Greek retellings are super in right now, but I think maybe I am getting a bit saturated with them. This was an interesting premise but I didn't enjoy the book quite as I thought I would as the pacing moved slow and the writing was a bit hard to connect with.

2,5 stars

The book started a bit slow but got better towards the end. It was a nice change to read something from Hera's pov for once. I didn't always necessarily like Hera, but still.
The book had good and not-so-good parts, but mostly it was just meh.

Unfortunately not as compelling at the other Troy related novels like Circe but still an interesting read.

Full disclosure- I'm a Classics teacher. It makes me picky about Classics-inspired literature.

Penelope, Odysseus's wife, is the protagonist of this tale, which chronicles her experiences as she assumes the throne of Ithaca in his absence. The work is written from Hera's point of view and aims to present a feminist version of the traditional Greek myth.

The novel has a great beginning, full of suspenseful atmosphere. The writing is poetic and interesting, and the characters and their interactions are fully fleshed out. The second half of the story is where the story really starts to fall apart, with the storyline meandering and the characters becoming less fascinating. I was left feeling disappointed by the end and wondering if the sequel will answer my questions.

There are some redeeming qualities in Ithaca. The female protagonists are strong, multifaceted characters, and the themes of female empowerment, sacrifice, and loyalty are portrayed in depth. Hera's sardonic, acerbic voice gave the story an interesting twist, and I enjoyed reading it.

Ithaca has some good points, but the plot doesn't pay off. Although the characters are interesting, the story drags and the finale is disappointing. As an added downside, the novel's emphasis on violence, deceit, and scheming often overpowers the female topics it aims to portray.

It's an ambitious book that could have been great, but it falls short in the end. Even if you're not seeking for a feminist version of the traditional story, you could find something here to like if you're a fan of Greek mythology.

It took me some time to get to this one, but it was better, I was reading a lot of myth retellings and the comparison would be certain.
But I still compared, it was bigger than me.
Anyway, it was a good book, not a great one (15 lives is a great book). I didn't care about the characters and I hated Hera as the narrator.

3.5

Very skillfully written. Even though it took me a while to really get into the story it was riveting once I got into it. Hera as the narrator of this tale is a brilliant choice. The dry humour was everything.

This was a really entertaining look at the lives of the women left behind on Ithaca while Odysseus went off the fight the Trojan War and get lost on his way home. Told from the perspective of Hera, who had a really sarcastic and sassy tone which I really appreciated, we see the machinations of Penelope as she tries to fend off the various suitors aiming for her hand. I loved the pacing of the book, with the first part focusing on the day to day of the women and then moving into the arrival of Electra as she looks for her mother. The plot was intriguing throughout and the characters were really fascinating. All in all, a very good re-imagining and I will read the next installment with great pleasure.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

claire north is so fascinating, she pivots so decisively and confidently from one speculative subgenre to another and does so with aplomb and confidence. I'm always so genuinely impressed by her

I enjoyed this retelling of Greek myth, one I’ll admit to not knowing much about. Claire’s storytelling along with the chapters told from the perspective of the actual gods made this a unique and enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this read though it was heavier than other Greek mythology fiction I’ve read and harder to get into. I loved hearing from Hera (finally) as most other stories either paint her as a villain (despite Zeus being the worst husband ever) or just completely ignore her. It was nice to see her humanised and actually wanting to help someone. I know it wasn’t the main part of the story but it stuck out for me.
It was accurate, well-written and had depth though it took me forever to read as it didn’t have the pace I was hoping for.

3.5/5
Not my favourite rendition of Greek myth, but a solid one nevertheless. I cannot get enough of Penelope's story, and North truly does her justice. I enjoyed what the story tried to do in new and refreshing ways with this story, but I found the constant mentions of sexual violence to leave a sour taste in my mouth (I understand North was likely trying to show how trivial such a thing was in the society she writes about, and yet I still cannot help but ask myself "is this a necessary thing for modern audiences to be put through when reading feminist approaches to these myths?"; for many, the answer may be yes; for me, I could've done without.
Alas, I still look forward to reading more of North's work because I found this to be a compelling introduction to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The market is quite saturated with feminist retellings of Greek mythology at the moment, and I must admit I was doubtful that North could compete with Atwood's The Penelopiad on this particular subject. But she does bring something different to the story of Penelope by setting the entire plot during Odysseus's absence and not trying to tell a 'known' story. The interaction with the female gods was interesting, and I thought the focus on Greece's three 'queens' allowed the original myths to be seen in a different light, as well as the emphasis of the role of Penelope's servants and the other women on the island. I look forward to the further installments of this series.

I love the abundance of mythical retellings currently & Ithaca is no exception. A little slow in places however I really enjoyed the story & found myself frequently laughing at Hera’s commentary.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the preview copy.

Retelling and regrading mythology is fashionable at the moment, and I felt this one came up short. The narrative felt bulky and I wasn't convinced it brought anything new to the genre.

Mythological retelling are popular at the moment and Ive read a few. I was extremely pleased to receive an arc of this (Many thanks, Netgalley!) because I usually enjoy Claire North’s work. However I struggled to connect with the characters or the story this time round.

I really enjoyed seeing this story from a Gods point of view. I enjoyed the humour and the meddling (because we all know God's love to meddle. It was certainly interesting to see the other side of the story and the women's side of things.

Thank you so much for the earc.
I have read quite a few re tellings and I'm used to a mostly character focused narrative . I found interesting the more factual point of view of this narration although it contributed to a slower pace.

I think Penelope being narrated by Hera does not help with the flow of the story as it adds confusion to the reader,paired with the array of side characters that bately contribute to the story.

Odysseus has been absent from Ithaca for 17 years and, presumed dead, suitors have been arriving from near and far to court Penelope and thereby claim the throne. Meanwhile, pirates have been raiding various settlements on the island as it now seems defenceless.

As a woman, Penelope is unable to raise an army or act as regent in place of Odysseus. Her son Telemachus is keen to rule but lacks the authority and experience and she fears for his safety. Behind the scenes, she shows hereself to be a cunning politician and tactician.

Like many recent novels based on the Greek myths, this book focuses on women (Electra and Clytemnestra also feature prominently). Uniquely, the story is told by Hera, whose contemptuous attitude to many of her fellow gods is an amusing diversion from the main narrative.

Strongly plotted and most entertaining.

A lot of the story is narrated by the grumpy Queen Goddess Hera as she and her fellow gods do some meddling in the lives of mankind.
A well written tale and I’m looking forward to book 2 when hopefully Odysseus will finally show up. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Once upon a time, there were three queens in Greece. One was chaste and pure, one a temptress whore, one a murderous hag. That is the how the poets sing it."

If you look for an engaging Penelope's retelling, a story that you may know of her and her son Telemachus, her love and passion for Odysseus, do this is NOT your book.

This is a 3.5-star book for me do isn't a bad book, yes hard to read and follow, and yes there are a lot of names and people who seem their existence wasn't necessary, but it is a GOOD story, not perfect, though I like to read the next book.

"I who have nothing to lose that the poets have not already taken from me, only I will tell you the truth. I, who part the veil of time, will tell those stories that only the women tell. So follow me to the western isles, to the halls of Odysseus, and listen.

I was a queen of women once, before my husband bound me with chains and made me a queen of wives."

This is a new Penelope story from Hera's perspective, Mostly Hera! The story starts eighteen years after Odysseus sailed from Ithaca, eight years after Troy fell.

Odysseus, the cleverest man in Greece, how chose his wife? Clever Penelope try to buy some time for his back, but for what? Why does she want Odysseus back, is it because of her love for him or loyalty or maybe only greed to role like men, like Clytemnestra, her cousin? I really did not know, I'm afraid I failed hard to understand Penelope.

I should confess though it is Penelope's retelling, I enjoyed Elektra and Clytemnestra most, Yes we have Agamemnon's wife and daughter here, Athena and Artemis too!
Elektra with his brother Orestes land on Ithaca, tracking their guilty mother and wanting Clytemnestra's death.

"When the others are dead and gone, when Clytemnestra’s body is burnt and Penelope has breathed her last, only Elektra will remain, the last woman to carry my fire. But not yet–not yet."

I like to say this was a story of women! Women are bold, stubborn and well may I say, jealous.

"When women fight, no man can be left alive. No man can live to tell what they see. No mercy. No quarter."

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK (Orbit) via NetGalley for giving me chance to read Ithaca (The Songs of Penelope, #1) by Claire North, I have given my honest review.

Quests
"I know very little about killing, That is the men’s business. But it is the women who come to dress and wail at the corpses when the killing is done, no?"

"If you make enough people believe you are important, one day it may actually be true."

"He was smart, knew how to play it. Not too smart that people think you’re a threat, not too dumb that people don’t know you’re useful."