House of Odysseus

Product Information

Men give women power, and women sacrifice the women around them to appease men. Not Clytemnestra..."

We women of sky and fire, we goddesses, we are so mighty, and yet if we learn anything from old mother Hera, it is that the brighter we blaze, the more the men line up to make us fall. Our power will be suppressed, subdued, and we will be turned from creatures of immortal majesty to cowering wives and simpering whores, adjuncts merely to a story told by a man. A story about a man.” I know, I know, I also was among others who didn't enjoy the first book, as much as it deserved, but House of Odysseus filled all the previous weak points, I really liked this one! Penelope must find a way to survive and keep her home safe from these two mad kings and this battle stretching from Mycenae… to Sparta… to mount Olympus itself. Her only allies are Elektra, desperate to protect her brother and keep him safe, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus’ wife. And watching over them, the goddess Aphrodite, who has her own agenda and secrets of her own. I’m incredibly sadden that I have to wait yet another year for the next book and conclusion of the series, but I’m putting money down right now to say that North is going to use Athena as a narrator and I’M SO READY FOR AN ATHENA POV!! 🦉 Everything I’ve wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice – this is an absolute masterpiece’ Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect TwinConjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies' The Times

When I requested this I didn't know it was book 2 in a series, so I read Ithaca before diving into this ARC. I was worried about House of Odysseus because Ithaca was a slow, slow read for me, but I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed House of Odysseus! Because the characters and story is already set up, it was easy to follow. Everything I've wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice - this is an absolute masterpiece' Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin I liked the narrator being Aphrodite considerably less than Hera in book one. I thought more could have been done about the parallels between her feigning just being the dumb goddess of love and lust and Helen being her most favored mortal. Overall just not as poignant a storyteller and perspective to share for me as Hera, but to each their own. I can see that (if Athena is indeed the narrator of the third book) what North is aiming for in the trilogy as whole, highlighted by one of Aphrodite's lines alluding to Clytemnestra being Hera's, Helen being hers and Penelope being Athena's by way of Athena's love for Odysseus. And she did have some interesting bits (insight into /all/ forms of love) and it was nice that all the other divinities didn't stall conversation/information delivery etc. because of their contempt for her (as they did with Hera). The constant fawning was something I started to glaze over but I realize that it's very in character and on brand, though I still would have preferred less of it. I was a huge fan of Claire North’s first book in the The Songs of Penelope Series. This is my bag, retelling of the ancient Greek epics. North is keeping this to a trilogy, which I think is perfect, long enough to really dig into the details, yet not so long and dragged out that the reader will lose interest. I enjoyed The House of Odysseus even more than Ithaca, so of course I’m eagerly anticipating the final book in this amazing trilogy.Now Penelope faces a new threat. After providing a place of refuge for Elektra and her brother, Orestes, both children of the now dead Agamemnon killed by his wife Clytemnestra, Menelaus, Agamemnon’s brother, catches wind that his niece and nephew may be hiding out in Ithaca. The story imagines and expounds upon the vacuum of power left behind for Penelope, when Odysseus is absent from Ithaca following the Trojan War. Although it is the second in the series, following “Ithaca,” it can also be read as a standalone, particularly if you are already familiar with the general plot of the Odyssey. It is written through the voice of Aphrodite as she and her sisters watch what unfolds on the island following the killing of Clytemnestra.

This is the second part of the trilogy and, if anything much better than Ithaca, which bodes extremely well for the final part which I now can't wait to read. House Of Odysseus is the second book in The Songs Of Penelope series by award-winning, best-selling British author, Claire North. Perhaps a year after Orestes has slain his mother Clytemnestra on Ithaca’s shores, and Penelope’s son Telemachus has set out to search for his father, a ship quietly arrives from Mycenae into the burnt out harbour of Phenera. Elektra has brought her brother, the newly crowned king of kings, the greatest of the Greeks, seeking the refuge she hopes Penelope will provide. Conjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies‘ The Times House of Odysseus is the brilliant continuation of the story of Penelope that began with the first novel, Ithaca.On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace—a peace that is shattered by the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra. This time I find the characters most developed and fascinating, truth to be told, CN' Helen is the one that for so long I was looking forward to finding her in a retelling, Helen I always imagined in my mind, well down! I fell in love with North’s depiction of Hera and Penelope as they navigate Ithacan politics in Ithaca. And while I was rather sad Hera departed as a narrator, Aphrodite was such an incredible successor. Her perspective not only brought a deliciously scandalous perspective to Penelope’s love life, but it just felt right to have the goddess of love narrate the faithful queen’s next political adventure. 🕊️ In House of Odysseus we advance the story as Orestes (now driven to the point of utter insanity by the Furies) and Elektra try to fend off Menelaus, King of Sparta, who would quite like the title King of Kings for himself.

Please tell me now if you killed any of them,” sighs Penelope. “I would rather not be embarrassed by the revelation later.” If you liked the political maneuvering in the Game of Thrones series; if you chafe at the way that Greek mythology couldn’t pass even a modified a Bechdel test; if the inner lives of women are interesting to you; if you love a “good for her” story with an denoument that feels absolutely earned and yet somehow still in some ways surprising; I recommend this book whole heartedly. There’s a tone and flavor to the writing style that is so smart and clever and witty. It both left me laughing out loud and also slowing down to reread passages that were emotionally beautiful. The suitors continue to be rather useless, but Kenamon is such a sweetie that I’m honestly finding myself concerned for his future in Odysseus’ house. And Helen. . . Wow. I thought I couldn’t love another portrayal of her, but North’s depiction of this notorious beauty was so well crafted and convincing that even I was led along with the whole show. 🍶House of Odysseus by Claire North is an extraordinary and enthralling journey that intertwines the timeless tale of The Odyssey with a modern, feminist twist. This book is the second of the series focusing on Odysseus’ wife, Penelope. Aphrodite is generally portrayed as conniving and cruel, wielding love as a weapon. In House of Odysseus, she knows that she is viewed as such, but within her mind we see that she does truly find something to love about everyone. It’s sweet and lovely and more than a little sad, as she holds so much love inside herself so as not to make others feel more uncomfortable around her than they are already. I’ve never been a fan of Aphrodite, but this book softened my heart toward her in exactly the same way Ithaca softened me toward Hera. North has a gift here, of bringing dimension and sympathy to classical characters. I really can't praise this book enough. Its an absolute joy to read. Claire North has outdone herself. If only all retellings could be this good (she said wistfully). This will give you a completely different outlook on various goddesses, Spartans in general and Helen in particular. Highly recommended.