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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I listened to the Audible version and loved it. The author seems so softly spoken but her passion for each woman in this book is clear and insightful. There’s something here for every woman - mother, sister, daughter, wife, warrior, priestess, seer, nymph, muse and goddess.
And who’s to say there aren’t elements of all of those in all of us?!
The story of the fall of Troy is missing half the population. Now the women’s stories are told.
And who’s to say there aren’t elements of all of those in all of us?!
The story of the fall of Troy is missing half the population. Now the women’s stories are told.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Sing, Muse, he said, and I have sung.
I have sung of armies and I have sung of men.
I have sung of gods and monsters, I have sung of stories and lies.
I have sung of death and of life, of joy and of pain.
I have sung of life after death.
And I have sung of the women, the women in the shadows. I have sung of the forgotten, the ignored, the untold. I have picked up the old stories and I have shaken them until the hidden women appear in plain sight. I have celebrated them in song because they have waited long enough. Just as I promised him: this was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them. A war does not ignore half the people whose lives it touches. So why do we?
They have waited to have their story told, and I will make them wait no longer. If the poet refuses the song I have offered him, I will take it away and leave him silent. He has sung before: he may not want it and does not need it. But the story will be told. Their story will be told, no matter how long it takes. I am ageless, undying: time does not matter to me. All that matters is the telling.
Sing, Muse, he said.
Well, do you hear me? I have sung.”
Greek Mythology is brutal. No getting around that. So saying I appreciated this retelling is probably more accurate than saying I enjoyed it. The writing was great. I listened on Scribd/Everand to the audiobook read by the author. I love when authors read their own books because it gives you clues to how certain pieces were intended to come across.
I’ve had conversations in book clubs and with friends about the “hero’s journey” for women. I liked this retelling being precisely and literally that: the women’s heroes’ journeys juxtaposed with, told next to, mixed with the mythological male hero’s journey. A Thousand Ships would make a great book club discussion book.
I liked the multiple perspectives of many women. But I didn’t like this book as much as I liked Circe by Madeline Miller. Probably because Circe was a deeper dive into a single character, while A Thousand Ships was just a glimpse at many. I wanted to know more about them all. I think the character that touched me the most was Andromache. I can’t even imagine….except that I can, sort of. Because all of us have those moments where the worst comes, and we live through our grief and we keep going. The details might be different for everyone, but is that not the human experience? Or at least one of them. And maybe that’s why I like Greek Mythology (or really any mythology) so much. Because the stories teach truths about human nature and the truths don’t change even after thousands of year.
I have sung of armies and I have sung of men.
I have sung of gods and monsters, I have sung of stories and lies.
I have sung of death and of life, of joy and of pain.
I have sung of life after death.
And I have sung of the women, the women in the shadows. I have sung of the forgotten, the ignored, the untold. I have picked up the old stories and I have shaken them until the hidden women appear in plain sight. I have celebrated them in song because they have waited long enough. Just as I promised him: this was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them. A war does not ignore half the people whose lives it touches. So why do we?
They have waited to have their story told, and I will make them wait no longer. If the poet refuses the song I have offered him, I will take it away and leave him silent. He has sung before: he may not want it and does not need it. But the story will be told. Their story will be told, no matter how long it takes. I am ageless, undying: time does not matter to me. All that matters is the telling.
Sing, Muse, he said.
Well, do you hear me? I have sung.”
Greek Mythology is brutal. No getting around that. So saying I appreciated this retelling is probably more accurate than saying I enjoyed it. The writing was great. I listened on Scribd/Everand to the audiobook read by the author. I love when authors read their own books because it gives you clues to how certain pieces were intended to come across.
I’ve had conversations in book clubs and with friends about the “hero’s journey” for women. I liked this retelling being precisely and literally that: the women’s heroes’ journeys juxtaposed with, told next to, mixed with the mythological male hero’s journey. A Thousand Ships would make a great book club discussion book.
I liked the multiple perspectives of many women. But I didn’t like this book as much as I liked Circe by Madeline Miller. Probably because Circe was a deeper dive into a single character, while A Thousand Ships was just a glimpse at many. I wanted to know more about them all. I think the character that touched me the most was Andromache. I can’t even imagine….except that I can, sort of. Because all of us have those moments where the worst comes, and we live through our grief and we keep going. The details might be different for everyone, but is that not the human experience? Or at least one of them. And maybe that’s why I like Greek Mythology (or really any mythology) so much. Because the stories teach truths about human nature and the truths don’t change even after thousands of year.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Women.
But in all seriousness I loved this book. I’ve heard some people say that this book isn’t necessary and doesn’t contribute anything new to the stories surrounding the Iliad and Odyssey. But I really don’t care, not all books should have to “contribute” something to a narrative that already exists especially one so old. Books and stories are supposed to entertain us with a good story. And A Thousand Ships does just that. Books won’t only educate or teach you something if that were the case there wouldn’t be even half of the books that exist today.
Now onto the actual review, as I said I loved it a lot. The way Haynes tells the story of so many women in only one chapter each is very well done. When I first picked the book up I thought that so many characters would get overwhelming but it didn’t. Overall very well done.
Though my one complaint is that you do need prior knowledge to enjoy the book. If you don’t have any clue about the Iliad and it’s characters at all you won’t get this in the slightest. But once you do have that nuance you will love this a lot. This book is truly for those who have a bit more than surface level knowledge in the Trojan war and want more.
But in all seriousness I loved this book. I’ve heard some people say that this book isn’t necessary and doesn’t contribute anything new to the stories surrounding the Iliad and Odyssey. But I really don’t care, not all books should have to “contribute” something to a narrative that already exists especially one so old. Books and stories are supposed to entertain us with a good story. And A Thousand Ships does just that. Books won’t only educate or teach you something if that were the case there wouldn’t be even half of the books that exist today.
Now onto the actual review, as I said I loved it a lot. The way Haynes tells the story of so many women in only one chapter each is very well done. When I first picked the book up I thought that so many characters would get overwhelming but it didn’t. Overall very well done.
Though my one complaint is that you do need prior knowledge to enjoy the book. If you don’t have any clue about the Iliad and it’s characters at all you won’t get this in the slightest. But once you do have that nuance you will love this a lot. This book is truly for those who have a bit more than surface level knowledge in the Trojan war and want more.
emotional
medium-paced
But I always have a hard time keeping everyone straight in these Greek tales!
9/10
Loved every bit of this. I love that it was told through many perspectives, broken up to be chronological. It kept the entire story feeling new. My favorites were Penelope's letters. This was just a fantastic novel from beginning to end.
Loved every bit of this. I love that it was told through many perspectives, broken up to be chronological. It kept the entire story feeling new. My favorites were Penelope's letters. This was just a fantastic novel from beginning to end.
If there were more than 5 stars available, I’d give them all to this book. If you like Madeline Miller, Homer, or any of the ancient playwrights, you will love this. There’s humor, tragedy, and a new point of view without dismissing all that came before. I adored every minute of this book.