A review by nehaanna
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The retelling of female mythological characters is a delicate execution. This novel seeks to excavate the life and thoughts of one of the most ruthless women in Greek mythology, the wife of the ruthless king Agamemnon. This novel undertakes the retelling of Clytmnestra’s life from childhood to middle age as she rules in the absence of her husband during the famed Trojan War. This book is very similar to other feminist retelling of myths such as the novel Kaiyeki. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Cursing, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, and Child death

Moderate: Alcohol, Incest, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexism