Page Count: 300
Genre: Literary Fiction, Retelling, Adult
Trigger Warnings: Death of Spouse, Death of Child
Style: Ebook
Blurb:
Queen Clytemnestra’s world shatters when Agamemnon, a rival to the throne of Mycenae, storms her palace, destroys her family, and claims not only the throne but Clytemnestra herself.
Tormented by her loss, she vows to do all she can to protect the children born from her unhappy marriage to Agamemnon. But when her husband casts his ruthless gaze towards the wealthy citadel of Troy, his ambitions threaten, once more, to destroy the family Clytemnestra loves.
From one of Greek mythology’s most reviled characters— ”a woman who challenged the absolute power of men— comes this fiery tale of power, family rivalry, and a mother’s burning love.
Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book and how it can bring a reader in from the very start. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy a Greek mythology retelling as much as I loved this one. I do think that this has the potential to be one of my favorite series when it is all said and done. I rarely find a debut that I love as much as this one. So if you are looking for a good retelling then may I recommend this one.
I enjoyed the writing and how it feels like it is meant to bring in the reader and make the reader feel like they are going on the journey with the characters. How you’re supposed to root for the main character while also having hatred for the characters that you are supposed to feel hate towards.
I will say to be careful because there are some triggers in here. Even if they don’t seem as graphic and some deaths are written off the page, it is best to read this when you are in the best headspace. I am only saying this because there is a baby being thrown to death (not by the parents) in the first fourth of the book.
About The Author:
Susan C Wilson is a working-class Scottish writer. Her lifelong passion for ancient Greece was ignited as a child by stumbling across stories of gods and heroes in the dictionary. She loves to explore what makes us human: the eternal motivations, desires, and instincts that cross time and place.
She has a degree in journalism from Napier University and, in preparation for writing her novels, gained a diploma in classical studies from the Open University. Clytemnestra’s Bind, her debut novel, was long-listed for the Mslexia Novel Competition 2019. It is the first in The House of Atreus trilogy and will be published by Neem Tree Press in June 2023.
Rating:
4 Stars
Kathryn Books 