A review by kailajay
Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad 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

This book was gifted to me, based on my Goodreads books, and my gifter hit the nail on the head. I love retellings of mythology, and have a particular affinity for the retelling of mythologies that undo the white cis-het versions, and tell new (and sometimes old) stories from a more modern, intersectional lens. 

This was definitely that. A often glossed over part of Odysseus' story, the hanging of the 12 maids, is retold and reexamined. Hundreds of years later, a young girl called Leto- the daughter of an Oracle- finds herself one of the 12 girls chosen as sacrifice to keep Poseidon's fury at bay. The story follows her death and rebirth, meeting Melantho

(her eventual outing as one of the original 12 maids is less exciting if you a) read into the things she says or b) know of the Odyssey already)

and discovering how, and why, she isn't dead yet.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the story was appealing- like I said, I love retellings- and the impact that the demand of retribution has and the acknowledgement that winning doesn't always mean surviving runs throughout the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide, and Blood