reaofsunshine's review against another edition
4.0
I love reading feminist mythology retellings and seeing time and time again that the men who we see as heroes are actually just violent misogynists. It feels like a small kind of justice that after hundreds of years of women being relegated to one-dimensional roles like monster or seductress, retellings like Clytemnestra give voice and agency back.
Even though I know the story of the Troy, reading about Iphegenia, Clytemnestra, and Helen always make me hope there's a less violent ending for these women.
The writing was beautiful and I really couldn’t put it down.
Even though I know the story of the Troy, reading about Iphegenia, Clytemnestra, and Helen always make me hope there's a less violent ending for these women.
The writing was beautiful and I really couldn’t put it down.
danskireads's review against another edition
5.0
I adore retellings of Greek myths. I devour them all. BUT they don’t all get five stars. Some can be tediously dull. The author can fail to bring anything new to the character, even as they imagine a famous story from an entirely new perspective. Casati certainly DOES NOT fall into that trap.
This is a fantastic, well-imagined, beautifully told, retelling of Queen Clytemnestra’s story. So often the baddie in a story where there are so many baddies, this retelling is as fresh as it is welcome.
My only complaint is not, in fact, a complaint at all. (This isn’t really spoilery if you know your myths, but if you don’t, this might be sliiiightly spoilery.) The story cuts out before the Orestoia… which is Clytemnestra’s downfall. Perhaps Casati has a sequel planned? I’d LOVE that. If not, you can kinda pick up the story in Jennifer Saint’s Elektra… although I don’t feel the same joy in Saint’s storytelling as Casati gives us.
This was without a doubt my top read for March 2023 and it is my top read for the year so far. If you’re on the fence about picking it up, do yourself a favour and give it a shot. It’s such a rich text. I absolutely loved it.
This is a fantastic, well-imagined, beautifully told, retelling of Queen Clytemnestra’s story. So often the baddie in a story where there are so many baddies, this retelling is as fresh as it is welcome.
My only complaint is not, in fact, a complaint at all. (This isn’t really spoilery if you know your myths, but if you don’t, this might be sliiiightly spoilery.) The story cuts out before the Orestoia… which is Clytemnestra’s downfall. Perhaps Casati has a sequel planned? I’d LOVE that. If not, you can kinda pick up the story in Jennifer Saint’s Elektra… although I don’t feel the same joy in Saint’s storytelling as Casati gives us.
This was without a doubt my top read for March 2023 and it is my top read for the year so far. If you’re on the fence about picking it up, do yourself a favour and give it a shot. It’s such a rich text. I absolutely loved it.
gibbsalot's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.5
I loved Madeline millers writing and am enjoying this rabbit hole of Greek retellings but I think I was looking for a book by madeline miller and this just wasn’t it
I love the tie across in the plots we know and love and learning more context but writing wise this didn’t captivate me in quite the same way I was looking for
I love the tie across in the plots we know and love and learning more context but writing wise this didn’t captivate me in quite the same way I was looking for
carlireadsrecs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
heinzbeans2's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
boggin's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
has2289's review against another edition
1.0
DNF. Gave the audio book 2.5 hrs, could not follow what was going on.
kirstenellang's review against another edition
3.0
1. Blah blah blah mandatory comment on Madeleine miller
2.The blurb is terrible worst blurb I have ever read in relation to the book.
3. This book is good I am not denying that it’s well written it’s engaging it’s clever it’s reclaiming the narrative it’s shining light on a often forgotten often trash talked character
4. That this book is about Clytemnestra feels like it gets ruined by its ending. The ending which occurs about halfway through the story of Clytemnestra who actually exists further and has a rounded out story and continues to live and have pain and struggle. This book feels completely incomplete it feels like it just ENDS with so many unanswered questions and loose strings and in the end it just disappointed me like so many other things in my life. Do not reclaim the story if you’re only reclaiming like half the story.
2.The blurb is terrible worst blurb I have ever read in relation to the book.
3. This book is good I am not denying that it’s well written it’s engaging it’s clever it’s reclaiming the narrative it’s shining light on a often forgotten often trash talked character
4. That this book is about Clytemnestra feels like it gets ruined by its ending. The ending which occurs about halfway through the story of Clytemnestra who actually exists further and has a rounded out story and continues to live and have pain and struggle. This book feels completely incomplete it feels like it just ENDS with so many unanswered questions and loose strings and in the end it just disappointed me like so many other things in my life. Do not reclaim the story if you’re only reclaiming like half the story.
nila's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
My book of the year!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, War, and Pregnancy