Jennifer Saint has done it again. Elektra was one of my most anticipated books of this year, but would it live up to the splendour of Ariadne, one of my favourite books of 2021? The answer is yes! Enthralling, powerful and mesmerising, Elektra is a glorious tapestry of a novel, a richly drawn portrayal of war and betrayal, of families torn apart by men’s lust for women, power and the so-called will of the gods, and of women trying to find agency in a man’s world.

This time the author retells the story of the Trojan War. But instead of taking the obvious route of telling the story from Helen’s perspective she gives a voice to three other women: Elektra, Clytemnestra and Cassandra. Elektra is the daughter of Agamenmon, a young girl who idolises her father and longs for his victorious return from Troy, Clytemnestra is Helen’s twin sister and wife of Agamenmon, a dutiful wife until a shocking act that leaves her devastated and plotting revenge, and Cassandra is a princess of Troy who is given the gift of visions by Apollo yet no one will believe her predictions or listen when she tries to tell them what lies in store for their city. They are very different women whose fates are inextricably intertwined and share feelings of rage at their powerlessness in a world controlled by men. Moving between their stories the author paints a vivid and illuminating picture of the Trojan War through the prism of these strong, fascinating and unforgettable women.

Jennifer Saint is an author I could read every day and never get bored. Her books are a masterclass in storytelling as she brings ancient Greece and its myths back to life in vivid technicolour with her lush and evocative prose. You find yourself completely immersed in their world as the one around you completely falls away. Her passion and knowledge of not only the myths, but the women themselves leaps from the pages and makes me want to read more; in fact, it was reading Ariadne that awakened my love of mythology.

Lyrical, atmospheric and consuming, I couldn’t get enough of this book, devouring it quickly and feeling bereft when I’d finished. Elektra is another masterpiece from the talented Jennifer Saint that I will be telling everyone to read.

Headlines:
Women, the powerful and powerless
Vengeance and bitterness
War and tragedy

Buckle up for another great retelling of a famous Greek mythological story but told from three key female perspectives, ones that are lesser known. The story revolved around Clytemenestra, Cassandra and finally Elektra and this was a tale told over decades. There's much to immerse yourself into and it was an absorbing read filled with tragedy over three parts.

The book took the reader from Sparta to Troy and even other places briefly. I've read a fair few Greek mythology books around some of these events, especially Troy but Saint had a fresh perspective to bring on this, especially through Cassandra's eyes. Expect all the brutality that comes with an authentic telling of these tales, especially violence and sexual violence towards women.

What was interesting about this story was how the women and girls did not stand together, they weren't united in war, tragedy or loss. Grief drove some to all-consuming bitterness, others to violence and some to a sense of lethargy. There aren't many characters to like for their personalities but I loved them for their dark sides and unexpected behaviours. Cassandra was the character that stuck out for me the most, the one I empathised with and felt most for.

This second book from Jennifer Saint was a consuming read, easy to digest despite the themes and I am a confirmed fan with this second offering.

Thank you to Wildfire/Headline Books for the early review copy.

Too often the stories and myths of the ancient world are told about the men. The men in power, the men who went to war, the men who had adventures. It is always refreshing to read about these events from the perspectives of the women. The ones who sacrificed loved ones, their freedom, their honour, all so men could grasp their power. Elektra had me seething in rage, sobbing in heartbreak, fearing for characters. It had it all. I'm a big fan of retellings set in ancient history and Elektra is without a doubt one of the best I've read.

Okay I apologise in advance for my raving delight about this book but honestly I am going to be a bit of a fangirl here. I adore Jennifer Saint and saw her last year at a local literature festival. Her version of Ariadne was simply sublime so I was so excited to hear that she had a new book being released this year.
Elektra does not disappoint, I have been absolutely hooked and I did not want it to end. For those of you who might not know much about Elektra, this version of the legend looks at the three women at the heart of the story - Clytemnestra (Helen's sister and the wife of Agamemnon), Cassandra (the Trojan princess who can never be believed) and Elektra (the daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon). I loved the feminist focus here given how often women have been written out of such stories and the humanity Ms Saint injects into the narrative is breath-taking.
I cannot recommend it highly enough. At times it reads like poetry and I found it captivating. This is the perfect present for anyone who tries to tell you Classics is a boring, dried up subject.

I loved Ariadne so I was very excited to receive this book and I am delighted to say I was not disappointed, in fact I would say this is even better than Ariadne and I gave that 5 stars.

I have two children who studied classics, so I am always interested in retellings, particularly from the women's perspective, often missing in the original texts, and Jennifer Saint does this very well. Not least because she is able to take a myth I know very well, having read both Sophocles and Euripides, and make it her own. Changing the perspective gave the myth a very different feel, whilst not moving far enough away to disappoint purists.

Despite having the title Elektra, it also features, heavily, Cassandra and Clytemnestra. I have always been intrigued by both of these women, Cassandra the tragic Trojan princess and prophet and Clytemnestra, sister of Helen of Troy who murders her husband (some would say with very good reason).

I love Saint's writing style, I enjoy the voices she gives to the women and I love the knowledge she brings to the story.

I really hope she brings out other retellings because I love them. I have a beautiful copy of Ariadne, and have preordered an equally beautiful copy of Elektra. If you haven't read Ariadne or Elektra, I highly recommend them.

Thank you to Jennifer Saint, Headline and NetGalley for an ARC in return for a honest review.

"Only you can bring justice to the House of Atreus."

The Greek Tragedy of Elektra is one I had first read in college and very much enjoyed. I had heard briefly about the curse on the House of Atreus so it was interesting to fully understand what this meant and of the story that follows it.

Jennifer Saint is a wonderful author who has recreated and retold Greek Myth with a new touch of life that is both refreshing and enjoyable. For someone who already knew the story, it was still a pleasure to read and I'm certain that for anyone who doesn't already know of the story, this will be an interesting experience!

I loved that the book centred around all of the women that are seen in the tragedy such as Elektra, Clytemnestra and Cassandra. Seeing the reactions and different POVs was actually really enlightening and really makes you think about how certain news and knowledge can affect different people.

Of course, since this book is following a tragic story, there is much tragedy and death, especially during the Trojan War and all of the difficulties that the three main speakers have to face.

This book was a pleasure to experience and I am very grateful that have been provided with an eArc by the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

War is coming. Helen has run away with Paris and is living in Troy. Menelaus, Helen’s first husband, mobilises his troops, intent on bringing his wife back and punishing Troy.
Clytemnestra, Helen’s sister, hopes for a swift resolution, one that brings her husband, Agamemnon, home safely. But as the war continues and Agamemnon’s enemies creep into court, Clytemnestra unravels the curse that plagues her husband’s family and fears for her children’s safety from their father.
Cassandra is a princess of Troy and priestess of Apollo, cursed with premonitions no one believes. She foresees her family’s downfall because of the actions of her younger brother, Paris, but no one takes her seriously.
Elektra is Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’s youngest daughter, living in awe of her father and his heroic deeds though she barely knows him. When her family’s curse ruins her perfect childhood, her own future is uncertain. Will she be a victim of the curse or its agent?
Told through the three women’s points of view, Saint gives us the retelling of the war for Helen of Troy that we need. This retelling doesn’t glorify violence or shy away from it but shows us how the horror of war affects the women at home. The male characters are still present, controlling the lives of their wives, sisters, and daughters, but we focus on their struggle for some independence from seemingly inescapable male dominance.
Saint’s portrayal of Clytemnestra is so sympathetic. As the sister of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world who has the pick of heroes as her husband, Clytemnestra is often overlooked. Everything is effortless for Helen, while Clytemnestra must work at it, making her relatable. Also, Saint’s writing style is clean and concise, and Clytemnestra’s story is so painful that it was a difficult read, particularly as a mother. Elektra should come with a trigger warning.
I wish we had more of Cassandra’s story. Her parts were equally as agonising as Clytemnestra’s, as Cassandra suffers for not being graceful and articulate like her sisters, and when she is given the gift of prophecy, it quickly becomes a curse, further adding to her position as an outcast. However, Cassandra has one of the standout moments of the book when Apollo gifts her prophecy. It is beautiful and ecstatic, horrifying and poignant, and the end result was I felt physically sick.
I related to Elektra the least, but I feel that may have been the point. She doesn’t react to her father’s atrocities like the other women in the story. Instead, she sees them as appropriate for a man of his status, which puts her at odds with the other women and makes her later actions justifiable. Elektra could not have been shown any other way, which makes this story stand out from other feminist stories with a universal sisterhood. Surprisingly, although the book is named after her, Elektra doesn’t arrive in the book until two-thirds way through. The book is more about the circumstances of her parents and aunts, although every event does shape Elektra’s character.
Rich and vibrant, yet painful and cruel, Elektra is a strong story about the effects of living in the shadow of a more popular or powerful family member. This second book from Jennifer Saint is as challenging and groundbreaking as her first, Ariadne. Despite how nauseaous and sad Elektra made me, I will be looking for her future works.

Elektra is the much anticipated new book from Jennifer Saint, author of the wonderful Ariadne.
Though the book is titled Elektra, the focus is on three women , so we also have the stories of Clytemnestra, Elektra's mother, the wife of Agamemnon and sister of the infamous Helen of Troy, and Cassandra , a princess of Troy who was cursed by Apollo to know the future but never be believed when she tries to speak of it.
This book takes the familiar story of Helen of Troy and looks at how it plays out through the eyes of these other women, and as a feminist retelling it works incredibly well to humanise these mythological figures and bring an understanding of their decisions and actions. Those who are familiar with Greek mythology will find the story familiar, but will still find something new to enjoy, while those who are new to the genre may find it a little difficult to keep the numerous characters straight at first , but will soon be captivated by their humanity.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own,.

This is the first book I’ve read on Ancient Greece, it certainly tested my knowledge. I found this one quite confusing, it took a while to get into, written through multiple POV’s, there are many character’s to remember which for me really tested my memory. Once I could remember everyone the actual story was great. It was gritty, full of deception and deceit, completely something out of my comfort zone. I felt for both Clymenestra and Elektra for different reasons, I could see their view points however by towards the end of the book, I felt like shouting at Elektra to change her plans.
This is such a cleverly written book, I cannot comprehend the planning this took. Each story woven together so intricately. I will absolutely seek out Ariadne to enjoy more of Saint’s writing.

I really enjoy the feminist Greek myth retelling genre, and, like Ariadne before her, Elektra is an excellent example. Although Elektra is the title character, for me the star of the book was Clytemnestra. I’ve never read a version of this story where Clytemnestra is so human and so relatable.

I think the only thing that could have made the book better for me is if I hadn’t known what was going to happen to each of the characters through my earlier reading!

Recommended for everyone, particularly those new to Greek myths.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Set against the backdrop of the Trojan War, Elektra follows three women – Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra – and their trials and difficulties through the war.

I was intrigued going into this book as I wasn’t a huge fan of the author’s previous book, Ariadne. However, given that my least favourite thing about that book was the title character herself, I decided to give the author a second chance and I’m very glad I did!

Jennifer Saint creates a vivid depiction of life for these three women. I particularly enjoyed Clytemnestra’s storyline – if you are familiar with the story of the Trojan War you will know the tragedies that occur to her family, and to read them from her perspective was incredibly moving. Cassandra is another interesting perspective, as we got to experience her frustration first-hand with being always right but never believed.

It’s clear that this book is titled Elektra to echo its predecessor, as Elektra herself felt like the least present of the three main characters. That being said, this book was still gripping, atmospheric and provided a fresh perspective on a well-known tale. This isn’t necessarily the best introduction to Greek mythology; if I didn’t already know what happened I would have found some parts hard to follow, but it’s a welcome addition to the shelf if you enjoyed The Song of Achilles and The Silence of the Girls.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Oh look! Another Greek tragedy retelling! Perhaps this is a genre / subgenre which is slightly over-crowded. I found Saint's account of Clytemnestra's marriage to Agamemnon enjoyable and competent, but nothing which would help it stand out in a crowded market.

Another great Greek myth retelling from the author of the mesmerising Ariadne. Saint does a great job of taking marginal characters from sagas and giving them engaging voices and stories. Fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe would lap this up.

An ARC of a book on mythical women? Sign me up!

Jennifer Saint was on my radar ever since I discovered Ariadne, so I scooped at the opportunity of reading this book before its release, major props to the folks at NetGalley!

If there's one thing that the Classical myths establish, it is that morality is grey, and man's actions are not monolithic events growing out of themselves. Every decision, choice and action is a leaf on the branches of a tree that is life, influenced by the winds, the soil, the creatures living in it, and the trees around itself. This book makes it clear like no other. It gives voice to the voiceless women on Oresteia by Aeschylus, and Electra by Euripides: women of the household of Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek Army in the Trojan War, well known from Homer's Iliad. So this is a collection of events that happen at the intersection of several myths.

It starts from Clytemnestra's childhood, her lax days with Helen, until they are swept by their husbands to their new lives. Things seem good, although Agamemnon isn't the ideal man one would imagine heroes to be, until Paris abducts Helen (or probably Helen went voluntarily, she never gets to tell us in the myths). Thanks to loyalty for his brother, Menelaus, whose wife was Helen, and being bound by an oath, Agamemnon goes to lead the huge army of Greeks against Troy, except his hubris causes him to displease Artemis. Here begins the bloodshed of his generation, carrying forward the curse of his ancestors (that often happened among these mythical characters). As Agamemnon kills his daughter Iphigenia in cold blood, tragedy unfurls.

This is the story of the women where they get to voice their thoughts, their perspectives, and their tug of war with fate and choice. The complex premises of destiny, divine intervention, ignorance and revenge come together in a simple narrative of personal thoughts from the perspectives of Clytemnestra, Iphigenia, Cassandra, Elektra and more. The narrative moves from Greece to Troy, showcasing a sort of unity in the diverse lives of these women, with their varied exoeriences. It evokes the question the myths intended to: who was wrong? And like the myths intended, no answer is yielded.

If you're still wondering if this book is worth it, it absolutely is. Forget the traditional plots and the mystery of ends. This is a story you know, yet at every juncture there is something new. It makes you feel what the women had felt. It makes you grind your teeth at the irony of life, as you silently watch the tragedy unfurl. It's like going back to the festival of Dionysa in Athens, but now it's the women who write their stories.

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc.

Loved the writing. Loved the story. I will definitely be reading more by this author as the writing is just beautiful.

I love Greek mythology and I have really got into this type of book since reading Lore of Olympia. If you love Greek Mythology, I would definitely recommend Jennifer Saint and her books Ariadne and Elektra!

Having immensely enjoyed Jennifer Saint's debut novel Ariadne, I was thrilled and grateful to receive an ARC of Elektra. This book is written consistently in the first person, switching between the perspectives of Cassandra (Trojan princess and prophetess), Clytemnestra (Wife of Agamemnon and Queen of Mycenae) and Elektra (Agamemnon and Clytemnestra's daughter,the youngest princess of Mycenae). The story itself is nothing new, blending ancient Greek sources (Homer, Virgil, Sophocles, Euripides, etc.) to narrate the fateful tale of the Trojan War and the House of Atreus, from the childhood of Priam and Hecuba's children to the murder of Clytemnestra at the hands of her son Orestes. For students of A-level Latin and Greek, it will be like meeting an old friend. While the prose does seem to drag at times and becomes verbose in a way that lacks the impactful power of succinctness which characterises classical Greek tragedy, it is nonetheless a solid read that I would recommend to students and teachers of the Classics.

The author creates tension and complexity by giving us raw, poignant glimpses into the minds of the three "lead" women. Cassandra tells us about her life's struggle as a prophetess cursed to never be believed, and makes us re-live with. bated breath her desperate attempts to prevent fall of Troy. Clytemnestra takes us through her journey from childhood, to her rage at her husband when he slaughters their first-born daughter as a sacrifice at Aulis (yes, the author sarcastically dismisses the story that Artemis saved Iphigenia and replaced her with a deer!), to her collusion with Aegisthus in her husband's murder. We see her as a daughter, mother, queen, and killer who allows her grief for one slain daughter to bring torment to her other children, culminating in her own death at their hands. Yet we see a side of her that sympathises with Trojan women, and grants Cassandra a quick death at Cassandra's own request. We see Elektra, the titular princess, grow into a young woman and cling to her father's image in sheer devotion. Notably, here it is Elektra herself who chooses to exile herself and marry a poor farmer to protect her own life; she is not forced into it by Aegisthus. Through Elektra's eyes, we see the terrible destiny of the House of Atreus unfold horrifically as history repeats itself generation after generation.

Compelling, captivating, and completely absorbing, Elektra is brought to life with Saint's beautifully poetic prose. Any time that she described the weather or the sea, I felt the setting wash over me, as her three powerful leading women take the stage to share their experiences of the consequences of men.

Each character is written with such dedication and the perspective of their story is absolutely fascinating. I've heard of Helen and Agamemnon before, of course, and already knew the reasons for the battle of Troy, but Saint focuses on the characters who are left behind by the men who go off to fight in honour of their own egos--the ones who were actually most affected by it.

While Elektra gives this book its title, she only really becomes prominent in the final part of the book, as the story is more about the situations going on around her which mould her into the woman she becomes. I didn't find her particularly likeable as she's a hard character to sympathise with, but I also found the arc of her story so interesting. And as far Cassandra and Clytemnestra, they were both so engrossing, and it is their perspective that gives this story such a unique spin.

Although the book is only 352 pages long, it did feel a little long in places which is the only thing that has prevented me from giving it a full five stars. I usually read more than one book at once, but I was completely consumed by this book and couldn't concentrate on anything else. And the story does span over ten years so Saint does a fantastic job of fitting so much into so few pages. But it still took me three days to make my way through, so the pace did drag out for me, which really is my only criticism.

For fans of Greek mythology, Elektra is set around the time of the Trojan war so it does cover some familiar ground, but it also adds so much more to the story. For readers who haven't read a lot of Greek mythology before, I'm sure you will still enjoy this retelling but I would recommend reading a few others books first. Stephen Fry's Mythos is an easy and enjoyable way to get used to many of the character names, while Madeline Miller's The Song Of Achilles gives a lot of insight into those at the centre of the Trojan war which will add a lot of context to this story.

I also still have Jennifer Saint's Ariadne waiting for me. And after this, it's definitely high on my priorities!

There were a lot of things about this book that I loved.

Saint’s descriptive language is so, so poignant and evocative - I don’t think I can say this enough. I was first struck by this with the misty, drizzly morning of Iphigenia’s ‘wedding’…and then throughout, as you follow each character you are undoubtedly transported through #ancientgreece . The hints of #homeric or #virgilian language too, like the ‘rosy’ dawn…Perfect.

There were certain scenes, too, that were so beautifully crafted that they impacted me more than any of the (numerous) mythology retellings I have come across. The scene of the #trojanwomen , for example, after the fall of Troy. We’ve had this story again and again and again from Euripides to Pat Barker, but, genuinely, there was something in Saint’s interpretation that really…affected me, shall we say. I felt for the Trojan Women and understood them here more than in any other contemporary novel.

Maybe this was because the scene was through Cassandra’s eyes. I love Cassandra. Who doesn’t love Cassandra? The multiple perspectives in this novel allowed for a more empathetic reading, even when this was confusing or even uncomfortable, such as with the tricky characters of Clytemnestra and Elektra (and props to Saint for handling these characters well) - but you were meant to find these women in unnerving and relatable and *human* in the original Greek tragedies, too. (I’d like to add here that the relationship between Elektra and Agamemnon was charming, and heartbreaking, and I think it added a whole new dimension to Elektra’s character that worked spectacularly).

And most of all, I loved the portrayal of Helen. We don’t get enough Helen in these re-tellings. Why? Are we scared the portrayal won’t live up to the legend? Again, out of all the modern re-telling I have read, Saint has done her justice. Which is more than enough, for me. (And a huge achievement).

On the flipside, there were also a lot of things about this book that surprised me.

I didn’t expect the multiple perspectives (though they added a lot of empathy for all of the characters involved, and now I’m not sure how the book could be written without them!). I also didn’t expect the speedy overview of the fall of Troy (though, again, necessary - it is hard to detach sometimes, as a reader, and remember that though this maybe felt a bit rushed for me, someone who works in #classicalstudies , it would probably be a huge relief and actually really helpful for anyone introducing themselves to the #ancientworld through Saint’s work! Which is certainly not a bad introduction at all).

Similarly, I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about the character of Georgios. I feel I have two audiences within me when I read #mythologyretellings : the classicist, and the general reader. The general reader part of me quite liked Georgios - I appreciated that Elektra was treated more kindly this way than in the ancient tragedies, and I felt for a character who was, essentially, used. The classicist side of me wasn’t entirely sold, and wondered if Georgios’ role was kind of sugar-coating the essentially unfair plot line of many #ancienttragedies . But, then again, the ancients loved to play with their myths, and so do we, and this is the beauty of them and why they have survived all this time, so also: why not?

I hope you can see I feel I’m treading a fine line with this one. I enjoyed the book, but I feel I have to simultaneously express this and give my honest opinion as a classicist working in academia, whilst balancing the understanding that my interpretation will be in the minority for readers….!

In short: this is a lovely book. Saint has given a platform to Elektra who is *frequently* overlooked in contemporary retellings. She creates characters that we can both empathise with and which are flawed and, thus, maintains that crucial essence that was so poignant in ancient tragedy: of what it means to be human.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Headline books for this privilege.

I fell in love with Saint’s writing after her first Greek retelling, Ariadne. I was therefore so excited to have been offered an E-ARC - thank you to Wildfire and NetGalley!

I sometimes think that there must be a lot of pressure on an author when they produce a beautiful debut. How can their second novel ever live up to the glory of their first? In this case, I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The story is so rich and intricately woven, with the stories of three women in particular coming to life (Elektra, Clytemnestra, Cassandra) when traditionally they were considered to be secondary characters. The settings were so vivid and the emotions raw. Amazing.

What I particularly loved was the change in tone. Elektra is arguably much more gritty than Ariadne, with a strong focus on hate and vengefulness. I really enjoyed the underlying exploration of its futility.

Overall, I absolutely adore this and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy (which are just as stunning as Ariadne). This has been one of my favourites of 2022 so far!

The writing is highly compelling and Jennifer Saint manages to give life to female characters from centuries ago. Female characters are often overlooked in mythology and only seen as pawns to marry off, so it's refreshing to see the story from their POV, through their decisions and thoughts.

This book would be ideal for those who have little to no grasp on Greek mythology as it explains very well and in details all the events. I think that even for those who know already the stories in depth, this can still bring a different insight and might be a pleasant way of refreshing your memory on these events.

My biggest qualm is that for a book called Elektra, we have surprisingly little of her life and she seems a bit too much on the sidelines in comparison to the two other POVs we follow (Clytemnestra and Cassandra). To me, she was the least fleshed out and nuanced, out of the three and the least interesting to follow with her very linear thinking. I understand why she is there and that she ends the story, but honestly the link between all these events was Agamemnon or maybe Clytemnestra if we want a female POV, not Elektra. I think that as a title Elektra is definitely more compelling, but to set the record straight it's not as focused on her as I expected it to be (which might be for the best as I did not particularly care about her).

40% of this book occurs during the Trojan war, which in my opinion has been overdone and is not really the most interesting event to follow in the Greek mythology. For those who are not fed up yet with this particular event in mythology, I am sure this can be an easy 5 stars book as all the rest is amazing, but to me, I have little interest to re-read about Achilles and his talon issues, so it had me deducting one star from my rating.

Overall, the writing is amazing, the characters are layered and the events are presented faithfully to the mythology, while still feeling like a breeze of fresh air through the female POV. Greatly recommend, and will definitely pick up any future books by the author! (Also picking up Ariadne next week!)


Thank you NetGalley, for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!