Reviews

the ending was a bit anticlimactic but overall a very good read. having helen’s point of view was a major reason why i loved this book, and seeing how much the trojans disliked her was a very good addition

camilacadibe's review against another edition

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4.0

This was so very close to a five-star book. There were only a couple of things that stopped me from giving it a higher rating.

The first thing was that something about the narrative made it so I couldn't completely connect with Helen and Nestra. I don't think it was the third person that did it, but it surely didn't help. I know what they thought and felt, but... I don't know how to explain it, there was some kind of barrier there, between the characters and the reader (or, well, at least it had with me). I just felt detached.

The second thing was how slaves were treated. And the whole white makeup thing. I understand it was all described the way it was for historical accuracy. But reading it still made me feel icky.

And the third thing was... As much as I love the sisterly bond, and as much as they made it clear throughout the years how much they'll always care for the other, I needed to see more of them together as kids to really believe it.

Helen and Nestra were 2 very different women, who led very different lives. I think I'll focus first on Nestra (she is my favorite, after all) and then go on to Helen.

Okay, so, Nestra. I love her character ARC. (spoilers ahead!)

At the beginning of the book, she was a big sister. She loved Helen and cared for Helen. She was her mother's favorite and her father seemed to care for her deeply. She was smart as hell and was so not submissive in nature - and still, she made herself small, and made herself pliant, in order to be the perfect daughter, the perfect woman, and (in the near future) the perfect wife. She did it because she believed it to be her duty, and this woman is all about keeping promises and raising standards - even as a 14yo being sent away to marry a stranger more than twice her age. Even as it ruined her life.

She was the sister supposed to stay at home - the heir. And yet, she "allowed" Helen to take her place without complaint when she discovered the real reason it. When she found out that Helen was a bastard (apparently the result of a rape), and that because of that goddamn fucking bastard of a "hero" Theseus her "virtue" was being questioned. Because, you know. Men. Anyways, she took it in stride. She's that kind of person.

When she married, she was determined to make the best of her new home. The beginning of her marriage wasn't as horrible as I expected - she was lonely, and she had to have "sex" with that asshole husband of her, but that was it. Of course, with the passing of time, Aggamefucker showed his true colors.

I started hating him (more) when he took Leukippe. When he threw his (now what, 19yo?) wife aside to rape another 14yo. He's not just a dick, not just a monster - the fucking piece of shit is a pedophile. The girl was scared and lost, lonely, and ashamed, and he kept using her simply because he could. Now, what truly surprised me (a happy surprise) was that Nestra never hated her. Never. She felt pity, she wanted to help. And of course, she was frustrated by what the situation meant for her, but she didn't blame Leukippe. And I love her so fucking much for it.

I knew my hatred for Aggammefucker was of no return when he caught Nestra trying to get Leukippe out of the palace, after her brother (for all the good it fucking did her). When he hit, humiliated, and berated her in front of everyone - and then proceeded to say the words that made me see red: "I respect you as my queen".

BITCH. B.I.T.C.H.!?! No, you don't. No, you fucking DON'T. You don't even know the MEANING of the word respect, how DARE you do that to her and then say you RESPECT her?? God, I hate him.

So yeah, Leukippe stayed there and Aggammefucker kept on ruining her life too, as the amazing human being he so obviously is.

Then the monster went to war, finally allowing Nestra to feel safe and free in her own home. Finally allowing her to actually be a Queen. And then... And THEN... He just had to go and fuck up her life even more.

The whole thing with Iphigenia... I knew how the story goes. I knew what would happen. And yet... I thought it wouldn't. Nestra loved her so fucking much, I was sure she'd do something to stop it. And Nestra loved her daughter so much, SHE was sure something so awful couldn't possibly happen. Surely the gods would stop it. Surely her husband would stop it. Surely SOMETHING would happen. But then it didn't, and Iphigenia was dead.

Thankfully, that was where Nestra drew the line. The moment he killed her daughter, he was dead. And I'm so glad she got to keep her vow and kill him herself. I'm also glad she met someone who TRULY respected her as his Queen, someone who truly loved her and was so good to her.

And then Kassandra. I'll get more of her story when talking about Helen, but - her death? Fucking sucked. And Nestra was going to help her. She was going to give her such a good life. But no. Ugh.

Wow. I did not think I was going to write a fucking essay reviewing this.
Oh, well.

Let's move on to Helen.

As a little girl, I thought she was cute but vain, egocentric, and spoiled. As a woman... Well, she pretty much continued on like that. BUT! The thing is... I get why she's like that. I don't blame her one bit.

Her mother hated her. All the attention she ever got was because of her beauty. She grew up believing wholeheartedly that her pretty face and shiny hair were all she was worth. So of course she hyperfocused on it.

What I loved most about Helen at first was her love for her sister. When she chose Menelaus over every other guy competing for her so that she could be Nestra's sister twice over? I smiled so big, it was adorable.

Then, her marriage. At first, I thought Menelaus was gay (I'm still fairly sure he's bi - like, why else would the guy bring his "advisor" to see his naked bride and give his... I don't even know, professional opinion?). And I do like him. He treated Helen right. He was kind. But... He did not LOVE lover her. Or if he did, he surely had no clue how to show it. She felt neglected, and I can't say I blame her.

Then she got pregnant, which she thought would bring her closer to Menelaus. And it had the complete opposite effect, since Helen... Well, she was not ready for motherhood. And to be honest, she would probably never be. If she lived in modern days, that would not be an issue at all. Unfortunately, that's not how the story goes. It also did not help that she almost died in childbirth, which completely traumatized her.

It was obvious she wanted Hermione to love her (since she wants everyone and anyone to love her), but she was not at all willing to be rejected by her, so she made no effort to be with her daughter.

Which led to Aghata, her childhood playmate, to be responsible for the little girl. Which led to some conflicted feelings coming from Menelaus. Which led to cheating. Now. Helen, to herself, admits that none of it is Aghata's fault. But that did not stop her from screaming at her and threatening to have her whipped. And I pretty much despised her on that scene.

I understand her feelings, I know where she's coming from. I know she's angry, confused, frustrated. I know she feels incompetent and left out o her own life. But none of this is an excuse.

I loved that Helen went to a "witch" for contraceptives. The whole thing with Helen not wanting to be a mother was so interesting and made so much sense for her character, I loved it.

Then Paris happened. Again, I don't blame her. All she ever wanted in life was love and attention, and Paris pretty much drowned her in it. The fucking selfish snake. But did the people blame him? No! Of course not. Let us blame the women, it's so much more fun.

I felt so bad for her in her life in Troy. She considered giving herself over. She grew up. She felt true sorrow for every life lost, every woman left widowed o enslaved. She finally realized the world did not revolve around her. She started to hate herself, hate her choice, and hate Paris.

The only thing about that part that I didn't like was how the other women treated Helen. If anyone were to understand how powerless is the life of a woman, it was them. But still, they hated her. And did not hate Paris or any of the other men who allowed the war to happen. I didn't like that at all. At least she had Kassandra.

And finally, the end. All the raping, all the murder, all the torture, all the violence. Disgusting. Men. Fucking men.

I don't know how to feel about Menelaus and Helen ending up together. I like Menelaus, and I... Almost like Helen, but I definitely don't see them as a couple. And it also made all the story feel... Moot. Like, seriously? 10 years of war for that? And yes, of course, I know Helen was absolutely not the REASON for the war, she was the EXCUSE. But still.

Well, obviously, this book gave me lots to think about. I can't say it's a new favorite, but... I really, really like it.

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