Reviews with content warning for Suicide - A Thousand Ships

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A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

49 reviews

withlivjones's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

“A war does not ignore half the people whose lives it touches. So why do we?”

THIS is how you do a retelling. Natalie Haynes expertly weaves together a tapestry of narratives to provide us with a detailed picture of the Trojan War from the perspective of the women who were affected by it. And it is commendable how many women she includes, from the well-known Cassandra to the more obscure Laodamia and Oenone. I would recommend prior knowledge of the Trojan Cycle in order to get the most out of this book, just because of the amount of detail Haynes has managed to pack in, but the novel still feels accessible enough that one would probably still understand it with minimal knowledge.

There are so many fantastic lines throughout that really pack a punch, and the novel discusses the different things that can define womanhood, what it means to be a hero (because the heroes of the Trojan War weren’t just the ones fighting), and the lasting effects of war. Haynes draws from a wide range of ancient sources, and I particularly enjoy the inspiration from Ovid’s Heroides in Penelope’s letters to Odysseus that gradually get more and more impatient and sarcastic. My favourite parts by far, though, are Calliope’s chapters that suddenly become rather meta, as if she is wrenching control of the story from the male poet who is entreating her in a display of feminine solidarity - in order to give her fellow women the spotlight. I sometimes feel like Haynes is speaking directly to female readers through these characters who are suffering at the hands of the patriarchy and saying ‘I see you, and you are not alone’. It’s enough to inspire a bit of female rage in all of us.

There are a few other perspectives I would have loved to see: Helen’s, for example, since I still believe she is grossly misrepresented in many interpretations of the Trojan Cycle. Haynes also expresses a wish that she could have included a chapter on Dido, which I also would have thoroughly enjoyed. But if anything, this is just a sign that I wish the book were longer!

Overall, this is definitely going to the top of my list of favourite Greek mythology retellings, and in the future I will be recommending it to anyone who expresses an interest in the Iliad. Why read the Catalogue of Ships when you can read a catalogue of reasons why men suck? (jk jk…)

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lilifane's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The Iliad is one of my favorite stories. Has been since I was a teenager. And one of my favorite ways to experience it is from a female point of view. Actually, the first time I read about Troy was in a retelling of the Iliad focusing on the women 30 years ago. Since then, I've read lots of books and plays on the topic, so this one didn't offer me many new insights.

I liked the framing device of Calliope having enough of inspiring heroic war stories. And it was nice to have all the different female perspectives in one book, the women of Troy as well as Greek women and all the goddesses and immortals involved. But if I hadn't known these characters and their stories as well as I did before, I would have been very confused. The story is not told in chronological order, you rather get glimpses of the different women's parts at random points in time. Some from before the war, some during the war, some at the end. Several times I didn't even know at which point of the plot we were. Plus, the characters are never really introduced. It's expected that you know who is who already. Which is a weird take for a book about the hidden women in the epic tale. I had an emotional connection to them because I already knew them, not because of how they were portrayed in this book.

However, I enjoyed the book, it was a quick read. And I LOVED Penelope's part. Her letters to Odysseus got hilarious the longer she had to wait for him. I literally couldn't stop laughing at one point. A much-needed break from all the sad tragedies in the book. I also appreciate that Haynes went all the way back to the very beginning to find out what exactly started the conflict. I liked that a lot. And the writing is stunning!

Content Warnings