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cathy_alice's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Slavery
booksthatburn's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
As the first book in the series, ITHACA tells a chapter in Penelope’s life while Odysseus is aware. It tells a complete story, then ends rather dramatically in a way that foreshadows the sequel.
One of the difficulties in embarking upon retellings of Greek myths for a modern reader is that merely trying to lay out the relevant backstory involves listing several people Zeus assaulted, and a great deal of other violence, just to say the origins of a particular hero or the parentage of a demigod. ITHACA has a refreshing and circumspect approach to this and other similar difficulties which come from delving into stories where women were generally not considered to be full persons. ITHACA aims to tells the stories of the people the poets ignored, the women and slaves who were excised from their own stories (unless relegated to paragons of virtue or warnings of catastrophe). Hera is the narrator, telling what happened while Odysseus was on Calypso's Island, indulging in passion, and Penelope is at home in Ithaca, keeping dozens of suitors at bay. She keeps them just hopeful enough to refrain from war against Ithaca to claim her hand and her husband's responsibilities. In this retelling, there’s a cleverness and frustration to Hera. She, who was the goddess of queens, made small by Zeus and the imaginations of mortal men. Squeezed into the role of the goddess of wives, stifled by the implication that wives and mothers are less than men and distinct from warriors. Instead, ITHACA slowly disrupts that status quo as Penelope shows how she is a queen in fact and in name.
Because everything is from Hera's perspective, she doesn’t know exactly what Penelope is thinking. Hera's most frequent interactions are with Athena and Artemis, as she is deliberately hiding her activities from Zeus, and any god who might carry tales to him. There’s a loneliness and a hunger in Hera, as the way she can only accomplish things while beneath Zeus's notice mirrors the way that the wives, mothers, and queens, who pray to her must conceal their cleverness. When they produce something that men like, their ingenuity is misunderstood, or assumed to have another cause. When their cleverness threatens the men, either truly or only in their minds, then the women must be stopped through social pressure or violence.
The suitors cannot believe that Penelope continues to feed so many without gold, refusing to accept that she is a shrewd tradeswoman who manages her household well. Those who press her on the matter seem to think that hidden gold is a readier explanation than competent husbandry of goats. As if feasts are made of metal and gems, the men refuse to understand that barter and bargain can produce feasts with the resources of the farms and fields.
I’m very pleased with the worldbuilding, the narrative style, the focus as shaped through Hera, and many small moments in the story. I’m very excited to read more, and I’m glad this is a series instead of a standalone book.
One of the difficulties in embarking upon retellings of Greek myths for a modern reader is that merely trying to lay out the relevant backstory involves listing several people Zeus assaulted, and a great deal of other violence, just to say the origins of a particular hero or the parentage of a demigod. ITHACA has a refreshing and circumspect approach to this and other similar difficulties which come from delving into stories where women were generally not considered to be full persons. ITHACA aims to tells the stories of the people the poets ignored, the women and slaves who were excised from their own stories (unless relegated to paragons of virtue or warnings of catastrophe). Hera is the narrator, telling what happened while Odysseus was on Calypso's Island, indulging in passion, and Penelope is at home in Ithaca, keeping dozens of suitors at bay. She keeps them just hopeful enough to refrain from war against Ithaca to claim her hand and her husband's responsibilities. In this retelling, there’s a cleverness and frustration to Hera. She, who was the goddess of queens, made small by Zeus and the imaginations of mortal men. Squeezed into the role of the goddess of wives, stifled by the implication that wives and mothers are less than men and distinct from warriors. Instead, ITHACA slowly disrupts that status quo as Penelope shows how she is a queen in fact and in name.
Because everything is from Hera's perspective, she doesn’t know exactly what Penelope is thinking. Hera's most frequent interactions are with Athena and Artemis, as she is deliberately hiding her activities from Zeus, and any god who might carry tales to him. There’s a loneliness and a hunger in Hera, as the way she can only accomplish things while beneath Zeus's notice mirrors the way that the wives, mothers, and queens, who pray to her must conceal their cleverness. When they produce something that men like, their ingenuity is misunderstood, or assumed to have another cause. When their cleverness threatens the men, either truly or only in their minds, then the women must be stopped through social pressure or violence.
The suitors cannot believe that Penelope continues to feed so many without gold, refusing to accept that she is a shrewd tradeswoman who manages her household well. Those who press her on the matter seem to think that hidden gold is a readier explanation than competent husbandry of goats. As if feasts are made of metal and gems, the men refuse to understand that barter and bargain can produce feasts with the resources of the farms and fields.
I’m very pleased with the worldbuilding, the narrative style, the focus as shaped through Hera, and many small moments in the story. I’m very excited to read more, and I’m glad this is a series instead of a standalone book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Death, Gore, Blood, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Death of parent, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Cannibalism, War, Slavery, Murder, and Child death
Minor: Child abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Incest, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
theblerdnewsletter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The reason I didn’t give it 4.5 stars is because I would love to see Hera’s telling of when Odysseus comes home.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Incest, Violence, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Child death, Slavery, Infidelity, War, Blood, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking
crazytourists_books's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It took me a while to like it, but I found it to be a descent approach to the ancient myth of Penelopy and the suitors.
My main problem, mainly at the beginning was the constant whining of the narrator (I won't say who it was) and later on by the endless descriptions. I liked the choice of narrator but I was a bit disappointed tho find them rather restrained and frightened not how I had them on my mind; defying and fearless. I also enjoyed this side of Penelopy, the dutiful, loyal wife trope of the ancient myths is rather boring. I could do without the feministic notions, but they sell, right? It has a promising end and I will probably read the second book when it's out.
Again, it should have been shorter, at least a hundred pages shorter...
My main problem, mainly at the beginning was the constant whining of the narrator (I won't say who it was) and later on by the endless descriptions. I liked the choice of narrator but I was a bit disappointed tho find them rather restrained and frightened not how I had them on my mind; defying and fearless. I also enjoyed this side of Penelopy, the dutiful, loyal wife trope of the ancient myths is rather boring. I could do without the feministic notions, but they sell, right? It has a promising end and I will probably read the second book when it's out.
Again, it should have been shorter, at least a hundred pages shorter...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, Blood, Violence, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape
mothie_girlie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual violence
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Rape, Misogyny, War, Gore, Violence, Murder, Slavery, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Sexism, Xenophobia, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, and Death of parent
historic_wince's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
We’re all familiar with Odysseus’s story (maybe?), but this book gives us a new perspective—the story of Penelope during those long years of waiting for Odysseus to return.
I first read the Odyssey (and a lot of Greek mythology) back in college, and while it wasn’t my favorite one (that was the Aeneid) I did really enjoy the story. Then I read Circe a few years ago and fell in love with that perspective to the story, so I was intrigued to read this one from Penelope’s POV.
The story is actually told by the goddess Hera, though it’s focused on what happens to Penelope. I actually really liked this though, as Hera had a unique perspective and sees more than Penelope sees (being a god and all obviously). However, I do think it caused there to be distance from the other characters. For instance, it’s supposed to be Penelope’s story but I didn’t really know what she was thinking or feeling in certain moments. I didn’t feel that I knew her as a reader, so it was hard to feel any development in her as a character.
There’s not much that’s new to the story—if you’re familiar with the Odyssey, you’ll recognize the main plot points. Nothing is here to surprise you. What is new is the focus—on female characters that are often overlooked in Greek mythology, and I did appreciate that.
There are a lot of characters in this story and it was easy to get bogged down in them, especially because the plot moves very slowly. I’m not sure that audio was the best route for this story; it was easy to get distracted from.
So basically a bit of a mixed bag with this one. I liked it but didn’t love it, and it was hard not to compare it to Circe. It was really well written and had a lot of good lines in it.
Thanks to Libro.fm, Hachette Audio, and the author for my ALC!
I first read the Odyssey (and a lot of Greek mythology) back in college, and while it wasn’t my favorite one (that was the Aeneid) I did really enjoy the story. Then I read Circe a few years ago and fell in love with that perspective to the story, so I was intrigued to read this one from Penelope’s POV.
The story is actually told by the goddess Hera, though it’s focused on what happens to Penelope. I actually really liked this though, as Hera had a unique perspective and sees more than Penelope sees (being a god and all obviously). However, I do think it caused there to be distance from the other characters. For instance, it’s supposed to be Penelope’s story but I didn’t really know what she was thinking or feeling in certain moments. I didn’t feel that I knew her as a reader, so it was hard to feel any development in her as a character.
There’s not much that’s new to the story—if you’re familiar with the Odyssey, you’ll recognize the main plot points. Nothing is here to surprise you. What is new is the focus—on female characters that are often overlooked in Greek mythology, and I did appreciate that.
There are a lot of characters in this story and it was easy to get bogged down in them, especially because the plot moves very slowly. I’m not sure that audio was the best route for this story; it was easy to get distracted from.
So basically a bit of a mixed bag with this one. I liked it but didn’t love it, and it was hard not to compare it to Circe. It was really well written and had a lot of good lines in it.
Thanks to Libro.fm, Hachette Audio, and the author for my ALC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
tinybluepixel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Murder, Infidelity, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Death
Moderate: War and Incest
srm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a fascinating account of Penelope struggles to survive and maintain her position in the long wait for Odysseus to return from the Trojan War. Told from the POV of the goddess Hera, Penelope is undoubtedly the focus, but Hera's omniscience allows the reader to see the thoughts of Telemachus, Elektra, and many others at the Ithacan court. Plus, Hera's narrative voice is just fantastic. Interested that this is listed as Penelope #1, because I'm definitely excited to see where North goes with this next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
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