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micklesreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This wasn't what I expected. The timeframe of the book is quite short, which I guess I didn't realize going in? It was good in that the women of the story were truly the stars throughout, and it highlighted the ways that women are dehumanized in classical lit and history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, and War
hbc72's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Genocide, Pregnancy, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and War
caidyn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a hard book to rate. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't blown away by it. It focuses on what happened after Troy was defeated and the women trying to deal with the aftermath. Rape, children being killed, killing pregnant women, etc. A hard read, but it was good. You have to go slow to absorb it all. Yet, I didn't love it. Good and I might revisit it, but I don't feel the need to keep it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Slavery, and War
bookforthought's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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
4.5
I had really liked The Silence of the Girls when it came out, so I was looking forward to the story continuing when I heard there would be a follow-up book. Picking up shortly after the events of The Silence of the Girls, The Women of Troy recounts the aftermath of the fall of Troy - and the fate of its women.
This book is just as powerful and hard-hitting as the previous one, and in some ways even more so as the pain of the women cuts so much deeper. War is a nasty, cruel business, and behind every glorious hero lies a trail of death and destruction, innocent lives cut short and severe pain inflicted. And the women of Troy will never be able to forget this.
Briseis is back as our main narrator and, now a survivor of the camp, she takes it upon herself to ease the pain of the new arrivals, helping them in accepting their new lives as slaves and ensuring all of them survive. Meanwhile, Briseis herself struggles to navigate her new position as Alcimus's wife while carrying Achilles's son.
As with the previous book, the author does a masterful job of giving a voice to the silenced women of history, not shying away from the brutality and violence of their lives but leaning into their pain and suffering to fully show their strength, resilience and quiet resistance. The cast of women is memorable, each of them carrying her own personal burden.
Helen, despised by all and universally blamed for the war.
Hecuba, old and frail and mourning her loved ones and the loss of her life's work.
Cassandra, abused time and again and having to find ways for men to deliver her prophecies if they are to be believed.
Andromache, reeling from the loss of her husband and the brutal murder of her infant son, forced to lie with the man who killed him.
Amina, stubborn and proud and determined to homage her king one last time by burying him, whatever the consequences.
And so many, many more.
The Women of Troy hits hard yet manages to tell so much suffering in a delicate, respectful way, restoring the dignity of otherwise forgotten women. Highly recommended to anyone looking for more feminist retellings of traditional myths.
This book is just as powerful and hard-hitting as the previous one, and in some ways even more so as the pain of the women cuts so much deeper. War is a nasty, cruel business, and behind every glorious hero lies a trail of death and destruction, innocent lives cut short and severe pain inflicted. And the women of Troy will never be able to forget this.
Briseis is back as our main narrator and, now a survivor of the camp, she takes it upon herself to ease the pain of the new arrivals, helping them in accepting their new lives as slaves and ensuring all of them survive. Meanwhile, Briseis herself struggles to navigate her new position as Alcimus's wife while carrying Achilles's son.
As with the previous book, the author does a masterful job of giving a voice to the silenced women of history, not shying away from the brutality and violence of their lives but leaning into their pain and suffering to fully show their strength, resilience and quiet resistance. The cast of women is memorable, each of them carrying her own personal burden.
Helen, despised by all and universally blamed for the war.
Hecuba, old and frail and mourning her loved ones and the loss of her life's work.
Cassandra, abused time and again and having to find ways for men to deliver her prophecies if they are to be believed.
Andromache, reeling from the loss of her husband and the brutal murder of her infant son, forced to lie with the man who killed him.
Amina, stubborn and proud and determined to homage her king one last time by burying him, whatever the consequences.
And so many, many more.
The Women of Troy hits hard yet manages to tell so much suffering in a delicate, respectful way, restoring the dignity of otherwise forgotten women. Highly recommended to anyone looking for more feminist retellings of traditional myths.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, War, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Child death, and Violence
heartbrekker's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
"We women are peculiar creatures. We tend not to love those who murder our families."
The Women of Troy was a visceral take on the post-war effects of the Trojan War, specifically following the women enslaved to the Greeks from Troy. The main character is still Briseis from The Silence of the Girls, but we also have a new character Calchas and Achilles son Pyrrhus as a few POV poins throughout the story.
My memory doesn't quite recall a lot of the scenes from TSOTG besides just what I know from Greek myths in general, but I have to say this sequel was pretty great. Yes, it is monumentally slower paced, but a post-war story isn’t meant to follow the heat of war. Just the continual darkness.
It was so intriguing to read a book solely focused on the aftermath of war. From the differing arrays of PTSD (warrior males, enslaved women, and Briseis' experiences with Achilles and other kings) to this deep desire to return home, the Greeks and Trojan women really tugged on my heart strings. I didn't mind the slow pac because this story was about all of them, and this unified broken heart over war. So many have died on both ends and Patroclus and Achilles are one of the main deaths to still haunt everyone. It's tragic and real and lovely. A good representation.
Although, here were a few phrases/ moments in the story that didn't feel necessary to me. The r-word is used multiple times, and due to many peoples trauma with that word, I think another word could've suited the scene better. The same thing goes for the fatphobia against Maire. Her weight is condescendingly discussed numerous times whether about how that makes her less desired, beautiful, etc. It made me uncomfortable as someone who has struggled with their weight in their life, and since it didn't add much to the story (Maire has a baby son who all the enslaved women go around protecting), I think it could have been left out.
Overall, this sequel has proven just how much I adore Pat Barker's Greek retellings, and I cannot wait to reread TSOTG and see what else Barker has in store for us!
The Women of Troy was a visceral take on the post-war effects of the Trojan War, specifically following the women enslaved to the Greeks from Troy. The main character is still Briseis from The Silence of the Girls, but we also have a new character Calchas and Achilles son Pyrrhus as a few POV poins throughout the story.
My memory doesn't quite recall a lot of the scenes from TSOTG besides just what I know from Greek myths in general, but I have to say this sequel was pretty great. Yes, it is monumentally slower paced, but a post-war story isn’t meant to follow the heat of war. Just the continual darkness.
It was so intriguing to read a book solely focused on the aftermath of war. From the differing arrays of PTSD (warrior males, enslaved women, and Briseis' experiences with Achilles and other kings) to this deep desire to return home, the Greeks and Trojan women really tugged on my heart strings. I didn't mind the slow pac because this story was about all of them, and this unified broken heart over war. So many have died on both ends and Patroclus and Achilles are one of the main deaths to still haunt everyone. It's tragic and real and lovely. A good representation.
Although, here were a few phrases/ moments in the story that didn't feel necessary to me. The r-word is used multiple times, and due to many peoples trauma with that word, I think another word could've suited the scene better. The same thing goes for the fatphobia against Maire. Her weight is condescendingly discussed numerous times whether about how that makes her less desired, beautiful, etc. It made me uncomfortable as someone who has struggled with their weight in their life, and since it didn't add much to the story (Maire has a baby son who all the enslaved women go around protecting), I think it could have been left out.
Overall, this sequel has proven just how much I adore Pat Barker's Greek retellings, and I cannot wait to reread TSOTG and see what else Barker has in store for us!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Fatphobia, Rape, and Death
Desecration of dead bodies and multiple use of the r-wordantoniarachael28's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
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? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
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