I started this book not really knowing about Clytemnestra, I’d learned about Penelope and Helen but even when I tried to learn a little more whilst reading this book all google could tell me was that she killed her husband and was murdered by her son. I enjoyed this deeper look into her character and how she got to the point that she felt it necessary to get revenge. There were some very difficult moments to read, although the narrative choice made these moments feel too distant for me personally and I didn’t have the emotional reaction that perhaps I should have.

There was a huge chunk of the middle that felt a little too long with not a lot happening in the middle. I’ve been reading a lot of mythology retellings recently and whilst this was an enjoyable read it just didn’t grip me in the same way.

I received an arc of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I love a good retelling of Greek mythology and Clytemnestra is a much maligned Queen. Her story is one of great trauma and tragedy, and in this retelling she does not attract pity but admiration for her fire and bravery in a man’s brutal world. Beware, it is very traumatic!

It just bored me. The only part worth reading was the ending. I honestly could not tell you what the plot of this book was.

“She is like a lioness, she stands high on her hind legs, she mates with the wolf, when her noble lion is missing.”
Aeschylus, Agamemnon
 
This superbly well written take on the story of Clytemnestra, sister of Helen of Troy, wife of Agamemnon and Queen of Mycenae proves that Costanza Casati is a powerhouse when it comes to the ever-popular genre of ancient world, Greek myth retellings.  But to call it just that would be a huge injustice, this is simply a fantastic fast paced story.  It can’t be shelved with other feminist retellings because Clytemnestra is untamed and ferocious, even in the original source material.  She doesn’t need reshaping.
 
So instead, with great psychological complexity to her characters, Casati explores the convoluted and tangled relationships between lovers, between sisters, between children and their fathers and finally between mothers and their daughters. 
 
Set against a vicious backdrop of slaughter and betrayal, Clytemnestra’s violent and dark consciousness focalises our attention on the tragedy and brutality of the ancient world and what it takes to not only survive but to thrive in a land of Kings.
 
You’ll find no simpering protagonist here as Aeschylus quote above suggests.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow this book was AMAZING! The writing was immaculate and i really felt the character of Clytemnestra coming across in the story. A lot happens in the book, but the pacing was great and i felt that i could keep up. I like how the author expanded on the story of Clytemnestra and gave their own twist. I will say i really liked the main character, she was headstrong, driven and just a total badass. While her character was unlikable at times, i could really understand her motivations. Overall, i loved this book. Yes it discusses many difficult topics, but it is done in a way that is really gripping. I would definitely recommend reading this if you enjoy Greek myth retelling!!
(*4.5)

Clytemnestra

‘As for queens, they are hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best...’

Clytemnestra, as a Spartan woman, is strong, intelligent, determined and fierce. While the world marvels at her sister Helen’s beauty, she is respected by her people. Her strength catches the attention of cruel Agamemnon, who murders her husband and baby son to claim her...

Clytemnestra is a well-written novel showing the point of view of a controversial female character. In the past, she was often criticised and presented as an example of an unfaithful wife. Costanza Casati created in her book a vivid portrayal of a fierce woman bound to retaliate for all the wrongs she experienced. More importantly, she showed us the reasons behind Clytemnestra’s actions while describing the abuse she experienced. Her Clytemnestra is not cruel or wicked but loves her family deeply and declines to accept their suffering. Casati’s prose made it easy for me to feel for her character and very hard to put the book down.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for providing the arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Feminist retellings of Greek myths have really taken off in recent years., which is great, because these women deserve to be heard (even if they are purely fictional!) I have read a fair few, and am happy to say that this is one of the best.

Clytemnestra is really well developed as a character, as is her relationship with her sister, Helen, and it was interesting to read an imagining of their childhood, where many of their lasting qualities and flaws doubtless developed.

The later part of the story is of course well known, but the retelling from Clytemnestra's perspective was welcome and excellently executed.

I loved this book, and look forward to reading more by Costanza Casati.

Anyone who loves feminist retellings is going to love this book. Even if you know Clytemnestra's story already, the writing, pacing, and characterization are going to hook you from page 1. We really get insight into her childhood and early life, and can see how these influence her actions and behaviors later. She is not necessarily likeable as we know her, and you might not agree with her actions, but I love that she's made into a real, complex person with whom I can empathize. Mythology in general creates cardboard cut-outs of the women in its stories and I love retellings that give these overlooked characters actual lives and flesh out their stories. Read this as a pair with Jennifer Saint's Elektra, so good!

I loved this book. It was written so well and Clytemnestra was such a loveable character. Would definitely recommend.

One of the best from the current crop of revisited Greek myths. Clytemenestra is given a fully fleshed out background so the reader gets to engage with her as a person in her own right, not just sister of Helen and wife of Agamemnon. Even though you know where the story is going it is still a compulsive, immersive read.

Thank you Publisher for this advanced copy.

Clymnestra had such a good premise. However, I couldn't help feeling bored.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed this book! I knew of Clytemnestra as I know a out the story of her sister so I thought this feminist retelling of Clytemnestra's story was very interesting. Very well written. I thought that it gave great detail and understanding to readers in to the mind of Clytemnestra ans why she did the things she did. Loved it!!

I had only briefly heard of Clytemnestra before and never knew of her story. I am completely in awe of both her story and this novel. The writing kept me constantly wanting to know more and I eagerly finished the book both gripped but fearful for Clytemnestra's end. A five star read that I recommend to anyone who loves Greek mythology retellings but also those who enjoy novels about strong women - 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

3.5 ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ (rounded up)

Thank you so much to Penguin Randomhouse and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

I love a Greek myth retelling, and read and all that come up.

Whilst I do think Troy has been overdone, what I like about this book was the large amount of time spent on Clytemnestra’s youth pre-Agamemnon, which we don’t usually see. So whilst yes, Troy tales are cooking, this one did actually bring something new to the table.

I also really liked how Clytemnestra and Helen were portrayed, also loved the inclusion of their other siblings.

Would definitely recommend this one over some other recent retellings for the above reasons.

Clytemnestra is an unsung heroine of the Greek stories, one I knew little of before I embarked on this tale of her life. Sister to the infamous Helen and married to Agamemnon (the brother of Menelaus who married Helen), she is beautiful in her own right but is often overlooked because of the beauty of her sister. She is fierce and given the training of men, but also loving and loyal, suffering the death of loved ones and children in horrifying circumstances. There are echoes of Game of Thrones which I hadn't picked up on when watching that TV series, and what men will do for power is beyond belief.

I loved her as a character in this retelling and I am very tempted by this gorgeous edition. This is perfect for any fan of the Greek stories with a focus on the often forgotten female characters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for sending me an advanced copy of Clytemnestra
by Costanza Casati.

I devoured this novel. I really, really loved it. Mythology retellings are one of my favourite types of books but they can be hit or miss.

I previously read Elektra by Jennifer Saint and obviously Clytemnestra is a very different character in that book. So I loved learning more about the woman, the mother and the queen. Why she made her decisions. Why she was so cold.

I love an unlikeable protagonist. Or perhaps just a complex protagonist. Was Clytemnestra right in everything she did? No of course not. She is an incredibly damaged woman who has dealt with things no one should have to.

I adored this novel.

The last few years have seen a real movement in terms of the retelling of myths from the female perspective, spearheaded by the likes of Natalie Haynes and Jennifer Saints. Costanza Casati joins these fabulous ladies with Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon (of Iliad fame).

I loved this retelling; this is a story of heartache and revenge, but there is a depth of emotion Costanza creates which made my heart ache for Clytemnestra's story. Knowing the myth already also created a level of tension and apprehension throughout - I wanted to hug her, counsel her, be there for her. There's a gift some authors have that draw you in, that make you care for fictional characters, where you're 100% invested and Costanza is one of them.

I'd highly recommend for anyone with a love of classical myths.

Every so often, I feel a book deserves slightly more than the 5 star maximum I'm able to give. "Clytemnestra" is one of those books. It's written beautifully, the characters are incredibly solid, the time and settings are brought to life with ease. But, at the heart of it, it's the hard to name feeling this book has left me with that makes me want to give it a distinction. Perfection.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Clytemnestra, one of the wonder women of Greek mythology is bared open for Casati’s readers. And what an expose it is. She’s very aware of Clytemnestra’s reputation. Could this possibly have induced her to open her book with a blazing account of Clytemnestra’s daring? There’s very little doubt in my mind that she is capable of such feats. She is after all as the blurb suggests Mother. Monarch. Murderer (I prefer Warrior) and magnificent at all three. I was gripped by the powerful opening and it was all the way up from there. This bold and naked account of Clytemnestra’s life is told through her eyes. Mythologically her story arc is a long and painful one, punctuated with brief moments of joy. I was impressed by this Clytemnestra regardless of Greek history’s description of the protagonist. This was largely due to Casati’s perceptive handling of her much maligned heroine.

A Spartan princess born to the tyrannical Spartan king Tyndareus and his queen Leda, she did not have the privileges that women of rank might receive in the ancient world. True Spartan males were trained to be fearless and feared. But I had no idea how brutal a Spartan girls’ life could be. Ouch!!! Casati does not hold back. Her tale is her entire families story as their paths entwine. She has siblings, one of whom is the infamous Helen of Troy. Being a patriarchal society, Clytemnestra like all women did not have the freedom to choose her own path. She was sadly defined by the men in her life. Casati’s Clytemnestra exposes the flaws in ancient Greek patriarchal society while bringing her characters to life.

As Casati’s tapestry on our protagonist subtly unfolds I realised how nuanced her novel is. This is the age when gods and goddesses interacted with humans. Consequently, there were numerous curses heaped on hapless man who either defied them or were out of favour with them for various reasons. The curse on her family doomed both her and Helen as unvirtuous women, equivalent to the ancient world slut shaming the sisters for their fathers wrong doing. Moreover, if a woman married into a cursed house then she would also be doomed.

They could also be lured, like Leda and were always at the mercy of these beings. Emotionally scarred from being raped undoubtedly impacted Ledas’ own relationship with her children. Casati’s insightful penmanship allowed me to imagine how this foreshadowed our indomitable protagonist’s development as a woman. Likewise, her siblings’ development was impacted too. Women and children endured all manner of trauma and without doubt it affected their psyche.

Since I have a scant knowledge of Greek mythology the novel would have confused me. Fortunately for me Casati has a description of the characters at the beginning of the book pre-empting this. It’s worth mentioning that there is more than one Tantalus in Greek mythology. Clytemnestra’s first husband was not the sociopath Tantalus. Indeed, he was the pleasant one with few if any faults.

I could not help but like Casati’s Clytemnestra. Here she is the impressively strong protagonist in a world that discriminates against women. She stands up for herself. It’s hardly surprising that her decisions were erroneous considering her traumatic story arc. Is it not said that unexpressed emotions will never die? Rather they’re buried alive and will come forth in uglier ways. Sadly, this couldn’t be more true for Clytemnestra. I felt she was protesting about her unfair world in the only way she could. Honestly would she have had justice?

To Casati’s Clytemnestra vengeance was most important and represented justice. Her failure to grasp that her focus on vengeance stole the joy of the life in front of her is a uniquely human and relatable experience. Her courage and indomitable spirit are an example to us all. I also liked how Casati dealth sensitively with what is really a very gory tale without detracting from the narrative. She could easily have relied on gore to turn pages. This could have been off putting to many readers. Instead she has allowed the tale and the bravura of her retelling to do the job. Guess a wrong has been righted in the retelling. Well done Casati!

Given that Agamemnon is my personal enemy, I was always bound to love this book. But this portrayal of Clytemnestra's story was so nuanced, personal and painful, I was blown away by how stunning it is.