A review by saralynnburnett
Inside the Walls of Troy: A Novel of the Women Who Lived the Trojan War by Clemence McLaren

2.0

Vomit. Unfortunately I have to teach this book to 7th graders this upcoming school year and I'm NOT a fan! I don't know if it's because I really don't appreciate Greek mythology and all that or if it really is the book but it was told from Helen and Cassandra's point of views (which I suppose is a nice change of pace from the usual Trojan war battle book) and the plot encompassed a decade or two which forced it to speed along so quickly (in just 190 pages) that it left no room for character development or any of the things that make most books worth reading. It really read as more of a summary, and not a very good one at that. Additionally, I'm now frightened of teaching this book to my male students because there was entirely too much 'lovey dovey' stuff (short tunics, muscular thighs, golden haired god-like men) and no 'boy stuff' until the last ten pages when someone finally gets dragged behind a chariot and by that point you're so bored by the book you practically cheer.

Why am I giving it two stars? In the hopes that in teaching it it will grow on me but somehow I doubt it.