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caelfind 's review for:
The Voyage Home
by Pat Barker
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“I don't think I’m the only person who remembers seeing Agamemnon wade into his palace through a river of blood.”
Of all the recent retellings of the Trojan War, particularly those centred on the female experience, it is Pat Barker’s trilogy that takes the top spot. Her attention to detail, masterful storytelling, and raw prose is truly inspiring, and The Voyage Home, Barker’s final instalment, showcases this absolutely.
Following Ritsa, Cassandra’s maid, we journey away from Trojan shores to Mycenae, where vengeance waits for Agamemnon in the form of his wife, Clytemnestra. Admittedly, I was initially apprehensive about leaving behind the familiar voice of Briseis, but the fresh voices of Ritsa, Cassandra, and Clytemnestra were just as compelling. They were all very different women, from their backgrounds to their needs, but they were united in the grief and torment they had suffered because of the Trojan War. Barker’s evocative prose really brought these women to life, and as always she crafted a completely new vision of well-known characters. Cassandra, Clytemnestra, and even sometimes Agamemnon, emerged in complex, intriguing ways, giving the reader a fresh perspective and highlighting Barker’s unbelievable talent in research and characterisation.
Ritsa’s central voice was very satisfying, offering a grounded portrayal of the unravelling chaos and reminding us of a very important fact: it is not just the elite women who suffer in war, but all women. I enjoyed her wit and sensible nature, and her relationship with Cassandra was subtly and carefully constructed.
The sense of impending and inescapable doom woven into the narrative was truly chilling, from the haunted halls to the Furies on the roof, building to a conclusion that was bittersweet and empty and triumphant all at once. This was a heart-rending end to a truly important trilogy about the abuse of women, the consequences of war, and the complexities of grief, and I think everyone should read it.
Of all the recent retellings of the Trojan War, particularly those centred on the female experience, it is Pat Barker’s trilogy that takes the top spot. Her attention to detail, masterful storytelling, and raw prose is truly inspiring, and The Voyage Home, Barker’s final instalment, showcases this absolutely.
Following Ritsa, Cassandra’s maid, we journey away from Trojan shores to Mycenae, where vengeance waits for Agamemnon in the form of his wife, Clytemnestra. Admittedly, I was initially apprehensive about leaving behind the familiar voice of Briseis, but the fresh voices of Ritsa, Cassandra, and Clytemnestra were just as compelling. They were all very different women, from their backgrounds to their needs, but they were united in the grief and torment they had suffered because of the Trojan War. Barker’s evocative prose really brought these women to life, and as always she crafted a completely new vision of well-known characters. Cassandra, Clytemnestra, and even sometimes Agamemnon, emerged in complex, intriguing ways, giving the reader a fresh perspective and highlighting Barker’s unbelievable talent in research and characterisation.
Ritsa’s central voice was very satisfying, offering a grounded portrayal of the unravelling chaos and reminding us of a very important fact: it is not just the elite women who suffer in war, but all women. I enjoyed her wit and sensible nature, and her relationship with Cassandra was subtly and carefully constructed.
The sense of impending and inescapable doom woven into the narrative was truly chilling, from the haunted halls to the Furies on the roof, building to a conclusion that was bittersweet and empty and triumphant all at once. This was a heart-rending end to a truly important trilogy about the abuse of women, the consequences of war, and the complexities of grief, and I think everyone should read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Violence
Moderate: Child death, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, War
Minor: Genocide, Incest