I LOVED this retelling. I am an avid fan of Greek mythology and their retellings and this one is now among my favorites. The scene when her first son is killed broke me, and I already knew it was coming! My only xon is that the book slowed significantly by then end and the finally was not as dramatic as I wanted/expected it to be.

My only piece of feedback is I think the amount of times the frescoed walls were mentioned was repetitive. I would try to change the description or eliminate it all together in some cases.

Clytemnestra joins the (IMO totally amazing) barrage of re-envisioned mythology novels. In the vein of Madeline Miller's incredibly popular novels Circe and Song of Achilles, Clytemnestra follows the eponymous Spartan through her life of incredible strength and horrifying pain.

I found this story to be at turns extremely emotionally uncomfortable and a rollicking adventure, but it was always satisfying. Clytemnestra is portrayed as the girl next door, not as classically beautiful as her sister Helen (yes, THAT Helen!), but possessing an uncommonly strong character, mind, and body-for a woman of these times, at least. This doesn't particularly bother her, but it is something she thinks about a lot. She marries for love and has a child but loses them early and is remarried against her will. Though 30% of the novel builds up to this point, here is where the story really takes off and where Greek mythology fans will begin to recognize the story. Helen leaves voluntarily with Paris to Troy in this version, and Agamemnon and Menelaus plot the war to get her back, while Clytemnestra is left behind to rule Mycenae. Plenty of familiar faces make an appearance, but I enjoyed seeing it from this warrior queen's point of view.

Clytemnestra has an acute sense of fairness and justice. She believes that revenge is best served cold, and several offenders receive their icy comeuppance long after they've forgotten the offense. She is introspective about her childhood and upbringing, and she understands that this history guides her perspective and decision making. She learns to lead her city as a feared but respected ruler and raises her children with little assistance. Basically, Clytemnestra is the quintessential boss bitch. I love how her strength and her pain are equally addressed, how her inner turmoil comes out in fantastic ways around other characters. I was surprised at how much I identified with this woman who "lived" so many centuries ago.

This novel exhibits excellent writing and wonderful characterizations, and it is a welcome addition to the genre. I look forward to more from Costanza Casati!

***Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!***

Really loved so much about this, the way it was broken up, the length, the story, it all worked for me! Loved the emotion I felt with a story I’ve heard over and over.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC of Clytemnestra in exchange for my honest review!

A great retelling of one of the more tragic Greek myths. I love the resurgence of love for Greek mythos in media now so I will actively consume it all. This was a great debut and I think readers will enjoy it as much as Circe!

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati tells the story of the Spartan Princess and Mycenaen Queen, most famous for killing her husband, Agamemnon (good riddance Ag's - literally no one likes you). I was casually aware of Clytemnestra, but in the most non-specific way, so this book was exceptionally thrilling for me. I was on the edge of my seat unsure of exactly where the story would take me, but thrilled to be on the ride.

It had everything I enjoy in a Greek Mythology retelling - strong complex female characters that refuse to be victims to their rather atrocious circumstances (typically forced upon them by men or gods), a healthy disrespect for religious order and societal conventions and lots and lots of classic greek vengeance (or Furies style justice).

This was a great debut - compelling, exciting, and with a unique voice! I will be keeping an eye out for all future Casati books.

I have to end with one of my favorite lines from the book: "Gods do not care about us. They have other concerns. That is why you should never live in the shadow of their anger. It is men you must fear. It is men who will be angry with you if you rise too high, if you are too much loved. The stronger you are, the more they will try to take you down."

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is a well-written retelling of Greek mythology. The daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, the King and Queen of Sparta, and the wife of Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War, Clytemnestra is one of the most notorious women in Greek mythology. A warrior, a queen, and a loving mother, she lives in a world that does not value women and suffers many losses at the hands of her father and husband. Clytemnestra is bloody, bold and resolute, a proud lioness, fiercely protective of her children and takes upon herself the traditionally masculine role of avenger, choosing retaliation and vengeance to express her grief. While Clytemnestra is traditionally despised in the myths, I felt sympathy for this powerful queen and found poetic justice in a woman meting out harsh justice in this toxic, patriarchal world.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of this book.

“She doesn’t care about marrying a king as much as becoming a great queen.”

Fabulous alternate point of view retelling of the mythological story of Clytemnestra. Great read for those who love mythology and stories of female empowerment. As a novel, it takes the myth, written with male bias, and injects it with an emotional backstory that presents motivation for WHY Clytemnestra was who she was. You view the myth through her perspective.

Clytemnestra was raised a Spartan woman, fierce, powerful, and free. She suffers brutal losses and becomes a queen mired in grief, broken yet propelled forward with hatred and vengeance toward those who wronged her. Yet she is still a fair minded, intelligent ruler. The writer does a good job of portraying her as a flawed yet sympathetic character. And also demonstrates the hypocrisies she faced as a woman trying to rule but always criticized in a man’s world.

I loved Clytemnestra’s directness, the way she challenged men. And I got a new appreciation for the Spartan way of life… tough but free. I remember learning in school that Athenians were civilized and Spartans were wild, but here I see an added perspective on being strong and free.

Overall, the author paints Clytemnestra as a powerful, strong woman. Great perspective. Good debut. And it’s a great read to delve into during women’s history month!

“But I know this. I will have my justice.”

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

#clytemnestra #harpercollins #costanzacasati

This was my first greek mythology fiction book! With that being said, a lot of the language and names are obviously very new to me. So although I really enjoyed the story and was totally hooked from the beginning, it was hard for me to keep up with the character names and lineage. It was very handy that the author included a name list with descriptions and the family charts. There were a lot of times where I had to go back and reference that. I think because of my unfamiliarity with greek mythology, some parts did seem slow, and it was sometimes hard to keep up with the names because they are so different and there are so many. I would totally read more from this author, I just need to brush up or dive into more of these greek mythology books!

I thought Circe and The Song of Achilles would be hard to top, but this was an equal in amazingness and strength! She is both strong and unapologetic, and this is the feminist retelling that we all need. Can't say enough good things about this exemplary book.

I received a digital ARC of this book via Netgalley, and a print ARC via Bookish First. Thank you to the publisher Sourcebooks for allowing me to read this wonderful retelling ahead of publication. The original release date was set for today March 7, 2023, but I believe the US release has been moved to May 2. As always all opinions expressed are my own.

As the title indicates this follows Clytemnestra, princess of Sparta and eventual queen of Mycenae. She was raised to be a warrior and valuable member of her father's council. In a world where women were not respected as leaders, Clytemnestra demanded the respect of the men around and bides her time to enact vengeance on those who have wronged her. This is filled with alot of content warnings and potentially triggering material, but if you are a fan of Green mythology you are likely familiar with the horrible things that were done in the original myths. This particular story is filled with brutality, vengeance, and violence. Some of the acts are done in the name of the gods while others are done purely for the sake of taking power and showing dominance.

As with each of these new retellings we get a different take on what these characters were like and what they experienced. This follows Clytemnestra from childhood through adulthood and we get to see how the events of her life shape her. This focuses on the many tragedies and betrayals she must endure, and the simmering hatred that she harbors until she is able to enact her plans for revenge for those acts of betrayal. We see how this hardens her into a somewhat unlikable queen, but as she questions her counselors, had she been a mad she would have been worshipped as a hero and no one would have questioned her actions.

This is a little slow paced and there are alot of characters to keep track of, that being said I found this captivating and hard to put down. I appreciated that there was a glossary of characters at the beginning of the book and a glossary of Greek terms at the end of the book for easy reference. This was really helpful and I used both often when I couldn't remember who a particular person was or if I couldn't figure out a particular term from context clues. The author did a really good job spelling out the Greek terminology but if you forget what a term means, the glossary is nice to have.

I thought the author did a great job with the world building. It isn't often that you are transported through the seasons in a book, but here we get descriptions of cold and mud which I really felt enhanced the storytelling. It made the story come alive for me and made the characters and the setting feel real. You could also feel Clytemnestra's hatred and anger throughout the book. She has to endure so much, yet because of her gender and station she has to wait until the time is right to enact the justice she has been seeking for so many years. I also thought the author did a great job making you really hate the villains of the book, and there are several of them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

~Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Clytemnestra in exchange for an honest review. ~

From the get-go, there’s a fantastic atmosphere. I definitely feel like I’m back in Greece, beating sun, wonderful breeze, and olive trees everywhere. Beautiful artwork and architecture. Every time I picked this book up, I was transported back to Greece.

I appreciate that this actually started with Clytemnestra’s childhood, as I didn’t know much about it and often have only heard about her story as it relates to Agamemnon, so I love that we’re seeing her identity as it’s still developing, in relation to her family, particularly Helen, who is also often viewed in a villainous way. Their sisterly bond as children is so pure, though Clytemnestra is surely anything but. We also see another sisterly bond with Penelope, who also feels like a layered character, even though we haven’t seen much of her. And Timandra as well, who’s smitten with a girl in her training circle, that she eventually makes her long-time companion.

This book definitely doesn’t shy from the brutality of the Spartans, whether man or woman. Clytemnestra is a vicious fighter, even pregnant, and I love that her pregnancy never dimmed her character at all. She never becomes a purely maternal figure. Speaking of mothers, we also get some interesting development in Leda, seeing past the façade she’s created as a happy queen, showcasing some of the struggles she faces even as a woman in power. This becomes especially apparent with the introduction of Agamemnon. Doesn’t matter what book it is, Agamemnon always sucks and Casati has perfectly characterized him as the sort of man you’d never want to be alone with. I love that although Clytemnestra may suffer at his hand, she still always stands up and speaks against him when she sees him putting his hands on any other women in the palace, even the servants.

Holy hell, this takes a sudden turn into dark territory with Helen’s kidnapping, showcasing the sad realities of women’s existence in these stories— raped and abused because it’s a hero’s right to do as he pleases and no one can punish him for it. And it only darkens as Helen marries Agamemnon’s brother, Menelaus, and their plot begins.

The 15-year time jump that happens shortly before the halfway point makes sense in order to cover the stories tied to Clytemnestra, but it does make the shift in her personality more startling. However, she’s still vicious and now filled with vengeance and lord is it so sweet. That rage only grows when the Trojan War starts and you can really feel her anger after the next time skip. She throws her all into being queen and ruling in Agamemnon’s absence. I adore the way differing perceptions of their rules are highlighted. Clytemnestra is just as vicious as Agamemnon and yet she’s judged for how she rules, while Agamemnon is praised as a great leader. When she exacts her revenge for her daughter’s death, she must be punished, but if a son were to do it for his father, it’s his right.

There’s this wonderful dichotomy between Helen and Clytemnestra throughout the book. Even in their roles as mothers, Clytemnestra’s children bring her happiness and help sustain her, while Helen loves her child, she is not enough to help her survive unhappily in Sparta. I wasn’t super convinced by the characterization of Electra and her hatred of Clytemnestra, I would have liked to see more of the tumultuous relationship between these two. I found it especially interesting that Casati chose to close out the story where she did, but it’s the closest to a happy ending possible.

Across the board, this book was absolutely fantastic and really deserves to be up there with Circe, the writing is fantastic across the board with exquisite character creation. Though it dragged slightly in the middle, I was so completely invested the entire way through. The time skips do also mess with pacing, but they are necessary given the breadth of events covered. I also was surprised to find that Casati switched the wives of Clytemnestra’s brothers when so much of the rest of her retelling has managed to remain relatively true to the originals.

A powerful , fascinating debut novel that will be most appreciated by readers already familiar with Greek mythology. The family tree and glossary are helpful but I found myself referring to Wikipedia for more background on the main characters. Future readers are warned this is a brutal retelling of ancient lore. Thanks to #NetGalley and #Clytemnestra for advanced digital copy.

This was another well written retelling on an ancient Greek Mythology character. Nestra is a woman with a choice. Acceptance or vengeance. It was an interesting take on the lead up to the Trojan War. At times, it dragged, but I felt the characters were well developed.

Greek mythology at it's best!

Absolutely loved this book and highly recommend.

Do not want to give away anything, but I have to say the book is superb. Everything about it is fantastic I devoured it in one sitting. I was up all night and slept all the next day. Just could not put it down.

An absolute must, must read!!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinions. All opinions expressed are my own

I went through a phase in elementary school when I was fascinated by Greek mythology (did everyone go through this?!), but I only knew the mainstream stories. It's been interesting to see a resurgence of sorts in this genre especially in highlighting some of the characters who played supporting roles in the stories that I was familiar with.

I didn't know Clytemnestra's story at all before reading this book, but there were characters throughout the book who were familiar. This is an impressive debut book and I appreciate learning Clytemnestra's perspective of events that I already (kinda) knew from other places. This family saga covers decades with Clytemnestra at the center and it's clear how her childhood and experiences have shaped her character and influenced her future decisions.

This was an interesting and engaging read with a straightforward narrative. I'm glad that there's been a greater focus on learning the perspectives of characters who were previously overlooked or discounted. It's been important and eyeopening to learn the strength and power of women in Greek myths. This was a 4.5/5 for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the e-arc.

In the vein of other retellings of classical myth figures, I was expecting to enjoy but not absolutely adore this novel - I was wrong. It is well written, gripping, and so thoughtful about a morally grey character.
From the first chapter's opening lines, where Clytemnestra observes a ravine of dust searching for bodies, the novel's prose in engrossing. I highly rec this if you enjoyed Circe or any other protagonist driven myth retelling.


Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the eARC.

I love this trend of retelling myths with a focus on the strong women who are often pushed to the background of the traditional tellings. Like Circe by Madeline Miller and Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel, Casati's Clytemnestra brings life to an often sidelined character.

In this story, as in the hindsight of history, Clytemnestra is overshadowed by her sister, Helen's, beauty. Cytemnestra is smart and a skilled fighter, like many of the royal women of Sparta. But she is remembered for her losses not her wins. The loss of her independence with her marriage to the cruel Agamemnon, the loss of her daughter who is sacrificed by her husband for his own gain, and the loss of her pride with all that follows and leads to her downfall.

Casati paints a balanced portrait of Clytemnestra. We get the good things that are often overlooked but we also get a deeper, more incisive view of the actions and traits that have led to her historical reputation. This doesn't read at all like a debut novel. The story is compelling, the writing is clean and tight and paints the story with without excesses flummery. My only real complaint is that we don't get to see Casati tell the end of the tale.

Highly recommend if you enjoy mythology retellings and stories centering strong female characters.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Say it with me... we support women's wrongs!

This is a good myth retelling of Clytemnestra and her struggles in life, with Agamemnon, and through the war. I loved having an in-depth view of her feelings about the events and her family, especially considering most myths don't paint our lovely warrior woman in the best of lights. I liked that her story showed her true emotions and feelings, through the good acts and the bad.

It showed a good portion of her relationship with her family as well, though Helen got most of that page time. I did think that Timandra's storyline got a little left behind about halfway through though.

Overall, it was a beautifully written story about love, loss, family, motherhood, and revenge.

The tragic myth of Clytemnestra, the hated wife of Agamemnon and sister of Helen of Troy, has never been told like this before. Being born a woman in Ancient Greece offers few options, but Clytemnestra is determined to forge her own life. Strong, angry, and unyielding, she defies the gods to rule over her land and becomes one of history’s greatest villainesses in the process.

This is a stunning debut from Costanza Casti. I’m a long-time fan of Madeline Miller, the author of The Song of Achilles and Circe, so I was hesitant to pick up another Greek myth retelling, especially one from an unknown author. Boy, was I wrong. This is my first five-star book of the year and one I can’t keep myself from thinking about it. The fiery characters that move through Casti’s story are so lively and quick-witted that you’ll struggle to put the book away. I received an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley and crushed it within a week.

Clytemnestra, the sister of Helen and wife of Agamemnon, now has her own story told. I had never heard of Clytemnestra but knew of so many of the other characters in this story, such as Odysseus, Achilles, Paris, Menelaus, etc. Clytemnestra was a princess of Sparta, raised to be strong and a future queen. Her strength was tested throughout her life, and she was told she would be forgotten or remembered as a cruel queen. This story gives a perspective of what she went through and why she did what she did. I do not have enough praise for this book. It is well-researched and beautifully written and rekindled my interest in Greek mythology. I couldn't put it down, and even though it left me feeling satisfied, all I wanted to do was start another book like it.