A review by indyjg
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
4.5
Clytemnestra was one of my most highly anticipated releases for 2023 (the other being Emily Wilson's translation of the Iliad), and oh boy, did this novel exceed my expectations (and then some!). After some slight delays, I finally finished it, and now I have to try and use my limited vocabulary to profess my love for Clytemnestra and her story. Clytemnestra has long been one of my favourite figures in Greek mythology. In classical texts, she is labelled a murderer, a cunning and vengeful woman, but she is so much more than that. Clytemnesta exists in what I love to call 'reality' or an area of moral greyness.
Casati paints her in such a unique light as a terrifying, cunning, brutal, yet powerful woman who does not forget what Agamemnon has taken from her. A mother who, at times, is not present for her surviving children. A Queen who does not hesitate to eliminate her enemies. But on the other side of the coin, her suffering evokes deep emotion that draws you in while fleshing out her motivations and desires. She is a mother grieving her child. She is a murderess <i>and</i> a widow, the Queen of Mycenae. Clytemnestra personifies vengeance, grief and tragedy. She is many things all at once. The beauty of Clytemnestra is her complexity, her duality as the morally grey Queen of Mycenae who does not forgive <i>or</i> forget.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the first segment, which explored Clytemnestra's childhood and how Casati frames both Helen and Clytemnestra's lifepaths running parallel to each other. Both daughters of Sparta are tied to the House of Atreus, their lives stricken by tragedy and death. I wish there was more resolution for Helen and her story, as yes, this is Clytemnestra's story, but Casati establishes Helen's own story parallel to her sister's. It is clear that Helen harbours a similar rage to her sister, and it pains me that there's no payoff. She endures similar hardships as her sister, at the hands of Theseus and later Menelaus.
The latter is 'chosen' to be her husband (or rather, an illusion of choice is given), and he becomes the King of Sparta, ruling over the polis she grew up in. The city-state that she, the daughter of King Tyndareus, has more claim to. He is distant from their daughter, Hermione, and their resentment builds. In her letter, never sent but written after a certain event involving wind, we learn of her hatred towards Paris and how the sole fault of the war settles on her shoulders, Paris seemingly unconcerned about his responsibilities. And then there is no resolution!!! (The three exclamation marks are to describe my sadness.)
Now, don't lose me here. But. I had hoped that just as Clytemnestra's complexities and dualities were explored and elaborated upon to understand her character better, I wished the same had been done for Agamemnon. Now he is by no means my favourite character in the Iliad or Odyssey, but I had hoped he would be given the same respect to flesh out his actions and motivations, his grief. Even if through Clytemnestra's perspective, but alas. In not doing so, Agamemnon has been rendered a rather one-dimensional villain when in reality, his character is just as rich and complex as Clytemnestra. And there was room to flesh out his motivations in this book and explore his moral greyness. Those are the only two things I'm a bit sad about.
All in all, even though it took me just under a month to read (life happens), I adored this book even with despite its slight imperfections. So it gets 4.5 stars from me, rounded down to 4 for Goodreads.
Casati paints her in such a unique light as a terrifying, cunning, brutal, yet powerful woman who does not forget what Agamemnon has taken from her. A mother who, at times, is not present for her surviving children. A Queen who does not hesitate to eliminate her enemies. But on the other side of the coin, her suffering evokes deep emotion that draws you in while fleshing out her motivations and desires. She is a mother grieving her child. She is a murderess <i>and</i> a widow, the Queen of Mycenae. Clytemnestra personifies vengeance, grief and tragedy. She is many things all at once. The beauty of Clytemnestra is her complexity, her duality as the morally grey Queen of Mycenae who does not forgive <i>or</i> forget.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the first segment, which explored Clytemnestra's childhood and how Casati frames both Helen and Clytemnestra's lifepaths running parallel to each other. Both daughters of Sparta are tied to the House of Atreus, their lives stricken by tragedy and death. I wish there was more resolution for Helen and her story, as yes, this is Clytemnestra's story, but Casati establishes Helen's own story parallel to her sister's. It is clear that Helen harbours a similar rage to her sister, and it pains me that there's no payoff. She endures similar hardships as her sister, at the hands of Theseus and later Menelaus.
The latter is 'chosen' to be her husband (or rather, an illusion of choice is given), and he becomes the King of Sparta, ruling over the polis she grew up in. The city-state that she, the daughter of King Tyndareus, has more claim to. He is distant from their daughter, Hermione, and their resentment builds. In her letter, never sent but written after a certain event involving wind, we learn of her hatred towards Paris and how the sole fault of the war settles on her shoulders, Paris seemingly unconcerned about his responsibilities. And then there is no resolution!!! (The three exclamation marks are to describe my sadness.)
Now, don't lose me here. But. I had hoped that just as Clytemnestra's complexities and dualities were explored and elaborated upon to understand her character better, I wished the same had been done for Agamemnon. Now he is by no means my favourite character in the Iliad or Odyssey, but I had hoped he would be given the same respect to flesh out his actions and motivations, his grief. Even if through Clytemnestra's perspective, but alas. In not doing so, Agamemnon has been rendered a rather one-dimensional villain when in reality, his character is just as rich and complex as Clytemnestra. And there was room to flesh out his motivations in this book and explore his moral greyness. Those are the only two things I'm a bit sad about.
All in all, even though it took me just under a month to read (life happens), I adored this book even with despite its slight imperfections. So it gets 4.5 stars from me, rounded down to 4 for Goodreads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Slavery, Child abuse, and Incest
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death