crete, seeking power beyond what we could give him, that I was to learn the truth: that any man can throw words up into the air, and it is women who must pay when those words land."
"I know that history will judge me, but history is written by men."
Such promise ! Overall this is an unsatisfying story that really should have gone all in if it was going to deal with such a serious topic. I was looking for Phaedra's perspective in a feminist retelling, but instead got multiple perspectives on how large and annoying a table was.
I actually did not realize this is considered an adult book until after I finished it. Based on the writing this 100% comes off as YA. Re-reading the description of the book, I definitely see why this would be considered adult, but I feel that the description gives false expectations for the book. Saying that Phaedra, "sparks an overdue reckoning" is misleading, as the very opposite happens...and then the book ends.
I was really looking forward to reading a story from Phaedra's POV, but instead we must also read the POV's of a multitude of other characters. Out of 56 chapters in this book, only 17 are Phaedra. There are characters that really added nothing to the story, and I found myself bored while waiting for it to return to Phaedra's point-of-view.
Speaking of the cast of the characters, everyone comes off as quite one-dimensional. We are only ever shown one aspect of their personality, so everytime that character pops up that is the only thing ever discussed about them. For Phaedra it's painting, Hippolytus is riding horses, Theseus is democracy, Medea her children, etc. We never really explore deeper as to who these characters are.
Unfortunately, I also found the plot to be lacking. Once Phaedra is in Athens she rarely leaves her rooms, so huge amounts of time pass by without anything happening. A good majority of the book is simply conversations that Phaedra has with a few characters in her bedroom. As the book revolves around one event, there isn't anything else that happens that is really of any interest.
Which brings me to the main topic of this story: rape. The description of this book makes it seem like the oppressed women are going to be heard, and perhaps get some justice, but that doesn't happen. Almost every page of this book talks about the brutalization of women. Every man is a rapist, and every woman has been raped. I was expecting some sort of uprising, or mass court hearing where women were going to tell their stories, be heard, and gain back some power for themselves. Yet Phaedra is the only one to speak. The other women remain nameless voices in the night.
With how this book ends I honestly do not understand the purpose of it. I get that this is a Greek tragedy, but with minimal plot and no character growth I am struggling to care. We simply stayed surface level on a topic that should have been delved into so much deeper. There were sparks in the beginning that led me to believe we would be heading for some serious and well needed discussions, but it just never happened.
Here are those quotes:
"It was not until ten summers later, when Theseus was to come to Crete, seeking power beyond what we could give him, that I was to learn the truth: that any man can throw words up into the air, and it is women who must pay when those words land."
"I know that history will judge me, but history is written by men."
Such promise ! Overall this is an unsatisfying story that really should have gone all in if it was going to deal with such a serious topic. I was looking for Phaedra's perspective in a feminist retelling, but instead got multiple perspectives on how large and annoying a table was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Child death, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Incest, and Confinement
Minor: Xenophobia, Slavery, Abortion, War, Vomit, and Pedophilia
jessicaludden's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“If they are the heroes, does that make us the heroines? We keep going, we persevere, we ask for nothing, and we get even less. Where are our stories?”
Phaedra by Laura Shepperson follows the story of Phaedra, princess of Crete, who becomes the Queen of Athens when she agrees to marry Theseus. When in Athens, Phaedra is Queen in name only and the atrocities of court life and the treatment of women are revealed to her. When Theseus’ son Hippolytus rapes Phaedra, she publicly accuses him and a trial ensues. The women of Athens know all too well what “justice” means for them, but Phaedra is only just beginning to learn these hard truths.
To preface my review, I read Ariadne by Jennifer Saint earlier this year and loved it, so I am a little familiar with this story and have some background on it. I think this story was done really well. I loved how we got Phaedra’s point of view, but also how all the other point of views focused on those characters’ thoughts about her. It really solidified the idea that Phaedra was the topic of all court gossip and the idea that there are many different sides to a story.
I loved the night chorus. It was such a chilling addition to the book that served as Phaedra’s enlightenment to the reality of being a woman at that time. It was also relevant that Phaedra’s case was the one being highlighted because she is Queen and has that status with her, meanwhile these women of the night chorus are expected to continue keeping their heads down and remaining silent.
One thing I wish this book had was more lyrical writing. Personally, I think there is a certain expectation of whimsical writing that comes with writing a Greek mythology retelling.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think this book has a very relevant message about how sexual assault is viewed even today. But even in the midst of all that tragedy there were still moments of strength and hope from the women in this story that I think are very well done and deserve to be told.
“If they are the heroes, does that make us the heroines? We keep going, we persevere, we ask for nothing, and we get even less. Where are our stories?”
Phaedra by Laura Shepperson follows the story of Phaedra, princess of Crete, who becomes the Queen of Athens when she agrees to marry Theseus. When in Athens, Phaedra is Queen in name only and the atrocities of court life and the treatment of women are revealed to her. When Theseus’ son Hippolytus rapes Phaedra, she publicly accuses him and a trial ensues. The women of Athens know all too well what “justice” means for them, but Phaedra is only just beginning to learn these hard truths.
To preface my review, I read Ariadne by Jennifer Saint earlier this year and loved it, so I am a little familiar with this story and have some background on it. I think this story was done really well. I loved how we got Phaedra’s point of view, but also how all the other point of views focused on those characters’ thoughts about her. It really solidified the idea that Phaedra was the topic of all court gossip and the idea that there are many different sides to a story.
I loved the night chorus. It was such a chilling addition to the book that served as Phaedra’s enlightenment to the reality of being a woman at that time. It was also relevant that Phaedra’s case was the one being highlighted because she is Queen and has that status with her, meanwhile these women of the night chorus are expected to continue keeping their heads down and remaining silent.
One thing I wish this book had was more lyrical writing. Personally, I think there is a certain expectation of whimsical writing that comes with writing a Greek mythology retelling.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think this book has a very relevant message about how sexual assault is viewed even today. But even in the midst of all that tragedy there were still moments of strength and hope from the women in this story that I think are very well done and deserve to be told.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Gore, Blood, Death, Murder, Abortion, Alcohol, Infidelity, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, and Child death
stuff4bd's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I am so happy to read another retelling of Greek mythology from a female point of view. While Phaedra has an easier time than many of the females in the book she is still treated as an object. She has no value as a person but is something to be bartered or used as a broodmare. The atrocities committed against the female servants are so commonplace that they are ignored by all, except Phaedra. While I liked this book and the story of Phaedra, there were a few things that were off the mark in this retelling. First was the night chorus, These sections felt out of place and i thought the message and information could have been woven into the story in a better way. Second there were too many change of point of view. At first I liked the thought of servant voices being part of the story as they are generally excluded from literature, but to have a point of view that only has one or two short chapters. Also including chapters of the king’s advisor in a woman’s retelling unnecessarily diluted the strength of Phaedra’s voice. Finally the compression of the timeline was overreaching In the book Phaedra had no happiness. Her time with her two other children would have made her final choices all the more poignant.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Child death
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