Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC of A Spartan's Sorrow.

I don't think this was the best Trojan War retelling I've ever read. But I think it was pretty close to the top of the list. It was fun to read but I don't know if there were enough totally unique elements to make it a 5 star.

I feel like a lot of books forget to mention that Clytemnestra is a spartan warrior. At the same time, she was a really great mom and I think some authors would have lacked the ability to create such a multifaceted character. I think Hannah Lynn did a really good job with that. It was fun to read about Clytemnestra training her children and running with the guards. Her fight with Elektra was one of the best scenes in the book. I liked how accepting she was of Orestes's passivity and curiosity. It was cool that she really let all of her children do what made them happy and supported them through it. I liked that she tried to weave with Chryothemis even though she hated it. I think the author also did a good job of showing grief. The scenes where Clytemnestra is running everyday because she wasn't fast enough to get to Iphigenia were really powerful.

I think this was my favorite portrayal of Orestes (especially his relationship with Pylades) and Aegisthus but my least favorite portrayal of Elektra. I think it would have been more enjoyable if Elektra had even one redeeming quality or if Clytemnestra had made any effort to get her back. On the other hand, I did LOVE that Agamemnon had no redeeming qualities.

4 Stars

A Spartan’s Sorrow follows Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae, who is married to King Agamemnon, a truly horrible, evil man. When Agamemnon willingly sacrifices their eldest daughter to appease the gods, Clytemnestra vows to do whatever it takes to protect her remaining children. But history turns strong women into monsters, and in saving her family she risks losing them altogether and becoming the most hated woman in Greece. Will her son be forced to avenge his father’s murder?

This book dropped me right into Ancient Greece, in the best of ways. The author’s writing was superb, and her storytelling was captivating from the beginning. Each character had depth and complexity, and even knowing Greek mythology, I found myself wondering what would happen as this book took me along for a fantastical ride into a world where gods and monsters are real. Enjoyable read!

Thank you to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC! This is my honest feedback and review of this book.

Something happened when I turned 25 and now feel an overwhelming surge of empathy for mothers and stories about mothers. I think Hannah does a great job telling Clytemnestra’s story from her POV and the maternal grief and rage she faces for decades at the hand of her husband. This story is one that embraces and harnesses female rage, while also doing a great job demonstrating the range of emotions and experiences of her children and lover. I particularly enjoyed Orestes storyline and POV. Another great female-focused Greek mythological retelling.

I received a copy from NetGalley for review.

So I really love Hannah's greek retellings. They follow stories that I don't think I would have known about otherwise. I enjoy that they mostly follow the women of the Greek mythos. Clytemnestra was done so dirty in the end though. I know this is how the myth goes and I know that it's a tragedy, but it would be so nice if a woman could come out on top in the end for once. Also her kid definitely deserved what he got. She did everything to raise him and Electra and his bestie poisoned him against her. That being said I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC of "A Spartan's Sorrow" by Hannah M. Lynn. Keep reading for my honest review.

This is great for fans of Greek mythology, Madeleine Miller, and Jennifer Saint. A Spartan's Sorrow tells a tale of love and loss through Clytemnestra's marriage to Agamemnon, the king of kings.

For those that have read Elektra by Jennifer Saint, this is the same story of familial betrayal. The way that Lynn tells the story pulls the emphasis away from just the main women, and instead brings the persepctive of Orestes.

With that in mind, it is slightly less of a feminist take on the tragedy. I don't think that makes it a less meaningful version of the story, especially considering how prominent Clytemnestra's love and loyalty to her children is in this retelling.

Fun Fact: Did you know that modern-day Sparta is located in Laconia, Greece. It is still to this day called Sparta and exists in the same spot along the Eurotas River. Clytemnestra was a Spartan warrior princess.

A Spartan's Sorrow is a retelling of Clytemnestra's story. Clytemnestra is a hated woman who kills her husband Agamemnon and Cassandra after he returns from Troy. But was she really that petty and jealous?

Greek retelling is an art. To reconstruct these stories, an author needs a finesse. Are all the villains really bad and evil, or are they portrayed that way because they are women? Clytemnestra is one such character. She is a Spartan princess, woman, queen, and wife, but foremost, she is a mother. What length can she go to protect her loved ones?

Greek mythology is full of patriarchal nuances, and the author has done an amazing job with this story. The ending was not my favorite, but this is not a happily ever after fairytale. The games Gods play seldom are. I enjoyed the interlude between Apollo and Athena.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark @bookmarked , for this book.

CW: This book is based on the Greek retelling and contains some heavy triggers.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did not take any courses in Greek Mythology in High School or College. I see I have been missing out on some great stories!
I devoured this retelling of Clytemnestra. I was hooked from the first chapter and could not wait to see how this one played out. I had a tiny bit of backstory of Achilles and Helen of Troy, but that was the extent of my knowledge.
With so much love, loss and betrayal I knew I was in for a wild ride.
That last paragraph had me doing a deep dive on the internet for more information on Orestes.

4.05!

“One is not worth more than the other. Men are not more worthy. Fathers are not more worthy. Do you think a god would be here defending a girl who had killed her father? Of course not. She would be hanged, or worse.”

The main plot of this book is whenever a king is killed in order for his son to ascend the throne he must kill the murderer and of course women can not sit on the throne because MEN>WOMEN (avg. greek myth lore) but tbh I liked how Clymenstra was portrayed as a bad ass and I wish we got a different outcome for her. Back to the plot, so after Agmmenon sacrifices their daughter to escape consequences for his own mistakes which leads to Clymenstra planning her revenge. It was going well until it was not. I also must say the spartans sorrow was actually a really great title.

Clymenstra, honestly had my whole heart and I loved her because she struggled so much!! first getting her first husband and daughter killed so Agmmemnon and claim her and then killing their daughter for a sacrifice and he also abused her a lot and honestly she went through so much and the way her whole healing journey is written along with the time jumps is so good!! Agesthius, out love interest, who is also Agmemnon's brother (heehe forbidden romance) but honestly he was the father and the husband Clymenstra and her kids never had and I loved how he contributed so much to her healing journey and the love that they had for each other was very beautifully written. Their romance did not occupy a lot of the screen time but it was one that I liked a lot.

The children, I forgot the name of the first born but I liked her the most because she actually had a brain but it felt like near the end of the second part the author just forgot about her and then we had the second daughter Elektra and OMG I hated her so much, I literally wanted to backhand her. She was so brainwashed that led to her doing incredibly stupid things and even after knowing the truth she still acted the way she acted meaning she was too far gone and finally Osthereus I actually liked him a lot during the first two parts even in the first few chapters of part three because he was being brainwashed and was doing things against his will but I cant say much without spoiling. What he did, did not really bother me, it was how he did it and the outcome of it that made me angry.

I did enjoy this one a lot until the the third part of the book I was loving it. It was well written. I was feeling all the vibes, the greek mythology aspect was done well. I was rooting for the characters, it was so well thought and so well executed and even read like a tv show with all the time jumps which honestly did not bother me, it would have been a 4,5 at least if not for the end because part three which consists of 6 chapters and an epilogue ruined it tbh to some extent but I also could not rate it any lower than this because it was actually very written.

SPOILERY BIT

I hate athena she is such a hypocrite. I hate her and I also hate how ors did not face any consequences for killing his mother and still loved his bf who literally orchestrated the whole thing and killed agesthius plus his little brother and omg I hated how elektra got a happy ending?? I WAS JUST SO MAD AT THE END I CANT EVEN FORM WORDS RN

SPOILERY BIT

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot and I will ignore the third part and make up my own ending because I refuse to accept that and I also got the arcs of the next two books in this series. SO safe to say, I will be reading them.

Clytemnestra name mostly become lesser side character in comparison with Helen of Sparta great beauty. I am so excited found exploration about this strong legendary ancient Greek queen.

I missed the event from first grievance Clytemnestra. We found a mentioned about it later but I wish for more showing than telling. But the author successfully capture complexity of Clytemnestra personal arc. Each sacrifice and injustice she endures from her tyrannical husband make her stronger and burn with inner rage. In the end she only a mother who want to protect all her children. The narrative was strong around this main character although we also explore several other characters among them. The writing is great and fluid without any unnecessary overdescribe flowery narration, the plot well structure and make this book very engaging.

I would love to recommend this book for fans Greek mythology and feminism reimagining. I look forward to read more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark UK for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting Publication : 2 April 2024

I have read other books about Greek mythology, but I haven’t read anything from Clytemnestra’s perspective. I loved hearing her point of view, along with the other POVs in the book. I thought Clytemnestra was such a strong, complex character, and I loved her Spartan background. Hearing her side of the story unveiled so many details I hadn’t read about previously. This book was engaging and complex, and I really felt for Clytemnestra throughout the book.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Read from March 30th, 2024 to April 2nd, 2024. Written on April 2nd, 2024.

NEW BOOK RELEASE ALERT!!!

~3.5~

First off, I just want to say I got the sweetest e-mail from the publisher thanking me for the early read and I had never had that happen to me and I loved it very very much. So thank you for that! Now, onto the review!

This was the second Greek mythology book I have read and, though at first it wasn't doing it for me, I grew to it and genuinely enjoyed what I read.

So, at first the descriptions were way too detailed for my liking and I felt like I was reading information that I didn't really care about. Then, the story really started to grow and shape itself and, even though there were some aspects of the writing I didn't enjoy, like the way some passages of time were written (too fast or too slow, sometimes out of place), I learned to get used to it and, by the end, it didn't disturb me as much. Learning the characters and getting, at times, different points of view, was quite interesting to get a sense of what was going on in their minds. The three-part separation was also very well done, I must say.

I didn't know about the story of Clytemnestra and her family and, though all I learned was through the book, I do believe the author did justice to her through her writing of emotions, feelings, pains and traumas, as well as happiness and love. But I am definitely going to explore more of her story and the ones around her. The title fits beautifully into the book, threading itself in not just the main character, Clytemnestra, but I think also her son, Orestes. Their battle with suffering in different ways, and their ways of survival are so intricate and I take my hat off for the writing in the most suspenseful and heartbreaking parts.

Genuinely had a good time, maybe not at first, reading this book and I do recommend fans of greek mythology to read it and share it.

Signing off,
B.

(Free ARC from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark that I chose to review after reading)

The second book in the Grecian Women series, “A Spartan’s Sorrow” can be read as a stand alone (I haven’t read “Athena’s Child” but have added it to my tbr). Clytemnestra is wife of ruthless and abusive King Agamemnon and sister to Helen of Troy. Her story is filled with heartbreak and loss yet despite this she finds ways to persevere and thrive, particularly impressive considering how patriarchal society was during this time period. The first two parts of the novel are dedicated to her perspective while part III is told by her son Orestes.’ This allows us to develop more empathy even as we watch their worlds collapse as a result of Apollo’s bidding and the resulting actions. The inclusion of the Erinyes, the furies, who at this point are super creepy underworld figures that only Orestes can see, adds an element of darkness and questions the entire argument of the descent into madness for people who ‘see’ figures who are not there. The Erinyes also give voice to the innocents who were wronged.

I really enjoyed Parts I and II of “A Spartan’s Sorrow” and while I enjoyed Part III, I really liked most of the characters and did not like what was happening/going to happen to them. This is Greek mythology, so you know that bad things are going to happen to some of the characters, I just really didn’t want them to. This is a testament to Hannah Lynn’s writing, illustrating how well she brought her characters to life. Clytemenstra’s story was one that I was fairly unfamiliar with to this point. Showing the matriarchal viewpoint in a largely patriarchal world sheds so much light on the time period making me question so many of the other mythological retellings I have read in the past. This story also shows the birthplace of democracy as well as the first modern trial and jury which I really enjoyed including the perspective of Athena in the trial’s creation and proceedings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance digital review copy. I am looking forward to reading the next book in a few weeks.

Hannah Lynn-Writer #sourcebookslandmark #hannahlynn #womensfiction #fictionbooks #fiction #greekmythology #clytemnestra #orestes #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookfluencer #bookgeek #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #booked #reader #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #bookreviews #aspartanssorrow #aspartanssorrowhannahlynn

Title: A Spartan's Sorrow: A Tale of Feminist Revenge

From the award-winning author Hannah Lynn, "A Spartan's Sorrow" offers a gripping narrative that combines elements of historical fiction and feminist revenge, perfect for fans of Madeleine Miller and Natalie Haynes. Set against the backdrop of ancient Greece, this novel follows Clytemnestra, a woman determined to defy the oppressive norms of her society and seek justice for the atrocities committed against her family.

As the rest of Greece mourns the losses of war, Clytemnestra's fears lie not in the absence of her husband, Agamemnon, but in his inevitable return. She knows all too well the horrors he is capable of, especially after he willingly sacrifices their eldest daughter to appease the gods. Fueled by grief and rage, Clytemnestra vows to protect her remaining children at any cost, even if it means defying the expectations placed upon her as a woman in ancient Greece.

"A Spartan's Sorrow" deftly explores the complexities of female agency and empowerment in a society that seeks to silence and oppress women. Clytemnestra's journey is one of resilience and defiance as she navigates the treacherous waters of revenge while grappling with the fear of becoming a pariah in her own community. The author skillfully portrays the internal conflicts and external challenges faced by Clytemnestra, creating a character that is both relatable and compelling.

What sets this novel apart is its exploration of the consequences of female rebellion in a patriarchal society. Clytemnestra's defiance comes with a heavy price, threatening to tear apart her family and isolate her from the very people she seeks to protect. Yet, despite the risks, she refuses to back down, determined to reclaim her agency and seek justice on her own terms.

In "A Spartan's Sorrow," the author masterfully weaves together elements of history, mythology, and feminist philosophy to create a gripping tale of revenge and redemption. With its compelling storyline, richly drawn characters, and thought-provoking themes, this novel is sure to resonate with readers who appreciate powerful narratives of female strength and resilience.

In conclusion, "A Spartan's Sorrow" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a feminist twist. With its evocative prose and compelling characters, it offers a fresh perspective on the ancient world while delivering a powerful message of female empowerment and resilience.

I love Greek mythology retellings so so so much and Hannah Lynn did not disappoint at all! A Spartan’s Sorrow follows Clytemnestra’s heartbreaking life of losing those closest to her and avenging them. Strong female main character and this story shows off a different perspective to the well known tale. 4 stars! Highly recommend!

A very fast-paced and enthralling read (I finished within 6 hours of starting it). It's definitely a good book for getting the gist of Clytemnestra's story as well as what follows

For clarity while you’re reading a myth, Hannah Lynn does a superb job. I always walk away knowing what happened to whom; and out of the Clytemnestra stories I’ve read, this take on her was one of my favorites– even though I know she’s doomed, I cared deeply about her sorrows. For a beginner in the mythology genre, I would recommend Ms. Lynn’s books. But I’ll be honest: I’m weary of the left-field relationships which emerge for characters who, for thousands of years (to the best of my knowledge) have shown no such inclination. While I will admit that type of relationship fits culturally, I personally find it unnecessary to my understanding of the myth or the furtherance of the story. Also, it just distracted from the plot in general because halfway through the book, we switched POV from Clytemnestra to Orestes and I was puzzled because I figure she’s the Spartan who’s sorrowing but now it’s about her son. Anyway, overall, not my favorite from Hannah Lynn; “Athena’s Child” remains my top-choice.

An interesting take on the story telling directly from Clytemnestra's perspective however the pacing was off for me.

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

A Spartan’s Sorrow by Hannah Lynn is a retelling of the Greek myth of Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, Orestes, and Electra. When Agamemnon is stranded in Mycenae because of the winds, he kills his eldest daughter and sets off a grief-driven revenge tale.

Clytemnestra is viewed as a sympathetic character rather than as a villain. Her first husband and son were murdered by Agememnon and she loses yet another child at his hand. While married to him, her only joy is her children as her husband is cruel and disrespectful towards her. Despite this, her daughter, Electra, greatly admires her father and believes he can do no wrong. Orestes takes more after his mother and believes she is correct in her anger.

A Spartan's Sorrow delves into how Clytemnestra’s Spartan upbringing would impact her relationships and her worldviews. Spartans are always prepared for war so she keeps her two eldest daughters ready for battle while their father is in Troy. Despite her grief, she keeps Mycenae from toppling over. When Aegisthus, her husband's cousin and murderer of her father-in-law, comes to court, she is reacquainted with the idea of love and plots to destroy Agememnon when he humiliates her by bringing Cassandra, a Trojan princess, home as a spoil of war.

One thing I really liked was how the situation of women in Ancient Greece is brought up but that even when it is recognized by other women, they are still arguing with each other and feeling slighted. There's something very honest in how this dynamic was portrayed in the context of Greek mythology, where women are very often pitted against each other and even do each other harm.

I also liked how we had POV chapters from Clytemnestra and later Orestes, showing the complexity of Orestes’ feelings towards his mother's actions and painting him in that same sympathetic light. The gods demand that fathers be avenged, not mothers, feels echoed throughout the book as many women are hurt by Agememnon’s actions and yet his death is the one that requires justice and Electra herself personifies this.

Content warning for mentions of sexual assault and depictions of the murder of children

I would recommend this to readers looking for feminist retellings of the Trojan War, fans of Greek mythology that is focusing more on the mortals and with less fantastical elements, and those looking for mythology retellings from female POVs.

As a huge fan of greek mythology retellings, I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! Hannah Lynn weaves the tale of Clytemnestra in such a wonderful way, giving her a voice that she hasn't had before now. Thank you so much Hannah and Team for this arc!

“A Spartans Sorrow” is a little outside of my wheel house. And now an endeavor I would usually kind pleasure in. But, as it flashed across as an opportunity I gave it try. And honestly it was completely worth it. A fantastic bit of historical fiction, based in truths and mythology. I love the altering perspectives, and when I really can feel the emotions of each character. I physically could feel the frustration as children rebelled against the parent. And the hopelessness as someone watches their freedoms be stripped. But, in reality, there was two books. And it felt like two separate books in this novel. The shift was drastic, but I understand the introduction had to be detailed to keep a focus on the second act. Just felt like there was a passion in the introduction. And a story to be told in the following. I would have loved to have seen the same passion carried throughout the book.