Clytemnestra

Product Information

Readers who are enjoying the current plethora of mythological retellings won't want to miss this absorbing examination of a complicated queen. Not much character development occurs off the page, making it feel as if the characters simply aged for the sake of the plot.

I can barely remember the Greek myths I read as a child and have enjoyed rediscovering them through books like this.Various side characters who move in and out of the story hint at enticing plotlines — but instead of adding to the world of the story, these aspects distract the reader from the central plot.

This dazzling debut is an imaginative retelling of Ancient Greece’s most infamous protagonist’s life and legacy. In a world where women were treated as treasure to despoil and property to horde, Clytemnestra claimed her own autonomy. Her lifelong passion for ancient Greece was ignited as a child by stumbling across stories of gods and heroes in the dictionary. She experiences great personal tragedy at various points in her life–as those of you who are familiar with Greek mythology will be aware of–and uses it to grow stronger, to shape herself into a figure of authority.

Rich in cultural and historic details, she explores the folklore and stereotypes surrounding Clytemnestra. No matter how brave and clever she is, time and circumstance will divide her from Helen, as well as from her home and family in Sparta.