A clever and beautifully written feminist retelling of a mythological tale. As a reader coming into this story with only a scant knowledge of greek mythology I embraced it as an engrossing tale of gender, politics, fantasy and abuse - all of which resonated with contemporary themes. Phaedra is sent unwillingly to Athens as the young wife of Theseus, a victim of circumstance, politics, gender and ultimately rape. I was absorbed into the setting, the characters and the pace. The climactic trial had me willing for a happy ending in the absolute knowledge there wasn't going to be one. Highly recommend.

Theseus. the hero of the labyrinth, never really comes out of Greek mythology very well. Abductor of Helen of Troy, abandoner of Ariadne, and uncaring husband of her sister Phaedra, he doesn't do well in this story either. Told from Phaedra's perspective and that of other women close to her, it's a despairing and tragic tale where women have no control over their lives, can make few choices and are at the mercy of the more powerful men on whom they are dependent. The story is intensely felt and depicted and at every stage you hope for a happy ending but inevitably Phaedra's tragedy unfolds to its sad ending.

Power abuse and an indication of Me too movement in Ancient Greece.

This book is for anyone who enjoys reading Greek mythology, this time done differently and from a woman's perspective.

If there are heroes, do women become heroines? Women keep going, persevere, ask for nothing, and get even less. Where are their stories?

Phaedra, daughter of the Minoan king and sister of the Labyrinth monster, leaves Crete after tragedy as the wife of Theseus, king of Athens. Unaccustomed to the dark palace, solitude, neglect, and aggression of the men who apparently dominate this court, she experiences even worse abuse: rape. When Phaedra accuses Hippolytus, who is her husband's son, she is put on trial in an all-male court.

As befits a true Greek tragedy, the ending is known, yet the author managed to show the story through a woman's eyes, bring the protagonists to life, and give them a modern voice.

A good read that prompts self-examination demonstrates that monsters can hide behind good looks, kind words, and high power.

This book was overwhelmingly ‘meh’ and at times really disappointing.

The writing wasn’t wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great. I think this style of story would’ve significantly benefited from being in third-person, as the first-person accounts all jumbled together. The overarching message of the book was to give a voice to a group of women (and by extension, women as a whole) who had been silenced throughout history, but instead did not take the time or effort to actually flesh out these characters and their vast differences (age, culture, abilities, etc.). Additionally, many of the chapters from the POV of irrelevant side-characters were flimsy and derivative from the overall narrative.

I understand most authors take liberties when tackling an established myth or legend, but this one veered so far from the original sources it almost felt she had just pinched the character’s names and added them to an entirely new plot. I adore feminist retellings, but this one almost goes too far in the other direction, with some sections seemingly suggesting that boys were never victims of SA/rape (in a book set in Ancient Greece, no less) and I found this rather distasteful.

I wanted to like this more than I did, which is unfortunate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing me with this ARC. All opinions are my own.

another incredible Greek Myth Retelling to add to the Roster and to add to your own TBR’s for 2023.
A book that keeps you captivated, intrigued and just rooting for best outcome for these Heroines.

Its a beauty of a Novel following multiple women as they are just trying to do the best they can in a male centre dominated rule and world. Fighting for their power, their bodies and their right to be Treated equally.

I love retellings and this one was no different. The writing is engaging and the story is so well told with a fresh feel and well develooped charcaters. An enjoyable read.

I am a huge fan of retellings of Greek myth, with a bookcase full of Madeline Miller, Pat Barker, Natalie Haynes and Jennifer Saint, and I really enjoyed The Heroines, devouring it in a short time. The story of Phaedra, Princess of Crete and younger sister of Ariadne, who was taken to Athens as the wife of Theseus after he had killed the minotaur. It paints a very bleak picture of life for women during this period, and forces the reader to rethink ideas of Greek "Heroes". An excellent read.

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to the fantasy and mythology genre, but, I am widening my perspectives and so far loving it. The author has done this brilliantly. The story is beautifully written, the characters come alive on the page, the settings pop and all characters have a believable voice. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book.

3.5/.5

Laura Shepperson’s debut is like being trapped in a spider’s web. I know it’s a bit of a strange metaphor, but I loved how tense this story was. I was completely gripped by Phaedra’s battle to get justice against her stepson Hippolytus after he brutally rapes her. Throughout reading it, I had this image of Phaedra in the centre of a spider’s web, trying to free herself from Hippolytus and her husband Theseus who cares more for establishing democracy and his son than Phaedra. Another threat to Phaedra is Trypho, who despite his good-guy persona, uses Phaedra’s assault to his advantage. Despite the presence of Phaedra’s maid Kandake whose savvier than Phaedra gives her credit for, neither women are a match for Hippolytus and Theseus, coupled with the misogynist men of the court and a few of the women who resent Phaedra for making their situations more difficult by pursuing her case against Hippolytus.

I was familiar with Phaedra’s story from Euripides' play. However, I loved Shepperson’s take on this myth and how grounded and layered it felt, especially in terms of Ariadne, Minos and Medea’s storyline. I also loved how Shepperson’s treatment of the gods, specifically how men use them as a scapegoat to excuse their abhorrent behaviour. I always remember my Classics teacher pointing out that Greek women always needed an excuse as to why they were outside and I appreciated the claustrophobic feel to this story as technically good women were meant to stay indoors where it was “safe.” Unfortunately, the Athenian court is a snake pit.

I was struck by the modern-day resonance of Phaedra’s court case. As Medea notes: ‘Justice is sometimes a mistreated woman. What should happen isn’t always what does happen.’ The tragedy of this story is Phaedra’s growing awareness of how true this sentiment is. Despite her royal privilege, she’ll always be a second-class citizen in the eyes of men and this is a lesson she realizes too late.

This point is emphasised in the final act when Theseus laments the death of his son. ‘I could see so many possibilities,’ Theseus remarks in the face of his loss. To Theseus, the real tragedy isn’t Phaedra’s assault by his son, but his son's loss of promise due to Phaedra's bravery in speaking up. The casual misogyny means that society is invested in giving these men a second chance at the expense of the women who’ve suffered or who will suffer at their hands. Overall, this was such a thought-provoking and beautifully written story and I look forward to reading the author’s next book.