I love Mythological Retellings, and as soon a I heard about this book, I just knew I needed to read it!

Emotional, powerful, poignant, and immersive, I was pulled into this book from the first page to the last. Focusing on Penelope's story, and narrated by Hera, the writing feels absolutely magical, and I learned so much about the incredible women throughout. As the tales wove together, and with thought-provoking themes, I simply did not want to put this book down!

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the e-ARC of this incredible novel, and to Redhook Books for the beautiful physical copy and influencer package too, I love it! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This fresh, captivating retelling puts Penelope front and center, giving her the strength, intelligence, and agency she deserves. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom on the brink, it’s a powerful story of loyalty, survival, and female resilience. Perfect for fans of myth and history who love a bold, character-driven narrative with plenty of intrigue and heart.

DNF at 20% though I would consider giving it another attempt if the stars aligned in my reading life.
This first fifth felt like a huge info dump with not enough development of the plot.

The story is by itself pretty interesting: Penelope trying to keep Ithaca secure while being bombarded by suitors saying that her husband is dead and Ithaca being invaded by pirates. Not only that but her son is trying to prove himself and she sees the consequence of other queen's acts. The premise of being told the story by Hera seemed interesting enough especially because she can see everything at any time and she's privy to people's thoughts. However I felt that this decision didn't do the characters any favors; I felt too distant from the characters to care about them. It was felt there was a barrier between me and the characters. Besides. once Clytemnestra enters the story I felt Penelope became secondary in her own story.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

A reimagining of the Greek myth of Odysseus, told from the perspective of Penelope, his wife. A voice or perspective we rarely get to see.

I loved this! Its one of my favorite retellings and I loved the humor in it! I can't wait for the rest of the series!

Claire North injects some amazingly well written life into a portion of the myth rarely discussed. I'm looking forward to reading through the entire trilogy which no doubt will be as beautifully written as its first installment.

I became hooked on Greek myth retellings after reading Madeline Miller's Circe, and it's been a bit of a bumpy ride as the market as been saturated with more and more of these stories - some of them definitely better than others. I'm so pleased Claire North's Ithaca is another amazing reimagining of the story of a less-known "side character" of Greek myth. Everyone knows who Odysseus is, but what about the wife he left behind, Penelope of Ithaca? An incredible story, and now I feel like I need to read the original myths so I can try to tease out how much is based on the original story, and how much Claire North conjured up in her clever, clever mind.

I really enjoyed North’s science fiction novels and was pleasantly surprised at the shift in genres. However, upon reading, it was really hard for me to get through the story and I had a difficult time really developing a connection to the characters.

Ithaca by Claire North is a captivating read for fans of historical fantasy and Greek mythology, particularly those drawn to stories that celebrate strong female characters, feminist themes, and the untold tales of ancient mythological women, who will be enthralled by this reimagining of the Odyssey from Penelope's perspective.

As someone with a degree in Classics, I love a Greek mythology retelling. I went into this book expecting to love this novel, but I just did not vibe with it. There were some excellently written passages but then it would be contrasted by somethign that felt very modern and weird to read. The choice to have Hera be the narrator was very interesting, but it made it difficult to connect to the characters, of which there were many. The first chapter was so engaging but the rest of the book just kind of felt meh. I am conflicted about this book as I want more mythology retellings, but I just did not like it.

Another great story of the Trojan War from the perspective of the women! I really enjoyed the characters, however, I did have to continually flip back to the beginning to the character list!

In "Ithaca," Claire North offers a captivating reinterpretation of the classic tale of Odysseus, weaving a narrative rich in intrigue and political maneuvering. Through the eyes of Penelope, readers are immersed in a world where power hangs in delicate balance, and every decision carries weighty consequences. North's masterful storytelling breathes new life into familiar characters, presenting a compelling exploration of leadership, sacrifice, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. With its blend of mythology, suspense, and complex characters, "Ithaca" is a must-read for anyone seeking a fresh perspective on timeless tales.

Ithaca, written by Claire North and narrated by the divine Hera, Queen of the gods, tells us the story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus and queen of Ithaca, but from a female point of view.
It is a story well known and loved by those of us who love and enjoy classical mythology, but with a new voice and spirit that has never, until now, been taken into account: Penelope, the woman who awaits the return of her husband. while she is harassed by a band of suitors who only want the throne of Ithaca and the treasure of Odysseus.
In this macho world, Penelope is just an accessory, a means to an end. But the women of Ithaca have a voice, and in this book we listen to them.
A feminist novel, but not sexist or offensive, splendid from the design of its cover, with a very well-known but new plot at the same time. Highly recommended!
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

This book was a bit of a challenge for me to get into, however I really enjoyed the level of detail North obtained. This book takes the growing trend of feminist retelling a step above the others with the sheer level of attentiveness. It truly was as though reading a translation of Homer, authentic and classic. North shows how hard it was to be a woman when all of your men have gone off to war, and how hard it is to be the son of a lost hero.

DNF - this isn't really my type of book and a bit slow for my taste. If you're really into mythology you might like this

Fantastic retelling of mythology. Lyrical writing. Engaging and enthralling, kept my interest and I am so looking forward to the sequel. This was a bright and clever book, turning the story a different way and making it the authors own,

I struggled with this book. There were too many characters and the point of view changed so frequently it was tough to keep up. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I was already an expert in mythology and had a strong background knowledge of the characters.

I love retellings! I love greek mythology! Penelope is one of my favorite characters from greek mythology, so I was so excited to read this one. This did not disappoint, and I'm happy that it's going to be a series. This is really the era of the greek myth retelling, and I am all in.