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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
In Helen of Troy, George loses none of her deft story-telling touch. Reading this book, or indeed any book by George, one can feel almost as something palpable that this story is truly woven – a rich tale of many complex strands woven expertly together by George’s pen. What a joy! There’s something gloriously gluttonous about curling up with a book like that and a mug of hot chocolate of a cold winter’s evening and losing yourself for hours. Mind you, I read Helen of Troy whilst ensconced in the all-pervading heat and light, punctuated by the quenching respite of a cool sea breeze, of Crete in summertime, and maybe it was the Hellenistic location, but I felt transported in such a way that it seemed almost strange.
One thing that George does so well is in imagining past places and people and rendering them so thoroughly and completely on the page. Her stories are always so rich and detailed, and she’s an expert at filling in the gaps in history with compelling and yet believable material. Helen of Troy really feels like a sweeping epic too, maybe partly due to the tales’ extensive history and place in the western consciousness, but a great deal of credit must go to Margaret George’s skill as an author. I had read Bettany Hughes’ comprehensive non-fiction work Helen of Troy before I picked up this novel, so I was more aware of the historical authenticity reading through this book, and although Helen is, as far as we currently know, a figure of myth, I was stunned at how George managed to incorporate almost every aspect of the legends involving Helen – even those seemingly contradictory tales – and took care to render the details of the Bronze Age setting with accuracy.
I was particularly interested to see how George would handle the mythical elements of the legend, since I prefer my retellings of legends to either go whole hog with the fantasy or try to create a completely plausible historical version. George largely treats the tale in an historical manner, apart from the appearances of Aphrodite and the water nymph. I was slightly disappointed at this because she handles the other potentially mythical material in such a clever way, turning it into something historically plausible, could she not have done the same for Aphrodite and the water nymph? This book would have been truly fantastic to read as a complete historical epic.
For the most part I loved the characters. Helen felt thoroughly fleshed out and very real, as did Paris, though he is not quite as fleshed out – but this adds to our sense of confusion alongside Helen when the couple experience the distress of unknowable rifts between them. Many of the characters felt so authentic, but they appear so infrequently in the story that I was a little disappointed and rather wanted to know more, characters such as Helen’s siblings, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Achilles, Odysseus, Priam and Hecuba and their other children and so forth. The character of Gelanor was interesting, but at times felt a bit too engineered – and indeed he is an author-invented character.
9 out of 10. A richly detailed, meticulous portrait of Helen of Troy set in a sweeping epic tale. For me, only let down by a few odd characters moments and the odd random inclusion of a couple of mythical elements when the rest of the story tries to be historical, but well worth the read. A definite keeper on my bookshelf.
One thing that George does so well is in imagining past places and people and rendering them so thoroughly and completely on the page. Her stories are always so rich and detailed, and she’s an expert at filling in the gaps in history with compelling and yet believable material. Helen of Troy really feels like a sweeping epic too, maybe partly due to the tales’ extensive history and place in the western consciousness, but a great deal of credit must go to Margaret George’s skill as an author. I had read Bettany Hughes’ comprehensive non-fiction work Helen of Troy before I picked up this novel, so I was more aware of the historical authenticity reading through this book, and although Helen is, as far as we currently know, a figure of myth, I was stunned at how George managed to incorporate almost every aspect of the legends involving Helen – even those seemingly contradictory tales – and took care to render the details of the Bronze Age setting with accuracy.
I was particularly interested to see how George would handle the mythical elements of the legend, since I prefer my retellings of legends to either go whole hog with the fantasy or try to create a completely plausible historical version. George largely treats the tale in an historical manner, apart from the appearances of Aphrodite and the water nymph. I was slightly disappointed at this because she handles the other potentially mythical material in such a clever way, turning it into something historically plausible, could she not have done the same for Aphrodite and the water nymph? This book would have been truly fantastic to read as a complete historical epic.
For the most part I loved the characters. Helen felt thoroughly fleshed out and very real, as did Paris, though he is not quite as fleshed out – but this adds to our sense of confusion alongside Helen when the couple experience the distress of unknowable rifts between them. Many of the characters felt so authentic, but they appear so infrequently in the story that I was a little disappointed and rather wanted to know more, characters such as Helen’s siblings, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Achilles, Odysseus, Priam and Hecuba and their other children and so forth. The character of Gelanor was interesting, but at times felt a bit too engineered – and indeed he is an author-invented character.
9 out of 10. A richly detailed, meticulous portrait of Helen of Troy set in a sweeping epic tale. For me, only let down by a few odd characters moments and the odd random inclusion of a couple of mythical elements when the rest of the story tries to be historical, but well worth the read. A definite keeper on my bookshelf.
Without a doubt, my favourite piece of historical fiction.
I first read this book the year it came out (2007) - I was twelve years old. And although my love for Ancient Greece, its history and mythology had been with me since viewing the TV movie "Helen of Troy" in 2003 and "Troy" in 2004, it was George's interpretation that truly captured my love. Since first discovering Helen of Sparta/Helen of Troy, I've been obsessed with her tale and have gone to such lengths as to reading Bettany Hughes' biography, viewing her documentary and delving my love into all things Helen and the Trojan War. It was Helen (and from this book in particular) that I realised my calling in life. I want to be an archaeologist. I want to be an epigraphist. I want to be an historian. All because of Helen and the Trojan War.
While this tale is certainly not the first nor the last to reinvent the "Trojan War myth" (I write this in inverts because there is much speculation as to whether there was a war or not; I believe there was), but George's imagination, interpretation, thorough research and devotion to the story of Helen and the Trojan War certainly allows for it to stand out above and beyond the rest.
George truly captures the essence of Helen, Paris, Menelaus, Agamemnon, Odysseus, Achilles, Hector and all the rest of the cast that had their roles to play in the unfolding of the Trojan War.
While Helen may have been the "face to launch a thousand ships", she was also the woman to launch a thousand dreams of mine.
I've read this book every year (aside from last year) ever since I first got it as a Christmas present, and it never ceases to fill me with awe and love, hate and shock, from each turn of the page. I will continue to love this story, this reinvention, until I too have hair that is grey and lines upon my face.
Thank you Margaret George.
I first read this book the year it came out (2007) - I was twelve years old. And although my love for Ancient Greece, its history and mythology had been with me since viewing the TV movie "Helen of Troy" in 2003 and "Troy" in 2004, it was George's interpretation that truly captured my love. Since first discovering Helen of Sparta/Helen of Troy, I've been obsessed with her tale and have gone to such lengths as to reading Bettany Hughes' biography, viewing her documentary and delving my love into all things Helen and the Trojan War. It was Helen (and from this book in particular) that I realised my calling in life. I want to be an archaeologist. I want to be an epigraphist. I want to be an historian. All because of Helen and the Trojan War.
While this tale is certainly not the first nor the last to reinvent the "Trojan War myth" (I write this in inverts because there is much speculation as to whether there was a war or not; I believe there was), but George's imagination, interpretation, thorough research and devotion to the story of Helen and the Trojan War certainly allows for it to stand out above and beyond the rest.
George truly captures the essence of Helen, Paris, Menelaus, Agamemnon, Odysseus, Achilles, Hector and all the rest of the cast that had their roles to play in the unfolding of the Trojan War.
While Helen may have been the "face to launch a thousand ships", she was also the woman to launch a thousand dreams of mine.
I've read this book every year (aside from last year) ever since I first got it as a Christmas present, and it never ceases to fill me with awe and love, hate and shock, from each turn of the page. I will continue to love this story, this reinvention, until I too have hair that is grey and lines upon my face.
Thank you Margaret George.
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
sad
slow-paced
This book was really fun and exciting. George does a great job of putting her own spin on the myth, but also keeping it accurate to the source material. It was clear she did her research while she was writing. Her descriptions of the destinations are so vivid you feel like you are standing with Helen. I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to other history nerds!
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved this book. I was invested in Helen and her story from beginning to end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Animal death, Slavery
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is one of my favourite modern books, beautifully written and extremely well researched, I have read it multiple times and will read it again.