I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)

I was very excited to read this this book but unfortunately I found it very disappointing. I loved the voice of Hera as the narration of the book, and I found the epithets used throughout the book as Homer did very smart. However that's as far as my enjoyment went. I found it difficult to read, I just couldn't get engaged. It felt like the author was adding as many characters as she could to prove she knew about the subject when in fact the book didn't need that at all. I found it difficult to digest, and couldn't really see the plot even though I know the plot inside out (I would like to add I have a degree in Classics and a Masters in Ancient History and to have difficulties engaging in this was surprising, believe me!)
The book finished partway through the story of Penelope and her wait for Odysseus, so it's very likely there will be a second installment... that I definitely won't be reading.

I really enjoyed Ithaca! Through all these Greek Mythology retellings I sure am learning lots about it. This one by Claire North had quite a lot of characters but centred on Penelope. It really hammered home on women being treated like shit and mother/children relationships.

Highly recommend if you like Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes.

I’ve never read a retelling of Greek mythology and I think that’s why I wasn’t very fond of this one either.
I want to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Publishing for sending me an arc to this book. And now, we Shall get into my review. It’s my honest and complete opinion.

I think if I would have read something like this before or if I had a bit more knowledge of Greek mythology this would’ve been one of the greatest books I’ve read this year. But obviously, I had not and I did not really enjoy reading it. I didn’t like the writing style at all, I am not native so I had a very hard time reading it and understanding, I feel like the author tried to make it more of a classic in that sense but I honestly think it was just very pretentious and unnecessary to use bug words. At times I got really confused about the characters, I didn't know who was who. It was just too much for me.

On the other hand, I do wish to give another chance to this book because I feel like it wasn't really anything wrong with this book but it was me the one who didn't understand too much due to a lack of knowledge of Greek mythology. I will come back after I read some more retellings and maybe who knows, maybe I will find it more interesting then.

A great addition to the trend for retelling Greek myths with a modern and feminist slant, this explores the lives of the women of Ithaca as they wait for Odysseus to return from his long voyage. It's narrated by Hera, which I thought was a brilliant idea, as she is so often dismissed, and focuses on Penelope and her efforts to rule and protect Ithaca in her husband's absence. It's quite a slow burn but it's razor sharp and witty, with some really stunning descriptions. You can sense the author had fun with the voices of Hera and the other goddesses, and it all ties together really well. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Saint and Madeline Miller.

Penelope is such a superstar and I am happy to have a trilogy highlighting her cunning as she deftly manoeuvers to avoid the suitors hanging about the palace of Ithaca. Well known that she weaves the death shroud of Laertes by day, unravelling her labours by night, so as to delay the time when she must accept one of the suitors as a replacement for the long gone, assumed dead, Odysseus. But we know little more of her beyond this. Here her tale is told in a refreshing take on Greek myth.

Having recently read a number of novels detailing Agamemnon's return home from the Trojan War, and the chain of events that befall his family in the aftermath, I found this to be the most compelling of them all. True, Ithaca is not about the family of Atreus but they do feature heavily whilst Penelope awaits Odysseus' long overdue arrival home. In Ithaca we have a new appreciation for Penelope as a well rounded, brilliant strategist (not unlike her husband) but also enjoy a sympathetic view of Clytemnestra and Elektra. The best characterisation of them both in this novel. Perhaps due to our narrator's preference for the on-the-run queen? And who should narrate this yarn but Hera, the Queen of Olympus. She is rather indiscreet, sharing liberally her love-hate relationship with a number of Gods and Goddesses. Clytemnestra is clearly Hera's favourite Greek Queen and her devotion softens the Queen and makes her a person worthy of more than a bit of sympathy. Elektra comes off rather hard, but she is an oddity, anyway, but by the end I had warmed to her a great deal. Quite an accomplishment as I have never liked her in any previous books in which she has featured.

Back to Penelope our quiet, thoughtful Queen of Ithaca. Her days are more than weaving as she must keep her gaggle of suitors fed and keep Ithaca running smoothly. Trouble raises its ugly head as pirates add to her list of woes causing friction with Telemachus, her son, who is reaching early adulthood and wants to make his mark. But, our girl is nothing if not capable and watching her and her loyal servants operate is a great lesson in diplomacy.

Ithaca is a terrific start to what promises to be an exceptional series. Penelope is a character worthy of more screen time and I am pleased to say that this book does her justice but is also funny, touching and thought provoking as well.

I love reading myth retellings and when I saw Ithaca on Netgalley, I couldn't resist. Thankfully I really liked it. It is well-written and the fact that I already know the premise and the original myth/story made it even better ,as I wanted to see how it would be interpreted by the author.
In the book we are seeing the events through Hera's POV. She oversees what happens in Ithaca during Odysseus' absence and especially what is happening with the women and how they are managing certain situations. We witness how Penelope strives to hold the kingdom together. She has Hera on her side, who tries to help her without drawing any attention from the other gods.
The book touches on serious issues about women and their role in ancient times. How they had no autonomy and how cruelly they were treated.
The ending promises that a really exciting sequel is in the making and I am looking forward to it.

I was sent a copy of Ithaca by Claire North to read and review by NetGalley. What a wonderful book! Full of myth and intrigue, gods and suitors and best of all the women! This is a very clever and extremely amusing tale voiced by the goddess Hera and focusing on Penelope, wife of Odysseus and queen of Ithaca. Totally engrossing and entertaining and beautifully written, I could hardly put it down. You don’t have to be interested in Greek mythology or even a fan of historical novels to enjoy this book. Let’s hear it for the girls!!!

Most of us are aware of the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, of the long years spent away from home - first in the siege at Troy, then at the mercy of gods and monsters as he tried to make his way home - but here is the story of the wife, and island, he left behind.
Hardly more more than a girl when Odysseus left, Penelope has unobtrusively kept their island kingdom going. With all the able-bodied men following their king to war, farming, fishing, and trading have fallen to the women. Life has been quiet, but they survived.

Now, with the majority of Greek warriors returned from Troy, Penelope faces new problems, finding herself besieged by self-proclaimed heroes determined to win her hand, and kingdom, while eating and drinking their way through her stores. At first convivial, their mood is turning nasty. What can Penelope do to keep the peace? One day, she hopes, Odysseus will return, but until then, on an island of women, old men, and inexperienced youths, who can defend her?



There seems to be a re-awakened interest in Greek myths at the moment, with books from authors as varied as Natalie Haynes and Stephen Fry, but Ithaca I feel is the best I've read from the women's point of view. Told from the omniscient point of view of gossipy, sarcastic goddess, Hera, wife of Zeus, this is retelling with a feminist feel. How the left-at-home women actually coped while their men were away is something we can't know, but here Claire North offers an alternative to the meek-mannered version of Penelope of myth. Dealing with an unruly mob of suitors, the threat of pirates along Ithaca's coast, and the unexpected presence of a disgraced queen, Penelope proves herself to be as sly and cunning as Odysseus himself..

It's a change of mood for Cla

My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit publishing for the opportunity to review this book.
I love a Greek mythology retelling so had exceptional high hopes but struggled with the writing style and so much information that seemed to dip in and out.
I'm sure that for some this will be an amazing read but on a personal level not for me

It is 18 years since Odysseus sailed to Troy and his wife, Penelope, is the only person who still holds faith that he is alive. Ithaca is not a rich land but trade is good and Penelope tries to rule as best she can even though she is a women, this relative prosperity has attracted many suitors for her hand as a widow. As pirates raid the shores every full moon and her cousin appears after killing her husband, Penelope must hide her strengths yet strike a balance between her country and the whims of the Gods.
This is such a brilliant retelling of the ancient tales from a female perspective. Placing reality against legend is difficult to do but the descriptions of Ithaca are not about riches, more about poverty and animal herding. The narrator is Hera, Queen of the Gods, but here she is sidelined and lacks the glamour of others. The voice is very modern in terms of language and this also works incredibly well. There are a lot of novels on similar themes around at present and this stands out, firstly because it is less reverential that most but secondly because it takes a feminist perspective which is really refreshing.

Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Summary:
This novel tells the story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus and mother to Telemachus, two rather famous characters from Ancient Greek history and mythology. However, the Ancient Greeks did not tend to write ANY stories at all about their women, because they thought women had a few jobs in life and were not important enough to be featured in stories. This story about Penelope shows something very different and implies an active role for women on Ithaca during the time that Odysseus was away and Telemachus did not really have any clue on what to do with mysterious attacks.

Review:
This book is written from the perspective of Hera, wife of Zeus and she is an omniscient narrator. Claire North uses this perspective to comment on how the Ancient Greeks thought of women and their role in life and this makes the narrator highly sarcastic and ironic at times, which I really love!
Moreover, the chapters are fairly short, which makes this an easier book to read ‘just in between other tasks’. You can easily just read a chapter while waiting on the train or bus or to just take a short break from homework or working.
What I liked a bit less about the writing style was that it was at times unnecessarily difficult to read. I understand that the story takes place in Ancient times and that our view of their use of language is more difficult, formal and prominent, but I think that with the foreign names and the difficulty of following the storyline at times, the language could have been easier, especially with the target audience.
The characters were absolutely great! The goddesses and gods were as sarcastic and sassy as I have always imagined them in my classes on Ancient Greek and multiple habits/norms/rules that I recall from those classes were implemented in the book as well. This really shows that Claire North did their research on this topic and seriously wrote this book as opposed to ‘oh this seems like a fun topic to write about’.
The storyline was really nicely written as well, just at times a bit confusing. The characters also had some trouble understanding what was happening and instead of that being funny or logical, it made the story more confusing, which was a pity. However, research has been done for the plot as well and it made the story 10x more fun to read!

Conclusion:
I would definitely recommend this book if you’re a mythology fan like me! However, try not to read this when you’re in a haste or if you don’t have much concentration, because the story will be very confusing and not fun at all. I’m a big fan of the feminism and the irony that’s woven into the story and I think this is a great retelling/addition to Greek mythology!

I am still digesting this book, however I truly loved it.

Claire North writes in such a beautifully descriptive way, and had me utterly consumed from the beginning of the tale.

My first experience with tale of Penelope and Ithaca - and it was a great one!

I would advise that this book may not be for the Greek mythos novice, knowing more information about the Trojan war and the many characters involved would certainly allow for an additional layer of enjoyment for the reader. (If you’re like me and you’ve only read Song of Achilles up until this point… you might need to search a few things and piece some people together!)

Over all, a fantastic read and cannot wait to hear more Greek Mythos retellings from North!

I had such high hopes for this story, but I struggled to make it through. The writing was overly complicated, and the storyline didn't flow as smoothly as I would have liked. The retelling of The Odyssey was highly anticipated. The POV was told by Hera instead of Penelope - who I wanted to hear from. It did allow a more extensive investigation of the facts, but I think it took away from the emotion of the events surrounding her.

I didn't feel any connection to the characters or the events - I felt highly disinterested in the characters and the events I've previously fallen in love with and felt that it hurt the story. I felt flat upon finishing it.

This is a great retelling of the the Greek myth surrounding Odysseus and Penelope. I knew little of this story but found it easy to understand and well constructed. The writing flows beautifully and clearly. I will read more of Clare North.
With thanks to netgalley for the pre release.

Thank you to the publisher Orbit and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

What Claire North has done with Ithaca is nothing short of incredible. Rather than just doing a retelling of the myth of Odysseus, she has sought to tell the story of Penelope, his wife, and the twenty years she spent warding off men from her kingdom while she waited for him to come home from Troy. To describe this book as simply as that does it a massive disservice, instead of using the obvious Penelope perspective, the entire thing is narrated by the Greek goddess Hera, who offers a humorous and lyrical viewpoint on everything that is happening around Penelope and the rest of Ithaca.

This book flowed so quickly and easily, with all of the characters feeling real even if you don't know that much about Greek mythology. I especially loved Hera's perspective on her relationship with the other gods (in particular Zeus, Artemis and Athena) and how she saw the treatment of the women she protected. I can't wait to read the next book and see what might come next, even though I know the myths. Claire North has added a depth to the women of these stories that the original tales never focused on, and I loved it.

What can Claire North not do?

Great characters, great plot and beautiful writing. Hera as the narrative voice was genius. I will say that it took me some time to get into it, but once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down.

When i was a child I remember a tv version of the Italian tv. The actress, Irene Papas, died some days ago and her face will always be the face of Penelope for me.
I liked this retelling and like the voice of Hera and how she look at human events. This a choral story as there's Penelope and there's other women.
The author did a good job in developing the characters and they're quite strong. Penelope is a very clever and strong woman, Homer created an archetypal heroine and the author respect this status.
I enjoyed it and it strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really loved this retelling of the waiting of Penelope for Odysseos. Loved Hera´s take on all these women's lives, how they rule without ruling… Enjoyed the writing a lot.
It was a 4,5 stars for me!

Ithaca was a perfect portrait of women who left behind their men. It was powerful and beautifully written. The book itself narrated by Hera, which I found really entaching