Revived my love for greek retellings!! THE greek tragedy of all greek tragedies.

"For great women everywhere."

As good as the Silence of the Girls, at least personally I enjoyed it just as much. It had been a while since I'd read a book with a Greek mythology woman's POV, and boy am I not disappointed I gave it another chance.

"All we ever have are the roles they force us to play."

Clytemnestra (couldn't pronounce it right the whole time and still unsure if I'm writing it properly) is my queen my star my everything I would give anything to give her the happiness she deserved! I think I'll never forget her story, her pain, her fighting spirit and the undying love she had for the children, no matter what she went through (even because of them, at times). Every mother who reads this book will probably feel a moving connection to her. I don't have kids and I had to hold back tears to not sob in class when I reached *that* part. I spent the whole day heartbroken as if the scene happened right in front of my eyes fr.

"Beauty - the most tainted gift there was. Being beautiful didn't stop a man's hands from striking you. Nor did it stop his eyes - and the rest of him - wandering when he grew tired of the same in his bed at night."

On that note, how is Elektra the biggest bitch ever in any book EVER?! I am so dumbfounded by this interpretation (bc I'm assuming that's what it is, just a version of her story) as I have another book named Elektra and I'm now wondering if I should even read it. She caused SO much pain and injustice and she's the source of everything wrong and bad happening in the 2nd and 3rd part. I will never forgive her and have unofficially opened an Elektra hate club. This evil cruel manipulative woman can burn in the underworld for eternity for all I care.

"Men are not more worthy. Fathers are not more worthy."

Fuck Agamemnon obviously may he never rest in peace, unlike the three victims of the 2nd part who are in my heart and soul the sweetest purest most deserving of love and peace angels to ever walk this Earth (did they?? are they from mythology or history??? still confused about what is real or myths about the Troy thing) (don't insult me I'm just dumb)

Forever in love with this book and might reread it when I'll need a shot of a good, interesting, not-plain-like-other-retelling-I've-tried-to-read, greek retelling! Can't wait to read the other books from Hannah M. Lynn, I already have Queen of Themiscyra lined up...


thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an e-copy of this book!! I gave my most honest and hopefully useful opinion :)

[review posted on Goodreads and another version will be posted on instagram and tiktok]

If you like Greek mythology, check out this book. What would you do to save the ones you love? Read and find out!!! Clytemnestra is a character you can’t help but root for!

I always enjoy reading retellings, especially Troy/Helen adjacent. What’s great read that had me thinking about it when I wasn’t reading
Clymnestra and her sorrows was a great story to focus on & I learned so much .
Then it would change up and following her children



The last part is the only one that felt disjointed

3.5/5 stars!

Let me tell you, this month was very hard for me to pick up any book but when I picked up A Spartan's Sorrow, I DEMOLISHED it.

Like finished the first half in one go, put it down, and finished the other half in one go. It is such a fast paced read and all of the family dynamics are so interesting to read about that you don't even realize how much you have read until suddenly you are on chapter 30 and you are like "oH?"

I loved Clytemnestra and her devotion to her children. I was right there ready to throttle Electra for being so pigheaded about Iphigenia and Agamemnon. I loved reading about her love story with Aegisthus and every thing surrounding it!

I did feel a little "down" (I am not sure that is the right word though) when I realized that the last third of the book would focus on Orestes and Not Clytemnestra. I had hoped that a book called after a "Spartan's Sorrow" would have focused primarily on said Spartan. But I love Orestes' story all the same, even if some parts were a little slower for me.

It just kinda felt like I was reading a whole other book by the time I reached part 3 and everything sped past Clytemnestra so we could focus on Orestes, both two good stories that had me looking up more mythology! And I loved the end of the book that almost foreshadows Orestes' end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The time skips and speed were fine for the most part, but I do wish that we had spent the whole book with Clytemnestra and her point of view. The switch to Orestes was a little jarring, but not too difficult to overcome!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Hannah Lynn continues to write tremendously strong retellings, a complicated and beautiful story of revenge presented here. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

Thank you Net Galley and Source books for his e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this take on Clythemnestra's story. I feel like it did a fantastic job of portraying the love she had for her children and the lengths she would go through to protect them. It also gave us a deeper look into "the sister of Helen" it gave us more of her background and really made us cheer for her!

In the end this gave Clythemnestra a voice for her story to stand alone as it should!

A retelling of the story of Clytemnestra, Elektra, and Agamenon centered around Clytemnestra and her sorrow, rage, and desire for vengence. I loved this version of her, because she was more than her husband's wife. More than a mother who lost a child. She was a queen in her own right, a person with wants and needs, and more than a pawn at the mercy of those around her.

I picked this one up immediately after Athena's Child (which I LOVED), and I wasn't disappointed! I've read so many retellings of this story, but this is one of my favorites. Including Elektra being just the absolute worst, especially as a teenager. Hannah manages to capture the heavy emotions of the loss of Iphigenia without graphic detail of her death on page. I loved seeing Clytemnestra rise from the ashes and seek justice!

If you're a fan of greek mythology, particularly of the mortals the gods toy with rather than the gods themselves, you'll love this one! Hannah Lynn should definitely be added to Natalie Haynes and Madeline Miller when we talk about great mythology authors.

A Spartan's Sorrow is a fantastic introduction to the beautiful retelling of Greek myths by Hannah Lynn. I adore this genre and Hannah Lynn has a deep seated understanding of the myths and the beauty of Lynn's books is that she is a storyteller that expands upon the original tales for consumption in a different age

Learning about mythology in school (many, many moons ago) there was always a certain level of detachment and as I am of the era who got to enjoy the stop-motion animation of Jason and the Argonauts when it came out, there was a sense of "otherness" and awe that consigned it to the silver screen and not placed in the history of Greece

Fast forward to today and we have this fantastic movement retelling the myths of a bygone age and I am absolutely loving it and most of all, I am loving it's blend of authentic recounting and tethering to modern sensibilities, making them relatable on an emotional level

Clytemnestra is not a perfect woman, mother or queen, but she tries to do the right thing. It was so easy for me to get right behind her throughout the book and Lynn's writing further engages the reader, drawing them in to a strong empathy with and understanding of our protagonist

A stunning introduction to this author and I am very much looking forward to reading Queens of Themiscyra and Daughters of Olympus

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Hannah Lynn for this brilliant ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

A fascinating retelling of the story of Clytemnestra, who murdered her husband Agamemnon, and of their son Orestes. If you, like me, have only vague (perhaps no) memories of the tale, this will send you off for more of the myths. If you do know the story, you will appreciate it for the fresh look at a woman who is usually known only as a killer. This provides her a back story, a history that's more than just words on the page. The last third of the book is about Orestes who, again. was only a name to me before I picked this up. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It's a really good read.

A Spartan's Sorrow, which gives voice to Clytemnestra and characterizes her as a fierce and sacrificial mother rather than just an adultress and murderer, was a mixed reading experience for me. The book is divided into three sections: the first focuses on Clytemnestra's tragic past and protective motherhood; the second on the aftermath of Agamemnon's murder; and the third on the torment and trial of Orestes, the youngest child of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon who reluctantly avenged his father's death.

Part One was by far the best of the three sections. That said, even though the story was interesting and well-structured, the tone and writing style never drew me into the narrative. I consistently felt like I was being held at arm's length and was never moved to care about Clytemnestra or about what happened to her. This was a bit different in Parts Two and Three, written with slightly different stylistic choices, during which I came to care about Orestes. To be honest, I found this effect baffling—I mean, the novel is supposed to be a feminist retelling, so why is the son written as a more sympathetic character than the mother?

But I could have made peace with the author's tone and style choices had it not been for Part Three, where the literal deus ex machina completely derailed the narrative for me. I cannot even estimate the number of times I rolled my eyes.

On a side note, this might be a fun novel to read if you enjoy playing Spot the Anachronism. Ultimately, however, I would say that A Spartan's Sorrow is just profoundly okay—not objectionable, but not entirely enjoyable.

Overshadowed by her sister, Helen of Troy, and the Trojan War, Clytemnestra's story was tragic, filled with betrayal, revenge, and bloodshed - the daughter of King Tyndareus of Sparta and Leda, and the sister of the beautiful Helen. While her first marriage ended in the murder of her husband and son, her second marriage to Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, was tumultuous.

When Agamemnon sacrifices their eldest daughter, Iphigenia, to appease the Goddess Artemis for a slight he has done, Clytemnestra takes her daughter's body back, vows revenge against her husband, and returns home refusing to allow her children from her sight.

Clytemnestra's resentment towards Agamemnon only grows when he returns from the Trojan War with his concubine, Cassandra, by his side. Consumed by rage and a thirst for vengeance, she plots with her lover, Aegisthus, to kill Agamemnon upon his return. Together, they murder the king in his bath, fulfilling the prophecy that Clytemnestra's son, Orestes, would avenge his father's death.

Orestes, guided by the god Apollo, ultimately does carry out his revenge, killing both his mother and Aegisthus to avenge his father's death. However, the act leaves Orestes tormented by guilt and pursued by the Furies, driving him to madness until he is finally absolved of his crimes in the court of Athena in Athens.

Clytemnestra's story is a cautionary tale of the consequences of betrayal, revenge, and violence, showing the destructive power of unchecked emotions and the cyclical nature of bloodshed within Greek tragedies.

Hannah Lynn has weaved a captivating tale of a woman often overshadowed by her sister in mythology - a tale of betrayal, revenge, and actions leading to her demise. Ms Lynn's unique ability to draw in her readers with her vivid descriptions and complex characters makes this retelling of Clytemnestra's myth a must-read for fans of Greek mythology.


*Disclaimer: Thank you to the author, her publishers, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions of this review are mine and mine alone.

A Spartan’s Sorrow is based on the story of Clytemnestra, as well as her son Orestes, from Greek mythology. It begins in the early years of the Trojan War, and follows the rippling of events after Agamemnon sacrifices their daughter to Athena. The book is a great fit for anyone seeking to dive deeper into Greek mythology retellings.

It is not often that Clytemnestra’s story is told from her perspective. I have read numerous books where she is a character (and often vilified) yet this was my first where the story was from her point of view. I loved how Hannah Lynn created so much background and justification for Clytemnestra’s choices. Women in Greek mythology are often overlooked, abused, and used by the ‘heroes’ and gods. Lynn truly captures the brutality, emotional distress, and injustice that Clytemnestra had to suffer not just at the hands of her husband, but also those who looked up to and/or feared him—including her own daughter.

*Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I want to say thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Sourcebooks Landmark reached out to me to read this.

A Spartans Sorrow is a retelling following Clytemnestra, a mother betrayed by her own husband during the Trojan War, and her journey with grief, mourning, motherhood, and ruling a kingdom alone.

I absolutely love Greek mythology, and retellings, so this was no different for me. I loved reading from Clytemnestra’s point of view, and her ordeals. The only thing I could have asked for in this book was it to be a little faster paced, and the author to take more liberties with this story.

"A Spartan's Sorrow" is retelling of Clytamnestra and her children's story after the beginning of the Trojan war. Overall, I quite liked it but the last part of the story felt somewhat rushed.

I love Greek mythology retellings so I was very excited to receive this book.
This book gives us a story on Clytemnestra, Queen of Myscene and The wife of Agamemnon. It focuses on her as he is at war. Her story deserves to be told and she is such a brave woman and mother. My heart broke for her.
And it continued to break retelling her story with her son Orestes.
This story is tragic with betrayal, love, murder and revenge.

First of all I was completely captured by the characters in this book, especially Clytemnestra. I think the storyline was also very well thought out and executed.
Once I started reading this book I didn’t want to put it down, I read it within 2 days.
The drama and explosiveness of this book had me on the edge of my seat, hardly able to wait to find out what was going to happen.
My heart absolutely broke for Clytemnestra in so many places, I was routing for her until the last page. The other characters were also well done, but she really MADE the story. Her strength and determination were amazing and so admirable.
I will absolutely be reading the next book in this series and would definitely recommend this one.
Thank you NetGalley for my arc copy, I am leaving this review on my own.

3.5 stars. The second in the Grecian Women Trilogy by Hannah Lynn, tells the story of Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon, the king who willingly sacrificed their eldest child for a fair wind to Troy.
Thank goodness authors are giving us women's perspectives that are so often overlooked in ancient Greece. Agamemnon was quite obviously the villain in this particular story and honestly deserved everything he got. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-arc.*

“While the rest of Greece mourns for the war that has taken their husbands away, Clytemnestra fears the day it will bring Agamemnon back. When he husband 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.”

What a beautiful retelling of this Greek myth! I am newer to reading Greek retellings but I absolutely loved this. I will say the pace was a little slower at the beginning but I enjoyed it.

My heart ached for Clytemnestra throughout this book. This is the tale of a strong woman who faces loss after loss. I love reading stories of strong women and story tellers who honor them.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this arc in exchange for a honest review.

Clytemnestra was once a Princess of Sparta, fierce, determined, and happy with the life she envisioned for herself. That was all shattered when Agamemnon came to Sparta with his brother, seeking shelter from the uncle who murdered their father, the king of Mycenae was murdered. When Agamemnon returns to Mycenae, it is with Clytemnestra as his new queen. Life with Agamemnon is anything but a happy one, though she finds joy in her four children. Clytemnestra's life changed when her sister Helen fled Agamemnon's brother and escaped with Prince Paris to Troy. The beginning of the war sees the death of her oldest child, but the ten years that follow offer peace. With Agamemnon gone for once, Clytemnestra is free to rule as she sees fit, free to find love again, and free to raise her children away from their abusive father. But every war must come to an end. After years of freedom, though, Clytemnestra is no longer willing to bow to her tyrant husband!

A beautiful retelling of this Greek Myth! I loved every minute of this book. I wept with Clytemnestra at the loss of her child. I cried joyfully when she took control of her life and became a stronger woman than before. I felt her pain and sadness when Agamemnon returned and was proud that she refused to be abused anymore! This is the tale of a strong woman who faces loss after loss. Like many women in Greek Mythology, her happiness is far too short-lived. Hannah Lynn created a beautiful story that honors Clytemnestra's memory and makes her out to be a strong hero, not a defenseless victim.

Disclaimer: While I received a complimentary copy of this novel, the above review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!,

This was just okay for me. I’ve read a couple Retellings of Clytemnestra’s story, including the book Electra which I thought was very good. This book didn’t do much new, besides presenting Orestes POV a bit, but that wasn’t done well enough to make this stand out.