I have thoroughly enjoyed this telling of Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Elektra's stories and how the war with Troy affected them all.

There were 3 very different stories and three very different girls/women to be telling them. I found something in each of them to connect with and. It was also a telling of how events through different perspectives can change the events outcome.

Loyalty is also a big part of this story. Clytemnestra's loyalty to her children, Elektra's loyalty to her father and Cassandra's initially to Apollo.

I am new to the Greek myths and I find Jennifer Saint's writing style very accessible and educational while still telling me a story.

A fantastic read that I enjoyed just as much as Ariadne. Greek mythology is so engaging to read about, and Saint's reimagining is well-written, giving a voice to Cassandra, Clytemnestra and Elektra that was easily understandable even if you're not hugely familiar with the mythology behind it.

Clythemnestra helplessly watches her eldest daughter Iphigenia being sacrificed by her husband Agamemnon in return for a fair wind to start a war against Troy. The war that launched a thousand ships to get her sister Helen back for her brother-in-law Menelaus. Her youngest daughter Elektra waits for ten years for her beloved father's return while her mother is consumed by revenge, together with her lover Aegisthus. Meanwhile in Troy, no one believes the words of Princess Cassandra who sees her city going down in flames in one of her visions, gifted by Apollo.

This is the first book I've read by Saint and it was a very nice introduction to her work. In recent years, I have read several books about the Trojan War and/or the House of Atreus so the events are anything but new to me. Some of these books are 'House of names', 'The silence of the girls', 'Daughters of Sparta', 'A thousand shipz', 'A song for Achilles'... I feel that Saint stays close to the classical interpretation of the Iliad. She includes three female perspectives: that of Clythemnestra, Cassandra and of course Elektra who gives this book its name.

Compared to some of the raw and bloody scenes found in 'House of names' or 'Silence of the girls', Saint certainly doesn't shy away from drama, but focuses more on character development. The parallels between Clythemnestra and Elektra are particularly strong. They both seek revenge and as a result can no longer see things clearly. This Clythemnestra feels real. Although the one in Toibin's work remains the most ruthless. Elektra is not my favourite character from this well-known story and I have some trouble understanding the reasons behind her actions. But I liked the inclusion of her life in this book. Her story becomes more prominent in the second half of the book and I'm glad we still follow her after her father's return from Troy.

Cassandra is definitely a nice addition to include a Trojan perspective and you really sympathize with her. The fall of Troy remains so dramatic. My favourite scene was one between Cassandra and Hector on the eve of his death. I found it only a bit strange that Cassandra's twin brother Helenus is omitted from the story. I also liked her 'friendship' with Helen, in times when no one believes her. This brings me to Helen.

Although Saint had the disadvantage that the Trojan War is a bit of a <em>been there, done that</em> for me, I really want to congratulate her on how she portrayed Helen. Although she's only a side character, it's the first time that Helen is represented as I can imagine her. I normally hate Helen. But in 'Elektra' she's human, vain and not unfathomably handsome. She chooses Menelaus as a husband because he's different from the other men. And her relationship with Paris and the royal family in Troy is not perfect. This is a Helen who bears her destiny while still standing above the rest because she's the daughter of Zeus and thus a plaything of the Gods.

I'm now very curious to read 'Ariadne' because I think discovering more unfamiliar events from Greek mythology will make me appreciate Saint's writing style even more.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Elektra - Jennifer Saint


The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods. You follow Clytemnestra the sister of Helen and wife of Agamemnon, you also follow Cassandra Princess of Troy, and lastly the books namesake Elektra the youngest daughter of Clytemnestra.

First of let me say that early this year I read Ariadne and absolutely loved it! I was therefore so excited when I was got accepted on netgalley for an early copy of the sequel book Electra. When reading Ariadne I only had one complaint and that was the pacing, however during this novel there was no issue at all and was glued the entire time!

Elektra is a FANTASTIC read that I loved even more than its predecessor. Its more fleshed out, heartfelt and some scenes (one in particular with Iphigenia) beautifully written that I could feel the tradegy and helplessness that Clytemnestra was feeling.

Elektra herself is interesting to follow, while she remains sort of stone like in the book you can't help but admire her loyalty to her father Agamemnon, but more importantly her protection and beautiful relationship with her brother Orestes.

A spectacular novel written by Jennifer Saint that clearly shows her developed writing and her ability to do a fantastic/brilliant job of retelling Greek tales.

After enjoying Ariadne last year, I was looking forward to reading Jennifer Saint's second novel, which tackles one of my favourite myth.

I've always had a soft spot for Clytemnestra, and as a consequence I never much liked Elektra, so I was curious to see how Jennifer Saint would portray these two opposite characters, and if she could make me understand Elektra's reasonings. I'm happy to say she definitely succeeded.

Starting with Clytemnestra, I was perfectly satisfied with how Saint portrayed her. She was a beautifully complex character: I always rooted for her even when I didn't agree with her actions. It was sad seeing how her grief for Iphigenia's death and her blinding need of revenge made her lose sight of what she still had, especially her surviving children. However, even though I didn't agree with it, I also understood why she wanted to distantiate herself from them.

As for Elektra, even though I can't say I liked her, her characterization was really well done. While I would have liked to see a little more of her relationship with her father, I still understood why, after Clytemnestra lost interest in her surviving children, she clung to an idealized version of Agamemnon, and dreamed of the day when he would come back home. And, similarly to her mother, it was tragic seeing how her life and her personality were shaped by her father's murder, how she couldn't find peace and happiness until Agamemnon was avenged.

The theme of revenge was also beautifully portrayed, because it united the contrasting stories of Elektra and Clytemnestra. Both of their lives were consumed by their desire of revenge - Clytemnestra lost her identity as a loving mother, Elektra lost every part of herself until only hatred for her mother remained.

Even though Elektra and Clytemnestra were the most compelling characters, Cassandra's point of view was equally well done. I felt a lot of sympathy for her, and the tragedy and unfairness of war were rendered masterfully through her eyes.

As for the secondary characters, Helen's portrayal deserves a mention. I loved how she remained an enigmatic figure and her relationships with both Clytemnestra and Cassandra were very intriguing.

A splendid read. I can't wait to read Jennifer Saint's next novels!

This was a brilliant retelling and I loved the way the plot is twisted to have the reader gasping. The cover is also gorgeous!!

This book was an instant five star review, as someone trying to get more into mythology although confusing at times to keep track of names (but when isnt it in this genre) the story in this book was phenomenaly well written and kept me hooked the whole way through, actually getting me out of a slump as i ploughed my way throught this book. Unlike many of the people who have read this i have not yet read ariadne and so this was my first insight into Jennifers literature and its safe to say ill be reading more of her books in future. It expertly portrayed themes of family betrayal and trauma while including classic history such as the trojan war. my only advice for anyone planning to read this is to look up trigger warnings as with it being very war, curse and death centered i recognise it may not be for everyone. overall a wonderful little book and i cant wait to go back and read ariadne when i have the time too

I really wanted to like "Elektra" by Jennifer Saint, having loved her previous novel "Ariadne" but unfortunately I just found it too heavy going. I struggled to follow which character was narrating as they all seemed to be pregnant or married to each other. There didn't seem to be anything unique about this book or the freshness that Ariadne brought.

Elektra follows three of the women whose lives will crumble under the weight of the Trojan war.

Clytemnestra, sister to Helen, marries Agamemnon, tying her family into the curse of the House of Atreus.
Her chapters a full of anxiety, grief, despair & revenge. Whilst her actions can be questionable, her rage and grief are compelling and the driving force of the story.

Cassandra, princess of Troy, becomes a priestess of Apollo primarily to avoid being married off. When she rejects Apollo's advances, he curses her with true visions that no-one will believe.
Cassandra is the most sympathetic character, desperate to be listened to & to help save her family. And yet it is a curse from the god that is supposed to protect them that means she is forever ignored.

Elektra is only a young girl when her father leaves so she creates her own version of him in her mind- a much more noble and honourable man. She repeatedly excuses or minimises his actions, including the slaughter of her own sister, and the neglect of her grieving mother leads her down the path of resentment, bitterness &, ultimately, her own revenge.
Although Elektra is the title character, her sections only really develop in the second half. An inherently unlikeable character, I'd have liked some more time with her growing up/as a young woman to at least develop more understanding- if not sympathy for her.

Beautifully written, feminist view of Troy & the curse of the House of Atreus - overflowing with rage, despair and sorrow. Iphigenia's "wedding" deserves a special mention- evocative, dread-filled & agonising.

I was already familiar with the story of the Trojan War but I was only really aware of it from a male perspective. So often in retellings, the focus is primarily on figures such as Agamemnon, Achilles, Hector and Paris and so I really enjoyed reading about it from a feminine point of view.

I do feel, despite the title, that the story was more Clytemnestra’s, with the others being secondary characters. It’s hard to see why the author chose Elektra to be the titular character. She was a child for a large part of the book and didn’t offer much to the first part of the story other than her blind loyalty to her father. She was unlikeable and didn’t seem to have much depth. Her main, and seemingly only, character trait was being devoted to her father and yet we never really know why she was so loyal to him. He was clearly a terrible man, impatient, ruthless and violent, so why did Elektra admire him so much? I felt that part of her character wasn’t explored as it could have been.

Clytemnestra in comparison was a really complex character. She made some terrible decisions but I liked how we saw her vulnerability and pain beneath the anger. As a mother I could easily imagine her fury with Agamemnon. Out of the three main characters I sympathised with Cassandra the most. I felt her frustration and fear yet she was strong and courageous throughout her torment

The three different perspectives were handled really well and it was always really clear whose perspective I was reading from. The story is beautifully written and the large cast of characters is handled well. It has everything you want in a novel such as this. Tragedy, heartache and drama.

Overall I really enjoyed Elektra. However it’s hard not to compare it to other brilliant books such as The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Madeline Miller is a different class in my opinion but Elektra still holds its own as a good retelling.

Thank you so much Wildfire and Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of Elektra by Jennifer Saint.

I was so excited to get into this book as I adore mythology and retellings. I was intrigued to get into this story as I had read several versions of the Iliad and was intrigued to read about some characters who haven't had the chance to have their time in the spotlight.

While I found the book beautifully written and I was intrigued by Clytemnestra, Elektra and Cassandra, I was left wondering what exactly the point of the story was.

Elektra is the titular character, however, she has little to no agency as she is only a child throughout the book and only in the last few chapters do we really get to see more of her. Clytemnestra was a much more exciting character, in my opinion, we saw her struggle with the idea of becoming a wife and queen and a mother. We see her deal with the war and the realities of her husband really is.

Meanwhile Cassandra, whose story is a bit well known, fells left to the wayside until towards the end of the book as well.

I found the prose to be completely beautiful and the story intriguing but I wanted more for these women...

This was a strong, powerful reimagine of an age-old Greek myth. The characters were vividly drawn, and I felt compelled and enthused by each part of their stories—especially their relationship to Agamemnon, and the way each of them portrayed and felt about him due to their standings.

It takes a lot of elements of classic Greek myth, and spins them into its own form a reimagining, and I enjoyed seeing the ways Saint stuck to, and deviated from, the original story. Whilst the characters were gripping, I felt that there were points where the plot dragged, however, i’m saying that, this was a solid book, and I look forward to seeing what Saint comes out with next!

This was a beautifully moving and tragic tale of women's suffering at the hands of men, living with the decisions and choices made by men, remaining strong despite many obstacles.

Elektra covers what happens leading up to the Trojan War as well as the aftermath of the war itself.

I liked that there were instances where a myth has a few alternative versions, and they are all mentioned rather than just sticking to one version as final.

Part 1 and 2 were mainly about Cassandra and Clymenestra, with the occasional short chapter from young Elektra's point of view. I felt like her parts in these sections sounded too mature, considering she was a child at the time. I loved the insight into both sides though, what happened in Troy and also the Greek side.

Part 3 then switches to mainly Elektra & the aftermath of the war, her feelings towards her mother and longing to see her father after being separated for ten long years.

As emotional and touching this was, I can't help but think the title doesn't really fit the book. It isn't really about Elektra, but rather three different women so it is slightly misleading. It doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the book, but it did mean that I had completely different expectations to what the book actually delivered.

I guess it does conclude with Elektra though and the whole book does give insight into how and why she ended up the way she did.

I really enjoyed Ariadne by Jennifer Saint and this was another stunning mythological retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this beautiful book.

A feminist re-telling of Greek mythology, specifically the Trojan wars and the story of three woman bound up and Interconnected. The story is told entirely from the POV of three women, Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Elektra, through a split chapter narrative.

Clytemnestra, sister of the legendary Helen of Troy. Growing up in her sisters shadow, we join her in her early years through her marriage to Agamemnon. She becomes vilified through her murder of her husband.

Cassandra, princess of Troy, becomes priestess to the God Apollo. However, her wish for the gift of sight and prophecy soon becomes her downfall. She is the outcast of her family, often referred to as “mad”. She is courageous and strong throughout the trials she faces.

And finally, Elektra, daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. Steadfast in her loyalty to her father above all else. Unlikeable but captivating nonetheless.

I’m obsessed with Saint’s writing, it’s lyrical to the point of being poetic. The characters and setting come alive on the page. I’m all here for the Greek mythology retellings that seem to keep coming. This book was wonderful and I can’t wait to see what Saint brings us next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There is a real appetite at the moment for retellings of Greek Myths, especially from a female perspective. Maybe this is due to uncertain times and myths conveying universal truths?

This follows hot on the heels of the very successful Ariadne by the same author, but this book is told by 3 narrators.

First of all is the titular Elektra whose beloved father sails off to the Trojan Wars in her formative years. She is increasingly estranged from her remaining family and her relationship with her mother becomes strained and difficult.

Then we see the Trojan side of the war from the perspective of Cassandra, daughter to King Priam. As a priestess she is “visited” by Apollo and given the power of prophecy. However, it is a gift which is ambiguous as nobody believes the prophecies she makes, claiming that she is mad (an easy way for her to be “dismissed” and ignored in the way that has happened to many women. Think about the Woman in White many centuries later)

The third character is Clytemnestra (sister to the beautiful Helen) whose motivation is the fate of her first- born daughter. This leads her on a destructive path.

The family of Atreus to which Elektra belongs by birth and Clytemnestra by marriage has been cursed in the past and the protagonists perpetuate this violence and conflict. This rings true because even though a family may not have been cursed literally, there is still trauma passed from one generation to another.

The author is a Classics scholar and knows her source material thoroughly. Her skill is to bring the women out of the shadows and make them more “alive”. There is obviously stiff “competition”. Colm Toibin in The House of Names has written about Clytemnestra.

Saint tells an absorbing tale that spins fast, drawing you in. Its depth lies in making the motivations of the characters understandable, if not relatable. The way in which grief polarises people, even within the same family, is psychologically true.

I do wonder if the narrators’ “voices” could have been more differentiated stylistically as I didn’t hear the voices strongly in my head?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elektra is electric - I couldn't put it down.

As Saint's follow up novel, it can definitely be said that the second book is better; structurally the narrative is more interesting, the authorial voice more distinct, and the overall package delivers three remarkably interesting female characters that have drive and ambition. In a three-perspective storyline, Saint provides scope across the ocean, between Greek and Trojan, to showcase women from both sides of the war that all have a closeness to Helen. Thus we have Clytemnestra, Helen's Greek cousin and wife to Agamemnon; Elektra, her daughter; and Cassandra, Trojan and Apollo's unfavoured priestess (and occasional friend to Helen, as in this retelling). All of them have a spark of resistance to the powers that be and, as their stories unravel, they exact their revenge and then must pay for it.

Clytemnestra and Cassandra are two of my favourites from Greek lit and this reimagining of their stories encapsulates what I love most about them. Clytemnestra is grief and violence bound up in a mother's love; the unrelenting waiting is captured in her moments of isolation so well that, even when her character says nothing, you know she is consumed by her plot. To have these moments in a garden was also interesting coupling with ideas of 'reaping what you sow', Mother Nature and cycles - there's definitely a mini essay in there somewhere.

Opposing this is Cassandra, so open and yet never believed. I really enjoyed Saint's portrayal of her internal dialogue where we see her oscillate between contempt that she is never heard and sadness that she can't stop the war she sees unfolding. The moment she tries to burn the Trojan horse was particularly emotive and well-paced.

With both such internal characters, Elektra by comparison is a powerhouse on the page and spurs on the action of the later stages of the novel. Because so much happens so quickly, I found myself flicking through the pages, hooked on what was going to happen next (although, once you know the myth, you know - but it still felt suspenseful!). While Elektra isn't a fave of mine, I think her chapters are the stand out of the book - and hence the title - she drives the tale of each of these characters to their conclusion.

Overall, a really easy read; a lovely retelling and one I think will acquaint readers with the lives of these characters after that of the Iliad.

Elektra tells the story of the storming of Troy and the curse of the House of Atreus, from the perspective of 3 well known but little understood female characters; Clytemnestra (wife of Agamemnon and sister of Helen of Troy), her daughter Elektra and Cassandra (princess of Troy).

The way this book is written is very clever, interweaving classic moments of Ancient Greek myth and key characters as a foundation to introduce these new narratives, done so seamlessly and not in an inducement way to simply show off knowledge. There is an air of doom over this story, we know how it ends, we know how Troy is taken, we know Clytemnestra’s heartache before it happens, however these issues are not handled gratuitously which, in a book focusing largely on the mistreatment and brutalities committed to women, is a commendable feat.

Clytemnestra is the heart of this book. You travel with her from her childhood growing up with Helen, to her marriage to Agamemnon, the family curse and family tragedy. She is a fantastic character you understand, empathise with and root for. Similarly Cassandra is someone I really enjoyed knowing, a seer cursed by Apollo to never be believed, Cassandra is considered mad and constantly overlooked as she tries warn the people of Troy about the fate that awaits them. My main issue with Elektra is the title character however who just doesn’t feel worthy of that honour, of the 3 women she’s pretty insufferable and single minded - blindly idolising her father King Agamemnon and hating any threat to him, in particular her mother Clytemnestra. Her role ultimately is important however besides the conclusion, I don’t know if her immovable idolisation was worthy of a POV. I would have liked to hear more from Helen, this woman is a survivor and I found her fascinating.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy, I’m grateful I got to hear these women long silenced.

The siege of Troy has been told many times by many authors and from many perspectives. It's a story with a host of subplots, each expandable and worthy of a novel in its own right. And most of them do have novels and film/TV adaptations in their own right. As a result it's a story that is very familiar to me despite not having much knowledge of Greek mythology, almost a bit too familiar. Whilst it's a good story, full of drama and passion and reversals of fortune, it's also a pretty miserable one, full of the most horrible and cruel things that humans can needlessly do to each other. And knowing exactly what is to come can make the reader feel almost as weary as the prophet Cassandra.

'Elektra' is told from three viewpoints: Cassandra, princess of Troy, cursed with the gift of foresight that will never be believed; Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon - leader of the Greek army besieging the Trojans; and Elektra, youngest daughter of Agamemnon, whose idolisation of her absent father is not deserved by the reality. Although the story is called 'Elektra', she isn't any more significant than the other narrators and it's hard to get away from the fact that the most gripping drama all takes place away from her, hence needing the other two narrators. The conclusion of Elektra's own story is barely more than a grim footnote to the epic scale of the bigger myth.

Certainly the story is well written, Saint has an easy engaging style that flows well. All the pain and emotion of the story is there. I would probably be raving about it if I hadn't read even more exceptional novels about the same story - and that's the problem with taking a well worn tale like Troy. Unless you go for a really truly unique viewpoint (and so many viewpoints have been done, it's hard to know what that would be), the author is always going to be directly compared to some truly fantastic pieces of writing (Madeline Miller's 'Song of Achilles' for example). So Saint is always going to suffer by comparison, and has the added hurdle of everyone knowing just what's coming next. I've never been a fan of shows like 'Casualty' or disaster movies, where you have to sit watching people obliviously going about their lives unaware of the misery that awaits them. And blimey does misery await the characters in Greek myth - they don't call them the tragedies for nothing.

I'd definitely read another book by Saint, as she's clearly a good writer. In terms of recommending this one, I did enjoy reading it (despite my comments above!) and I'm not sorry that I did. So I would recommend it, even to those who are very familiar with the Greek myths. Just try to spread it out so you don't read it too close to another Trojan war themed novel.

A Greek myth re-telling and I loved, loved, loved it. I had been disappointed when I had read Ariadne as I felt the emotion was missing, but not in this one. In this novel the characters are so much richer.

The title is Elektra but the story also focuses on Clytemnestra and Cassandra - they tell their stories as well and it is necessary. We can't understand Elektra without listening to what motivates Clytemnestra.

We are taken to Sparta years before the Trojan War when Clytemnestra and her sister Helen are still unmarried girls. These early chapters let us see the characters of both sisters, particularly that of Clytemnestra. On Mycenae, as wife of King Agammenon, Clytemnestra's POV allows us to see her love for her family, her children, which is why the scene at Aulis is so heart-rending. Back on Mycenae, her young daughter, Elektra, who is portrayed as a real daddy's girl, describes how the departure of her father for the war and the effect that the events at Aulis had on her mother shape her. In this version, we have empathy with the young Elektra and how events shape the rest of her life. We are also transported to Troy and through Cassandra's eyes - Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecabe who had the gift of prophecy but is cursed to never be believed - the way that the city fell is beautifully told.

From the ,original versions of the myths we are persuaded to view both Clytemnestra and Elektra as 'bad' women, but Jennifer Saint gives us characters that are fleshed out and are full of contradictory emotions as they strive to do what is right for them.

I loved this - than you so much Netgalley and Headline for allowing me to read this.

This Greek Myth re-telling is a discussion of interconnected women during the Trojan war, how they were affected and their different perspectives. What I liked about this novel is that it focused on women that would be often overlooked or missed out altogether. This story is embroiled in grief and revenge and how trauma from curses can be passed down through generations of a family. This novel also discusses the relationships between mother and daughter, highlighting how complex and sometimes tragic they can be. Saint’s lyrical writing that immerses the reader into Ancient Greece and as I am not very knowledgable on Greek Mythology, this was a really great insight into this particular story. I think this was well researched and you can tell that the writer has really considered everything she has written. The multiple perspectives are very clear and you don’t get confused on who’s perspective we are reading. I overall thought this was a great read and know people will really love it when it’s out, I’d definitely recommend it.