I stayed up late on a work night finishing this book because I just could not put it down. I am only vaguely familiar with Helen of Troy and the Trojan War. I know the basics you learn in school and some I've picked up reading other books. I feel like I completely missed Clytemnestra. Her story is heartbreaking but compelling. I loved the glimpse of Helen and Clytemnestra's relationship growing up. My heart ached with Clytemnestra's at her loved ones deaths. I'm so glad this is my introduction to this character.

Clytemnestra was due for her own story. Casati's version is enthralling. Casati first grounds Clytemnestra in her Spartan upbringing, a narrative choice that makes the character sympathetic and compelling. I've read a few other modern stories about the doomed House of Atreus, and this is the only one that bothers to explore Clytemnestra's life before Mycenae and her relationships with her (in)famous siblings. The story does then follow the familiar narrative steps, but Casati manages to make it fresh and interesting by keeping the perspective fairly firmly on Clytemnestra and her rule of Mycenae.

The story ends at an odd place, though-- an ending that is familiarly bloody and vengeful but also oddly hopeful. The only thing I could think is that perhaps the author has a sequel planned (maybe centered on Elektra?), as the book is quite long already.

I'm a huge fan of Greek myth retellings, and the number of retellings, particular from unexplored female perspectives, has boomed in the last few years. However, some of these retellings are much stronger than others. The best ones explore the unexplored, or bring new facets to characters we thought we knew, or teach us something about people then or now. Casati's Clytemnestra fits firmly into the "so glad I read this!" category of these retellings, and I look forward to more from her.

I received an advance copy of this novel in exchange for this honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

First, I want to preface this review with the fact that I have not read The Song of Achilles, nor Circe. That being said, this book is one of the best books I've read in 2022-2023. It should be noted for those who may be sensitive to it, that there are a lot of casual mentions of SA, almost all superficially gone in to.

Clytemnestra is a book full of names I honestly cannot pronounce right, but had a blast reading anyway. I think the only name I got right was Hermione. But all of that aside, it is a very intriguing story about a Spartan woman and the experience and changes that vengeance brings.

From here there are some spoilers:

Clytemnestra goes through the change of a hopeful young child, to an uncertain woman, to a happy mother, a grieving widow, an angry survivor, and a then finally into the monster she has been trying to defeat most of the novel.

Throughout the story, you see how she ignores her mother's suggestion of not letting hatred and vengeance rule her world, else it turn her into something she doesn't recognize. I am kind of debating, did she turn into her mother, her father, or her husband Agamemnon. Also, would she then marry Aegisthus, if the novel continues into a sequel? (Yes, I am aware this is based off of Greek mythology and the outcome is probably already known by everyone else aside from me).

The story is very well written, it grabs your attention in the first few pages, and then starts to feel like a place you would rather be than functioning out in the outside world. Then it feels like a comfort show. The reading is easy, aside from the Greek names, and almost reads like a YA novel in level of ease. The plot is complete and the loose ends are tied in nicely, leaving room for more should there be a second book.

I was completely absorbed by this book and finished it in just two days. I'm not sure I liked the time jumps - it was a little disorienting to have a major scene, then BOOM - nine years have passed and now it's time for another major scene. Clytemnestra was definitely driven mad by her vengeance, but I can't say that I blamed her. The fact that she lives with Agamemnon for so long is pretty amazing to me. I'm really enjoying these new books that are telling the old myths from the women's point of view and showing that the heroes weren't really all that heroic. It's a nice twist.

A woman's view of the Trojan War, as told by Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon, who sacrificed her beloved daughter for a bit of wind. There are no Greek heroes in this book, only villains and a queen bent on revenge. Perfect for fans of "Circe" or "The Firebrand."

As always, thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an ARC of this title!

Though this was my first experience with Constanza Casati, I needed no introduction to the tale of Clytemnestra, and my adoration for her alongside the gorgeous cover had my extremely excited to dive into this book! My initial read-through definitely did not disappoint -- though marketed for fans of Madeline Miller, Natalie Haynes, and Jennifer Saint, the characterization here paid homage to the true violence and vengeance of Clytemnestra in a way that felt both skillfully done and in apt homage to the original myth.

Overall, this is exactly what I would have hoped for in a reimagining of this character and her mythology, and Casati did a fantastic job in both her prose, her worldbuilding, and her characterization of everyone from Clytemnestra herself to the supporting cast of equally familiar faces. The juxtaposition between Helen and Clytemnestra's roles within a largely male dominated society, even as they are allowed some freedoms that might seem strange to us today, were an incredibly well-written consideration for the book, and perhaps one of my favorite parts of it in general, although the attention to feminine rage and violence was a very, very close second.

I did at times find the pacing, especially at the beginning, to be a bit slow, and the language here to follow a very repetitive cadence which stilted the storytelling at first, but after the introduction I was fairly immersed and found myself reading this fairly quickly. I highly recommend this read, especially as it veers a bit darker than some other retellings, which I greatly enjoyed, and I will definitely be ordering it for our shop!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own-



Girlboss, gatekeep, gaslight. Clytemnestra has it all. 5/5!

I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley/Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review.

"The face that launched a thousand ships." We all know the story of Helen of Troy, but not as many are familiar with the perspective of her older sister, Clytemnestra.

Since her childhood, Clytemnestra was born to rule. The daughter of a Spartan king, she is trained in body, mind, and will. She's often accompanied by her sister, Helen, and the two share an unbreakable bond.

"Leda's daughters will twice and thrice wed. And they will all be deserters of lawful husbands," a prophecy reads. This sets into motion the rest of Clytemnestra's powerful but tragic life.

Helen chooses to wed Menelaus, and Clytemnestra's life changes. Her love marriage is destroyed and her child killed, and she is forced to wed King Agamemnon. From there we pick up the story of Troy that most of us know, but Clytemenestra's perspective gives us a peek into what happened back in Mycenae when the Greeks fought the Trojans.

Casati spins a compelling and provocative tale that doesn't hold back from the brutalities of being a woman and a mother in ancient Greece. Throughout the book, the fortitude of Clytemenestra shines through, and it's clear that she is the real hero of the story, controlling her destiny in the only way she can.

Guilt, betrayal, sisterhood, and mothering are all strong themes throughout the book. Although some parts were hard to read (especially as someone with young kids), it never felt gratuitous. The characters are well-written and give us a different perspective on a well-known story.

The book compelled me from the beginning, and I flew through it, even though I knew the ending.

Fans of Madeline Miller will love Clytemnestra, and I'm excited to have another great mythology writer to choose from.

I loved this book and can't wait to see what else Costanza Casati writes. I'll be first in line to pick up whatever she does next.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5147447028?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Costanza Casati's "Clytemnestra" revisits, reevaluates, and retells the life of one of the most villianized women in ancient Greece's literature. Casati breathes life into a centuries old myth, expanding the content of Aeschylus' trilogy of plays (The Oresteia) to dive into Clytemnestra's childhood, family, and development into the woman hell-bent on revenge. It's captivating.

I'm a classics major and I have read (and loved) a lot of the classical literature centered around this Trojan War era. I already adored Clytemnestra's story and the tragic fall of the House of Atreus, and Casati's novel just expands the story in such a beautiful way. The writing style is gorgeous — rich in the animalistic metaphors and epithets present in original Greek writings, perceptive evaluations and foreshadowing of big mythical characters, and a digestible amount of history and myth retellings. Just absolutely amazing.

I truly cannot recommend this book enough. Though I had a wonderful time coming at this from the perspective of someone with an education in these stories, themes, and characters already, I think this is a very easy introduction for those who only know Helen as "the face that launched a thousand ships" or don't know Clytemnestra's name or the generic Greek mythology lover. Even as someone who already knew the basic plots, I learned so much by reading this book! I knew nothing about Clytemnestra's upbringing in Sparta and the drama around her siblings and their own mythologies. This novel also does a great job of connecting all of these intertwining but often told separately myths — Odysseus, Jason and the Argonauts, Helen of Troy, the House of Atreus, etc.

My only complaint is I wish that the book didn't end with (SPOILERS?) the murder of Agamemnon. This novel follows all of Clytemnestra's life, and therefore should really follow through on looking through her whole life. If you don't know, her children Orestes and Electra (who receive some great screentime and characterization in Casati's novel) murder her and her lover Aegisthus in revenge (good old cycle of vengeance). I really wanted to see Casati's take on these events, especially since some ancient authors (I'm thinking specifically Sophocles' Electra) paints Clytemnestra in a somewhat sympathetic motherly light. I would have loved to see this complex and victorious version of Clytemnestra tackle that story.

Nevertheless, this is a phenomenal revisiting of the story of Clytemnestra, and absolutely takes the cake as my favorite Greek mythology retelling! READ THIS NOW!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Greek Mythology retellings and this one does not disappoint. The story follows the story of Clytemnestra, sister of the infamous Helen of Troy. But Clytemnestra is no side character of her story. This is a story of long plotted revenge, a slow burn while Clytemnestra finally gets to enact her revenge for the murder of her first husband and child.

One of my favorite lines from this book is "You can't have justice and everyone's approval". Clytemnestra does whatever she must in enact the her revenge of her child,

Overall, I enjoyed this story very much. I will gladly purchase my own copy when it's releases and display it proudly next to my other favorite greek retellings, Circe and Ariadne.

I have some very mixed feelings about this book, but overall I'd say I liked it well enough. Chapters twelve and thirty-four and the letters from Clytemnestra's siblings were, in my opinion, perfect, and they really showed Casati's talent, but most of the story was written in a very blunt style that left me struggling to connect with the story (and the Orestia is one of my favorite of the Greek tragedies, so the story itself was alright). It's also a bit weird to me to end the story with Agamemnon's murder and not Clytemnestra's, but the way her relationship with her children was written in this version, it wouldn't make sense for them to conspire against her, so I do understand why it ended there, but I still find it odd.

In general, there are also some things that conflict with the original story, and while I'm not totally against making changes in a retelling, these confused me a little. Like how Clytemnestra's first husband was only ever named in "Iphigenia at Aulis," and then he's referred to as Tantalus of Pisa, not Maeonia (Lydia)--then, if you look into either Tantalus, they lead back to the Atreidi's ancestor, Tantalus, and one of the sons of Thyestes who Atreus killed, Tantalus. Or how Odysseus didn't swear the suitor's oath in this book, but he is still made to sail to Troy even without the oath.

I do think this version of the story is great for those unfamiliar with the Orestia (although this might not appeal to anyone just getting into Greek mythology), and the foreshadowing and other narrative choices were very well done. I would most recommend this to someone new to Greek mythology, and for those already familiar with it, some might like it more than I did.

My broadcast review of the book will be on air the first Thursday before the expected publication date at the time and radio station listed in my biography!

Really enjoyed this authors take on Clymenestra. Really solid retelling. It's nice to see what each author changes when they retell the same story.

A fascinating, in-depth look at one of the most maligned (misunderstood?) woman in Greek mythology, really bringing her and her motivations to life.

'Clytemnestra' brings a fierceness to the mythical queen and a chance to expand upon her as a character. We're told her story from childhood, through her marriage and the end of the Trojan War. While Clytemnestra becomes a fully fleshed out character, so do those around her. Her family and life in Sparta are given plenty of time to grow on us as readers and the set up for who Clytemnestra is as a character is excellent. She's fierce and unyielding but also soft and mournful. There have been a few other retellings of Clytemnestra's story that I've really enjoyed but I think this will be my favorite because it feels triumphant. It does leave off the end of the myth, leaving us on the high of her victory and it's everything I could have wanted.

I loved this book. This was my first Costanza Casati novel but it will not be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would first like to thank NetGalley for allowing me a early copy of this book.

I give this book 5/5 stars, which is very telling. Usually when I am reviewing a book like this I can be pretty nitpicky. but this book was just so entertaining I couldn't out it down. From start to finish there is always something going on. Its action packed and full of heartbreak, this novel was one I couldn't help but devour. I will really be looking forward to any more books Cistanza Casati has to offer.

4/5 stars. I wasn't quite positive about what to make of this book heading into it. I'm cautious when authors make claims that their book is on par with big names in their genre, such as the claims about this being for fans of Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes... but I was wrong! This is an amazing debut taking a new look at an old name. I enjoyed this story. I'm not a huge fan of time jumps and I think there were times throughout this story that that was less successful than some other plot device may have been. But overall a great novel.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I love mythology retellings and I will be the first one to admit that I only know the more well-known characters. That being said, the writing didn't draw me in the way Elektra or Circe did. I know they are different authors and I can't expect everyone to be the same but I was kind of .... bored. I did get through and the story itself was good, just a bit anti-climactic.

“She once asked herself, What does it mean to be queen? Now she knows. It is daring to do what others won’t.”

If you’re looking for more mythology retellings, here’s another to add to your list. In Clytemnestra (which you would not know is a debut!), we revisit the Queen of Mycenae’s story of family, loss, torment, power, and revenge.

When I read Elektra earlier this year, I particularly liked learning about Clytemnestra. Now, knowing her story and its key moments, it made this super interesting to read…

Without spoiling anything, I almost found it harder to stomach that dreadful pivotal moment. But that is such a testament to Casati’s stunning and deeply emotional writing; the tension she was able to build, even for someone who knew what was coming.

In the face of so much adversity and pain, she’s still incredibly strong and loyal to those she loves. I think that’s why I’m so fascinated by her. I also really liked how Casati fleshed out her sibling bonds in this take; it added another great layer to her character.

*Thank you so much to the publisher for an ARC and netgalley for an ecopy in exchange for an honest review*

Honestly, if anyone gives me feminist Greek mythology I just about combust from excitement and Clytemnestra was absolutely no different, I'm COMPLETELY obsessed and fully intend to make it my entire personality for the next three to six months.

It's something about Casati's writing- lyrical, poetic yet gut wrenchingly brutal.
Few greek mythology retellings can attempt to capture the intensity of the original myths, and fewer still can succeed at this while still creating an astonishingly original novel.

Born to a king, betrothed to a monster. If you were coerced into marrying the man who murdered your baby, would you demand vengeance? Would you lie, like a panther, in wait for years, decades? Or would you act rashly, hastily, risking all you've come to hold dear? Clytemnestra knows which she'd rather. When the time comes, she would savour her sweet success. Chew it, devour those who would devour her.

Murderer, monster, mad.

Would these titles still apply if Clytemnestra was a man?

Mother, monarch, magnificent.

She doesn't think so.

In this sweeping epic of feminine alliance, betrayal, honour, and above all, the family shackles that bind and save us, morals are not definitive, but a slightly hazy point in the far off distance.

I absolutely ate this up. I've seen this compared to Madeline Miller's Circe and Song of Achilles and in terms of the beauty, eloquence and passion suffusing the novel I completely agree.

Clytemnestra has always been slightly overlooked, overshadowed by her more famous sister, Helen of Troy. Her story is so much more than this, I would say that the nuances and tragedy of Clytemnestra's life provides a more devastating epic, delving deep into themes of motherhood, grief, loss and love.

It's simply stunning. The myths leap off the page as vibrant as two thousand years ago, it's clear Casati's academic background has been put to great heights.

I don't have the proper words to explain the profound impact of Casati's writing- it's hard to explain, I think, because the writing was just so so good that even if I wasn't so enamored with aspects like certain characters it just doesn't matter.

I can't wait to see what else Casati can write, because if it's even half as incredible as Clytemnestra I know it'll still be brilliant.

Amazing book! Couldn't put it down. Easy to keep up with characters and relate to certain one's feelings and issues. I can't wait for another release from this author!