Staff Writer: Leah
Book Title by Author: Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Published Date: May 2, 2023
Number of pages: 435 pages
Format: physical book
Genre: Historical fiction, Fantasy, Greek mythology
Tags: female protagonist, violence, mythological retelling
Cardigan rating: 4 out of 5
Thoughts:
If you are somewhat familiar with Greek mythology or Homer’s Odyssey, then you may recognize Clytemnestra as the murderous queen of Mycenae. However, in this debut novel by Costanza Casati, we get the backstory and motivation of a historically villainized woman. Clytemnestra is the sister of Helen of Troy and a Spartan princess and warrior in her own right, though she is often lost in the shadow of her more well-known sister. This book gives the old myth a new spin as we get the backstory of how Clytemnestra’s life is defined by her domineering father and how the death of her first husband and child led to her being forcibly married to King Agamemenon, a hero of the Trojan war. The pacing of this story was very good, even though the middle slows down a little bit; it never felt like the story was stalling. This book follows Clytemnestra from girlhood up until the events that make her known as one of the most hated characters in the Greek epics, but if you are familiar with the original story, this perspective may shift your opinion. Clytemnestra is a Spartan woman and was raised to be a powerful fighter, smart, and strategic, and her perspective is riveting to read. If you are a fan of other retellings such as Circe, Song of Achilles, or Elektra, I would highly recommend this as your next read.