A review by emilia_reads
Helen of Troy, 1993 by Maria Zoccola

challenging reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This is an atmospheric poetry collection that is a reimagining of the story of Helen of Troy. I was intitially interested in this poetry collection because of its connection to Greek mythology. The collection focuses on themes of motherhood, womanhood, and free will by following the life of a housewife in Tennessee.

Usually I tend to struggle to understand poetry, and to really pick up on what the poet wants the reader to gain from the poems. I had this same struggle here, although this is not necessarily a bad thing. Poetry is meant to get the reader pondering about the themes and meanings of the poems. 

This is a collection that I would recommend broadly, even to people who do not tend to read poetry. However, I think you would get more out of this story if you knew a little bit about the relevant Greek mythology.

Thanks to Scribner and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!