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ifeltlikereading's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
If you love a good Greek re-telling with gut wrenching emotions, this is the book for you. I COULD NOT put this down. Devoured this under 48hrs and my mind was reeling. Fair warning- this book, while beautifully articulated, has the capacity to trigger emotions. While this depicts how wonderful the storyteller is with their craft, its always nice to know ahead 🫡
I got angry in her stead, cried when she did and burned with the feeling to get revenge when all was lost. I was so engrossed in this story- but while I was there, I started to be grateful to be born in an era where I am able to take a stand for my life. There was a lot of suffering and reading about them is not for the faint of hearts. I became well acquainted with the Spartans, Greeks, Trojans and everyone from Achilles to Helen of Troy. Casati has masterfully weaved Clytemnestra’s legacy in this book and I’d recommend this with all my heart. I love women who don’t back down, and never give up. 😎 Definitive ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 read for me 🧡
I got angry in her stead, cried when she did and burned with the feeling to get revenge when all was lost. I was so engrossed in this story- but while I was there, I started to be grateful to be born in an era where I am able to take a stand for my life. There was a lot of suffering and reading about them is not for the faint of hearts. I became well acquainted with the Spartans, Greeks, Trojans and everyone from Achilles to Helen of Troy. Casati has masterfully weaved Clytemnestra’s legacy in this book and I’d recommend this with all my heart. I love women who don’t back down, and never give up. 😎 Definitive ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 read for me 🧡
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Blood, War, and Violence
josiesprobablyreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
snikhtha's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The writing is blunt and on the nose, but I thought it worked well for a retelling set in Ancient Greece. It was a slow pace but only slogged in the first bit of the book.
My main issue with this story is that it stopped before getting to the end of Clytemenstra's life. It stopped before we really got to see the fallout of what she did, and it felt like we stopped in the middle of her arc right before things got juicy. I think it would've been more interesting to see what her mantra of "better to be hated than forgotten" ends up costing her and why she's okay with losing those thing rather than ending on what felt like a "high note".
It's a good book, but if it dived into the latter part of Clytemenstra's life (especially her relationship with Elektra) it would've been excellent.
My main issue with this story is that it stopped before getting to the end of Clytemenstra's life. It stopped before we really got to see the fallout of what she did, and it felt like we stopped in the middle of her arc right before things got juicy. I think it would've been more interesting to see what her mantra of "better to be hated than forgotten" ends up costing her and why she's okay with losing those thing rather than ending on what felt like a "high note".
It's a good book, but if it dived into the latter part of Clytemenstra's life (especially her relationship with Elektra) it would've been excellent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Violence
Moderate: Child death and Child abuse
inkwellimps's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Child death, Violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Slavery, and Confinement
Minor: Lesbophobia, War, Incest, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
freschne's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
clairevn's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Classic Greek myth story (sex, violence, and sexual violence) — with a fair bit of feminism mixed in…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Rape, and Violence
januaryghosts's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Murder, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: War, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Slavery, Rape, and Kidnapping
Minor: Homophobia
contemporarymeepsie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Clytemnestra is King Agamemnon's wife, though not by choice. In this mythology retelling, we get to learn about her early life in Sparta with her sister Helen and other siblings, and then we follow her story as the 10 year war and seige of Troy happens.
I really enjoyed this book in general. I felt the first half was much more interesting then the second but it still managed to hold my attention throughout. I love mythology retellings so this was completely up my alley but I had high hopes for it, and thankfully, it didn't disappoint. Overall an enjoyable book that is well written but if mythology is not your thing then perhaps not a wower.
I really enjoyed this book in general. I felt the first half was much more interesting then the second but it still managed to hold my attention throughout. I love mythology retellings so this was completely up my alley but I had high hopes for it, and thankfully, it didn't disappoint. Overall an enjoyable book that is well written but if mythology is not your thing then perhaps not a wower.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Death
harpsrawx's review
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
very interesting interpretation of greek mythology classic texts. for one, the gods are not active characters in the story and clytemnestra takes more of an agnostic approach to religion and prophecies. i did enjoy that the trojan war was explained as inevitable, and helen running away with paris was just the catalyst. def called out a lot of misogyny in the original texts without really changing the plot. kind of wish the story had ended with a description of libation bearers but oh well!
3.5 stars because the prose was slightly cringy at time. author did a lot of telling not showing, she could’ve eliminated a lot of sentences to shorten this book. but overall still entertaining. greek mythology is my MCU!
3.5 stars because the prose was slightly cringy at time. author did a lot of telling not showing, she could’ve eliminated a lot of sentences to shorten this book. but overall still entertaining. greek mythology is my MCU!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, War, Rape, and Violence
sarabook's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Grief, War, Rape, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse