Thanks Little Brown Books & Orbit for my e-ARC of Ithaca.

I started this with high hopes, having just devoured and loved Madeline Miller’s Circe. I was so interested so pick up from Penelope’s perspective.

Unfortunately I didn’t find the writing particularly engaging and had to DNF at approx 50% mark.

I did find a few good quotes, and my favourite part would be, “Once upon a time, there were three queens in Greece. One was chaste and pure, one a temperous whore, one a murderous hag”.

I absolutely loved this book!

I’m a fan of Mary Beard & Madeleine Miller so happily jumped into this and read it very quickly. Odysseus is still away from his kingdom of Ithaca after leaving many years ago to fight in the Trojan war. He has left behind his wife Penelope (who is Helen of Troy’s cousin) and their son Telemachus who was an infant when his father left & is now entering adulthood. Penelope has managed his affairs well, but has a problem, many suitors have arrived wanting her to choose one of them to marry as they believe Odysseus is dead & want to take over his kingdom. However Penelope knows that the fate of her son is put in jeopardy if she was to marry, and must distract them from forcing her to make any such decision.

A big thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit for the opportunity to review this book for an honest opinion.

I had high hopes for this book as have recently read a few titles in this genre and really enjoyed them. Unfortunately this was was not one of them, due to the constant third person present tense, so much so that it jutted out more than the storyline itself and I couldn't bear it and it didn't capture my attention.

I also tried the audio book to see if I could get past this, but in fact, if anything it probably made it stand out more. However if you can get past this, then you might like it.

There were also a lot of characters, which I lost track of and have no idea who they all are and unfortunately couldn't complete the book and it missed the mark for me.

Not one for me, but I hope others will enjoy it.

Ithaca by Claire North
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Paperback release: 20 April 2023
~~~~~
This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women – and their goddesses – that will change the course of the world.
~~~~~
I thought that having Hera, Goddess of women, marriage and childbirth, as the narrator of this story was a pretty genius move - she is irreverent, sarcastic and mean, yet astute and, unexpectedly, heartbreaking.
I enjoyed Penelope's character, her calm intelligence, how she fends for herself and tries to protect her son, her kingdom and her people from political intrigue and a bullying and dangerous army of suitors.
The secondary female characters (Elektra, Clytemnestra, Penelope's loyal group of women such as Eos and Ourania) were also very strong and well-written.
This is not always an easy read and be aware that there are several scenes of sexual violence against women.
And yet, this is the story about women reclaiming their power in a patriarchal society who ignores, belittles and brutalises them - women who rise, fight and protect.
I really, really enjoyed this and I will absolutely pick up the next one in this series.
~~~~~

Ithaca
The exquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth
by Claire North

The literary world has rediscovered and regenerated old myths in the best way possible: by uncovering and exploring missing viewpoints.

Ithaca is told through the eyes of Hera, the goddess of women, marriage, and motherhood. As narrator, she serves as a lens through which the reader can see the lives of the people of Ithaca, particularly the women.

Hera, of course, is female - and not just female, but "old" and envious. Suffice it to say, her viewpoint is unlikely to be widely sought. So that's all right. All the more incisive, irreverent, and scorching. Artemis is vulnerable in ways that Athena and Artemis cannot be.

I liked how this narrative was recounted from Hera's point of view as she watches events unfold, though I found the third person a little difficult to follow at times, especially with such a huge cast of characters.
Overall, a wonderful retelling that uses humour and a feminist perspective to shed light on the ladies of Ithaca and the Queens of Greece.

#NetGalley #bookstagram#bookreview #goodreads #read#bookstagrammer #fyp #booktok #bookclub#booklover #greekgods #greekretellings

Thanks to NetGalley and little brown books for the review copy.
I enjoy reading these Greek mythology retellings, this was a feminist book full of betrayal, goddess and gods.
Highly recommended.

Claire North has somewhat of a cult-following, and for the first time, I understand why. This is the third time I’ve had the fortune of being approved for one of her ARCs. I read the others years ago, liked Touch “alright”, and The Sudden Appearance of Hope not at all. I was a student, and I wonder if I should read them again. Perhaps I was too immature for her style, then.

The literary world has rediscovered the old myths, and has renewed them in the best way: by identifying and exploring the missing perspectives.

Ithaca is told from the perspective of Hera: goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth. As narrator, she becomes an eyepiece for the reader with which to view the lives, especially, of the women of Ithaca.

Hera is also female, of course - and not just female, but “old” (according to her stepdaughters), and jealous (of her husband, his mistresses, and their offspring). Suffice to say, hers is probably a perspective not readily sought, either. And so, all the better. All the more biting, irreverent, scalding. Vulnerable, even, in a way one cannot imagine from Artemis, or Athena.

Her choice of narrator is hardly North’s greatest accomplishment: that honour goes to her lyrical prose. She has a knack for contemporising the ancient - linking the strands of sisterhood and motherhood in a way that rings entirely true to the modern reader.

“She does not smile back. What little power she has, she has taken. It tastes nothing like freedom.”

There is something distinctly painful in the portrayal of Penelope and Telemachus’s relationship - a need unanswered, an uncertainty, and an element of the hysterical. It must be uncomfortable because it rings so similar to the popular portrayal of mothers and sons. In North's capable hands, Telemachus becomes a distinctly unlikeable almost-hero, and then, bizarrely, gains favour (if only a little) from the reader when seen through Penelope’s eyes.

As I’ve said in other reviews of Greek retellings, I have never had a particular interest in the old myths, and I would not be able to pick up on inaccuracies if they were present (but in the same breath, I think both myths and retellings not only lend themselves, but demand, creative license).

I am so excited to hear that there will be a second book - Ithaca was one I wished would not end.

I really wanted to like this book as I'm going through a bit of an Ancient Greek phase at the moment. Unfortunately it missed the mark for me, it was really slow going and I really struggled to get into it.
Without giving too much away the story is being told from an outside perspective yet you still get to know what the individual characters are thinking which can get a little confusing especially if like me you like to read a little before bed after a long hard day.

Ithaca is another example of a great Greek mythology retelling. It is beautifully written and takes considerable care to include lots of detail. I enjoyed the perspective of this story being told from Hera’s PoV as she watches the events unfold although I did find the third person slightly confusing to follow at times, especially as there is a large cast of characters.
Overall an excellent retelling that shines a light on the women of Ithaca and the Queens of Greece with humour and a feminist perspective.

So good!! I love mythology retellings but they can fall short so easily. This absolutely did not I loved it!

'Ithaca' was ok and I liked the premise however it didn't translate for me. I found this quite slow and I lost interest. I also thought it was a bit confusing.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This book turned out to be okayish for me.
I like the writing style. It's witty and funny at times. However, the pace of the book is not one of my liking. I feel too cramped with too many names and I can't get attached to the characters.
I love how the women portrayed here. Each of them strong in their own way, and they seized unapologetically. It's good but not extremely pleasing.
All and all 3,5 ⭐
Thank you Netgalley for providing this book 🥰

It is rare to find myself so captivated by a book where I know what will come of the characters. Greek Mythology is so widely shared that it is almost impossible to find an approach that has not been covered and yet Penelope has flown under the radar.

The way this book is written is it’s major selling point, to have the story told for the perspective of a watching goddess, the eternally wronged Hera made this stand out from many other retelling of mythology and I really enjoyed the outside perspective.

Going into this, I had no idea what the time scale would be and didn’t know there would be a sequel so found myself waiting for Odysseus to turn up which is foolish because this was not his story.

I especially enjoyed the interactions between Hera and Athena and Hera and Artemis, showing how dysfunctional even a family of gods is in comparison to Greek royalty, the parental relationships mirroring Penelope and Telemachus. Absolutely stunning.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bit of a slow read for me, but also a really good one...

Ithaca discusses what happens in Odysseus's home just after the Trojan War, as the events of the Odyssey are transpiring. While Athena protects Odysseus and Telemachus, Hera, queen of the gods and wife to Zeus, looks after Penelope as she tries to rule Ithaca, while at the same time managing the political implications of having a territory without a king. Because of the Trojan War, Ithaca was left only with the women, the very young and very old men, which makes it complicated to protect the island.

Ithaca was so good at presenting these women who were left behind in Ithaca during the Trojan War, especially Penelope, who is so often disregarded, but finally gets to be the lead in this story. Hera has a special affection for the Greek queens - Penelope, Helen and, especially, Clytemnestra - and with the goddess at the helm in this book, we get to see more of Ithaca's women.

I couldn’t finish this book because I really dislike third person present tense. I find it very jarring, so much so, that it takes me out of the experience. The content was interesting enough but not enough to keep me reading.

Claire North brings the ancient story of Ithaca to life, managing to tell a story as old as time while engaging the reader with modern dilemmas