A review by deckledlens
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is a must-read after you read Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles, for this book tells the story that Miller left out: that Achilles did take war slaves, as many other generals did, and that they suffered the Trojan War the most. Our narrator is Briseis, who in Miller's tale was simply a friend and companion; here, she is a slave who undergoes the crimes of men at war. The story of these women is a difficult one, which makes the story feel "slow" and sad, but that makes it no less important. I really enjoyed the perspective this book gave me. This retelling also allows you to compare author styles in overlapping Greek myths, which I find essential to the genre. 
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