Starting out I was hesitant to invest my time in reading this book. It seemed like it was going to be yet another book in a long line of novels based on the Trojan War. I was happily proven wrong. This story follows the lives of two sisters, the famous Helen of Sparta, and Clytemnestra of Mycenae. The reader is introduced to both characters as young girls, and follows them through their marriages to powerful men, and the consequences of one ill fated choice that led to the war between Greece and Troy. It was refreshing to read about Helen and Clytemnestra from their own perspectives, instead of relegating their story to brief mentions of their names told from the viewpoint of men. It was great to get a glimpse of how girls and women were treated during ancient times, how their lives were entirely in the hands of the men around them, and what their thoughts and opinions might have been about the events taking place. Motherhood, death, marriage, and war were told from their perspective and how their lives were tangled together with the men who controlled their fate. I admit that the story started off slowly but as the girls married, and the war loomed on the horizon things quickly got interesting. What really struck me about this book was that the reader could really sympathize with the plight of both Helen and Clytemnestra, and it really hit home how women were confined to the life that their husbands set forth for them. Usually books villainize Helen for her decision to flee Sparta for Troy, but it really focused on how vulnerable, confined, and unhappy she was with her life. I highly recommend this book to lovers of Ancient History and Women's History because of the fresh take on a well known tale that is inspiring when the reader thinks about how far women have come in the present day.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is so nice to read historical fiction that is set somewhere and time not in Europe during WW1 or WW2 . This was a fresh look at Helen of Troy (pre-Troy years) I liked the peek into her upbringing and family. I found the writing very engaging and would definitely like to read more by Haywood.

Wow! This book is incredible! It is moving, heart-wrenching, enthralling, intriguing, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Daughters of Sparta", I was whisked back in time to Ancient Greece, and went on such an emotional journey with this book.

This is Claire Heywood's debut novel, and what an incredible debut it is! Her storytelling is spectacular! Her passion for what she is writing truly jumps right off of the page, and I was gripped from the first page to the last. I can only imagine the amount of meticulous research Ms. Heywood must have done, as I felt so immersed in the world of "Daughters of Sparta" that I often forgot I was reading. I felt like I was right there with the characters.

This mythological retelling focuses on the lives of sisters Helen and Klytemnestra, beginning in their childhood, and is told through their eyes. As the reader, I really got a sense of their wants, fears, and desires, and how both women strive for any amount of control over their own lives. From love, to devastation, and to so much more, you can truly feel so much for these women. I was somewhat familiar with both of these women's stories, and I do not want to spoil anything in this review. I will simply say, this book is a must read, and provides a different perspective from what I have read before.

Throughout the book, many other mythological figures are seen or spoken about. We see how each and every one affects Helen's and / or Klytemnestra's lives, and bring something forth in the women.

I did feel, at times, that the writing felt a little too modern for when the book is set, and that certain events are either rushed through, or not mentioned at all. While not each and every aspect has to be mentioned, I think some would have helped to fill in some gaps in time here and there. However, even with this said, I still think this is an amazing book, and I had such a hard time putting it down.

If you enjoy Greek Mythology retellings, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages into the early hours of the night to see what happened next, I can't wait to see what Ms. Heywood writes next!

Thank you so much to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC of this book, it Is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I'm happy to see any historical fiction focused on a period other than WWII or the US Civil War, and Daughters of Sparta is an engaging read to boot. Dual narration from both Helen and Klytemnestra weaves together the causes and results of the infamous Trojan War. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of Paris as trifling, which has always been my impression of the man.

This was a detailed re-imagining of the story of Helen of Troy and her sister Klytemnestra that does not shy away from the uglier aspects of this story. The writing is captivating as you follow Helen and Klytemnestra struggling to be wives and mothers while still very young themselves. This may be to many a very familiar story, but you'll experience it in an entirely new way in "Daughters of Sparta."

I thought this was an interesting re-telling and perspective of the Classic tale we all know, despite it not offering anything particularly revelatory or fresh as a whole, despite the fleshing out of famous Helen of Sparta.
It was an easy read and I zoomed right through, finding it difficult to put down between the familiar characters with slight spins and the delicious amount of detail.
This one is definitely worth picking up if you want a quick, satisfying read. 3 ⭐️!

I really enjoyed this book. After recently graduating with a degree in Classical Studies, I've been missing having to read and think about ancient literature and was excited at the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. I was not disappointed, as I quickly found myself enthralled by this fantastic retelling. It has such a great understanding of everyday life in the ancient world, that it could only have been told by someone like Claire Heywood who has studied it.

If you are expecting the intense literary prose of author's like Margaret Atwood or Madeline Miller you may well be disappointed, but I found that the easy to read and simple writing style of this book made the story feel true, and raw. This is the story of two women who have to scratch and claw for any shred of agency that they can reach, and their desire to have some minutia of control over their own lives often gets them into situations that are hard for a modern reader to imagine having to experience. It may be a story about a grand mythical battle, but Heywood roots the story in the real world by only showing us what is happening through the eyes of Helen and Clytemnestra, and their experiences are not all that different from how the real women of in the 13th century BC would have experienced the world.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the ancient world and stories about the women who lived in it.

This book kept me interested from the first page and offers a fresh perspective of the lives and hardships faced by Helen and Klytemnestra, the wives of prominent Trojan War figures Agamemnon and Menelaus. Knowing the history behind the characters, I knew going into it that it would be a book that made me sad, but the author left the book ending in such a way that it was not as sad as I was expecting it to be. The only thing I didn't care for as much in the book was the massive time jumps. I understand why it might have been necessary, but I happily would have read more about the in-between-times and had a more fleshed out novel with a gradual shifting of time than the constant jumps forward. I think it helps to know the history before reading the novel but I don't think it's necessary to know it to enjoy the book. Overall, I would recommend this book to read and I would purchase it for my library.

This was a great read into the lives of Helen and Klytemnestra. Heywood's writing was smooth, and easy to follow; making this a perfect summer/beach read (since this is scheduled to be published next year). Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Madeline Miller.

Klytemnestra and Aegisthus'' relationship was a pleasant surprise: two people in a political partnership grow to genuinely love one another. Makes them tragic figures considering what happens in the Oresteia.

My one complaint were the time skips. Sometimes they did not interrupt the plot, but other times there would be time skips with character development that the reader would completely miss. I wish I got to see a gradual development of Helen's enamor with Paris and the Trojans slowly fade away, or Klytemnestra's feelings towards Aegisthus go from 'reluctant political partner' to "Best Husband Ever." Rather, readers were told in a few paragraphs that Helen felt foolish for leaving Sparta or Klytemnestra summarizing the last few years of her life in Mycenae.

"Daughters of Sparta" gives Helen and Klytemnestra their own stories in a Bronze Age where woman where ruled by the whims of the men in their lives. Both women found a way to take power back for themselves and create some sense of autonomy, although the sisters achieve that through different ways.