A review by booksarethenewblack
The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North

5.0

 

I buddy-read this whole series with Julie! This series is fantastic, but this book is amazing. The third book always makes me nervous, but this one was so satisfying. From the very beginning, I was hooked.

One of the best things about this whole series is the women! I cannot recommend a more brilliant Greek retelling than The Songs of Penelope. You get to see so many different women throughout her time, but see how their power subtlety shines. Penelope is a character that far surpassed any notions I had about her. The way North wrote her was brilliant. I’m going to be upfront and warn you that this is a very feminist-heavy book. If that is not your thing then maybe this book is not for you. I loved this aspect! The way Penelope was able to build her warriors, and advisors, and keep it all running behind the men. I loved seeing how she would outmaneuver every situation!

Something else that I love about these books is the pacing. In this book, I felt like I flew through it! It’s over 400 pages, but I felt none of that! The flow and plot are so engaging that you will read 100 pages without realizing it. I honestly wish there were more pages at the end! There are a lot of intense and brutal moments.

Not only was Penelope a fantastic character, but so were all the minor characters. There are some characters I didn’t love initially that were amazing in the end. I don’t want to talk too much about the relationship between Penelope and Odysseus because I don’t want to give anything away. I liked how Odysseus’s growth is shown, and added a lot of depth to his character. There’s much more behind the macho “I’m a hero and tough guy” persona. I liked getting a glimpse at his thoughts throughout this book.

Overall, this was a great ending to a series I really loved. I believe that North has done an epic job with this retelling, and I loved the feminist POV. I cannot wait to see what North does next!!

Thank you, Orbit, for a finished copy to review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.