I've been waiting for a Penelopiad for very long now, dissatisfied as I've been by other books purporting to tell "The Odyssey" from the side of the hero's wife, so I picked this book up with much hope and excitement. And it was surprising from the start, namely for the choice of the goddess Hera as the POV to narrate the story of Penelope as she waits for the return of Odysseus from Troy, an original decision I've never seen before and that, although it would've been my personal preference to have it from the POV of Penelope herself, makes for a few interesting twists.

Having the goddess narrating it all has advantages, like a bird's eye view of the entirety of Ithaca and beyond, and that she can tell the inner doings as well as the behaviour of everyone on the island, noble and slave, which wouldn't be possible with a sole, human POV. Hera sees everything and everyone, Hera knows everything and describes everyone, it's an all-seeing eye that plunges you into the story from an advantageous position of observer that won't miss anything. But, this very style of POV has the disadvantage that for its very nature keeps you at arm's length and detached from the characters.

You don't connect with the characters, there are too many of them that have their time in the sun for one second, some appearing just in a line, a couple of dialogue exchanges, a fleeting run by the place. There are main characters too, of course, who do have more onpage time, but Hera is fickle and arbitrarily decides who gets her attention best, favouring a character that's not Penelope. Really, what does Clytemnestra have that Penelope doesn't? And why does the goddess of women and family favour these women who aren't exactly models of virtue and good behaviour over the woman who is definitely synonymous with loyalty, family, and motherhood? Sometimes, I wonder if the author is biased towards Clytemnestra and Helen for subversion of narratives, to go counter to the usual portrayals of these two, than in doing Penelope justice. By all accounts, she should be Hera's favourite if you kept faithful to the Greek legends.

Besides the above, I think my biggest trouble with this book was the writing. Because of the POV style, not because of the prose; the prose is fine, North has some beautifully crafted passages. But the point of view used to narrate the story is all over the place: it opens in third person universal POV, and it doesn't stay but changes all the time, so one time it becomes first person, then second person tense, then third person limited, then... Always changing. One line you have Hera telling you about someone, and right there appear a slave, a secondary character. These changes of perspective and setting happen abruptly, in a matter of one paragraph to the next. Hera obsessively crams in everything and <i>everyone</i>, even going back and forth in time. It's awfully confusing, not to me personally because I know the Ithacan setting of the Odyssey very well so I know what is going on, but not every reader will, so this writing is likely to be discouraging. If the writing ever killed a story, this came close, and it makes me sad because I really like Penelope and this interpretation of her story didn't work for me solely because of the writing and POV style.

As someone who hates change, it always scares me when an author switches genres. I know CN as a sci-fi writer, so seeing her come out with a greek mythology retelling had me nervous.

But, you know what? This was fine. Better than fine, even!

This novel doesn't really offer anything new to the story of Penelope - it's a faithful reiteration of the traditional tale. If you've read ‘The Penelopiad,’ this feels like an extended version of that. And because this sticks to basic facts of the story, without creative liberties, the plot is relatively slow. It's very much a character driven novel. But, if you're like me, and love greek myths, that's not a problem. It also helps that the story is narrated by Hera, who has a very unique perspective on things. She does a great job at providing support and helping empower the women who often get overlooked in the original myths.

So I think if you never read anything about Penelope, this will be a new and interesting story for you. For those readers who have, you will definitely enjoy Hera's feminist commentary on the familiar events.

I love Greek mythology, and this feminist re-telling was great. So much of Greek mythology is about the deeds of men. Set in the time when Odysseus has been gone fighting the Trojan War for 17 years, it focuses on his wife Penelope. She and her maids must thwart the efforts of all the suitors hanging around hoping to claim Penelope and the throne for themselves. She insists that her husband is not dead (although she does not necessarily believe that) in order to resist the pressure to remarry. She is a strong, clever woman. The story is told by the goddess Hera, who herself is an incredibly strong, feminist voice.

Ithaca by Claire North is an excellent historical fiction that is the first book in the Penelope series. This is the stunning beginning to the story of Penelope, the infamous wife of Odysseus, and the women surrounding her tale.

I just love the concept of giving a voice to all of the complex characters surrounding the “ well-told” men past. There are so many women that never get their voices heard. This is the beginning of their stories.

I literally felt as if I was taken back in time and surrounded by the people, Goddesses, Gods, and life unseen associated with Greek Mythology. So many stories have yet to be told, and they are finally coming to light.

It was complex, riveting, intricate, and I loved every moment of it. There are so many fundamental themes involving human nature that will transcend time and space…and we as women can identify with so many of them.

I really can’t wait to read the next book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Redhook Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/6/22.

“Once upon a time, there were three queens in Greece. One was chaste and pure, one a temptress whore, one a murderous hag. That is the how the poets sing it.”

4.5 stars, rounding up. This book contains some of the best prose I’ve read all year — in turns hilarious and heartbreaking. It gives a new voice to mythology, focusing on details mostly skipped over when telling the tale of Odysseus. Penelope of Ithaca and her 100+ suitors may ring a bell for you, but I guarantee you’ve never heard this much of the story before.

I think the best feature of this narrative is that it’s told in Hera’s voice. She is a RIOT, and this really brings humor to the tragedies that unfold. She also has the benefit of being a god, which allows the reader to “see” many simultaneous goings-on in the story without having to switch POVs a bunch of times. I loved Penelope and her two maids; the sly way they manipulate their surroundings and communicate with one another is just perfect. The interactions between the female gods are fantastic as well, such a great fresh spin on these relationships. I’m thrilled that there will be more books in the series, as I will definitely continue to read more of Claire North’s genius writing.

I will point out that this book may be confusing to someone who has no foundational understanding of Greek mythology. In the beginning, the direction can be a bit confusing. My best advice is to just submit to it — let the mood and the vibes saturate you as you read, don’t get bogged down in remembering the tiny details or the who’s who just yet. It will all snap into place.

I generally save 3-5 quotes from any given novel, and I highlighted 23 different lines/paragraphs in this one. I fell truly in love with the women of this story!

Thank you to Claire North, Redhook Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I love Greek Mythology, it's one of my favorite niches in historical fiction. Ithaca had some great qualities to it, I absolutely loved how most of the book or all of it was told from Hera's point of view. She is witty, powerful, and feminine. There was a strong feminist theme throughout the novel which I was completely empowered by - Hera being the Goddess of Wives, Women, and in my opinion Feminism.
If misogyny triggers you, then this novel is not for you. Zeus and other men/Gods, such as Telemachus and Penelope's suitors show time and time again how women are just women and men are the significant beings of the universe.
Other triggers to watch out for: violence against women, abuse (emotional and physical), slavery - I'm sure there's more, but those are what stood out for me.
I suppose I should tell you what this book is actually about!
So Odysseus still hasn't returned from the Trojan War (we know that part already) and his wife Penelope is in Ithaca husbandless with her son, Telemachus. It's been forever and a day since Odysseus left, so now suitors are there for Penelope's hand and hanging around causing mischief.
Telemachus is an angsty teenager/man, trouble is brewing on the shores of Ithaca and oh, yes, Agamemnon is dead so his kids, Elektra and Orestes are in Ithaca making things a bit awkward for Penelope.
Hera has a love for the "three queens of Greece" - Penelope, Helen (we remember her...), and Clytemnestra. But Clytemnestra is quite the favorite and problem for Penelope.
Again, I really love Greek Mythology, but this novel was a bit hard to stick with - it was confusing at times, and there were so many characters to keep up with, so my brain kept getting flustered.
My favorite aspect of the book was Hera's relentless emphasis on feminism and women's strengths. Also, how the women fought not only with weapons but with cleverness. This is a different telling of Penelope, who history rarely mentions - just like Hera tells us. The poets didn't think women were interesting, they were very very wrong.

Thank you to Redhook Books and Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ithaca was one of my favorite reads of the year. This is a story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and the women of Ithaca. Anyone who’s a fan of Greek mythology and strong women will love this story. I literally could not put this book down once I started reading it. I love hearing the female POV from famous historical (male) stories and I cannot recommend this book enough. I plan to buy the hard copy when it is available.