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A review by chnh
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
5.0
clytemnestra is sharp, witty, clever, unforgiving, and merciless. she’s calm and tender but has no tolerance towards cruelty and disloyalty.
raised in sparta and forced into life with her second husband, clytemnestra makes a name for herself as queen. she is kind to her children and her lovers, but ruthless to those who disrespect what she cares about.
a fascinating story from her childhood, her early adulthood, into her rise as queen.
this novel was captivating, the language and storytelling was vivid. the feelings were visceral and the world building made you feel like you lived within the bounds of the pages.
the language was reverent and the quotes touching and tender and albeit too true.
really makes you ponder about how much grief can one person endure in their life.
a story of hope, that we may endure the worst life has to offer, but we can find solace in each other, and often it comes together in the end.
if you love a greek re-telling, this is a must read.
…
“our lives are short and miserable, but sometimes we can be lucky enough to find someone who cures our loneliness.”
“memory is a strange thing, vicious. the more one wants to forget, the more one can't help but remember. it is like a rat chewing at the skin, slowly and painfully-impossible to ignore.”
“unlike many others, he sees things as they are. he knows men's true nature and doesn't fear it He plays with it.”
“so gentle, loyal, true. she is like one of those dogs rescued from an alley, frightened at first but, once you win them over, always loyal to their master.”
“all my life, people have wronged me…. but i am still here. all the things i have done, i did to protect the ones loved. wouldn’t you have done the same?”
“but maybe this is how broken people keep living. they find someone as broken, fit him into the empty spaces of their hearts, and together grow something different.”
raised in sparta and forced into life with her second husband, clytemnestra makes a name for herself as queen. she is kind to her children and her lovers, but ruthless to those who disrespect what she cares about.
a fascinating story from her childhood, her early adulthood, into her rise as queen.
this novel was captivating, the language and storytelling was vivid. the feelings were visceral and the world building made you feel like you lived within the bounds of the pages.
the language was reverent and the quotes touching and tender and albeit too true.
really makes you ponder about how much grief can one person endure in their life.
a story of hope, that we may endure the worst life has to offer, but we can find solace in each other, and often it comes together in the end.
if you love a greek re-telling, this is a must read.
…
“our lives are short and miserable, but sometimes we can be lucky enough to find someone who cures our loneliness.”
“memory is a strange thing, vicious. the more one wants to forget, the more one can't help but remember. it is like a rat chewing at the skin, slowly and painfully-impossible to ignore.”
“unlike many others, he sees things as they are. he knows men's true nature and doesn't fear it He plays with it.”
“so gentle, loyal, true. she is like one of those dogs rescued from an alley, frightened at first but, once you win them over, always loyal to their master.”
“all my life, people have wronged me…. but i am still here. all the things i have done, i did to protect the ones loved. wouldn’t you have done the same?”
“but maybe this is how broken people keep living. they find someone as broken, fit him into the empty spaces of their hearts, and together grow something different.”