On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace—a peace that is shattered by the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra.

Orestes' hands are stained with his mother's blood. Not so long ago, the son of Agamemnon took

House of Odysseus
by Claire North
Pub Date: 22 Aug 2023

Queen Clytemnestra's life on Ithaca's sands. Now, wracked with guilt, he is slowly losing his mind. But a king cannot be seen to be weak, and Elektra has brought him to Ithaca to keep him safe from the ambitious men of Mycenae.

Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the furies circle him. His uncle Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes' throne—and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims.

Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope fights to keep her home from being crushed by a war that stretches from Mycenae and Sparta to the summit of Mount Olympus itself. Her only allies are Elektra, desperate to protect her brother, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus' wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own.

Each woman has a secret. And their secrets will shape the world.

A very good retelling but it was a little slow. I do like the variations that were weaved in though.

House of Odysseus follows Penelope as she manages her many suitors, runs her kingdom while waiting for Odysseus, and attempts to politically outwit Menelaus. I loved that the story is told from Aphrodite's point of view as it allows for a broader overview of events and adds a new lens from which to understand the story.

I did not know that this book was the second in a series and did not feel like I was missing anything. I do intend to go back and read the first book in the series. I will say that the book is a bit slow, but it does pick up towards the ends. If you are looking for a fast-paced or juicy novel, this is not the book for you. However, if you are wanting to engage with Greek mythology in a new and interesting way, you will enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Redhook books for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fellow readers, aren't we just living in the best of times for book lovers? I mean, all these diverse reads checking in on some of our Ancient heroes and heroines. Although this was the second book in a series, I was familiar enough with all the major players( Penelope, Helen of Sparta, Menelaus, etc) that I never felt lost.

Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, has been waiting for her husband's return for over twenty years. But what she gets instead is a tense family standoff on the isle of Ithaca, it will be up to Penelope, Elektra, and Helen to use all that they have to outwit the ruthless men around them.
the

It took me a while to get used to the narrative, which is told to us by the goddess Aphrodite, watching all these events occur. However, by the 20% mark, I was hooked and a tornado could have happened outside my house and I would not have noticed. Originally, I was going to place my rating as a 3-star but after some careful consideration, I felt that it was more in the 4-star realm. I really loved Claire North's Penelope and Elecktra. I was iffy on her depiction of Helen for most of the novel but I was won over in the last series of chapters.

Expected Publication 22/08/23
Goodreads Review 21/07/23

I think a big part of me not fully enjoying this book was that I did not know that this was the second book until I looked at the Goodreads reviews. I guess that's me learning my lesson about just requesting books based off the cover. I did like the feminist take though. In recent feminist retellings, I found myself taken out of the immersion because it just felt terribly unrealistic.

Stunningly rendered, beautifully written, and brilliantly witty, House of Odysseus is a triumph. The observations of our guide Aphrodite range from laugh-out-loud hilarious to stingingly poignant. The characterization of all players, mortal and divine, are observant, nuanced, and heartrendingly vivid in ways their mythological canon's earliest poets did not allow, and this marks an entry to make the muses proud. Highly recommended for both the well-versed devotees to the literature of Greek mythology and the curious reader seeking to dip their toes in.

I am so glad I got an advance copy of this sequel to Ithaca (The Songs of Penelope) by Claire North. I also gave that one 5/5 stars, but if anything, this book has surpassed that, as much as I enjoyed the first one. I absolutely loved this follow up. The first book was narrated by Hera, but the second is narrated by Aphrodite. I think that having a different goddess narrating each book was such a refreshing and interesting choice. The goddesses, representing femininity and womanhood in their divinity, as diverse and varied as those concepts might be, cast an eye toward Ithaca with Penelope and her maids and priestesses while Odysseus is off trying to make his way home.

In the first book, Penelope fended off suitors and pirates, but in the sequel a far more powerful enemy has come to her shores: Menelaus, King of Sparta. And he has designs on the throne of Mycenae as his nephew, Orestes, has descended into madness after he murdered his mother Clytemnestra - the king-killer. Penelope knows much more than her small western island of Ithaca is at stake now. The future of all of the Greeks hangs in the balance of this power struggle. Murder, intrigue, politicking, and battles ensue. But the womenfolk of Ithaca, whose fathers, husbands, and sons have long since been lost to the Trojan war, have their own stories to tell. Helen, Elektra, the priestess Anaitis, warrior Priene, spymaster Ourania, maids Eos and Autonoe, the goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, and Artemis, and the Furies themselves have congregated to deliver a beautifully written mythological retelling.

"We women of sky and fire, we goddesses, we are so mighty, and yet if we learn anything from old mother Hera, it is that the brighter we blaze, the more the men line up to make us fall. Our power will be suppressed, subdued, and we will be turned from creatures of immortal majesty to cowering wives and simpering whores, adjuncts merely to a story told by a man. A story about a man."

Actual Rating: 3,5 ⭐️

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review .

It was a solid novel about this greek mythology.

Plot

In Claire North's stunning retelling of an old myth, House of Odysseus, the queen Penelope upholds a precarious balance of power on the island of Ithaca. Penelope uses ingenuity to keep the peace when her husband Odysseus leaves, but it is disrupted when Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra return. The blood of his mother lies on Orestes' hands, and the Agamemnon heir slew Queen Clytemnestra on the beaches of Ithaca. Elektra transports Penelope to Ithaca out of dread for his annihilation and to protect him from the ambitious men of Mycenae. No one will be immune to the cruel whims of her uncle Menelaus, the bloody king of Sparta, if he manages to capture Orestes' crown.

Penelope needs to figure out a method to prevent her town from being destroyed by the plots of a conflict that extends from Mycenae and Sparta to the top of Mount Olympus. Elektra, who is fighting tooth and nail to keep her brother safe, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus' wife, are her sole allies. The goddess Aphrodite, who has her own ambitions, keeps an eye on everyone.

The plot of the book was good, but my main problem with it was the pacing. The beginning and the end was good, but there were parts in the middle that was so boring. Despite that, I liked the read.

Also, when I was in the middle of the read I noticed this book was the second one and not the first, but I understood the story. However, I still want to read the first book.

Characters

Penelope

Penelope was a very strong woman. She is smart and brave and does a great job in ruling Ithaca while her husband is lost.

Elektra

I wish I could have known more about the Elektra. The reader can see how much she loves her brother and she will do everything to keep him safe.

Helen

I must say I thought Helen was a very naive and narcissistic person. But don't let her personality for the most part of the novel fool you. She is a very clever woman and by the end we can see how much.

Menelaus

Menelaus was a horrible person. I really hated him for the entirety of the novel.

Orestes

For the most part Orestes is sick and mad, because he can't forgive himself about killing his mother.

Writing

The writing is gorgeous. I think the writing was one of the best things in the novel. I really liked the author descriptions and Aphrodite's view was good.

World-Building

I really like how the author portrays Ithaca situation in Odysseus absence. The reader can see how much Penelope struggles to try to keep the peace in her husband's kingdom.

Final Thoughts

Again, I liked the novel and I hope there will be some continuation.

Thank you NetGalley and Red hook for the ARC for an honest review!

House of Odysseus is another great feminist Greek mythology retelling. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, though I did like the first (Ithaca) just a little bit more. The narrator for House of Odysseus is Aphrodite and while I liked her narration, I just liked Hera’s in book one a bit more. House of Odysseus didn’t seem quite as lyrical as Ithaca did. It also used language that seemed a little too modern at times. However, I do think Aphrodite was the right choice for the narrator. In fact, I’ve never been a huge Aphrodite fan but House of Odysseus made me like her quite a bit. She has a very romantic view of things (of course, since she’s the goddess of love) and it really gave a nice lightness to the book, despite how brutal the events could be. I also enjoyed the storyline of House of Odysseus. It progressed nicely and sets up the next book really well. It feels like the next narrator is being set up to be Athena, which would absolutely make the most sense given the events of both books so far.

Claire North really knows how to write strong and smart female characters. We’re shown throughout the book all the ways Penelope and her island of women are protecting Ithaca as well as outplaying the men politically and strategically. The men are also written well. Menelaus, for example, is not portrayed as some one dimensional comic book villain. He is actually portrayed as relatively likable for a good bit of the book. Cocky and violent, of course, but decently likable. As he loses control of the situation and realizes that Penelope is a very real player of the game and not the passive queen he thought, we see him starting to let the mask slip.

The Songs of Penelope series is absolutely a must-read for anyone that enjoys Greek mythology retellings. It’s fun to see the women’s side of things while Odysseus struggles to make it home from Troy. I look forward to the next installment of the series!

Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the ARC of the novel. I read the previous work, Ithaca, right before starting this which I feel is good to remember the plot points and also have a sense of the author's style. Having Aphrodite switch in as the narrator did give it a new flavor with the same cunning we expect of Penelope. Giving more of a viewpoint of Helen, especially at the very end, was fascinating as throughout history and in the book, she is assigned a very specific personality and is not given a chance to have her own voice or agency. Here, we can see how a woman could navigate and survive the events she has and the decisions that either she made or were forced upon her. My guess is there will be another novel coming with Athena as the narrator. As a fan of Greek mythology, I enjoyed the overall novel but found it could be slow at times. I am still happy to have read it and I likely will want to see how this expected trilogy ends. 4 stars.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the way feminism was presented in Ithaca and House of Odysseus did not disappoint in that regard. It’s a wonderful addition to the Songs of Penelope universe.

I’ll start first with Aphrodite. I loved her as a narrator, especially in her interactions with Helen, Athena, and Artemis. Her relationship with Helen seemed pretty similar to the relationship she has with Helen in the Iliad, which I appreciated as a nod to the original myth. Aphrodite’s love for Helen and the way she does not reveal all of Helen’s secrets to the reader heightened that sense of Helen and Aphrodite’s relationship being something similar to Athena and Odysseus’ relationship. Aphrodite’s relationship with Athena and Artemis highlights the complexity of beauty and the different ways it and love are interpreted, especially by the goddess of love and beauty. The more tender moments between Aphrodite and other goddesses added an extra layer to her character that made her seem more realistic.

The way this novel presents feminism in antiquity is brilliant. It continues the idea of the women of Ithaca working more effectively in the shadows than the men act in the open. Penelope continues to outsmart powerful men like Menelaus and his men by relying on the other women around her. The shining moments I feel are when the women act in the open. I loved the moments when the women were allowed to show strength openly and actively work stronger than their male counterparts. Helen’s complexity adds to that by actively playing on men’s expectations of women and how women act to undermine their expectations.

Overall, a solid retelling of Greek myth. I highly recommend that anyone who reads this series comes in with knowledge of the Trojan War, the Odyssey, and the general roles of Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, and Hera. I would highly recommend reading both the Iliad and the Odyssey, as well as the Oresteia by Aeschylus to truly understand and appreciate some of the finer details in the novel. I definitely look forward to the next entry in the series!

I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a review.
Last year when I read Ithaca I was blown away by how much I enjoyed it and it quickly became my favourite greek mythology retelling. I was eagerly anticipating the sequel and it did not disappoint.

House of Odysseus picks up following the events of Ithaca, and we see the fallout of Orestes killing Cytemnestra to avenge his father. Orestes is being poisoned so he and Elektra return to Ithaca to seek refuge with Penelope. This kicks off the conflict Penelope must navigate to keep her people and her cousins safe from Menelaus who seeks to gain control of their kingdoms.

What I enjoy so much about these books is that while we see the story unfolding with the mortal Greeks, we also see the godly perspective through our goddess narrators. The first book was narrated by Hera and this one is narrated by Aphrodite - implying that the third installation will be narrated by Athena, three Queens of Greece and three Goddesses. This narrative choice allows for some levity and comic relief that I find is so often lacking in the greek retelling genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC of House of Odysseus in exchange for my honest review!

Truly an amazing Greek myth retelling with masterful storytelling by Claire North. This was a feminist retelling that touched on heavy themes and didn’t shy from them. I really enjoyed this.

Have you ever read a book and after you’ve finished you only want more pages to read? I found myself craving the next chapter in Penelope’s story. Wondering what will happen next now that I've finished House of Odysseus.

Perhaps Claire North will write one more book 🤞

Now, let me get back to my review and gush over North’s lush prose and incredible world/character building. I know I’ve talked before about how authors can transport us into these unimaginable settings, with characters who feel as real as the people we interact with. And North does that and more. Giving voice to the women in a history who would deny them their mere existence.

Filled with goddesses and queens (and evil men of course), readers who enjoy Greek Mythology, and a fresh page in the epic tales of our ancient past, will devour North’s second installment in the Song of Penelope.

Make sure to pre-order this one book friends.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

While I had not read the first book in this trilogy, I was able to jump right in, a testament to Claire North's completely immersive storytelling. I have always loved Greek mythology, with even more appreciation for retellings. Beginning when I was young and aging as I did, this is the perfect book for anyone who loved reading the Odyssey or the Iliad in high school, and anyone who wondered what happens to all the women in the original Greek myths. Fans of Madeline Miller's Circe or Jennifer Saint's Ariadne will truly appreciate the beautiful storytelling and poetic writing of "House of Odysseus."

Mythological retellings are very popular right now, and this is one of the better ones, not least of all because the story focuses on the women. The writing is vivid, and Aphrodite is an entertaining narrator. I did find some of the phrasing anachronistic (would Aphrodite really refer to someone's "hunky sexiness*? A modern version, perhaps, but not the classical one) but it was rare enough that it didn't bother me much. A worthy read for anyone who enjoys Madeleine Miller and Jennifer Saint.

I’m prefacing this review to note that I hadn’t read Ithaca before this, but did immediately upon finishing this and it’s great too!
Claire North’s telling of Odysseus was a much better book (to me) than the classic that I was forced to read in high school and college, and I loved that it was told with Penelope being the main character.
Maybe because she blends the classic with modern touches and it’s told from Penelope’s perspective, but I was captivated from the beginning with how Penelope, Elektra, and Helen all worked together to try and save Ithaca, despite Menelaus and Orestes.
Having Aphrodite be the narrator added more to the feminine voices who just wanted peace and who forged an Army to protect what was theirs.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All opinions are my own.

Goodness gracious this book may be one of my favorite reads in a long time. I read Ithaca, the first in the Songs of Penelope series (trilogy, I suppose) last fall, and I thought it was great. However, that book was basically the set up for the absolute masterpiece that is House of Odysseus.

Claire North is a master wordsmith, and her narrator Aphrodite is once again the best omniscient narrator I have ever seen deployed. As with the first, the core conflict in this novel is between men behaving badly (here it's primarily Menelaus, come to "check" on his nephew Orestes, aka declare him unfit and take over Mycenae) and Penelope & the women who are loyal to her having to defend their west isles in the crossfire.

This is a feminist retelling to its core, and all the women show up to play. Aphrodite is joined at times by her sister-goddesses Artemis and Athena, and we even get mention of Hera, still furious that her beloved Clytemnestra has been killed. Every woman, no matter how small, is depicted as a fully developed character, flaws and all. Penelope still has her massive all-women army at her disposal, led as always by Priene and Teodora. And Helen, gorgeous, world-burning Helen, becomes one of Penelope's fiercest allies.

But in my personal understanding of feminism, we only succeed if all are equal. And on this idyllic Greek island, one man stands above the rest, shoulder to shoulder with the women - the lovely Kenamon (the author's words, not mine, but I wholeheartedly agree). Picture me, feverishly Googling Penelope + Kenamon for a hint that perhaps this flirtation has its basis in Greek Mythology, and maybe these two will get the happy ending their yearning looks and awkward conversations demand.. Kenamon is once again the star suitor, turning up at the most opportune times and proving that behind every strong woman there's a deeply homesick Egyptian prince. I won't spoil my Google search or the book but Odysseus could quite literally never.

Equal parts revenge tale, sweeping epic, and clever sleight of hand, this book delivers on and far surpasses the promise of its predecessor. 5 stars, no notes, can't wait for the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC.

Thanks Claire North and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review!

When I requested this I didn't know it was book 2 in a series, so I read Ithaca before diving into this ARC. I was worried about House of Odysseus because Ithaca was a slow, slow read for me, but I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed House of Odysseus! Because the characters and story is already set up, it was easy to follow.

First off, I liked Aphrodite as the narrator and her comments regarding some of the men, like Menelaus. I disliked Menelaus this entire book and loved how Penelope was able to handle herself throughout Menelaus taking over the palace and everything else that was happening. Her character really shown, and I love how it was repeated that the women of Ithaca ran the island while all the men were gone at war, so why shouldn't they still be badass after the war?

When I read Elektra, I was eh on her character, but North really brought Elektra's story to life in House of Odysseus with her love for Orestes and her general upbringing. It's so sad how she views love and relationships because of her father.

I recommend reading other Greek mythology retellings before diving into this series, so you have a better understanding of the 10-year war and specifically Clytemnstra's story as it plays a huge role in these books. Highly look forward to book 3!!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.
This next installment in the mythology series for Penelope was written gorgeously. The prose is very centered around women and their dynamics in the old world. I really admired the way the author has the capacity to transport us back to an era that existed thousand of years before. I really enjoyed my reading.