Born into the House of Atreus, Elektra knows her family is cursed but she is helpless to prevent further tragedy occurring. Clytemnestra marries into the house of Atreus and when her husband commits an atrocity she is bound for vengeance. Cassandra cursed by the god she spurned is unable to prevent the horrors of Troy.
This is a brilliant read. I loved Saint's first novel and, if anything, this is even better. There is a trend for re-imagined Greek myths from a more feminist perspective but this is no cliche. Each of the three female characters has a personality and motivations for their actions yet all is set into the context where women are mere chattels of the men around them. The writing is appealing to the modern reader, the plot complex but beautifully put together and the whole is just a joy from start to finish.

This book is an interesting take on a classic Greek myth, but was it really a retelling?

Let's start with the positives. I'm absolutely enthralled by Jennifer Saint's prose, the way she translates a woman's grief, hate, or anger into syntax is almost personal. So real I would attempt any writing by Saint despite, or in spite of, its content. I live for those pure moments when beautiful writing transforms me into the characters themselves.

But what about the retelling? Were we RETOLD anything in a new way?

For readers of classics, it was obvious that Saint decided to stick close to the original story of the House of Atreus. Too close, if you ask me. As for a reader of retellings based on Greek myths, this is by far the least eventful retelling I've ever read. The beginning reminded me a little of the Silence of the Girls (Briseis does get a mention in this book). While the "Girls" stood watch in Pat Barker's book, here the women listlessly waited and waited and waited. It was all our titular character, Elektra, did until a little before the end.

The curse of the house of Atreus represented the main plot. Its repetitiveness exhausted the story arc. Brother kills brother for the throne of Mycenae and banishes the nephews to a faraway land. The nephews grow into men and seek revenge by killing their uncle and banishing their cousins. Cousins return seeking revenge killing the usurping cousin and banishing his children. On and on it went. And I couldn't help but feel drained by it. At some point, I set this book aside for a while loathing Elektra with her endless wait, first for the return of her father and then for the return of her brother, all the while nursing her grudges and anger, did absolutely nothing to deserve to be put on the title page. Not to mention her selfish acts at the end of the book. This book was better suited to be called the Fall of the House of Atreus.

One other thing that made this book less enjoyable to me was that imbuing a classic with modern feminist concepts isn't a prerequisite to retelling a story and doesn't work for every retelling. It makes feminism more of a trend rather than a social issue. I get the part where authors aspire to give voice to the female side characters who have been marginalized throughout history. But I'm really tired of the "Men are bad/monsters/killers " message retellings try to get across. Yes! Women have been/still are marginalized. Yes! Men can be bad/monsters/killers, but so can women. All I'm asking is for authors to consider the context and employ modern social theories when appropriate. There's no need to lash out our modern complexities into historical contexts unnecessarily.

Many thanks to Headline Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Elektra is a tale from 3 different women's perspective of the battle depicting Agamemnon war to take Troy. I did DNF this at 48% not because it's terrible it definitely isn't it just isn't to my taste. What I did read was well written but I know the tale well and nothing new was happening for me I felt like this was a pretty basic retelling and it just wasn't grabbing my attention unfortunately.
2.5⭐️

Elektra was very much an enjoyed reading, this book follows 3 strong female characters within the Greek Mythology giving us the female perspective of the Trojan war, how it affected them, their family, their world.

Jennifer Saint has this great talent for description and tension building. Saint's ability to captivate and draw empathy for these women is fabulous to read. Elektra is hands down a strong recommendation from me, especially if you enjoy or want to discover more female perspectives within all the Greek mythology retellings that we currently have.

Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for providing me with this e-arc.

I am smitten with mythology at the moment and this was just what I needed, it was beautifully written and the story was unputdownable. Cannot recommend enough!

How couldn't I get Elektra after Ariadne?
Again Jennifer Saint delivered a wonderful retelling of a myth.
From the writing itself to the description of the characters, everything was good and I just can't wait to read other retellings written by her!
Get yourself a copy of this book as soon as you can!

This book was absolutely incredible and has taken its place right alongside Ariadne in my heart, and my greek myth retelling collection.

The characters in this book were so well written, especially the three women whose point of view we heard everything from. Elektra, the titular character was as full of defiance and anger as I hoped she would be. But, we also got to see a softer side to her. Something similar to what we got with her mother Clytemnestra. I never thought that on any level. I would cry over her as a character, so that is simply a testament to Jennifer Saint's incredible storytelling ability. And we also had Cassandra who provided a different view on everything, especially as she had the gift of prophecy and could see what was coming her way. Which just makes her story all the more tragic. And throughout it all, there was another woman who drifted in and out of Cassandra and Clytemnestra's stories, Helen. Who is such a force in the narrative of the Trojan War but takes a back seat to these often ignored women and that was something I really liked. And of course, we also had Agamemnon and Aegisthus who were, in a way, as awful as each other. Agamemnon was this imposing figure that loomed over all three women at various points and certainly got what he deserved in the end.

The plot was inevitably familiar to me, a massive greek mythology nerd but I loved how Jennifer Saint made it her own in the way she told it. I have already commended how she bought the three women to the forefront of the story but I really want to congratulate her on the way that she wove the narrative together so well when it came to the different perspectives. There was no complicated timeline or narrative with the three voices, it all flowed so well. Even when we switched locations and narrator. And I felt that, especially at the end, the switching of narrators was very helpful in creating more tensions and pathos for the characters and that epilogue was so sad but also happy. The way that the story just got a new lease of life while faithfully sticking to the original material just made me love it even more.

And the writing was just beautiful. I mean, I have already said plenty about Jennifer Saint's skill to make greek mythology her own. But in addition to that, her writing is rich and descriptive and emotive, without getting too bogged down in the details. It would be incredibly easy to just sit and read this in a day and I almost wish that i could have done that. I just adore this book so much and I literally cannot wait until Jennifer publishes her next book becasue i ma very excited to see what she does with the story of Atalanta.

After the huge success of Ariadne, Jennifer Saint has returned, this time bringing us the story of three very different women whose lives are forever changed by the Trojan War. Clytemnestra is the sister of Helen, who has gone to Troy with Paris, deserting her husband Menelaus, for Paris, Prince of Troy and thus starting the war against Troy. Clytemnestra’s husband, Agamemnon, brother to Menelaus, leads the army to get Helen back, but in doing so betrays Clytemnestra by sacrificing their eldest daughter Iphigenia to appease the gods and get a fair wind to sail. Elektra, is the youngest daughter of Clytemnestra, and sister to the sacrificed Iphigenia, who looks up to her father regardless of what he has done. Finally, Cassandra, princess of Troy and priestess of Apollo. She is a prophetess, but is punished by Apollo so her warnings of the future are always ignored. She forsees the war, and the ultimate destruction of Troy, but her family will not listen. She finds herself as one of the prizes, taken by Agamemnon back to his palace in Mycenae. The stories of these three women weave together giving the female voice to this well known myth.

Ariadne was one of my top reads from last year, so I was excited to be offered a copy of Elektra to review from Wildfire Books, and it has lived up to expectations. What I love about Jennifer Saint’s books are that she gives a voice to the women in these classical myths, rather than just being told from male perspective which is the norm. Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Elektra are three women whose lives and destinies are forever changed before, during and after the ten year Trojan War. All three feel abandoned and betrayed in some way by their families: Clytemnestra being duped by her husband that results in the sacrifice of her daughter, Cassandra being seen as the mad daughter, not to be listened to, that ultimatley leads to the death of her family, Elektra, the eponymous character, who grows up with her father away at war and her mother locked away grieving for her older sister, rather than being a mother to her and her siblings. The different perspectives give a fascinating insight into this popular story, and I felt real empathy for the characters, their sense of betrayal and ultimately need to exact revenge on those who have wronged them.

Jennifer Saint’s prose flows beautifully, moving between the different perspectives with ease and taking the reader on a fascinating journey with them. I felt she really got under the skin of this myth, capturing the nuances of the characters, the atmosphere of the settings, and the morals that underpin all these Greek Tragedies. I think it is wonderful that these myths are being retold, and with such skill and aplomb by writers as talented as Jennifer Saint, who make these stories accessible to a new audience.

I absolutley adored Elektra, and even though it is a myth I know very well, and one I read not that long ago, I was still completely mesmerised by the story. Jennifer Saint has breathed new life into this myth and put her own stamp on it by including the voices of Cassandra and Elektra, rather than just Clytemnestra’s. These myths are called Greek Tragedy’s for a reason, they are full of drama, betrayal and revenge making for such a compelling and riveting read. Another brilliant read from Jennifer Saint, and I’m looking forward to which classical myth she decides to tackle next.

If you like retellings of Greek mythology, then you'll love this book. It tells the story of the Trojan War from the perspective of three central woman. Clytemnestra - Helen's sister and Agamemnon’s wife, Elektra - Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’s youngest daughter, and Cassandra - a princesses of Troy. Despite the title, Elektra is not the central character of the book - it switches between each of the woman.

I found the story a little slow and repetitive for my taste. I also didn't warm to Clytemnestra or Elektra - I understand their motivations, but wasn't rooting for either of them and found it hard to press on through some chapters. As I already knew the story of Troy, I wasn't emotionally invested and found myself a little bored at times. If you don't know the story, this may be a more interesting read, but I felt it didn't add anything new to a already well told tale.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

My rating 4.5⭐️
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“There’s a terrible crime, unbearable pain and then the lashing out of vengeance, and then it all begins again.”
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The quote above is practically highlights the story!
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This book is an appealing and evocative retelling of a Greek tragedy through the eyes of three women,Clytemnestra,her daughter Elektra and Cassandra the princess of Troy. Each perspectives were smoothly intertwined & interesting. For me the most compelling was Clytemnestra and her story, overall the main character despite the title of the book. There’s a well written devastating moment in the midst of the Trojan War that was absolutely heart wrenching. The deceitfulness was so grievous, you could feel a mothers most harrowing & mournful despair. It choked me as I held back the tears, you know it’s an an incredible piece of writing when the author makes you feel the rawness of the narrative without needing too much depth. After that point it was mainly Clytemnestra and her vengeance that captivated me. Sadly I didn’t warm to her daughter Elektra and her rose tinted glasses attitude. After that unimaginable event it really was uncomfortable to read Elektra’s heartlessness towards her mother’s grievance, I just couldn’t stand Elektra’s devotion to her power hungry father. She so easily accepted what her father did but sought revenge for her mothers actions. I felt her to be malicious and I wondered if the author motivated her character to intentionally be disliked?
I nearly forgot to mention Cassandra! And that’s because she felt like a side character, I could perceive that her story had significance and her chapters were interesting and valued, just wish there had been more!
Though I didn’t strongly feel the feminist empowerment, it certainly was a wonderful yet brutal Greek retelling from the women’s perspective, I did hear their voices, see the World they existed in and feel their struggles, motives and emotions.
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Thank you @netgalley for accepting me to review an e-arc!

I am not sure why this book is called Elektra as it was more about Clytemnestra and Cassandra. I barely felt like I got to know Elektra, and I certainly did not like her by the end of the novel! However, I thought Clytemnestra's' story was captivating and fascinating. I have never considered how she might have felt having been tricked by Agamemnon into allowing her own daughter to become a sacrifice for a pointless war! I have never felt sorry for him and positively rejoiced when Clytemnestra finally took her revenge: a dish most definitely served best cold.

I did not like many of the characters in this book, though I think that was intentional, and found it a slow read overall. Something about this did not read did not flow for me like Saint's previous book 'Ariadne' - there has to be someone you root for... Cassandra and Elektra seemed forced and Clytemnestra always seemed to be waiting and existing in the shadow of Helen's beauty.

I loved Ariadne so I had high hopes for this book and Jennifer Saint did not disappoint. I love anything to do with greek myths so anything retellings or new takes on the original myths are often an auto buy for me. Jennifer Saint always highlights women stories during this time which is unique and not usually something you read about in greek mythology books so it's amazing to see these tales from a new perspective. Beautiful writing as the first book, can't wait to read more

Elektra follows three women from Greek mythology in the lead up to, duration and aftermath of the Trojan war: Cassandra, the Trojan priestess gifted with power of prophecy but cursed never to be believed, Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon and Elektra, youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. I found all three women intriguing but it was Clytemnestra’s story that really got to me. I found her voice so powerful and her grief and love for her eldest daughter completely broke me. Cassandra is one of the most tragic women in Greek mythology and it was saddening but hugely compelling to read about her. Elektra herself left me slightly cold, I must confess, but I believe her perspective was crucial to build a picture of these well known stories from the point of view of the women. That is what I loved about both Elektra and Saint’s first novel Ariadne, the famous names like Agamemnon, Achilles, Paris, Hector and Odysseus are present but the story is not about them. It’s about the often overlooked and victimised women whose choices and fates are every bit as powerful and influential as those of the men. Elektra is gorgeously and lyrically written and yet still completely accessible and addictive. I will buy anything Jennifer Saint writes and cannot wait for what will hopefully be more forays into the lives of the women of classical mythology! An easy five stars from me!

Once again I have fallen in love with Jennifer Saint's beautiful style of writing and attention to detail in her characters. Split between the perspectives of three separate character, Elektra follows the story of the years leading up to, throughout, and after the Trojan war, following the lives of Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra.
Each of the women has a distinct and unique voice for their narration, with care put into telling each of their stories. Each of their stories was emotionally charged and delivered in a way that truly made me care for each of them, feeling their pain, joy, and anger alongside them.
Despite the long time-span of the novel, the pacing was never off, and the changes between each character was seamless. No previous knowledge of the Illiad is needed to follow along, Saint's retelling of the story tells all in a captivating manner.

My thanks to Headline Wildfire for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Elektra’ by Jennifer Saint in exchange for an honest review. On publication I purchased the gorgeous hardback edition.

Last year I was impressed by Jennifer Saint’s retelling of the story of Ariadne and have been anticipating her second novel.

Despite the title this is actually the story of three women whose fates are inextricably tied to the cursed bloodline of the House of Atreus and the fickle nature of men and gods.

Clytemnestra is the sister of Helen and wife of Agamemnon. The oath that her husband had taken compels him to support Menelaus in his war against Troy after Helen is taken by Paris.

Cassandra is a Princess of Troy, who was cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed. She knows that the city will fall yet is powerless to change this.

Finally, Elektra is the youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. She is fiercely loyal to her father. Can she escape the curse?

The narrative flowed between the perspectives of these three women. I appreciated Saint’s moving account of Clytemnestra as she witnessed the sacrifice of Iphigenia and how that death had subsequently tormented her over the years until she could exact her revenge.

I have always felt a great deal for Cassandra given the nature of her curse as well as her fate following the Fall of Troy. Her scenes with Clytemnestra were powerful and moving.

Finally, there was Elektra. Frankly Agamemnon doesn’t really seem to be worthy of the adoration and loyalty that Elektra demonstrates, especially given the fate of her sister. Elektra continually finds justifications for his actions.

It’s clear that Clytemnestra doesn’t really understand her daughter’s devotion. It could be a case of a daughter idealising an absent father. The relationship between mother and daughter is very fraught and obviously does not end well for either of them.

There was only minimal involvement of the Greek gods in the story. As Cassandra muses: “The gods have left Troy. They might have stridden across the battlefield once, when the war raged at its most ferocious. Even Aphrodite had sullied her pristine feet on the blood-streaked mud of the Trojan plains for her beloved Paris. …. It wasn’t enough. And, in our defeat, they had deserted us.”

I was again impressed with Jennifer Saint’s ability to craft an elegant retelling that is respectful of the source material and extends the myth bringing these tales of ancient Troy, Sparta and Mycenae vividly to life for her readers. Even though it’s a story well known to me, I always hope for another outcome.

On a side note the hardback edition is stunning with its gold, green and black cover art and endpapers.

Highly recommended.

I have a rather chequered history when it comes to retellings of Greek myths. I enjoyed Colm Toibin’s House of Names, which also focuses on Clytemnestra, Elektra and Orestes – but wasn’t blown away by it. Again, I found a lot to like about The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker but didn’t think she completely succeeded in giving a voice to the ‘silenced’ women. It was pretty much the same story with Jennifer Saint’s previous novel, Ariadne, which, whilst admiring the quality of the writing, I couldn’t get as enthusuastic about as other readers. I guess it’s partly because there are only so many ways you can retell a story that has been set down many times before. The author’s challenge is that, if they want to remain true to the original myth, they can’t change the outcome of events only try to explore the characters’ motivations.

To be rather simplistic, Greek tragedy seems to basically consist of people killing other people because they killed other people. ‘Blood must be repaid in blood.’ The story of the House of Atreus is one of patricide, matricide, matiricide and filicide. (I confess I had to look up the last two.)

Based on the book’s title, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Elektra’s story is the main focus. In fact, Elektra is a background figure for much of the book and it is Clytemnestra’s story that is most prominent. It’s also the one I found the most compelling. Her grief at the murder of her eldest daughter, Iphigenia, is raw, heartrending and completely understandable. Her unwavering detemination to exact revenge on her husband borders on madness but the prospect of it, of planning it down to the last detail, is perhaps the only thing that keeps her from ending her own life. Never was the phrase ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’ so apposite.

The sections from the point of view of Cassandra convey her anguish that she is unable to prevent the downfall of the city of Troy because her prophecies are destined never to be believed. She also provides a Trojan perspective which would otherwise be missing from the book.

I think the author set herself a challenge in making Elektra a character we can either understand or feel some sympathy for (assuming that was her intention). Elektra seems too accepting of her father’s actions – he did murder her sister after all. When she says, ‘Iphigenia was a sacrifice. The gods demand a heavy price sometimes, and it is an honour to pay it’ my immediate thought was, that’s easy for you to say. She is also dismissive of her mother’s grief at Iphigenia’s death. ‘But my mother was not dead, so I didn’t understand why she was behaving as though she was’. Like a stroppy teenager, she seems to resent her mother’s lack of attention to her.

Ironically the character I most warmed to was Georgios, the farmer who proves a steadfast friend to Elektra, and later to her brother Orestes. I found myself feeling quite sorry for him when Elektra abandons him. And I think he hits the nail on the head when he observes, ‘There’s a terrible crime, unbearable pain and then the lashing out of vengeance, and then it all begins again.’

Although the author puts the three women front and centre from a narrative point of view, I’m not sure a sense of female empowerment comes across that strongly, except perhaps when Clytemnestra takes over as ruler of Mycenae in Agamemnon’s absence. Ultimately, the fates of all three women are the consequence of the actions of men.

If you love Greek mythology I’m sure you will enjoy Elektra but I’m afraid – and I appreciate I’m in a minority here – I found the book rather slow. Although it’s beautifully written, the story only really came alive for me at certain points.

Very much enjoyed reading this book about a female perspective of the Trojan war and would recommend it to other readers. For too long have the Greek myths been told from a patriarchal perspective and this books joins the recent trend for a feminist retelling.

I loved Ariadne so when I saw this book on here, I knew I just had to read it.

We get to experience from the point of view of Elektra, Clytemnestra and Cassandra. I loved reading from multiple pov's and it kept me hooked!

This is a great book for anyone to read personally and I just love Jennifer Saint's writing.

Thankyou to NetGalley for this Arc.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Wildfire for approving me for an ARC of this book. I read Ariadne last year and enjoyed dipping my toe back into Greek mythology, when Elektra was announced I was eager to give this one a try. I buddy read this with one of my lovely book club pals and thoroughly enjoyed discussing our thoughts.

To put it simply I loved this story, in fact I preferred it to Ariadne. Something about the story and its characters swept me up and engulfed me, I could not put this one down. I loved it so much that I immediately ordered myself an hardcover copy to sit next to Ariadne on my shelf.

The story follows the well known tale of the Trojan War. This story has been told in so many ways and remade in to films etc but it was always missing that feminine touch. In walks Jennifer Saint, armed and ready to deliver us a story that shows not just the tragedy but the bravery of the women of Greece.

The story is told from three alternating POV, Elektra, Clytemnestra and Cassandra. Elektra is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. She yearns for her father to return from the battle of Troy so he can restore order to the palace and finally be home with his children. To say Elektra’s relationship with her mother is strained would be an understatement and as the years roll by it becomes clear just how much resentment Elektra holds for her mother.

I had so much sympathy for Clytemnestra and what she witnessed Agamemnon do. As a mother I could understand her grief and her need for revenge but her need to distance herself from her other children was her ultimate downfall. I admired her bravery and determination to dethrone Agamemnon but I wish she had been braver when it came to Aegisthus.

Finally we have Cassandra, Princess of Troy, who has been gifted by Apollo with the gift of visions. The only problem is no one believes her. I adored Cassandra’s chapters and how she insinuated at what was going to happen, making me more tempted to keep reading. I felt frustrated for her so many times but it was her scenes with Clytemnestra that really broke me. For someone to want something so horrible to be fall them, as they see it as a way to end their suffering is heart breaking.

Jennifer Saint has written a beautiful, twisted and fascinating story. Giving a voice to the women of that time, who arguable sacrificed and suffered a fate worse than death. These characters were wilful, strong, and all consuming in their storytelling. I can not wait to see what Jennifer Saint produces next!

4* review

Elektra was very interesting from a different point of view of a story that people have known for years. The three main characters were equally enthralling and gave an interesting insight on the Trojan War.

Even though I knew what events took place I was captured by Jennifer's talent for description and tension building. The empathy that was created through this was fantastic.

Thank you to Netgalley, Wildfire and Headline for an eARC copy for an honest review.