Durante milenios, los hombres han explicado la historia de Helena de Troya, la mujer que originó una guerra y dividió al mundo. Ahora ha llegado el momento de escuchar su propia versión de la historia.

Como princesas de Esparta, Helena y su hermana mayor, Clitemnestra, no han conocido más que lujo y abundancia. Sin embargo, todo privilegio tiene un precio, a veces demasiado caro. Siendo niñas serán separadas y casadas con reyes extranjeros para no volver a verse nunca más. Ambas deberán luchar contra las limitaciones de su sexo para forjarse una nueva vida, provocando una transformación del mundo que durará tres mil años.

La historia de la guerra de Troya como nunca te la han contado.

My daughter's immersion in Classical Studies has rekindled my own love of those stories, and, lucky for me, Mythological Fiction is having a moment. Every time you turn around, there is a new reimagining. This one centres on Helen of Troy (originally of Sparta) and her sister Klytemnestra. Helen's story is well-known of course (the face that launched 1,000 ships etc.) but Klytemnestra, while not so prominent, carries her own infamy. This novel follows both women, and tells the famous and less-famous tales from their perspectives. Klytemnestra grows up in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister, known for her dutiful nature and even temper. Married to Agamemnon (whose brother Menelaos her sister Helen will eventually wed) and exiled to Mycenae, Klytemnestra bears her duty admirably until the unconscionable act that her husband carries out as he prepares to embark upon the war in Troy. After that, she must bide her time until that act may be avenged. Carefree Helen becomes the queen of Sparta, as Menelaos takes over as king, but despite the competition that Menelaos had to win to secure her, she is not happy, especially after she nearly dies bearing his daughter. Eventually Paris, prince of Troy, arrives in her kingdom, and bestows upon her all the love and admiration she has never had from her husband. She decides to leave with him for Troy and of course, the rest is history. Or historical fiction. The war is not kind to Helen, as she is exiled from her own country and people, and is reviled, never accepted, by her adopted ones. Klytemnestra finds partnership and happiness in her own husband's absence, but fear and vengeance colours every moment of her life. This story gives power to women who never really have it, and illustrates how very strong they can be. ( )

I loved this book! This book follows the lives of Helen and Klytemnestra, two sisters destined to be at the center of Greek history. Well written and hard to put down, it's a brilliant look at the emptiness of the lives of women in classical society. I would love to see more books like this one that look at things from the point of view of women and other marginalized people. ( )

I am thoroughly enjoying these novels about mythological figures. So many myths are rather dry and read like a textbook. Historical fiction allows the author to imagine exactly how that character felt or what in her story led to her committing whatever acts she committed (like killing your 1st husband to stay with the 2nd one). I found myself enveloped in Helen's and Clytemnestra's lives and suffered right along with them. I wish these novels had been available when I was teaching THE ILIAD to my honors freshmen; they would have benefited from having the background but also in caring for the individuals in the story (except Agamemnon; he's horrific no matter what story or myth he is in). Heywood's writing style is personal and keeps you close to these two female heroines, who were only seen as prizes in their day but with this modern retelling are their own forces wielding their own powers as best they can in the patriarchal hellhole they live in. ( )

I honestly don't know how to rate this, so I'm rounding up to 4 stars.
Did I like it? 3 stars.
Is it well written? 4 stars.

I've read too many retellings of Greek myths this year. They've all had a feminist angle and while I've loved reading the stories from the POV of the women in them, I'm reminded the entire time how horrible all the men are. And when you're already familiar with a story, reading again and again about the terrible things these "heroes" did is like eating something gross over and over.
I still don't like mushrooms, dammit.

I read this on audio through my library and the narration was well done. ( )