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hackedbyawriter's review against another edition
2.0
Read Cassandra: Princess of Troy by Hilary Bailey instead. While I lover mists of avalon this book had me banging my head against a wall. feminism was overdone.
maddox22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
2.5
buffee's review against another edition
5.0
the story of helen of troy - only from the women's point of view. anyone who enjoys mythology will love this wonderfully re-written tale.
ristan72's review against another edition
5.0
Another great story by MZB, this time about the fall of Troy from Cassandra's point of view.
phiephels's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape
jacalata's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a big fan of detailed historical novels with female perspective and this was a great example of the genre. Probably not an amazing book in itself, character development could have been more engaging, but well worth the time.
imyerhero's review against another edition
2.0
Marion Zimmer Bradley has taken on a different myth with this book. She’s moved from her normal home of Avalon and the British Isles to the ancient city of Troy. This book focuses on the Princess Cassandra (in the novel spelled “Kassandra”) – daughter of the Amazon Hecuba and King Priam. In mythology, Kassandra was crazy – prophesying doom at every corner, with no one ever believing her. Bradley has chosen to look at this a different way – her usual feminist/goddess worshipping way. Kassandra’s mother has raised her to worship Apollo, god of Troy. But when she is sent away with her Amazon kin to avoid her constant attacks of prescience disturbing those around her, Kassandra is introduced to the goddess of the Amazons. From that time onward, Kassandra is fought over by Apollo and the goddess, each claiming her as their own. Kassandra is caught in the middle, trapped in the doomed city of Troy, forced to watch her horrific prophetic visions coming true.
Of course, if you’re a fan of Bradley, you’ll probably enjoy this book. I was mildly interested to see how she would take on a mythology completely different from her usual style. This book was terribly hard to get in to, as I was dreading the wildly feminist references to the goddess just a bit. But once I was invested in Kassandra, I came to appreciate the different perspective that Bradley presented. It’s very tough to read mythology at times, knowing that some of these characters are real and are pigeonholed into whatever author has placed them – Helen the proud and cold beauty, Kassandra the insane priestess, Agammemnon the ruthless tyrant, Oenone the heartless nymph. While Bradley may not say anything astounding or groundbreaking concerning these familiar characters, what she does say is interesting enough to warrant reading the story.
Of course, if you’re a fan of Bradley, you’ll probably enjoy this book. I was mildly interested to see how she would take on a mythology completely different from her usual style. This book was terribly hard to get in to, as I was dreading the wildly feminist references to the goddess just a bit. But once I was invested in Kassandra, I came to appreciate the different perspective that Bradley presented. It’s very tough to read mythology at times, knowing that some of these characters are real and are pigeonholed into whatever author has placed them – Helen the proud and cold beauty, Kassandra the insane priestess, Agammemnon the ruthless tyrant, Oenone the heartless nymph. While Bradley may not say anything astounding or groundbreaking concerning these familiar characters, what she does say is interesting enough to warrant reading the story.
ryner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Kassandra is known from Greek mythology as the woman cursed with having foresight about fateful events but never believed, and she is therefore powerless to thwart disaster. In this retelling of the classic version of events surrounding the Trojan War, Bradley breathes life into Kassandra, daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, fleshing out her story and giving her a vibrant and purposeful life of her own.
From her youth spent with the Amazons to her service as a priestess of Apollo and her supporting role in the Trojan War, Kassandra's story is well-developed, inspiring, disturbing and mostly satisfying. A story in which a woman, otherwise relegated to the background of history, is depicted in sharp focus — is welcome. I've read a number of retellings from the Classical World in recent years. While this title is less well-known, I'd rank it on par with or nearly as good as Circe and The Song of Achilles.
From her youth spent with the Amazons to her service as a priestess of Apollo and her supporting role in the Trojan War, Kassandra's story is well-developed, inspiring, disturbing and mostly satisfying. A story in which a woman, otherwise relegated to the background of history, is depicted in sharp focus — is welcome. I've read a number of retellings from the Classical World in recent years. While this title is less well-known, I'd rank it on par with or nearly as good as Circe and The Song of Achilles.