Scan barcode
stargazerave's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
From the very first day I started reading this book, I was obsessed with North's style of writing. An incredible blend of beautiful descriptions, witty dialogue, and clever insights into the world of the gods, North allows us to see the Age of Gods and Men through a previously relatively unexplored perspective: that of the goddess, Hera.
Within its first few pages, Ithaca throws you immediately into the belly of the beast while also establishing quickly that, unlike other stories of Grecian mythos, this tale revolves around women. I adore this altered perspective on Greek mythos as so many of the writings and stories are male-centric and Hera's bitter scorn towards those who have cast her aside and underestimated her provides a refreshing and, at times, entertaining view. It serves as a reminder that not only is Hera the goddess of wives, she's also the goddess of queens.
It is a beautiful thing to see powerful women being angry and destroying anyone who tells them they shouldn't.
Hera's unending persistence and resilience, and how it echoes in the characters she blesses, is truly a wonder and joy to read, even as she 'loses' conflicts. There are three primary examples we can see this in: Penelope (Queen of Ithaca), Clytemnestra (Former Queen Regent of Mycenae), and Elektra (Princess of Mycenae). Each of these three echo aspects, or epithets, of Hera.
It's worthy of mentioning that Helen of Troy is also referenced in the context of being blessed by Hera, though I won't be using her as an example as she does not actually appear in this novel.
In Penelope, we see the facet of Hera that is purely the goddess of Queens. She sacrifices everything for her kingdom, for her people, with even the fate of her son falling to a place of lesser import for the majority of the book's pages.
Through Clytemnestra, we see the facet of Hera that is the goddess of not only Queens, but of Women and, to a lesser extent, Mothers as well. Clytemnestra is referred to throughout the novel as being one of Hera's favoured in a variety of ways and we see this in the way she interacts with others throughout the chapters.
Finally, and my personal favourite of the three, we have Elektra. Elektra is an incredibly unique character, her viewpoints a mishmashed blend of the misogynistic views of her father and the strongwilled determination of her mother, and due to her much younger age than the other two listed here, we get to see much more of her character develop and be shaped by the presence and proximity she has to the Divine.
We also get a very interesting view on Hera's thoughts and feelings of her fellow Olympians. Her distaste for Zeus is palpable while her fear is also entirely understandable. The relationship between Hera and Athena, particularly the way it develops, was one of the major highlights of the novel for me and something I really really enjoyed. Hera is not simply the narrator of this story, she's equally as much of a character as any other and that's really what sets this novel apart for me.
Within its first few pages, Ithaca throws you immediately into the belly of the beast while also establishing quickly that, unlike other stories of Grecian mythos, this tale revolves around women. I adore this altered perspective on Greek mythos as so many of the writings and stories are male-centric and Hera's bitter scorn towards those who have cast her aside and underestimated her provides a refreshing and, at times, entertaining view. It serves as a reminder that not only is Hera the goddess of wives, she's also the goddess of queens.
It is a beautiful thing to see powerful women being angry and destroying anyone who tells them they shouldn't.
Hera's unending persistence and resilience, and how it echoes in the characters she blesses, is truly a wonder and joy to read, even as she 'loses' conflicts. There are three primary examples we can see this in: Penelope (Queen of Ithaca), Clytemnestra (Former Queen Regent of Mycenae), and Elektra (Princess of Mycenae). Each of these three echo aspects, or epithets, of Hera.
It's worthy of mentioning that Helen of Troy is also referenced in the context of being blessed by Hera, though I won't be using her as an example as she does not actually appear in this novel.
In Penelope, we see the facet of Hera that is purely the goddess of Queens. She sacrifices everything for her kingdom, for her people, with even the fate of her son falling to a place of lesser import for the majority of the book's pages.
Through Clytemnestra, we see the facet of Hera that is the goddess of not only Queens, but of Women and, to a lesser extent, Mothers as well. Clytemnestra is referred to throughout the novel as being one of Hera's favoured in a variety of ways and we see this in the way she interacts with others throughout the chapters.
Finally, and my personal favourite of the three, we have Elektra. Elektra is an incredibly unique character, her viewpoints a mishmashed blend of the misogynistic views of her father and the strongwilled determination of her mother, and due to her much younger age than the other two listed here, we get to see much more of her character develop and be shaped by the presence and proximity she has to the Divine.
We also get a very interesting view on Hera's thoughts and feelings of her fellow Olympians. Her distaste for Zeus is palpable while her fear is also entirely understandable. The relationship between Hera and Athena, particularly the way it develops, was one of the major highlights of the novel for me and something I really really enjoyed. Hera is not simply the narrator of this story, she's equally as much of a character as any other and that's really what sets this novel apart for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and War
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
sirenricobooks's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Incest, Sexism, War, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Racism, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, and Rape
kate001's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Sexual assault
Moderate: Violence
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The story of the women of Ithaca awaiting the return of Odysseus from the Trojan War, narrated by Hera.
This was the inaugural pick for my new book club Myth of the Month and it was fun way to kick off the year! I thought the narration was hilarious and really enjoyed Hera as a storyteller. That said, I found the plot a bit slow-moving, and felt like not very much happened…by the time things started to pick up towards the end, the book was over, and I felt like the entire story was more of a set-up for a sequel than a standalone novel.
Still, if you enjoy feminist mythology retellings, this one was beautifully written, and I would still recommend it overall, particularly if you like a more character-driven narrative!
CW: Murder/blood; death of parent; sexual violence; slavery
The story of the women of Ithaca awaiting the return of Odysseus from the Trojan War, narrated by Hera.
This was the inaugural pick for my new book club Myth of the Month and it was fun way to kick off the year! I thought the narration was hilarious and really enjoyed Hera as a storyteller. That said, I found the plot a bit slow-moving, and felt like not very much happened…by the time things started to pick up towards the end, the book was over, and I felt like the entire story was more of a set-up for a sequel than a standalone novel.
Still, if you enjoy feminist mythology retellings, this one was beautifully written, and I would still recommend it overall, particularly if you like a more character-driven narrative!
CW: Murder/blood; death of parent; sexual violence; slavery
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, War, Death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Blood
maddlecat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was such an interesting read. I found myself really having to pay attention but being fully engaged in the storytelling through Hera's eyes, of a story that I otherwise knew very little about besides suitors waiting for Penelope to move on. The storytelling was unique and made slower portions seem interesting, while taking on the inherent sexism of the Greek myths without being cheesy or corny about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
Minor: Slavery
maheandco's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mythologie grecque - femmes dirigeantes - secrets
Ce livre est un véritable coup de coeur à mes yeux. Fan inconditionnel de l'univers d'Homère, c'est la première fois que je lis la réécriture de l'Odyssée du point de vue de Penelope ; ou du moins, des femmes de cette île.
Le plot est relativement simple : voilà près de de huit ans que la guerre de Troie est finie, mais toujours aucune nouvelle du roi Ulysse. Bien que cela fait une vingtaine d'année désormais que Penelope dirige le royaume avec discrétion, plusieurs éléments viennent perturber la paix présumée d'Ithaque. Encore une fois, ce sera aux femmes d'y réagir.
La première chose qui m'a clairement surprise dans cet ouvrage, c'est le point de vue : il s'agit de celui de la déesse Héra et une chose est sûre : elle est *petty*. Déesse souvent mise à part et peu apprécié pour ce qu'elle est réellement, elle a jeté son dévolue sur les femmes d'Ithaque et notamment la reine Penelope. Une reine fière, forte et dont la discrétion est son atout principal.
Cette série sera une trilogie et on sent ici que pas mal de choses se mettent en place, mais suffisamment pour me faire déjà pleurer sans que je n'ai rien demandé. Plusieurs histoires se rencontre, notamment avec Clytemnestra et la vengeance de ses enfants Oreste et Elektra : et juste... J'ai encore envie de pleurer.
Un gros gros plus aussi sur le fait que plusieurs religions se côtoient, notamment avec un homme venu d'Egypte et qui amène ses dieux avec lui. J'aime beaucoup le fait de mettre en avant que plusieurs religions peuvent se côtoyer et que cela est totalement accepté.
Enfin bref, un gros coup de coeur et j'ai plus que hâte de lire la suite ! Le premier tome a déjà été traduit en français et le dernier tome sort en anglais fin de cet été <3
Ce livre est un véritable coup de coeur à mes yeux. Fan inconditionnel de l'univers d'Homère, c'est la première fois que je lis la réécriture de l'Odyssée du point de vue de Penelope ; ou du moins, des femmes de cette île.
Le plot est relativement simple : voilà près de de huit ans que la guerre de Troie est finie, mais toujours aucune nouvelle du roi Ulysse. Bien que cela fait une vingtaine d'année désormais que Penelope dirige le royaume avec discrétion, plusieurs éléments viennent perturber la paix présumée d'Ithaque. Encore une fois, ce sera aux femmes d'y réagir.
La première chose qui m'a clairement surprise dans cet ouvrage, c'est le point de vue : il s'agit de celui de la déesse Héra et une chose est sûre : elle est *petty*. Déesse souvent mise à part et peu apprécié pour ce qu'elle est réellement, elle a jeté son dévolue sur les femmes d'Ithaque et notamment la reine Penelope. Une reine fière, forte et dont la discrétion est son atout principal.
Cette série sera une trilogie et on sent ici que pas mal de choses se mettent en place, mais suffisamment pour me faire déjà pleurer sans que je n'ai rien demandé. Plusieurs histoires se rencontre, notamment avec Clytemnestra et la vengeance de ses enfants Oreste et Elektra : et juste... J'ai encore envie de pleurer.
Un gros gros plus aussi sur le fait que plusieurs religions se côtoient, notamment avec un homme venu d'Egypte et qui amène ses dieux avec lui. J'aime beaucoup le fait de mettre en avant que plusieurs religions peuvent se côtoyer et que cela est totalement accepté.
Enfin bref, un gros coup de coeur et j'ai plus que hâte de lire la suite ! Le premier tome a déjà été traduit en français et le dernier tome sort en anglais fin de cet été <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, and Blood
saskia_ej's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and War
hello_lovely13's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Extremely well-written and thoughtful. It goes very much in-depth about the experience of being a woman, particularly what it would’ve been like during that time. It focuses a good deal on the quiet, subtle power women wield through deception, as well as the sheer audacity of men. I liked it more as it went on as I got used to the narration style (it is narrated by Hera in an omnipotent POV, which I’m not the biggest fan of, but grew to appreciate). I liked it, but I don’t think I’ll continue on with the series. The first part of the book I didn’t have a strong emotion reaction to anything other than annoyance at the men. However, I did get emotional at certain parts when Hera brings up her affection and love for “her queens”, as well as the despair that is to come both in their future as well as in their experience due to the ego of men. Overall, it was thoughtful and hit the points it wanted to address effectively, but as for it continuing as a series…I’m not fully on board.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: War and Slavery
3arth2kaye's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and War
deadnberried's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
TW: SA, violence against women
I went into reading this thinking I knew what it was going to be and it was decidedly not what I imagined.
A huge fan of Madeline Miller's Circe and Song of Achilles, I expected Ithaca to be a similar blend of raw humanity, rich characters, and the thin veil between mortals and gods that infuses everything with magical potential, be it for good or ill. This book seems to have been written attempting to do those things, but through such an incredibly jaded, bitter lens that the story is a slog to get through.
Advertised as Penelope's side of the story (ra-ra, Penelope ruled Ithaca for ten years, let's see how this badass rose to the challenge!), we instead get an incredibly dejected, dispiriting novel about being crushed under the thumb of patriarchy. Women's lives and happiness don't matter, men are animals and will do what they want to women, even royal women can't escape man's ownership and brutality, even GODDESSES can't. Penelope is regularly condescended to by the council that 'helps' her rule Ithaca, while she does all of the actual work of keeping an economy running herself behind the scenes, her son is as different from his hero father as it's possible to be (and Odysseus isn't that great actually), Hera is almost powerless so she just hovers behind Penelope wringing her hands and bemoaning the fate of women in a man's world. This book is just a bummer.
I went into reading this thinking I knew what it was going to be and it was decidedly not what I imagined.
A huge fan of Madeline Miller's Circe and Song of Achilles, I expected Ithaca to be a similar blend of raw humanity, rich characters, and the thin veil between mortals and gods that infuses everything with magical potential, be it for good or ill. This book seems to have been written attempting to do those things, but through such an incredibly jaded, bitter lens that the story is a slog to get through.
Advertised as Penelope's side of the story (ra-ra, Penelope ruled Ithaca for ten years, let's see how this badass rose to the challenge!), we instead get an incredibly dejected, dispiriting novel about being crushed under the thumb of patriarchy. Women's lives and happiness don't matter, men are animals and will do what they want to women, even royal women can't escape man's ownership and brutality, even GODDESSES can't. Penelope is regularly condescended to by the council that 'helps' her rule Ithaca, while she does all of the actual work of keeping an economy running herself behind the scenes, her son is as different from his hero father as it's possible to be (and Odysseus isn't that great actually), Hera is almost powerless so she just hovers behind Penelope wringing her hands and bemoaning the fate of women in a man's world. This book is just a bummer.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, War, Child death, and Murder