Ithaca
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
From multi-award-winning author Claire North comes a daring reimagining of the story of Penelope, famed wife of Odysseus, that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. Perfect for fans of The Odyssey and Circe.
"North brings a powerful, fresh, and unflinching voice to ancient myth. Breathtaking." —Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them has returned, and the women of Ithaca have been left behind to run the kingdom.
Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. While he lived, her position was secure. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that her husband is dead, and suitors are beginning to knock at her door.
No one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus' empty throne—not yet. But as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war.
Beyond Ithaca's shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women—and their goddesses—that will change the course of the world. It's time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale …
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Novelist Claire North takes one of the world’s best-known tales—Homer’s Odyssey—and focuses on the women who were left behind in this ingenious novel. With her husband, Odysseus, missing, Ithaca’s Queen Penelope conjures every bit of guile to stave off pillaging raiders and keep at bay the hundred-plus suitors who want to be the new king. While the men dither and argue amongst themselves, the queen calls upon her maids to work in the shadows—and take up arms when necessary. Brilliantly, North leaves the narration to Hera, Queen of the Gods, who has her own Olympian axes to grind. Rather than just doing a gender flip on the patriarchy of ancient Greece, North imagines how women like Penelope might work around the ignorance of men. This feminist spin on mythology casts a spell that rivals any siren’s song.
