Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Hodder & Stoughton (2021), 352 pages
Description
"For millennia, men have told the legend of the woman whose face launched a thousand ships-but now it's time to hear her side of the story. Daughters of Sparta is a tale of secrets, love, and tragedy from the women behind mythology's most devastating war, the infamous Helen and her sister Klytemnestra"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member froxgirl
I'm a sucker for any fiction about Greek mythology, especially the Iliad. Those who enjoyed Circe and Song of Achilles will enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at sisters Klytemnestra and Helen, the former the wife of Agamemnon and the latter the wife of Menelaus, brothers of Mycenae. Both will play
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critical roles in the Trojan War and its aftermath. The women tell their stories in alternating chapters, and there are many surprises in store, inventions by the author as no one even knows if these women ever existed. Klytemnestra allows the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia in exchange for fair winds and vows vengeance against her husband, but there is a shocking reveal about the role of Calchas the seer in the sacrifice. Another twist is the lineage of Aegisthus, who becomes her lover before Agamemnon returns from battle. Rejected by her mother Leda (who for good reason resents Zeus fathering her in the form of a swan), Helen's reluctance to bear children after the difficult birth of her own daughter causes a rift with Menelaus, and she succumbs when the weak and vain Paris lures her to Troy (and steals from Menelaus' treasure trove). This is an entertaining addition to the genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookfest
This was advertised as a great read for lovers of Circe. It is a poor imitation. It focuses on the lives of Helen of Troy and her sister, wife of Agamemnon, Klytemnestra. They are victims of their parents and husbands political alliance marriages and of the more general politics of ancient Greece.
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But they both fight against the restrictions this imposes. Unlike Circe, which weaves through time and is filled with mystery and suspense, this is a straightforward, chronological telling, unusual only for its point of view. I was disappointed and often bored. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
I love Greek mythology, but I did not love Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood. Presented as a reimaging or rather a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the story of Clytemnestra and Helen of Troy, it loses all the feel of the original myth. Clytemnestra is fangless, lacking the anger her story normally
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holds. She’s too concerned with being a good girl/wife/daughter/queen/woman, which is not her if you are familiar with her story. As for Helen, she is a complete bore. There is no complexity to her character, nor does she have any common sense. She is as shallow as the myths hint. By Part III, I had no interest in continuing this tedious story, so I didn’t. Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
Wonderful and frustrating - this well told story of two sisters separated by marriage will infuriate and entertain readers. It's a man's world and Helen and Klytemnestra are just pawns in lives that are out of their control. They could have it worse, but they are both princesses (soon to be queens)
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rather than slaves or servants so they have more freedom than any other women. Unfortunately, there is still a high cost they have no control over the actions that their powerful, and often times uncaring, husbands take. Claire Heywood does a masterful story spinning the "true" version of Helen of Troy's legend and brings to life her often overlooked sister. A fantastic retelling of the classic Greek myth. Show Less
LibraryThing member Anniik
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
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that look at things from the point of view of women and other marginalized people. Show Less
LibraryThing member crabbyabbe
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
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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. Show Less
Awards
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Historical Fiction — 2022)
Language
Original publication date
2021-06-22
ISBN
1529349931 / 9781529349931
Local notes
As princesses of Sparta, Helen and Klytemnestra have known nothing but luxury and plenty. With their high birth and unrivalled beauty, they are the envy of all of Greece. But when the weight of their husbands' neglect, cruelty and ambition becomes too heavy to bear, they must push against the constraints of their sex to carve new lives for themselves - and in doing so make waves that will ripple throughout the next three thousand years.
A tale of secrets, passion and revenge from mythology's most vilified women.
A tale of secrets, passion and revenge from mythology's most vilified women.