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A review by stopdropandglare
Daughters of Bronze: A Novel of Troy by A.D. Rhine
4.0
Let just start with this: Daughters of Bronze was everything I want in a Trojan War retelling. It definitely reminded me why I love retellings as a genre.
This book doubles down on the grit, tragedy, and resilience of women caught up in a brutal war. It really nails how these women wielded power in their own ways that fit with their characters.
Adding Cassandra’s perspective was absolutley a good idea. I always love to read books with her as a character or an inspo—she's layered, tragic, and powerful in her own quiet way. Her backstory, especially dealing with trauma and silence, I think hits close to home for a lot of women. And then there’s Helen, who’s usually typecast as “the beautiful one". I was really glad to see her written as so much more in this one and the first one. Her compassion and inner strength really stood out, and by the end, I was fully on Team Helen.
Andromache’s growth into motherhood without losing herself was also so refreshing. She’s still the strong, proud woman we met in Horses of Fire, but with a new layer of compassion and understanding. Her relationship with Hector was also super well done, and when their inevitable showdown with Achilles arrived....
And Rhea. Her softening toward the Achaeans, especially Ajax, added a surprising tenderness to the story. I'm not gonna spoil the ending but.... it was rough. In a good way.
While the ending did feel a bit rushed, it didn’t take away from the story’s impact. Rhine does an incredible job bringing us into the lives of these iconic women, showing that even amid the grief and destruction, there’s resilience, love, and strength. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves mythological retellings or historical fiction that puts women’s stories front and center. Highly recommend!
This book doubles down on the grit, tragedy, and resilience of women caught up in a brutal war. It really nails how these women wielded power in their own ways that fit with their characters.
Adding Cassandra’s perspective was absolutley a good idea. I always love to read books with her as a character or an inspo—she's layered, tragic, and powerful in her own quiet way. Her backstory, especially dealing with trauma and silence, I think hits close to home for a lot of women. And then there’s Helen, who’s usually typecast as “the beautiful one". I was really glad to see her written as so much more in this one and the first one. Her compassion and inner strength really stood out, and by the end, I was fully on Team Helen.
Andromache’s growth into motherhood without losing herself was also so refreshing. She’s still the strong, proud woman we met in Horses of Fire, but with a new layer of compassion and understanding. Her relationship with Hector was also super well done, and when their inevitable showdown with Achilles arrived....
And Rhea. Her softening toward the Achaeans, especially Ajax, added a surprising tenderness to the story. I'm not gonna spoil the ending but.... it was rough. In a good way.
While the ending did feel a bit rushed, it didn’t take away from the story’s impact. Rhine does an incredible job bringing us into the lives of these iconic women, showing that even amid the grief and destruction, there’s resilience, love, and strength. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves mythological retellings or historical fiction that puts women’s stories front and center. Highly recommend!