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

Queens of Themiscyra by Hannah Lynn is a dual-POV retelling of the story of Queens Hippolyte and Penthesilea of the Amazons . When Heracles comes to Themiscyra to bring Hippolyte’s zoster to Greece, Theseus goes with him and asks Hippolyte to come with them. She refuses only for Theseus to return and pursue her even more. When Theseus kidnaps Hippolyte, Penthesilea goes to Athens to bring her sister back.

Antiope and Hippolyte are perhaps the most famous of the Amazon queens, so having Penthesilea as a POV character was a nice change of pace and let us see the different ways she and Hippolyte rule. Amazonian culture is explored a bit with mentions of architecture and the tradition of the Amazons going to the Gargareans to create new generations.

One thing that I really liked was how Hippolyte and Penthesilea are both very devoted to the Amazons but they show it in different ways. Hippolyte would have returned to Themiscyra if it wasn’t for her son with Theseus and the lingering feelings she has for the man she calls husband. Penthesilea’s devotion is more shown in how she gives young Amazonian women chances to prove themselves in battle.

Content warning for a brief depiction of sexual assault

I would recommend this to fans of feminist retellings of Greek mythology, readers interested in the Amazons, and those who are looking to dip their toes into Greek myth retellings and like stories about women warriors.

I have very mixed feelings about this book considering the nature of the relationship between Theseus and Hippolyte in the original mythology. Lynn’s writing never fails to draw me in, her sentence-level craft is beautiful and poetic and really immersed me in the setting.
Mythology retellings hardly ever focus on the Amazons so I was very happy to read about something fresh for a change I must say that there weren’t an overwhelming reference to Grecian women despite being part of the Grecian women collection but that’s not a massive fault.
Overall I really enjoyed it despite one of the periphery characters being Theseus (who’s never been my favorite regardless of any retellings).

Reading this Novel i love reading retaallings of warriors from long agao. Queen Hippolyte is a queen whose world was interuipted by King Theseus and she now has to fight a war and to protect her kingdom. I love any book aabout the amazonian woman and we got this with this story. This book introduces new powerful women not mentioned before and I got wonder woman vibes and i ate this up in a week. We still have some gods mentioned in Daughters of Olympia. the world building, dialogue, and acton plyed a huge part in making this book good. Hanna's Gredian Women Trilligy was amazing in total and i wish their were more books as i know there are man women in greek Mythology whose stories needs to be told.

I loved Queens of Themiscyra by Hannah M. Lynn so much! It is the third installment in The Grecian Women series, but I really hope it isn't the last. I enjoyed all three books, but I think this one is my favorite. Maybe because I haven't read many stories about the Amazon's and their queens so the story had new details and an unfamiliar stryline, but also because I love the author's storytelling style.
We start with Queen Hippolyte, feared by all for her unparalleled skills in battle, and well- known for her wisdom and compassion. After some serious wooing, she falls for Theseus but is still unwilling to leave her Amazons. In an act of misguided love and manipulation, he drugs her and takes her back to Athens with him. Hippolyte believes she may be in love with Theseus and decides to stay for now.
Penthesilea, Hippolyte's sister, is left to rule in her stead. She is a powerful Queen but rules impulsively, yet the Amazons thrive under her reign.... until Hippolyte returns, then Penthesilea is forced to make a decision that will affect the future of all Amazons.

Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and the amazing Hannah M. Lynn for early access to read Queens of Themiscyra in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I'll be hoping and waiting for #4!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of Queens of Themiscyra!

I was pretty divided on this book. While it was refreshing to read a greek retelling that did not center on the Trojan War (mainly), I think, once again, my problem is not with the book but with how it is marketed. I liked reading the book, I read it in two days. The prose was fine, the amazons were great. However, when I realized that this was a feminist retelling, I was a bit dumbfounded. If they would have just said greek retelling, I would have given it four stars. Obviously, greek history is wrought with misogyny so it wouldn't have been as surprising if I was reading this book like a purely historical retelling. But, I think calling it feminist is absolutely wild. The amazons repeatedly talk trash about other women and how weak they are. Hippolyte falls "in love" with her captor. He drugs her, kidnaps her, humiliates her, finds a new wife after raising a child together, doesn't let her take her kid, and she still jumps in front of him to save his life after all of her sisters put their lives on the line to save her and her child. When the sisters went to kill him, I was psyched. I thought this was going to be her redemption arc and I think that would have made the book 10x better. I was hoping this would end with her killing Theseus and taking Hippolytus with her back to Themiscyra. Obviously, authors want to stay close to what truly happened, but in a retelling, we all know that they can take certain liberties.

Another complaint was that the book ended pretty abruptly and it didn't tie up the loose ends. I think we could have used a few more chapters or a better epilogue. Additionally, the pacing of the book wasn't great. There were a few time jumps that didn't make sense. I feel like we were living in the moment throughout the beginning of the book and then towards the end, nine years pass like NOTHING. It's like the book goes from slow motion to 3x speed.

Some things I did like about the book
- Queer rep/unconditional love
- I absolutely loved the scenes between Priam, Hecuba, Penthesilea, and Hector. It made Hector's death even sadder and I liked reading about at least one king that loved his wife and child
- I liked reading about Amazon culture (although I'm not sure how accurate it is).
-I thought this book was a quick easy read and it didn't have the reading a textbook feeling that some retellings do

Overall, I think this book was solid. I definitely wouldn't call it anywhere close to feminism butI think I will read the two other greek retellings by this author that I haven't read and see how it goes. While I didn't love the marketing, I did mostly enjoy reading the book. 3 stars

Don't worry if you aren't conversant or even familiar with Greek mythology- this is an engaging and accessible novel that takes the story of the Amazon Queens and makes them feel very real. Hippolyte will seem familiar in the sense that she's got relatable (albeit bigger) problems. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I enjoyed this very much.

A refreshing Greek Myth story that introduces a cast of characters so unlike most other myth stories out there, while still weaving itself into the stories we already know.

I had been aware of the legendary Amazon warriors before reading Queens of Themiscyra - think Wonder Woman and all the other references to this legendary race of women scattered liberally through pop culture and popular literature - but this book delves so much deeper. Queens brings context to this extraordinary group of women, arising from Ares, God of War, himself. Yet, it is the complexity of characters themselves and their interpersonal relationships that held me entranced, and although men of fame and renown play significant roles throughout most of the text it is the women - and more importantly the Amazon women - who carry the story and ensure that it is a memorable one.

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

Queens of Themiscyra is Hannah Lynn’s conclusion to her Grecian Women Trilogy. In this novel, Lynn explores the fierce Amazon Queens and Warriors of Themiscyra whom are respected for their fearsome strengths on the battlefield. Their fearsome leader, Queen Hippolyte and her sister Penthesilea are the main source material for Lynn’s third instalment.

Lynn creates an accessible novel to share Greek mythology with readers. Those familiar with Greek mythology know that Hippolyte’s faith is heavily intertwined with demi-god Theseus (he is the furthest thing from a hero). It’s tragic story and with Lynn’s adept writing style she covers challenging themes: duty, love, war, and sisterhood.

The opening chapter of this novel was so descriptive and vivid. As the world continued to expand with every chapter, I was along for the ride whether it was entering Athens for the first time, riding into battle, or imagining the ranks of Amazons.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Hannah Lynn's "Queens of Themiscyra" offers a captivating and evocative journey into the world of ancient Greece, where the fierce Amazons, led by Queen Hippolyte and her sister Penthesilea, reign supreme. In this mythic retelling, Lynn weaves a rich tapestry of love, war, and sisterhood that will enthrall readers from beginning to end.

At the heart of the story is Queen Hippolyte, whose world is forever changed when the legendary King Theseus of Athens arrives on their shores. Swept away by a love unlike any she's ever known, Hippolyte makes the difficult decision to leave her people behind. In her absence, her sister Penthesilea takes up the mantle of leadership with a ferocity that spreads terror throughout the Aegean.

But as Hippolyte struggles to adapt to her new life in Athens, she soon realizes that not all men of myth are heroes. Trapped in a world where she is a queen without her people, a warrior without her army, and a mother separated from her family, Hippolyte remains determined to fight for what she believes in. Meanwhile, across the sea, Penthesilea prepares for battle, ready to defend her people and her sister's honor.

Lynn's prose is lush and vivid, bringing the world of ancient Greece to life with stunning detail and authenticity. From the sun-drenched shores of Themiscyra to the bustling streets of Athens, the setting serves as a vivid backdrop to the unfolding drama of love, betrayal, and sisterhood. The characters, too, are expertly drawn, with Hippolyte and Penthesilea emerging as complex and compelling figures whose struggles and triumphs resonate long after the final page is turned.

"Queens of Themiscyra" is a mesmerizing tale of war and peace, love and betrayal, and, above all, sisterhood. Perfect for fans of Madeleine Miller and Claire Heywood, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who picks it up. Whether you're a lover of Greek mythology or simply enjoy a richly woven tale of female empowerment and resilience, "Queens of Themiscyra" is not to be missed.

I enjoyed the intertwining of the different characters' stories however this was not for me. It started really strong but unfortunately just didn't deliver in the rest of the book.

I never knew I needed the story of Hippolyte so much. Hannah Lynn is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint. If you love mythology and want to dive into it further, exploring angles that you might not have considered before, read this book!

If you're looking for fast-paced, action-filled Amazonian battles, this is not the book for you. Queens of Themiscyra is a slow tale, spanning decades, and focusing more on the many ways men suck and women were made to suffer in ancient Greece.
Fans of Circe will enjoy this one.

Once again I have walked upon stories of old with this author. I’ve fallen deep into the stories of the sisters & the Amazons.
I ate this story up and loved the references and the cross overs that I know have hinted because I’ve read the others like it. Sisterhood does mean something in this story


But I did feel it drug a little more at the end. But I understand the change that happened and why it happened. Just felt a little more dull on my side

But the author has been doing a fantastic job. I hope to see more work pop up out there.

I did not finish, was hard to stay captivated. It can be hard to work with mythology, but I feel there was something lacking.

t’s Green mythology so of course I was prepared for misogyny and prejudice against women. We know the story of Hippolyte so I was intrigued to see this where this book would take us. And I was not surprised but I’m was still appalled most of the time. Let’s note that this book is telling what we already know about their story but I wasn’t easy to read I could not believe a woman as strong and powerful as Hippolyte was reduced to this. It was not fair how Theseus got away with everything. But it is not surprising isn’t it?


““𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?” “𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰. 𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩.”

No, no he does not love you, he is obsessed with you. You are a woman he cannot possess, you are a challenge you are something to be conquered and you told you that!

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?”

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

This is not love. You do not tell someone what they want and you are in no position to make such drastic decisions for them. He kidnapped her when she clearly told him repeatedly that she does not wish to go with or get to marry him.

She is A QUEEN in her own right but he still kidnapped because women are nothing to people like him she is just another woman who has strayed from the concept of how we should be in their eyes so therefore she must be tamed.

Even if she loved him it wasn’t his choice to make, it was hers, even if she regretted not going with him and he left like he should have when she said NO it’s her regret to bare not anybody’s. No one has the right to take that from her and he did that and acted like she is the one being difficult.

“𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵,” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘚𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘺 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰?”

The freaking manipulation here makes me sick. What disgust me more is he still thought he was doing the right thing.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘢’𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.”

“𝘈𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘈 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯.”

I like the writing, the story inspired tremendous amount of anger in me, yet again a man discarded a woman’s autonomy. Nothing Theseus did was right, I never liked him from the start and I never will. Hippolyte disappointed most times even when I understood a d felt sympathetic her title as the Amazon queen held no baring after her kidnapping maybe it was because she wasn’t in her stronghold that’s why her character did not match who I knew from the first chapter and I don’t blame her, I blame Theseus.

“𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.”

Understatement of the century.

I am sorry to all the women who has suffered at the hands of a weak addled and weak minded men. You deserve better.

“𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘬 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥? 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥.”

After that line I was expecting her to snap out of it.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶? 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰.”

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘏𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘦.” 𝘈𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺. “𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”

The most awe inspiring thing was the bond of sisterhood that no matter they come first and would go to war for each other.

Thank you so much for a copy of this book Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ebook copy of this!
I wanted to like this book so bad but unfortunately it just didn't do it for me.
Sure, there were some thing I loved, such as Hyppolyte's characterisation, how she was a fierce warrior but still compassionate, and her relationship with her sisters. However, that was not enough to redeem the rest of the book for me. As a big fan of Greek mythology, I already knew how the main characters would die but I expected those deaths to at least play into the "reclaiming the story" part that the book wished to provide. While Penthesilea's story ended somewhat right, Hyppolyte ends up dying in a way that felt really wrong. The same can be said about how she viewed Theseus and their relationship throughout the story, going from wanting to kill him to being certain that they loved each other. I can see why the author chose to write her in such a manner and why a lot of people have enjoyed the story very much, but that is simply not the case for me.

I'm super familiar with these myths, and the source material is VERY difficult to repaint in a feminist way while also maintaining integrity to the myth. Thesus is, and will always be, the absolute worst. THE WORST. So many women deserve better than they received at his hand, and there's not a lot you can do in some of the stories to make that better. But there ARE things you can do and we just...didn't do them here.

Theseus quite literally drugs and kidnaps Hippolyte and takes her to Athens, despite her saying a million times she doesn't want to go. Which is true to myth. HOWEVER, somehow it's fine because she learns to love and be happy in her situation and life moves on, Greece isn't terrible, etc. Which is gross, however I do understand the logic here of trying to give Hippolyte some agency and "rewriting" her story. But like....couldn't we have just had her choose to go with him instead? Yes, that's not as close to the myth, but it would have been far better off had she actively made the choice to go to Athens instead of being kidnapped--especially because she doesn't try to escape.

Being said, I did generally enjoy the book and read it in two days. It's well written and entertaining, and I think an accessible way to get the gist of the original myth without all of the gory details. But it's also not 100% accurate, nor do I think it's fair to paint this one as a feminist retelling/reimagining of the story given what choices weren't made.

It was still pretty good, but definitely my least favorite of the three books.

“The Queens of Themiseyra” by Hannah Lynn is the third book in the “Grecian Women” series. As this book is about the Amazonian Queens Hippolyte and Penthesilea, who are quite clear they are not Greek, I found it a bit odd to have them in this trilogy - but, well, whatever; both women did spend some time in Greece proper. So, to the story. I’ll be honest, my knowledge of the Amazons was minuscule before reading this book (Wonder Woman & helped Troy against Greece), so I found some online sources to help fill in my knowledge gaps — and went down rabbit holes about them along with Hippolyte, Penthesilea, the battle against Athens, along with Theseus, Aegeus, and Hippolythus (whew!). If you know the myths (or related myths) great - you may find this take on them an interesting one. If, like me, you had to really jog your memory (or put the stories into memory) you may also find this an interesting read. The one thing I will say is that I did have problems with Hippolyte basically falling apart when Theseus was around … he’s a pain in the rear and a manipulator (basically just like I thought he would be with the whole Minotaur thing). While my heart cried for Hippolyte to grow a spine … well, Ms. Lynn decreed that it not happen (sigh). I found reading about Penthesilea interesting - and a nice balance to Hippolyte. A strong recommend - just be aware that Ms. Lynn took some different myth stories and cobbled them together as best she could - which is never easy.

I have been sitting on this review for almost a week trying to decide where to rate this last book in the trilogy. I loved the first two books in the series with the first being my favorite, but the third book - not so much.

I was never a fan of Theseus in Greek Mythology. I always found him to be arrogant and self-centered. He always seemed to think he was better than everyone else and boasted about his heroic deeds. Despite his bravery and skills as a warrior, I couldn't get past his egotistical nature.

I also found his treatment of women to be reprehensible. He abandoned Ariadne and Phaedra, two women who loved and supported him, without a second thought. His abduction of Hippolyte and his treatment of her as a trophy rather than an equal also left a sour taste in my mouth.

This was the daughter of Ares, God of War, owner of the zoster, whom she willingly gave to Heracles because he needed it for his twelve labours. She was the Queen of the Amazons, a woman who went to battle even against men.

She turned him down time after time and it seemed that Theseus does not like to talk NO for an answer. Any other good hero would have bowed his head in knowing defeat and moved on. Nope, he drugs her, abducts her from her world and when her sisters come to save her, she tells them she doesn't want to leave...that she knows he loves her in his way.

If this isn't a case of Stockholm Syndrome, I don't know what is.

While I love that Ms. Lynn is expanding on other myths outside the heavily saturated world of Hades and Persephone, this book was not my favorite. It may be due to that I found Theseus's character unbearable, arrogant, and selfish. I never liked him at all, which may be why I found this tale not to my taste.

I hope Ms. Lynn continues to dive further into the Greek and Roman world of myths and bring us tales that need retelling.


*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.