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

Did not finish book. Stopped at 72%.
This book is called "The Silence of the Girls" and supposedly offers "nuanced, complex portraits of characters and stories familiar from mythology... seen from Briseis's perspective". This is not the case in the slightest. After part 1, Briseis is relegated to what essentially boils down to a silent (haha, good one Pat Barker), flat, and apathetic side character in the "grand" story of Achilles, the siege of Troy, and the relationships with his fellow soldiers. This is not what I came for, and making Achilles the primary third person perspective for most of the book past part 1 is not what was originally promised. 
The book does little to nothing to actually explore the life, emotions, tribulations, or brief moments of solace of these "Girls" so brazenly promoted in the book's title. If you want to read the Illiad, I'm sure there are many other retellings that do it more justice and with more depth, nuance, and complexity than this, which is a shame, as this perspective could have provided a captivating and thought-provoking angle if executed effectively.
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