"As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best..." I love the whole trend of late that takes stories from Greek mythology and turns them on their heads giving the reader a different view of a story we are already very familiar with. This was an incredible novel. I loved every second of it and was drawn in from the very first sentence. It is brutal. It is ruthless. It is human. It is tragic.

From Amazon:
You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

I love that we are shown what truly motivates Clytemnestra, how she became what she became and why. There is definitely a theme of family. The novel was extremely well written and was very evocative of space and time.

May thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the digital advanced reader copy. The novel will be out this Tuesday, May 2, 2023 and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

In the vein of Madeline Miller's Circe, Clytemnestra retells the story of the legendary queen Clytemnestra.

I love a female-focused take on Greek mythology, and Clytemnestra certainly scratched that itch. It was so interesting to watch her, in such a close way, spiral into the villain of myth. I felt like I was there, like I was right alongside her, thirsting for the same revenge she thirsted for.

Though this was a heftier read, all in all it went quickly, and I honestly found myself wanting more in the end. I loved what it had to say about power, about love, and about fear.

In a world where women are considered more property than people, when the myths we know are never about women (and if they are, they aren't good stories), ancient Greece in no place to be a strong and independent woman. Current retellings of ancient myths are giving us new voices for women who have lived too long in the shadows, either voiceless or villains, and Clytemnestra is certainly one of them. Constanza Casati's debut novel wipes away any other attempt to tell Clytemnestra's story and should, in my opinion, become THE go-to retelling of the Queen of Mycenae's story.

A princess of Sparta, Clytemnestra grew up strong, learning to fight, hunt, and wrestle just like all the other children. The only rule? Don't get caught. She protects her younger sisters, physically and emotionally, but is always closest to Helen. Her husband Tantalus is a king, and unlike the men she knows-he listens to her, respects her strength, and doesn't try to overshadow her. But when Agamemnon and Menelaus come to Sparta, things change and Clytemnestra's world changes too. Seeing a strong woman as a challenge, Agamemnon decides to have her for himself and kills Tantalus and their baby, forcing her to marry him. As queen of Mycenae, wife of a man she hates, and mother to his children, she tries to live a new life- but when Helen runs away to Troy and gives Agamemnon the excuse he wants to start a war with Troy, disaster strikes again.

If you know any of the stories of Clytemnestra, or the Trojan War, you won't be surprised by the basic plot. What I found wonderful was how well the author drew the reader into Clytemnestra's emotional life, easily making you feel her rage, pain, and grief and how it shaped her over her life. It balanced with her warrior nature and aggravation with the Greeks who felt they were better than her just because she was a woman. Over and over she has to prove herself, and does, and reminds them that her actions are the same as a man's- and a king's- so should be treated as such.

There is a short, sweet, set of letters between the siblings late in the book where they are trying to console Clytemnestra and you really get each sibling's thoughts and feelings (as opposed to Clytemnestra's) for the first time. This might be my favorite part of the book. It is completely different from the rest of the book, and feels a bit like we're looking behind the scenes at something personal and private that Clytemnestra would keep to herself. It is also a nice reminder that not all men in this world are horrible, since one of the letters is from her brother Polydeuces.

Clytemnestra is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys retellings or even just stories about strong women. This is a book that doesn't read as if it was a debut novel- the writing is more confident and polished than you often read in a first book. I would love to see Casati write her next book for Medea, since we might be able to trust her to tell Medea's story with the same emotional honesty she showed Clytemnestra. Here's hoping!



I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Clytemnestra is nuanced, thoughtful, and thoroughly rooted in research. I was deeply invested in her life story and found her character development unparalleled in depth and breadth compared to almost anything I’ve read. Fans of Song of Achilles, Circe, and Ariadne can definitely find something here!

That said readers should be warned that wow, was this slowwwwwwwwww and comes in at 448 pages. It read almost like nonfiction and in my opinion, dwelt unnecessarily on the day to day minutiae of Clytemnestra’s life rather than propelling us through a story. The work spans decades and while there was much learning to experience through understanding of Spartan life, it did slow down the tale.

Also this is horribly sad and definitely ‼️content warnings ‼️ for violent loss of a child.

I did still very much enjoy Clytemnestra and have zero regrets for having read it. I learned a lot and feel richer for having experienced the thoughtful take on a historical female with a reputation for being cruel and powerful. There’s always more to the story.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is an amazing retelling of the classic Greek tragedy. The novel offers a fresh perspective on the well-known story of Clytemnestra, the wife of King Agamemnon. Casati brings to life the world of ancient Greece with richly-detailed descriptions of its people, customs, and beliefs. What sets this retelling apart from others is the feminist lens through which Casati examines the story. She gives a voice to Clytemnestra and offers an exploration of her character, challenging the traditional portrayal of her as a heartless and cruel woman. Overall, Clytemnestra is a beautifully-written and captivating novel that will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and Greek mythology. It offers a fresh and compelling take on a classic story and is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of female power in ancient Greece.

A big book = but an immersive read with terrific atmospherics and wonderful storytelling. Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the story of Clyemestra (that's why you're reading this) or Sparta- Casati will wrap you up into her tale and have you turning the pages. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Terrific.

I loved this retelling of the story of Clytemnestra. I'll be honest, for me, her story has a tendency to get overshadowed by that of her sister Helen. As I read the book, her story came back to me and I remembered what was coming. When your sister manages to start a large war just by leaving her husband for someone else, it does kind of make people go... oh yeah, she had a sister...

Anyway. I think this retelling did a great job showing her humanity. Yes, she had a temper and was very big on vengeance but really... after all of the things she had to go through because of Agamemnon, who wouldn't want vengeance? Hell hath no fury and all. That she held out as long as she did was actually impressive.

If you're a fan of Greek mythology, I would recommend this book. I very much look forward to more books by this author, and hopefully more retellings of other stories from mythology.

I am always nervous when there is an origin story for a myth that I am a big fan of and Circe is certainly one of them but I think Costanza Casati did a wonderful job from the historically accurate atmosphere to the relationship with her sister I think the author did a great job in telling Circe‘s origin story and how she became the powerful heroin that she did. This is a book I definitely recommend and thoroughly enjoyed I receive this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I love a good mythology retelling, and Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati more than delivered! This is a beautifully written debut novel!

In Greek mythology, Clytemnestra is a Spartan Princess, Helen of Troy's sister, and Agamemnon's wife. Agamemnon has killed Clytemnestra's first husband and son and married her by force. He later manipulates Clytemnestra into sending their daughter to him under the guise of wanting to marry her off. Instead, he sacrifices their daughter to the gods for favorable winds as he sets sail for Troy and the 10-year Trojan War. Clytemnestra rules in Agamemnon's place for those ten years and plots her revenge and Agamemnon's death.

I was captivated by this atmospheric and vivid book as it looks deeper into the woman behind the notorious warrior-queen legend and tells the tale from her POV. It opens in Clytemnestra and Helen's youth just before they are married and shows how these women were raised to be warriors and how protective Clytemnestra is, which helps set the stage for understanding her later on. And Casati does a great job of letting us into Clytemnestra's grief, pain, and anger. She is depicted as an intelligent woman with motivations that make her feel human and is a character with nuance and depth. The world-building is fantastic and immersive, as is the depiction of these characters' complicated social and family ties. I cannot wait to read what Casati writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to review this ARC. I loved it!

3.5 stars rounded down to a 3. First, I'll start off with the fact that I admittedly haven't read any other Greek retellings like Achilles, Circe, Electra, etc., but I definitely want to now after this!
Overall, I felt that Costanza did a great job building up the anger, the frustration, the unjustness that Clytemnestra goes through as we are taken through different parts in her life. That remained constant from page one to the end because I really could relate to those emotions and thoughts from the get-go. Growing up, I was always kind of baffled by Clytemnestra's story, the little that we get, and also, of course, what she's remembered for. It's a tragedy through and through, and one that honestly irked me, so it was definitely… maybe fun’s not the right word but a bit cathartic to feel those emotions alongside Clytemnestra!

The foreshadowing at various parts was well-woven, and I loved the appearances and mentions of other popular characters, that all have their parts in the epics of Troy and Sparta, some with their own retellings! Again, it definitely got me in the mood to pick up more Greek retellings and look things up again too. The thing is, for me, felt like a lot of the first half was kind of just waiting for the second half. Parts of the buildup was good, but other parts felt a little off pacing-wise. We spent a lot of time in the beginning of Clytemnestra's life that it did feel like with each time skip, it would cut things a bit short in the period. Thus unfortunately, the climax did seem too short for my tastes as well. I was hoping for more chapters around <i>the moment</i> and a little more build-up with Aegisthus.

While I can appreciate where Costanza decided to end the book, and the way she phrased it, it still left me feeling like the story was incomplete, despite knowing how things go from there. Because it is. And that can be a disappointment to some, with the build-up leading to every other moment that we see in Clytemnestra's life, to be left bereft with so many questions. Yes, this is Clytemnestra's story, but obviously Costanza built up her children in this too, and it felt they were a little bit too much of side characters.

Still, I enjoyed this retelling and was glad that Costanza was able to rile me up while she took me on this journey. 😂 There were many things that Costanza did tackle, including <spoiler>Helen and the rest of her siblings, her different husbands, and her lovers, and her thoughts on her children, the politics while she was queen of Mycenae</spoiler> and I do think she did a good job framing Clytemnestra’s POV into it all. Some of it was a little too passive for my tastes (with more telling than showing in the conversations), but I still appreciated Costanza’s efforts and thought this was a great debut novel!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This is a good retelling of the story of Clytemnestra. I love a good feminine rage story and this one embodies that whole heartedly. This story is also a sad one and following the journey she's go through is very entertaining and engaging.
This was a nice read ans I will be adding it to my growing list of Greek retellings.

📖Review
4.5🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
📖Book 53/100
📚Clytemnestra
💫Genre: Historical Fiction/Greek Mythology
✍️ Constanza Casati
🛡⚔️🛡⚔️🛡⚔️🛡
This was such an amazing debut novel that left me amazed! This is the story of Clytemnestra, know to many as a bad to the bone queen, a murderess, a treacherous traitor, and a mother! This book takes you through her youth, her first marriage, and then a life of hell with Agamemnon.
It did have so many characters and could have been a bit shorter but that honestly helped me understand the background knowledge and Clytemnestra even more so. A queen that was driven to be strong in order to avenge all the losses and pain she was dealt with. This was so well written that I felt her pain and sincerely understood her way of thinking and actions. I’m not one to read much on Greek Mythology, but I do love a strong heroine. Casati really did her research on this retelling and nailed it.
✨Thank you @netgalley and @bookmarked for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
📌Publication Date:
May 02, 2023
✨✨✨✨✨
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#bookreview #booktok #books #booksarelife #booksaremagical #bookrecommendations #bookrecommendation #booklovers #booklover #fiction #mythologicalbooks #netgalley #netgalleyreads #bookworms #bibliophile #greekmythology #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview

✨Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati✨

Genre: Fiction/Greek Mythology
Pages: 448

📚 As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best…

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

📝Clytemnestra was a character that blended into the background of Greek Mythology. She was Agamemnon’s wife and ultimately, his murderer. In our modern pop culture, she is the symbol of a bad wife, but this story offers a new take. Clytemnestra is a woman wronged by Agamemnon and cunningly plots her revenge.

I enjoyed the writing and the refreshed approach to the story. I found myself in Clytemnestra’s corner, sympathizing with her her plight.

💫Thank you @bookmarked and @netgalley for my ARC💫

There seems to be a trend toward taking little-known women from history, and developing stories around the bits of information available. Clytemnestra is one. She was a Spartan, trained from a very young age, and toughened up as she went on. Women of that time period were pawns and property of men who held all the power. Forced to marry Agamemnon, she plots her revenge. Clytemnestra's place in history is upstaged by her sister, Helen, who is well-known as Helen of Troy, and the Trojan War has a place in history. Clytemnestra is forced to watch as her beloved daughter is betrayed by Agamemnon, and used as a sacrifice in part of the Trojan War.

The story seemed to move very slowly at times and there were gaps in the time frame that were somewhat confusing. Bottom line - it's all about ongoing betrayal by everyone she knew, power or the lack thereof, and ultimately, revenge. Clytemnestra knew that her place in history would be of little importance over the years, but, ultimately she had her revenge.

I enjoyed Clytemnestra, I just wish I had a better background in mythology. Therefore, I purchased Mythology by Edith Hamilton.because this novel spurred such an interest in me to learn more about myths. Clytemnestra is well written, fast paced and devious. I look forward to more novels by Costanza Casati.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Mythology

Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon, mother of the child used as a sacrifice to a God to grant them wind to launch the Greek ships and initiate the Trojan War. I have never read a retelling of her story so brilliant, so moving and so complex. This is hands down one of the best Greek mythology retellings I’ve read in modern history.

The story spans from Clymenstra’s upbring in Sparta along with her sister Helen (yes that Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships) throughout her marriage to Agamemnon, his choices and their consequences. It’s a story of how one woman’s life was filled with remarkable challenges and tragedy and how she chose to survive. It’s also a story depicting life and expectations of women throughout Ancient Greece and provides interesting comparisons of the many cultures that comprised Ancient Greece.

I was hooked from the very many pages and as much as I found some of the content challenging to read (check the trigger warnings!). The story was written in such a way that I just kept wanting to turn the pages to find a win for Clytemnestra despite already knowing how her story unfolds.

I certainly hope this is not the author’s last foray into Greek mythology retellings (and hopefully the next book’s stockpile doesn’t catch fire resulting in a publication day!)

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an advanced reading copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a very detailed life of Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra and her sisters were brought up fighting, hunting, and always believing that the strongest would never die.

This book is broken into 5 parts. First is her upbringing, getting to know her family, and her falling in love and getting married. This is where her family hear from the priestess that Leda's daughters will twice and thrice wed.

This book was overall pretty good, but there were some parts that were really slow to me. I feel like part 2 was boring right up until the end. This story will make you feel all types of feelings for Clytemnestra. If you like taking a deep dive into mythology without gods and hearing her story this book is definitely for you. The author did a great job portraying Clytemnestra's life.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is a greek mythology retelling. I am not very familiar with anyone from Greek mythology but I did not find myself overly confused while reading this which I appreciated. I loved reading about strong women who love dishing out revenge for those who deserve it. This book is on the longer side at around 450 pages but it read really quick. I was also pleasantly surprised with how well written this was. If you are interested in reading Greek mythology retellings then I would not skip this one! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Overall, I thought this was good and I’m glad I read it. I would specifically recommend this is as a book that you plan on taking your time reading, like something you read a little before bed and take several months to get through. Trying to sit down and get through it more quickly was, at least for me, a bit of a struggle. It’s quite long for the amount of story that it tells, so I do think it could have been tightened up without really losing anything because there’s a lot of reiteration that doesn’t add anything. I think the biggest thing that made it hard to read was that the perspective it was written in made it feel so…detached. Despite heavy, emotional topics and circumstances in the story, you never get the raw, emotional depth and connection that really pulls you in and makes you feel those things. So, though I was interested throughout, I also wasn’t super invested. But overall, it’s a worthwhile read and addition to the growing collection of Greek myth retellings, and an in depth examination of the entire arc of Clytemnestra’s story.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Clytemnestra is the latest of the crop of feminist Greek mythology retellings, this one centering Clytemnestra. And while I previously read a book or two that featured her, I like that she does take center stage this time, even with the other, more prominent characters around her. Her relationship with her sister, Helen, and their respective unhappy marriages to brothers Agamemnon and Menelaus are a key part of the early part of the novel that intrigued and moved me. Agamemnon is a brutal, even abusive personality, which is true to the original, and I truly feel for Clytemnestra, admiring her quiet strength in the face of that. Her ultimate dark fate, to murder her husband, truly is a culmination of all she experienced, and I like how Casati provided more nuances to that.
But while the setup was great, as was the payoff, the “getting there” was a bit of a slog. The book covers a long period of time, going from Clytemnestra’s upbringing, all the way to Agamemnon’s murder, and while there are moments of true gold, like those interpersonal moments between Clytemnestra and Helen, or with one of her children, it failed to make the epic nature of the original story that engaging in retelling.
I do like Casati’s approach, and I think she’s a unique voice in what is becoming a somewhat saturated subgenre that I would try again. If you’re looking for more Greek mythology retellings, I recommend trying this one.