Listen to my voice: I who have been stripped of honour, of power and of that fire which should be mine, I who have nothing to lose that the poets have not already taken from me, only I will tell you the truth. I, who part the veil of time, will tell those stories that only the women tell. [loc. 149]

I was thrilled to discover that Claire North -- whose previous novels (The First 15 Lives of Harry August, Touch, The Sudden Appearance of Hope) I've enjoyed immensely -- was publishing a novel based on Greek mythology. Ithaca, first in a new trilogy, focusses on the women of the island, abandoned these past eighteen years by their king (Odysseus) and by the adult men, all fed to the war in Troy. Now pirates menace Ithaca, and the island has few men to defend it. Penelope, guarding the throne for her husband (of course a woman cannot rule in her own right, unless she is a monster like Penelope's husband-slaying cousin Clytemnestra) is besieged and patronised by suitors, but she has her clever and (mostly) trustworthy maids to help her manage the household, the palace, the unwelcome guests and the economy of the island. And then more guests arrive: Orestes and Elektra, children of murdered Agamemnon, in search of their mother...

I was amused by the homogeneity of the suitors — with the notable exception of Kenamon the Egyptian — and the sheer inability of the island’s elders (male, of course) to accept that their wives, daughters, maids and female slaves are actually pretty competent at keeping the economy going, and even at defending against external threats. The relationships between the women (forceful Elektra, the hateful Trojan captive, the village huntress Teodora, Penelope herself) are, in general, richer and more balanced than those between women and men. Telemachus has an increasingly tempestuous and abrasive relationship with his mother: Orestes, in contrast, is almost catatonic with … something. (Elektra does all the heavy lifting, emotionally, with a belated ‘my brother will issue his orders later’.)

North depicts the culture with a light touch: the guest-laws and the obligations of the hostess, the practicalities of slavery, the little details of domestic life in the palace of Ithaca, the tensions between a goddess and her stepdaughters… What makes this novel so refreshing is the choice of narrator: Hera, who takes queens under her protection, who loves Helen and Penelope and Clytemnestra (but the latter best of all), who snarks and scorns her stepdaughters and her husband, who mocks the men who discount women so utterly that they don't see what's in front of them. Hera sees the wider world as well as the goat-tracks and sea-caves of Ithaca, and her broad perspective and smouldering rage make for a unique voice and an engaging read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this honest review. UK publication date is 6th September 2022.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Ithaca
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Claire North
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mythology
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 6th September 2022
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5

TW: rape, domestic abuse, strong reductive and sexist language

”Once upon a time, there were three queens in Greece. One was chaste and pure, one a temptress whore, one a murderous hag.”

Of course, a feminist retelling of ‘The Odyssey’ focusing on the life of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife and Queen of Ithaca would completely capture my attention.

“I am saving Odysseus’s land for Odysseus!” I snap. “You are saving it for his wife,” she replies primly. “As if anyone cares whether she survives to the end of his story.”

However, although it focuses on Penelope, it is told from the perspective of Hero, goddess of wives and childbirth. As a narrator, Hera was sarcastic, scathing, righteous… And I loved it. It was far more witty and savage than I expected.

”At noon they would stop only long enough to fight, wounding each other most gravely so that they might learn a tolerance of pain, then they would run on until at last, in the evening, exhausted with their manly labours, they would feast on wine and women, who swooned at the prowess of these men, because there is nothing quite like sex with a man who’s been out jogging for twelve hours to really set the mood.”

If you find me praying to Hera, mind your business. I enjoyed that with Hera’s POV, I got to see how the gods and goddesses acted on whims and fancies, which could turn a festive evening into a bloody slaughter. That element of the story kept me on edge.

But it does mean that it’s difficult to invest in the characters, which is a shame because it’s such a character driven novel. Hera makes the reader feel so removed in their position, with an omniscient sight that treats characters less like people and more like pieces on a chess board. The slow pacing doesn’t help with the lack of character investment, no matter how many secret places Penelope visits in the name of protecting her kingdom.

But, overall, I enjoyed it. There were moments where I found myself smiling a sort of vicious smile at the critical rendition of how the men in the story were behaving. I liked Penelope as a character, who had a quiet and tactical strength, compared to the boldness of Elektra and Clytemnestra. This retelling was fun.

Mythological retellings always intrigue me - which is a nice way of saying I am obsessed with them - so of course I was more than just a little interested in a new take on Penelope's story. Especially one that doesn't make her out to be a meek woman whose only worth is her love and loyalty and fidelity towards her mostly absent husband. "Ithaca", the first in, what I think will be a duology about the women of the titular kingdom definitely succeeds in that. It is clever, honest and allows Penelope to be her own complex character.

In most ways, the retelling stays true to the story we already know, but takes some liberties, for example when it comes to the inclusion of characters like Elektra, Clytemnestra and Orestes and their story. It also adds the unique perspective of Hera, who is our narrator and offers insight into the dealings of the gods in the background of Penelope's story. She's an all-knowing narrator which allows us to know what all the characters involved are thinking at any point in the story, though at the same time, it does form a sort of detachment when it comes to those characters. I never really grew to love all these women, though I appreciate the time North spends on exploring their characters. There are a lot of minor characters, too, but honestly I won't be able to give you their names because they mostly are little else than, well, their names.
The pacing is rather slow, but this is not an action- or plot-focused story. It very much is a character-driven one, and considering the myths it's based on that's the perfect choice. The writing is beautiful, too.

All in all, this is a well-written take on Penelope that I enjoyed, and I definitely want to read the second book. It doesn't quite manage to keep me emotionally involved and it could have been a little shorter, but if you're interested in Ithaca's women then this is absolutely a book I can recommend.

While I'm partial to a myth retelling, they don't always stack up. This one had me really feel the ache of it and connect with how our original myth affected Penelope. Beautifully written to give us the other side of the story, the loneliness of Penelope waiting for her husband to return and the stuggle of ruling in her husband's absense. I found all of the female characters particularly compelling which is what I went into this hoping for. Definitely a slow mover but I think many fans of the original mythology will find much to sink their teeth into here.

This is Penelope.


What else can I say?

This book is everything. I have never read a myth retelling like it, simply because such a thing doesn’t exist. This is the most authentic, the most unflinching, the most evocative and genuine and honest interpretation of ancient mythology that I have read in any contemporary novel.

North has gifted us Penelope. This is her. She has crafted a narrative set just a couple of years before Odysseus’ return (though Odysseus himself is rarely apparent which, though I adore him, is necessary here) and woven a narrative that is as plausible and possible as any of the myths we know. It will leave you wondering why the ancients didn’t tell this story themselves.

The story is heartbreaking and witty and devastating. The gods are present and entirely on point. The narrator is a sharp, bitter delight (the book officially published on 8th September, I’m giving no spoilers here). Telemachus is offered the awkward, empathetic representation he deserves.

And Penelope is everything and more. I’m lost for words at how North hasn’t written on this subject before, but Rumour has it she will be writing on it again, and all I can say is that it can’t come soon enough. This, I really mean it, this is the voice that Penelope, and all ancient women, deserved.

Thank you, genuinely, to NetGalley and Orbit for this absolute privilege. I’m stunned.

I'm a huge fan of mythology retellings, especially Greco-Roman myths, so I went into Ithaca with very high expectations - I wanted an experience akin to Jennifer Saint or Natalie Haynes Greek retellings - and Ithaca definitely lived up to my expectations. A feminine perspective akin to Saint's Ariadne, and in-depth political machinations akin to Haynes' The Children of Jocasta - Ithaca became an instant favourite, that had me hooked from start to finish.

I especially enjoyed North's choice to have Hera be the narrator of the tales - intertwining the mortal struggles of Penelope and Telemachus with the divine shenanigans of Hera and Artemis. I can't wait to read more from North/Webb, and I shall be waiting (not so) patiently for House of Odysseus!

Seeing a book that centres Penelope, set within the 20 year absence of her husband, made my very nerdy heart very, very happy. I had absolutely no chill throughout the buddy read.

The characterisation of Penelope in this book is excellent. We really see the ways in which she manipulates public image, rules Ithaca quietly whilst buying herself time. We see her struggle with Telemachus, conspire with the women of her island and collect the information she needs to play the game as long as possible. I loved seeing this given so much space, I loved seeing her claim her story and her agency within this narrative and I can't wait to read more of it as this trilogy continues.

What makes this book truly excellent, however, is the narrative voice of Hera. At the beginning of the book she stands watch over Ithaca, dripping distain for fellow Olympians and all the mortals. It reads perfectly. She is so, unbelievably, over it. Hera finds this patriarchal world so ridiculously idiotic and she does everything in her power to centre her gaze on the day to day survival of women. Its brilliant and...unfortunately in the last third of the book this characterisation falls apart a bit into obsessive fawning over the queen's of Greece. Mythologically, this does make sense, but it is out if keeping both with the goddess and with the characterisation within the novel. I will say that I found this extremely interesting, however, and I look forward to seeing this play out further in the next book.

This is a heavily character based book. The plot rages against patriarchal literature - this is not a story of great heroes doing great deeds, it is an account of the small joys, despairs and triumphs of the world run by women in their absence. For this, I loved it, but if you need a ot that plays big, this one might not be for you. For me, this book stands very firmly and successfully as the missing element of The Odyssey - we know what Telemachus and Odysseus were doing, we have never had Penelope's third. This book is interesting and excellent for the way it manages to deliver thst missing piece with intelligence, bite and a reminder that the poets were men paid to tell certain stories - meaning the women may have known a very, very different version of events.

I've always enjoyed the Greek Myths and love a retelling, especially a feminist one.

Claire North has done a great job of telling the story of Penelope and the women of Ithaca. Set during the years following the battle of Troy when Odysseus is lost. Penelope must act with integrity as queen and host while fending off the suitors vying for her hand and, ultimately to become king of Ithaca.

The interesting twist is that the story is not told from the POV of Penelope but rather that of the Goddess Hera. I enjoyed the pithy wit of Hera as a narrator, especially during the conversations with or about her step daughters Athena and Artemis. I know some may find modern language in a classical story a little jarring but I loved the humour it brought.

The pace is quite slow as intricate plots of treachery and deceipt are laid down for the reader. Again I quite enjoyed the slow burn and epic feel this gave to the book.

Ithaca is the first in a trilogy about Penelope's life and I'll be first in line to get my hands on the next instalment.

"Ithaca" had me oohing and aahing, laughing out loud, and glued to the story like a fly to...umm...flypaper! The different perspective on the characters was refreshing, and I found myself connecting with the females, while the males were a little bit wishy-washy (and painted that way with great skill). Of course, the story was brilliant, as was the setting, and who can resist a bit of Greek mythology?!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

If you're looking for a feminist reinterpretation of Greek mythology, look no further, as Ithaca explores what it meant to be a powerful woman in ancient Greece. I was really surprised when I started reading to discover that the book was narrated by Hera; I don't think I've ever read a book narrated by the Queen of the Gods before, and it was really fascinating. I found the plot to be incredibly interesting too, as we follow Penelope, wife of Odysseus, as she tries to navigate ruling in his absence. But my biggest issue is that the characters all felt quite flat, and it was hard to distinguish between any of them, and the writing style was quite strange. It would flip-flop between beautiful, classical prose, to the most annoying modern phrases or words, and it just completely took you out of the story. It also flip-flopped between first person, third person, second person... it was like the author couldn't make up her mind so just went, okay, we'll have ALL of them in there... and it just didn't work very well for me personally.

The reinterpretation of events from a female gaze is fascinating. Pat Barker did this superbly well in the silence of the Girls and The Women of Troy. Here you have Hera, the wife of Zeus, trying to make sure that Penelope and her son are not squashed and massacred and this is a conceit that Claire North handles incredibly well.

As a goddess Hera can provide a massive overview of what is going on. Hera also has a very waspish view of things and there is is the odd flash of some very dark humour.

This is a slightly different take, in that the view is that of a female goddess looking at the lives of women, and in particular Penelope the famed and esteemed wife of Odysseus.

How, whilst working in the shadows Hera, Athena and Artemis, manage to maintain a perilous balance for themselves and the women of Ithaca. alongside the other two Queens of the Greek myths, Clytemnestra and Helen.

Through a mixture of cunning, subterfuge and negotiation Penelope manages to survive. In this novel it did not go so well for the other two.

As an avid reader I applaud the way women are being established as real people in the narratives. Creating a different context and highlighting the importance of including both men and women in decision making.

There are a lot of Greek names here and at the beginning of the novel I spent quite a lot of time remembering who was who. In a paperback this would be less of a problem.

All in all an excellent read

I loved Harry August and Touch, but not North’s subsequent books and it was only my love of Greek mythology that drew me to Ithaca. I did both have high hopes that North could jump streams into this genre. I was wrong. Ithaca is compelling, authentic, intriguing and a wonderful new version of an old story - told through the furious, sly and manipulative voice of Hera, derided Queen of the Gods and defender of women everywhere. 4 stars as it was a little slow and repetitive at times, but I will certainly return for the sequels

Ithaca by Claire North🏛🏺

Ithaca is a modern retelling of Penelope’s story, the lonely wife waiting for the return of her husband from war.

I have always been very much team Athena, but I was willing to give another goddess some attention! Ithaca is wittily narrated by Hera, queen of queens, and the sarcastic and acerbic tone is so reminiscent of the goddess. However, I found this sarcastic tone was mirrored in the character’s and there was no difference in tone from narrator to characters.

I enjoyed how the writing mirrored the Homeric style in places. Aaaand that’s about all I enjoyed in this one.

For me, the plot was very slow and very little actually happened in the story. I found there was no flow and the story didn’t really grip me. The paragraphs were really long and the ending went on forever. I think the book called for heavy editing (and full stops) to reduce the length and improve the flow.

I don’t want to give too much away but, after such a long and drawn out ending, the main event that the book had been leading up to just - didn’t happen? The book ended at a very strange point and to be honest, by the end, I was just glad it was over, but there was no satisfaction from the ending at all. The reader was left totally in limbo.

I adore this genre - modern retellings of Greek myths - but this one didn’t do it for me at all.

*I will post this review to my Instagram 2 weeks before publication date as per publishers request*

A new look at the story of Penelope, told by the goddess Hera who watches as the queen tries to hold off the suitors come to steal her husband's kingdom in his absence, It's a story of the ancient world and how women, kept powerless by their society, manage to take power for themselves in many different ways. In this version we don't see Odysseus come home and it's not clear how Penelope ultimately triumphs and so what the author is trying to say. Hera's use of modern idioms and modes of language also jar with the mythic storytelling.

The writing is beautiful, I have always loved books that involve greek mythology so I knew I would love this book when I first received it. Hera was such an interesting choice of narrator and I think it really worked, for the most part, sometimes Hera being the narrator took something away from Penelope's story however overall I did like this choice as it is a change from most other greek mythology retellings it also allowed us to see more of what Telemachus was feeling and going through. This book was great, especially in terms of portraying greek women who are often only mentioned in the background of their more famous and more spoken about husbands or children. Some of the humour and commentary about other people mentioned in the book would be more beneficial if you as a reader already know basic things about greek mythology and the people involved as it can be a little bit tricky to understand without that pre-existing knowledge. The book itself is enjoyable but it is a slow read and it does flip back and forth between multiple characters in quite a short period of time so I did have to take some breaks reading it but that's the case in a lot of books that are really in-depth, especially where ancient characters and worlds are involved.

What a superb book this is. Managing to combine a very lyrical rhythm, and some genuinely funny writing, this is a wonderful read for lovers of all things Greek myth. Looking in depth at life in Ithaca during Odysseus' absence, it does make you think about the life of women during that time. If you love reading Natalie Haynes, Madeleine Miller and Pat Barker, this is the book for you. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thanks @netgalley for this ARC! Ithaca was a fun and enlightening read of the story of Penelope, Queen of Ithaca. Its an interesting take on her life while Odysseus is at Troy and then stuck at sea.

She somehow manages a whole kingdom with very little help from the councillors but lots of help from the invisible women of Ithaca. These Invisible women who, in the mens absence, took on the mens enterprises, the toil and defence of their land.

Its fascinating because even though this is fictional and based in ancient times, things just don't change because even when women are very obviously doing the work, men just refuse to see or acknowledge it... which feels a tad too real in my opinion.

All that to say, I really enjoyed this take on the story of Penelope though I'm not sure this added a lot to the story itself it still felt unique in the perspective it was told through and I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed A Thousand Ships, The Children of Jacosta, Circe and Silence of the Girls.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was so excited to get this because I love Greek mythology. This story is about Penelope, famous wife of Odysseus. She is left holding down the fort in Ithaca, whilst he has gone of to Troy. However, it's been eighteen years since he's been gone and the people are getting restless. They are trying to pressurise Penelope to marry again because they believe him to be dead, when he is actually just playing away from home. On top of this, she has to deal with Illyrians raiding the island. So she decides to gather an army of women to train so they can protect the island in secret.

This was narrated by Hera, which I thought was great! I loved that. We also see appearances from Artemis, Athena and Elektra. I loved the storytelling of this and I loved reading Penelope's story for the first time. I love reading about the women of Greece, and what they're role and their involvement was because more often than not they are just a footnote in these stories, unless they're important.

Really liked this, four stars!

Ithaca is such an intimate and emotional retelling of an oft forgotten side of one of our most famous stories.

I am beyond happy to see the resurgence of female voices reclaiming and reshaping our understanding of Greek mythology. From Jennifer Saint to Natalia Haynes, there are fiercely feminist retellings of these enshrouded narratives. Claire North offers another bold addition to this growing category. We open with a scene of brutal violence, indicating how this will not shy away from the gore and gritty reality of these stories. I loved how we got little vignettes that fully fleshed out the characters and necessary context to fully appreciate the story.

Our narrative voice is unexpected but ingenious in my opinion. It adds another layer of challenging expectations and reshaping these narratives. This voice is pretending a level of aloofness and detachment that is soon undermined by the deep emotional involvement in the lives of these queens. It really gives you an all-encompassing perspective that sees everything and nothing can be fully hidden from, but also belies a deeply vulnerable and hurting figure.

I particularly loved that way this book really digs into femininity and appearances. Nothing is ever fully as it seems here. In particular, North explores how women are dismissed on the sole basis of their outward appearance and associated notions of intelligence. This is often used as a subterfuge to disguise true power or influence here. Often, reading a scene and noting the subtle manipulations of power was so fascinating. They all add up into a rich tapestry that offers a diverse perspective on what femininity entails, what power truly is and also the role of a woman as queen, mother and daughter.

Ithaca mimics the treacherous loom of old, subtly and quietly creating a powerful narrative surrounding you before revealing its emotional intensity and masterful character work.

Although being initially sceptical, I really enjoyed this book.

It obviously emerges in a market that is saturated by these retellings, which for a teacher of Classics is actually a great thing as it gives a huge amount of choice when recommending to students. Although it wasn't the book I enjoyed most in this genre - that probably goes to Pat Barker's stories - it was compelling and enjoyable throughout.

I loved the way the story was told. Particularly early in the novel, the flitting between what was going on around the world in the descriptive passages was great, and made the novel feel epic. The choice of the narrator was a good one, and although at times I found a few of the more modern phrases/attitudes either intentionally cloying or clumsy, in general the voice added a lot to the story.

The plot itself was great, and it was good to see a text about Penelope that established her as a character in her own right. Whilst reading, I listened to the Natalie Haynes podcast on Penelope which talked about her intelligence, and this is definitely something that shines through, as does the immaturity of Telemachus.

All in all definitely a book I would recommend!