A review by emhawes
Ithaca by Claire North

4.25

I was a little skeptical going into this book, knowing that it was told from Hera's POV as she oversaw the events in Ithaca surrounding Penelope. That said, I ending up absolutely loving it. Hera was much more relatable than I was initially expecting. This was also a great way to tell the story following only the "facts", which let you observe from a more outside perspective which I really enjoyed. I also think this allowed for the gods to play a much more observable role in the story. I really enjoyed how the gods interacted with one another in addition to how they used their influence to sway the fates of man. I also really liked that we get to see Hera's soft spot for her three queens (Penelope, Clytemnestra, and Helen) and how she sees each of them with their own strengths and admires them all as individuals. 

I have always loved the stories of Penelope, I just always thought her strategies to keep the suitors passive as she waited for Odysseus to return (or just so she didn't have to get remarried) were really remarkable. That said, she's typically just a footnote, and I really enjoyed getting a version of Penelope that was well rounded and cunning in several ways. 

I am really excited that this is the start of a trilogy, and can't wait to jump into the other two books in the series!