4 stars Ready for the last of this series. I love how it is the gods who are narrators of each book.

If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter–and I know you are!--then you know that I’m one of those people who loves a good retelling of classical myth. Fortunately for me, we happen to be living in one of those periods where the publishing industry is flush with many retellings of mythology, including the ongoing Songs of Penelope series by Claire North. The second volume, House of Odysseus picks up roughly where the first volume left off. Penelope is still struggling with the presence of the suitors and their nefarious fathers, all of whom are trying to bully or manipulate her into marrying one of them, even as she finds herself thrust into the political affairs of the wider Greek world. Orestes and Elektra, the former suffering from madness and the latter determined to protect her brother at any cost. To make matters even more complicated, their uncle, Menelaus, arrives on her shores seeking his wayward kin, hoping that by taking them under his wing he can assert his own dominance of the other city-states. Unfortunately for him, Penelope proves to be more than a match for the men in her life.

North is one of those authors who has a keen sense of humor and wit, and it shines out on every page. Part of this stems from her choice of Aphrodite as narrator. As the goddess of love and desire, she is often dismissed and not taken seriously–even by her fellow goddesses, most notably Athena and Artemis–but her great brilliance is that she knows this and acts accordingly. Moreover, she also understands the limits of her own power, particularly when it comes to the Furies, who relentlessly pursue Orestes and seek to punish him for the murder of his mother.

And then there’s Helen. Of all of the women of ancient mythology, Helen is the most (in)famous. As the novel makes a point of repeating, it was her elopement with Paris that broke the world, and she has spent the intervening years subjected to her husband’s wrath and the opprobrium of her people. Though she likes to pretend that she is a drunken sot, someone so dissolute that she can’t keep her basest appetites in check, North makes sure to constantly remind us that there is much more to her than meets the eye. She is, in her own way, as subtle a thinker as her cousin Penelope and her sister Clytemenstra, even though she doesn’t like anyone to know that.

Of course, it probably goes without saying that it is really Penelope who is the heart and soul of this book. It’s not just that she’s the smartest and subtlest of the characters, though that is part of it. It’s also that she has a hard-earned wisdom that makes her one of the most formidable characters in both this novel and in mythology more generally. This is a woman, after all, who managed to keep a number of potentially violent men at bay for the entirety of her husband’s absence and who, in this novel alone, manages to outwit a man with significantly more power than herself, all while solving various mysteries, including the pressing one of who, exactly, poisoned Orestes so that he would go mad. Claire rightly shows us just how badass Penelope was; while Odysseus was off dallying with nymphs and facing the rage of Poseidon, she was doing much more than keeping the home fires burning. She was keeping Ithaca from falling into ruin and penury. She may not have the overt strength of Clytemnestra or the radiant beauty of Helen, but she does have a subtle mind that is more than a match for any man, including her husband.

Some, I’m sure, will complain that House of Odysseus takes too many liberties with the established mythology. However, as any student of classical myth will tell you, nothing could be truer to the spirit of the ancients than this spirit of play, this ethos of filling in the gaps. After all, we know very little of what Penelope was doing for all of that time that Odysseus was away, other than wrangling the suitors, dealing with Telemachus and his burgeoning masculinity and, of course, engaging in the little ruse with the burial shroud. Claire exploits this gap in the mythology to maximum effect, giving us a story that sinks its claws in us from the very beginning and doesn’t let us go until the very last page.

What I particularly appreciated about House of Odysseus is the extent to which it gives us a richer and deeper understanding of all of the women of Ithaca, not just those who are wealthy and powerful. Aphrodite is, to be sure, a rather unreliable and capricious narrator, but she does genuinely seem to have sympathy and compassion for all of the women of this story, from the highest to the lowest. As a result, we get a remarkable cross-section of female experience in ancient Greece. These are women who aren’t willing to just take what their men give them; instead, they are active agents of history, able to find their own power and their own abilities in the spaces left for them in a rigidly patriarchal world.

There are villains in this book, to be sure, particularly Menelaus, who yearns to seize his nephew’s throne and establish himself as the most powerful man in Greece. North paints him as a bit of a blustering fool, someone who is so desperate to overcome his reputation as a cuckold that he fails to see just how outmatched he is by the likes of Penelope and his own wife. Likewise, none of the other male characters are particularly potent leaders, with the possible exception of the wry and uncouth Laertes, but even he spends more time relating his bygone glories aboard the Argo than doing anything useful in the present.

With House of Odysseus, Claire North reveals once again her talent as one of today’s very best interpreters of myth. I can’t wait to see what awaits us in the third (and presumably) final volume.

I really like this series! I like how it focuses mostly on Penelope. I love how it is about the women’s journey in mythology. Penelope has grown into a mature woman! I recommend this for fans of Margaret Atwood!

This would have gotten 5 stars from me if many of the paragraphs weren't so long that I ended up skimming. Also, some of the circumstances were drawn out past the point of necessary. All that to say, I highly enjoyed this! The author does a wonderful job of bringing Penelope into her own story with a captivating voice that is both evocative yet sharp and witty. I also loved hearing Aphrodite narration!

4/5 stars! This is the second book in the Songs of Penelope series. The author's depiction of ancient Greek characters was surprising but often exciting as well. I loved where the story ended up, but it took us a long time to get there. I would say parts 30-60% of the book lacked the action to keep me drawn in. But I did like how it all wrapped up.

I liked this one a little better than the first. I like the idea that the author had to have three different goddesses narrating the trilogy; the first one Hera and now Aphrodite. But I still some sort of distance between me and the characters that make me indifferent as to what the outcome is going to be to each character. This book went outside the myth and relied upon Claire North's imagination - I liked how clever Penelope was and I liked the focus on her. I also liked the murder mystery angle.

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

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

Another excellent greek mythology retelling. I liked that it was told from Aphrodite's point of view, and now I'm excited to read the next book.

Penelope’s Odyssey in Ithaca

House of Odysseus is the second book in Claire North's Songs of Penelope trilogy. This historical fantasy novel continues the story of Penelope during the long absence of her husband, King Odysseus of Ithaca. The narrative, presented through the eyes of the goddess Aphrodite, portrays Penelope's efforts to protect her home from the machinations of two mad kings, Menelaus of Sparta and Orestes of Mycenae. Penelope must navigate political intrigue, deception, and the threat of war to maintain peace in Ithaca.

House of Odysseus is a compelling continuation of Penelope's story, showcasing Claire North's talent for blending myth and reality. The novel's strengths lie in its rich character portrayals, intricate plot, and thematic depth. However, some readers may find the divine interventions and multiple perspectives challenging to follow. Overall, House of Odysseus is a must-read for fans of historical fantasy and those interested in feminist retellings of classical myths.

<b>Note:</b> Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a free review. I've blabbed all over about this book, but forgot (until recently) to drop my comments here on Goodreads.

Here's what you need to know: I love Greek history, mythology, oral stories, you name it. And anything inspired by any of the characters encountered in Homer's epics, well, count me in! Add the little twist that this is from a female-dominated perspective and shows you just how much was going on for the women of Ithaca/Greece/Troy well -- there you have it, a decent story all set up to grab readers and hook them.

North does a great job of creating well-rounded, fleshed out female characters. It is clear she sees them as players in their own history, not just ornaments. North's weaving of Penelope was really, really well done and made me like a character who, honestly, I didn't have a lot of feeling toward at the beginning of the story.

Did I love how Helen was cast... not at first, but the more you read the more you start to think maybe there's more than a pretty face there. Again, I enjoyed the fact that you got to know these women deeply in such a short amount of time.

A wonderful read! I would recommend anything Claire North writes at this point, and this one is no exception. One of the better books I've read throughout 2024 and I'm so, so excited to hear there's more to come.

In this second book of Claire North's Songs of Penelope series - she renders a very interesting take on the story of Odysseus in the narrative voices of female Goddesses of Greek myth lore: in the first book Ithaca it was Hera a reader heard from. In this second book House of Odysseus it is, oddly I thought, Aphrodite who directs a reader's gaze to the physical world and persons of interest, while filling their ears or eyes (depending on reading format) with the inner "view" only she would have - having access to all thoughts, motives, intentions, as well as past and future. This may be my favorite part of these books. To be given a God's Eye view of a classic work. . .and in this particular work the author has brilliantly NOT chosen the main protagonist of the classic work to feature, but rather one that is overlooked, Penelope, Odysseus' wife and queen. An intriguing choice because she is a woman, a lesser-than person in the time of the classic work's writing. Disturbing to admit that in our present time things haven't changed enough in those role assignments and assumptions. To have differing Goddesses providing insights to the reader, and the long tale split three ways, gives three thought-provoking reads.

As a tour guide Aphrodite works in this second book, because Penelope needs to deal with that World-Wrecker Helen (fka "of Troy"), and Aphrodite considers Helen as the Beauty Babe of this world; the woman She, Aphrodite would be, if she were mortal. Penelope is working hard through this read, keeping her maids close and continuing the fight against all those suitors, finding ways to manage her husband's kingdom (that is deliciously feeling more like her kingdom) and kicking hard against the pricks. What's surprising is who they turn out to be.

*A sincere thank you to Claire North, Redhook Books, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

After loving Ithaca, I knew I had to start House of Odysseus as soon as possible and it didn't disappoint! Loved the characters - especially the discussions between Athena and Aphrodite!

This novel continues the story of Odysseus and Penelope that started in the first book. This trilogy is undoubtedly intended for readers who love the greek mythology. I like and appreciate the tales but I can't say it's a personal fascination. I mention this because other readers will likely love this one more than me.

I enjoyed the first book a fair bit so I was excited to continue on. However I didn't love this book as much as the first. The narrative felt more drawn out with plot pacing that often stood still. For other readers, they might just be happy to spend that time with the characters but I personally wanted more.

I still plan to continue on to the third and final book which I hope will work better for me. This one just suffered too much from "middle-book-syndrome". If you are interested in this series, I recommend going back to the beginning with Ithaca.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

House of Odysseus is the second installment of The Songs of Penelope trilogy, a powerful reimagining of the Greek myths of The Odyssey and The Iliad, which empowers women themselves and is narrated by three goddesses who love and protect three queens. : Hera, Aphrodite and Athena, Clytemnestra, Elena and Penelope.
On this occasion, it is Aphrodite's turn to tell us, from her very personal and refreshing point of view, the story of the visit of Menelaos, king of Sparta, to Ithaca in search of his nephew Orestes in order to help him recover his sanity and health lost after he murdered his own mother, Clytemnestra. Understand, the conquest of Ithaca by Menelaos while he searches for his nephew Orestes to usurp the throne of Mycenae.
In this story Claire North tells us in a very feminist way how Penelope, still besieged by her suitors, manages to undo the machinations of Menelaos and recover Ithaca, all with the help of the women of the island.
A very interesting premise, a well-told story, with well-defined and easy-to-identify heroes, heroines and villains, because what else could be someone whom the Goddess of Love loves, but a hero and if Aphrodite hates someone to the point of cursing them , this could only be the villain of this story.
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 enjoyed it overall~ however, in terms of phrases and dictions I prefer the first book Ithaca. It doesn't as poetic 🥲 I have a bit of problem with the pace of this book. I found it quite dragging, and the end didn't really as I expected. However, it delved to the characters' thought better. We saw clearly all the behind the scenes of the decision and it was a good thing. I liked how Penelope and Elektra finally bound with each other. I would like it better if Penelope became more cunning and showed her ruling bolder.
If you finished with Ithaca, go definitely get this book.
This is a long die review, thank you so much netgalley and Redhook books for the arc ✨

Thank you to Netgalley and Redhook books for allowing me to read this book.

I strongly disliked this book. As much as the book is trying to tell Penelope’s story we only see her story from someone else perspective. I feel this creates a disconnect when attempting to give Penelope some level of authority.

"House of Odysseus" by Claire North is a captivating modern retelling of the classic tale, weaving together elements of mythology with a contemporary twist. Set in a world where gods and mortals coexist, the story follows protagonist Emily as she embarks on a journey reminiscent of Odysseus' legendary voyage.

North's writing is evocative and immersive, drawing readers into a world where ancient myths collide with modern sensibilities. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, each with their own struggles and desires. Emily's quest to find her place in a world of gods and monsters is both compelling and thought-provoking.

What sets "House of Odysseus" apart is its inventive reimagining of familiar myths and legends. North seamlessly blends ancient storytelling with modern themes, creating a narrative that feels both timeless and relevant. While the pacing may vary at times, the overall story is engrossing, keeping readers eagerly turning the pages.

Fans of mythology and fantasy will appreciate the rich world-building and intricate plot twists found within "House of Odysseus." North has crafted a modern epic that pays homage to its ancient roots while offering a fresh perspective on timeless themes of love, loss, and the human condition.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Redhook books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I apologize for the delay in porting my review, but life got really crazy for me for a bit, but it has now settled down.

I am a huge fan of the Greek Epics (both the originals and their retellings) and have a particular fondness for the feminist retellings. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this Songs of Penelope series, Ithaca, and was excited to read this one. House of Odysseus picks up right where Ithaca left off, bringing more trouble to poor Penelope's life in the form of (new) King Orestes and his sister Elektra. Orestes has gone mad and is being tormented by the furies after what he did to his mother, Clytemnestra. Elektra seeks Penelope's help, but she doesn't necessarily need or want this family drama, as she already has enough of here own with the countless, persistent suitors in her home. Making matters worse, King Menelaus wants the Mycenae throne for himself. This story really makes you feel for Penelope and all that she has going on.

This story is told through the eyes of Aphrodite, who relates the events to us in an easy, relatable way with a unique voice. The characters are complicated and beautifully written, and relatable. The plot is well-paced and strong, with witty and enjoyable dialogue. It is an amazing book and it has me looking forward to the third and final installment.

I will definitely be recommending this one to my book club and all of my friends who, like me, enjoy Greek retellings. It is a must-read for sure for fans of Claire North and epic tales.

I was so excited for this book as I enjoyed the first one so much. As a lover of the Odyssey, I loved seeing a different perspective, especially Penelope. The narrator of this book is Aphrodite, which I thought would be so interesting. I did enjoy how the story progressed, however, this one didn't pull me in as much as the first book. I found the book was perhaps a little too slow in the middle portion. Overall still enjoyed the writing though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!