Follow up to The Silence of the Girls.

Barker takes up where she left off with the Greeks getting into Troy under cover of the Trojan horse. Vivid descriptions of the violence surrounding the fall of Troy then lead into the aftermath of the Greek victory, told from the viewpoint of Briseis, the heroine of The Silence of the Girls. Briseis, now Achilles' widow and pregnant with his child, is married to Alcimus, one of Achilles' closest friends.

The Greeks are stuck in their beach encampment as the wind refuses to turn in a direction that will allow them to sail away from Troy. Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, is struggling to maintain any authority over the Greek fighters and the women captured from Troy, while tortured by his part in the victory.

A great retelling of the story from a woman's viewpoint. Loved it.

Pat Barkers’ remarkable followup to her bestselling ‘The Silence of The Girls’ is truly a masterfully written and powerfully poignant look at the aftermath of war from the POV of the unrecognised,historically silenced (and primarily female) victims.

Troy has fallen, the Greeks have won their decades long war. Finally being able to return home with their spoils (in gold and in women), wind in their sails—except the wind doesn’t arrive, for the Gods are offended. The former King Priam’s remains still lies unburied, desecrated.

Restlessness starts take hold, as the victors—unable to return home, are trapped in the haunting ruins of city they destroyed. Hierarchies and alliances start to unravel and old feuds (and new) begin to fester.

Briseis, left (rather unnoticed )in the Greek Camp, has begun to make alliances of her own, with naive Amina, defiant Trojan Queen Hecuba and disgraced Priest Calchus in the hopes to secure vengeance on their captors. But safety isn’t guaranteed just yet, for peacetime can be just as dangerous as War.

An exceptionally riveting sequel, I really enjoyed it and dare I say more than it’s predecessor, it’s told in first person by Briseis as was the case in The Silence of The Girls, but we also get a (third person) glimpse into the lives of the men, through Calchus and Pyrrhus (son of Achilles)

I did feel there was less action here than in Barkers’ previous book, though the narrative is still firmly focused on the women and the grief of their loss (not just their freedom but also the lives of their families). I was absolutely captivated by the heart-breaking, humanness of it all.

Briseis was an incredibly well written character and her strength was particularly empowering,seeing her try to comfort these women in the face of their grief was incredibly moving. But I’d say the echoes of war and the ghosts of the dead play a huge role in the narrative, especially for Pyrrhus living in the shadows of his dead father and Agamemnon, whose fear of Achilles still haunts him.

I’d also thought I’d say though there is violence in this,there’s not nearly as much violence as In The Silence of the Girls and I enjoyed this one more for it. I’d definitely Recommend to fans of Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint, Greek mythology or historical retellings.

Also a huge thank you to Penguin/Hamish Hamilton and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Another brilliant book following on from The Silence of the Girls. The research is excellent and the reader feels immersed in the aftermath of the Trojan War. The beginning is captivating as we creep secretly into Troy!
It is easy to identify with the main characters and the situation described on the beach beyond Troy is believably dreadful. The reader is drawn into the brutal life of the Greeks and the atrocities during and following the war feel very real, including the lot of women, even those of high rank, at this time.
I loved it.

I loved the continuation of the characters from Barker's previous novel The Silence of the Girls, and how this allows her to get further inside the thoughts and behaviours of the people we have previously met and seen in action.

The book explores the period of time after the Trojan War was won but before the victors could return home due to strong and supernatural winds that keep them on the island. This really interesting as not much can happen in a time of suspension, but this leaves so much room to explore motivations, reactions and character that makes the book a pleasure to read.

Seeing the story again from Briseis' view allows us to explore the forgotten and the ignored in the women whose families had been murdered who were expected to serve new masters, but it also explores some of the men - Calchas the out-of-favour priest, Pyrrhus the boy who feels he can never live up to his dead father's expectations, and the graciousness and wisdom of some of the older men.

This is a really involving read and one of the best bits is when Briseis seems to say that she lived into her 50s to see so much more - let's hope we get to hear about her next adventures very soon.

Thanks to Hamish Hamilton & Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

When beginning to read The Women Of Troy I had high expectations, sadly my expectations were not lived up to. The book was interesting enough that I was able to get through it without it becoming a DNF, but only just so. Maybe it's because I haven't read silence of the girls but I believe the authors writing & retelling style just was not for me. If you are intrigued by the book read it, I think the book just wasn't for me.

The writing was wonderful and intriguing, but I couldn't fall into this the same way I did with The Silence of the Girls! I think I'll give it another go another time, but something just wasn't clicking with the characters for me. I have no doubt when I give it another go later, I'll love it.

I'm finding this book very difficult to review. I loved Pat Barkers Regeneration trilogy and have enjoyed several of her later books as well. I haven't read Silence of The Girls of which I believe this is the sequel and I also like reading English translations of ancient Greek books like The Iliad.
Unfortunately I found the stylised writing of The Women of Troy rather unnatural and irritating and the dialogue unconvincing. I've seen some of the 4 star reviews and come to the conclusion that the fault must be mine rather than the novel's. Maybe I should have read Silence of the Girls first.

Really good read and from the women of Troy s viewpoint. It’s usually the story of the war and the men that we hear about, but this was a different take on it and throughly enjoyed it. Says it all when you complete a book in 3 days. Thanks for giving me the chance to read this.

I loved Pat Barkers First book on Troy, The Silence of the Girls, so I couldn’t wait to read this. It continues to follow Briseis after the destruction of Troy, as she tries to help the women of Troy who have been captured, including Hecuba (the wife of King Priam), up until they eventually leave once the wind has settled. I really hope there is a further follow up once Briseis has given birth to Achilles child.

4/5 stars.
I'm quite torn on what my thoughts are on this one. I absolutely LOVED Silence of the Girls and thought it was absolutely brilliant.
This sequel is still good but it didn't quite feel like it lived up to that first book. I don't know if that is because I read the first book so long ago and have built it up to an impossible standard in my head or if it's because I've read a lot of retellings about this age since reading Silence of the Girls and they were also excellent or maybe it's because the story line that this novel covers although interesting wasn't as exciting. Or maybe it just wasn't as good? But I did still think the writing was excellent and I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt that maybe if the circumstances were different and I had ONLY read this book and not many others on this topic (including the first one) I would think it was brilliant.

I enjoyed this book. It's not often that you get to see the aftermath of the War on Troy and even more the aftermath of the women which made this book a very interesting read. It wasn't a book i feel like most would read in a sitting or two and i had to read it spread out over the course of a few weeks. I've always been interested in Breseis so i enjoyed the book being through her pov.

The highly anticipated sequel to The Silence of the Girls is here! What can I say... I read it. I loved it. I might buy a hard copy when it comes out.

This follows Briseis after the death of Achilles and the fall of Troy, as she combats her status as the wife of a Greek lord whilst trying to held her Trojan counterparts adjust to their new life. If the you enjoyed The Silence of the Girls, you’ll enjoy this. And if you haven’t read the previous book... read it!

I raved about how much I loved The Silence of the Girls and I devoured The Women of Troy - the absolutely perfect follow up. These women, who are no more than war prizes and possessions even once married and are entirely defined by the men who own them, are not to be underestimated.

The gods have been offended and the vast armies are stranded on the beaches of Troy, unable to return home, and someone needs to pay for this. In the confines of the restless Greek encampment following the fall of Troy, alliances are formed by these ignored and overlooked women: theirs is far from an easy life, and they'll need to each other to survive.

Barker writes their relationships with each other so beautifully, and without fanfare. A haunting tale and not one to be missed this summer.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc! I’m so honoured to be able to read it early!

AMAZING!! I cannot recommend Pat Barker’s work enough. Please give this a go!!!

Another gorgeous Greek retelling by Pat Barker. I loved Silence of the Girls, and was very eager to read this sequel (although others have said it works well as a standalone). The pace is definitely slower, in a sense mimicking the liminal space the characters occupy now the battle is ended but they are trapped, unable to return home, echoes of war and loss haunting all of the characters. Barker's Briseis is a powerful, fully fledged lead, and the novel portrays the trials faced by all women in the camp in a clear, heartbreaking voice. I'd definitely be very keen to read more from this series!

I’ll hold my hands up and say I’ve never read a book by Pat Barker before and I can definitely say this one was a fantastic introduction to her writings!

Based around the story of the fall of Troy, from the beginnings of that iconic horse, the book follows the plight of women in this murky period of history. I didn’t realise this was a sequel to a first book ‘The silence of the girls’ and this book definitely works as a stand-alone and can be read without having prior knowledge is the first one.

I have to admit though, I did get a bit lost a couple of times with who was who in the chapters, from what perspective it was from and what was taking place, but one I got my head on right, I quickly slipped into the story and managed to keep a good hold!

I don’t know much about the historical accuracies of this Greek period and the women of Troy, so can’t comment on that but it was a well adapted history - to novel and read well. It’s a steady plot, a slow mover but one that isn’t not enjoyable to read I found. It’s one is those books where you don’t know where the plot is heading but are steadily taken on a ride as it unfolds before you. Not an unpleasant read at all but a very real telling of what life was like for women in those days!

After this one though I’d definitely want to go back and read the first. I enjoyed this book!

This definitely works as a standalone as I've not read the first one. A good re-telling of a well known historical time. Found the pace a bit too slow to feel like I could get really stuck into it, I always appreciate a female telling of a story, particularly in a male dominated history piece. If you like Greek mythology you'll love this. A fresh retelling.

I loved the Silence of the Girls, and this was almost as good... A bit slower pace and some episodes weren't particularly thrilling, but overall a great read and an interesting perspective of what it would haver been like for the women.

This book was slightly less compelling than its predecessor, but I happily swapped the scenes of extreme sexual violence that played a large part in The Silence of the Girls for more sedate scenes. Breisis has outlived her captor Achilles and is preparing to leave the army encampment on the beaches below Troy for a new life as a married woman, far from home. While the army waits for the wind to change, she spends her time with the other Women of Troy- Casssandra, Helen, Andromache and Hecuba- who have each been claimed by men who murdered their husbands, brothers and sons. No gods are physically present in this book, but we do encounter ghosts, including Andromache's infant son, who haunts his former cradle. We learn a little more about the Men of Troy- Cassandra's twin brother Helenus, who betrayed his people under torture, and a "bird-seer", once in demand, who is now ostracised by Agamemnon's camp. Breisis' change in status from slave to wife is predicated on her pregnancy- she is carrying Achilles' baby, a fact she struggles to come to terms with and barely acknowledges. In their desperation, some women commit acts of rebellion, with varying success- I would have liked Breisis to assist Hecuba's plan to poison Helen, but her sense of self-preservation is too strong. I have a particular love of the way the characters in Barker's series speak- words like "basically" and "sure" as well as expressions like "streak of piss" make the very ancient cast that bit more relatable. For the first time we learn that Breisis survives into her 50s- I hope Barker will allow her to continue her story.

This story is written from the very different points of view of two characters: Briseis and Pyrrus. With the rest of the characters being seen from their perspective, as well as the behaviour of the characters, or so I interpreted the novel. I have not read Pat Barker for a long time and I was impressed by how her writing has improved, not that it was not good to begin with, but it is wonderful now. The characters are well drawn, Hecuba, Andromache, Cassandra are just as I would imagine them to be. A sad narrative, but a fascinating one. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy of this book.