Clytemnestra
A Novel
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4.5 • 51 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
"Fans of Circe and Elektra should pick up this powerful Greek myth retelling." —Cosmopolitan
For fans of Madeline Miller, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.
As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best…
You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.
But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.
Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods’ hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.
If power isn’t given to you, you have to take it for yourself.
A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her.
"Crackles with vivid fury, passion, and strength." —Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Clytemnestra might not be as famous as her sister Helen of Troy, but Costanza Casati’s novel shows that the lesser-known Greek heroine can definitely stand on her own. Raised as the princess of Sparta, Clytemnestra becomes the queen of Mycenae when she marries King Agamemnon. But when the king sacrifices their daughter to the gods to gain luck in battle, Clytemnestra’s world is ripped apart, setting her on a path toward the only thing she now cares about: vengeance. Casati immerses us in this tale with some major world-building full of carefully observed details about life in ancient Greece. Her prose is vivid, powerful, and totally visceral—especially when things get brutal. Reading this heroine’s story from a new point of view made us reconsider gender bias in all of mythology. Clytemnestra is bursting with intrigue, excitement, and bloody revenge.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Casati's impressive debut adds to the growing ranks of novels that reframe the Greek myths from a feminist perspective, with her portrayal of Helen of Troy's twin sister, Clytemnestra. An ominous scene introduces the Spartan princess as she peers into a ravine rumored to be the repository of the remains of dead infants. Then, Agamemnon kills her husband, king Tantalus of Maeonia, and forces her to marry him. Clytemnestra's infant by Tantalus is also murdered, presaging the more familiar loss of another child. When the Greek forces led by Agamemnon are stalled, he sacrifices their daughter, Iphigenia, believing that doing so will appease the gods, who will then unleash the winds needed for the army's ships to sail to Troy so that the abducted Helen can be rescued. That filicide sets the stage for Clytemnestra's ultimate revenge after the Trojan War ends. Simple metaphors illustrate how Clytemnestra differs from her more famous sibling ("Clytemnestra dances for herself; Helen dances for others"), and the author demonstrates her hero's agency and strength with such scenes as Clytemnestra killing a wild lynx. Despite the essential plot beats being well-known, Casati makes this grim tale feel fresh through vivid imagery and nuanced characterizations. It's sure to please fans of the revisionist genre.
Customer Reviews
Love it
I really enjoy this book. I couldn’t put it down. It does have explicit scenes and certain events that causes harm to women. I enjoy the story telling. The way it was written and I never heard of this queen. And it made me happy, sad for everything she went through. I really enjoy this book.
Absolutely LOVED this book
Absolutely LOVED this book! One of my new favs. I recommend reading alongside Song of Achilles my Madeline Miller.
Brutally wonderful
Such complex characters and winding stories. I’m glad I took the chance and added this book to my collection. It was such a great read. Highly highly recommend!!