At this point I've read so many Greek retellings that they're all starting to blend into one. What I will say is The Heroines did a good overall job of exploring Phaedra and giving her a voice when she's often overshadowed by Theseus. There's the usual feminist exploration and exploitation of women that was so common to this time period and I think all the women within The Heroines were very much of their time. Downrodden, used and forgotten, but ultimately the ones with the brains and stamina to outlive kingdoms and its rulers.

I do think this suffers from having too many characters, and as a result Phaedra seems to fall into the background of a story she should have been the centre of. The voices of the women all blended into one, and I often found myself starting a chapter thinking it was one character only to realise it was another part way through. The world itself is also not very well described, so unless you really know the setting well already I don't think this would make a good starting point for those interested in the Greek myths and retellings.

Overall though this carried an important message and it holds its own in delivering it. Woman had it hard, but their resilience and sense of self will often carry them through.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I have tried to read this one several times since I was approved and unfortunately can't get into it, so am officially DNFing it.

I didn't know the story of Phaedra before starting this and Hippolytus so went into this completely blind. It was a quick read but fairly bleak and bitter. I'm not sure if it was supposed to have a feminist slant to the retelling with some sort of message of empowerment and change behind the overall plot, but that didn't pan out and was in fact very bitter in that nothing has changed by the end and everyone is still miserable.

However, it was a very well done retelling that kept me interested and made me want to read the actual Greek mythology version to see how they compare.

The Heroines follows the story of Phaedra who famously married Theseus after he slew the Minotaur (her brother) and previously ran away with her sister (Ariadne). Theseus has no interest in his new, young wife and leaves her isolated and to her own devices, and at night she hears the voices of women singing the tales of men who have wronged them. However soon Phaedra becomes the subject of herself when Theseus’ son Hippolytus becomes obsessed with her and ultimately assaults her. Phaedra becomes pregnant as a result of this attack, with Theseus pushing an idea of democracy for his reign in Athens, she reports the crime and Hippolytus is brought to trial.

The problem with books about Ancient Greece marketed as feminist retellings is that unfortunately you think they’ll be empowering – and in a way, with women’s voices being elevated and women facing their fears, it is, however the outcome of these stories remains the same and so you’re left frustrated and disheartened that a woman’s pain is what drives a story. This it not an empowering retelling, all the men are villains, all the women are victims, and by the end of the book nothing has really changed, apart from more women have suffered. The part that I did like was the Chorus, women coming together to literally give their voices to their pain, however again, it doesn’t change the outcome, you just know that more voices will be added to those songs.

Writing wise, the different POVs don’t feel particularly different, If chapters weren’t introduced as different voices, you wouldn’t necessarily know it from the writing itself – although the male voices are more distinct because they are awful and cruel, all using women for their own personal gain and I hated them all.

It’s not difficult to have sympathy for Phaedra, of course, and you support her goal of not just wanting justice and safety for herself and her child but for the other women suffering. Yes she is naïve but she was also a child protected and unprepared before she was thrown to the wolves. Medea is a more interesting character, with a complexity of a person who could be good deep down but has done bad things – she’s a survivor shaped by a cruel world, and the greater depth comes from her voice.

This book did have interesting potential, and I can’t fault it for being disheartening because most historical stories about women are. A story about women fighting and finding their strength is also a book about women having to fight because they can’t afford to be weak, it will always be unfair. But it is a book of women trying to make a difference and retain who they are, to whatever end, in a world of men trying to take them piece by piece. But It is also a book that highlights that women may win a battle at times but not the war when it comes to these issues – I just wish it was told a little clearer.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a Greek mythology lover, I was so surprised I didn’t know nearly as much as I thought about Phaedra and Hippolytus. This book has definitely given me the push to read the original Tragedy.

As far as retellings go, this was so well done and accessible to those who don’t know a great deal about mythology in general. I have seen many comments that Laura Shepperson took too many liberties etc. , however I enjoy the more fantastical versions that stray from the original storyline…otherwise every retelling would be VERY similar!

I loved the multiple POVs as it gave the whole story a real feel, and as an outsider I felt like I was truly in the midst of the chaos surrounding Athens. The pacing at times was slightly stilted by this, however after Phaedra is moved to Athens everything is very fast-paced and had me gripped.

I personally enjoyed the inclusion of The Night Chorus as this provided us with views of the collective women and made this feel very similar to a Greek Tragedy as they were performed. Some of the one liners really had you thinking!

As it with all tragedies, this had me heartbroken in the end. Phaedra’s character was so loveable in the sense she was just a girl out of her depth, with her innocence destroyed so young.

I will definitely be recommending this to anyone who loves novels inspired by Greek mythology and anyone who loved Jennifer Saint, Elodie harper and other authors like these.

This is a great Greek myth retelling. The character development is very good. The writing is very engaging. A great book

Laura Shepperson's The Heroines is a reimagining of Greek heroine/antagonist (depending on the version) Phaedra's life in Athens. According to most versions of the myth, Phaedra (by nature or by divine intervention) falls in love with her stepson, Hippolytus, and after failed attempts to seduce him, accuses him of rape leading to both of their deaths. In Shepperson's rendition, however, the rape allegation Phaedra makes is true and her husband (Theseus) and his court does not take Phaedra at her word (where in the original, he commited filicide by God).

I think in turning this Greek tragedy into a political/court drama with a cast of victimised women recontextualises the myth for modern audience - who have been forcefed tired narratives framing women who make rape allegations as vindictive liars for much too long. I appreciated this change, and honestly believe any author would be hardpressed to sell Phaedra's story to modern audiences otherwise.

With this in mind, I thought the use of the night chorus (a spin on the traditional Greek chorus, which would summarise, and/or add context during plays) as a chorus of abused women without the (little) power Phaedra had was an interesting literary device which really displayed Shepperson's writing chops.

However, I don't believe The Heroines was executed as well as it could be - the large cast of characters (with many POV characters) sometimes meant the plot got away from Shepperson, in my opinion.

I also think audiences will go in to The Heroines expecting a retelling akin to other (fabulous) Greek retellings which have saturated the market, like Madeline Miller's Circe or Jennifer Saint's Ariadne - in which case, they will (most likely) be disappointed. For any readers who did enjoy The Heroines, however, I would also recommend Claire Heywood's The Shadow of Perseus, which tackles similar themes through Greek mythology.

Heroines retells the story of Phaedra. She has accused her stepson of rape. Will she be believed or sentenced to death as a wanton woman. The jury is all male but there are women who are determined to have their voice heard. Told in the manner of a Greek play with three acts and a chorus

Greek mythology is pretty much an insta-buy and read for me. I’m drawn to historical fiction anyway, and the Greek myths have always felt like an extension of that for me. That’s probably also why I’m especially attracted to the type of Greek myths that are so popular at the moment. I suppose it could be referred to more as Greek historical fiction rather than myth. The Gods and Goddesses have been taken out of the equation (inasmuch as Christian figures are in other historical fiction novels - they’re spoken of, but they don’t have a leading role), and the mortals are left to make their own life choices - even if they still like to blame it on the Gods.

Laura Shepperson gives voice to the women in the myths, and we see the story of Theseus and Phaedra from Phaedra’s point of view. There’s also a chorus of women who are suffering under the mistreatment of the men in Theseus’ palace. Servants and slave women had to do as they were told. The struggle for the women against this patriarchal system is at times violent, and the women rarely come out of it well.

There were a lot of characters in this, and I wonder if all of them were necessary. I’ll be honest, and it could be down to the good ole peri-meno brain, I did get a little confused at all the characters, but it didn’t spoil the story!

I enjoyed this quick read (ok, I didn’t put it down!). It gave me enjoyment for a couple of days - and that’s what reading is all about really, isn’t it!

Unfortunately this didn't hit the mark among other Greek retellings that are hitting the shelves. I can see why it hasn't blown up/found it's place, although I am glad its about a character that I knew little of to begin with!

I didn't find this to be a great addition to the Greek legend retellings, in places the writing/editing/checking was really sloppy - for instance I've never read/seen any evidence that hats were worn by Ancient Greek women, or that they carried bags (implication being handbags)...

The idea of trying to use a Chorus was nice but it never seemed to come off as believable and the whole violence against women as a wide theme was both overplayed and under explored.
For me there are many better retellings out there.

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

I really did not enjoy this. Poor writing with narrative issues coupled with characters that were bland and uninteresting made this a struggle to get through. Even sticking with it to get to the end didn't feel like a redemption arc. This needed a lot more to make it interesting to put it alongside the other retellings currently hitting shelves.

3.5 (rounded up) ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

I love Greek myth retellings and this is one of the more original ones to have been released recently.

I enjoyed the style and prose, and the take on Phaedra’s story, as well as that of Ariadne, Pasiphae and Theseus, one of the more villainous Greek “heroes”.

I thought the characterisation of Phaedra was done well. She wasn’t someone in control of her destiny, through no fault of her own, simply that women did not have the agency to do so (of course there are exceptions) but even in this patriarchal time and society she exhibited strength of character and kindness.

I look forward to seeing what the author writes next!

Tense and deeply unsettling, this re-telling of the myth of Phaedra seeps the fear of the women of Athens into your bones. Although it is set in ancient Greece, the themes are still relatable to today's society and the night chorus trying to keep each other safe by sharing intel still feels true to life for today. I felt that the different POVs sometimes pulled me out of the plot and I would have preferred to stick with Phaedra and use the night chorus for the extra context. I liked that the initial dynamic between Phaedra and Hippolytus felt playful so that you were lulled into the same sense of security before the tentacles of unease started to spread. This mirrored that most women are attacked by someone they know and don't view as dangerous. It also showed the dangers of toxic masculinity and how this seemed to be the final straw that pushed Hippolytus from thoughts to action (on the actual target at least). An interesting re-telling that feels relevant and modern to women today.

I absolutely love the retellings of Greek myths from the perspective of the women, and this didn't disappoint. Telling the story of Phaedra, Theseus and Hippolyta this was hard reading at times but reflected the hard lives that women lived amongst the glamorous stories of the Greek Heroes.

The story switches narratives throughout, allowing readers insight into the motivations and through processes of the characters from all different backgrounds. It was easy to read and completely engaging.

I recommend to any fans of historical fiction, and especially anyone who enjoys myth retelling.

‘Ancient Athens. A trial to make history. The women whose lives depend on it.’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group Sphere for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Heroines’ by Laura Shepperson. It was published in the USA simply as ‘Phaedra’.

I am a huge fan of mythological retellings and was excited to read this debut novel that focuses upon the tragic tale of Phaedra, the Cretan princess who was sister to Ariadne and became the second wife of King Theseus of Athens.

It opens in Crete and recounts Theseus’ arrival as part of the Athenian tribute of fourteen youths and fourteen maidens. After defeating the Minotaur, Theseus sails off with Ariadne. However, it’s not long until he returns with a story about the god Dionysus falling in love with Ariadne and carrying her off. He demands that due to this he will now wed Phaedra. However, she is more of a hostage than a royal wife and is neglected by Theseus.

When Phaedra accuses his son, Prince Hippolytus, of rape it results in a dramatic trial that polarises Athens. No further details to avoid spoilers.

I was pleased that Shepperson opened with a Dramatis Personae. Aside from Phaedra, the story is told from a number of character viewpoints, including Medea, cousin to the Cretan princesses who is hiding out in the Athenian palace, and Kandake, Ariadne’s elderly serving woman. Some contributors are quite brief though each provides their perspectives on the story as it plays out.

In her Author’s Note Laura Shepperson provides details of her sources as well as those areas where she exercised artistic licence in her narrative. I appreciated her sharing of the idea of the evolving nature of myth and that she and other modern authors are continuing the traditions of the Ancient Greek storytellers via these retellings.

I felt Laura Shepperson’s writing was quite lyrical and even though I was familiar with the story of Phaedra I found myself quite caught up in this retelling. After this promising debut I will be looking forward to her future projects.

In this new retelling of an ancient Greek tragedy we are shown clearly how truth can be twisted, turned and reformed into myth, to be used both as a warning and a weapon. The commonly-told version of Phaedra’s story sees the young princess falling in love with Hippolytus, the celibate son of Phaedra’s much older husband, King Theseus. When Hippolytus rejects Phaedra’s advances, she accuses him of rape – King Theseus then curses his son, causing him to be killed by the gods and resulting in Phaedra’s death by her own hand. Shepperson’s love of the classics is plain to see in this easily-imagined retelling, where the nervous, homesick princess is raped by the headstrong and spoiled Hippolytus, yet the patriarchal society of ancient Athens means “any man can throw words up into the air, and it is women who must pay when those words land.” In places the immediacy of the prose creates the vivid impression of reading a court document: the characters give their grim testimony, weaving tales around each other, providing texture and colour and gradually filling in the full details of Phaedra’s story – yet despite the truth of events being evident to modern, sympathetic readers, will the braying men of the ancient court be swayed? The Heroines is a strong, extremely learned addition to the ever-growing canon of contemporary reimaginings of ancient myths.

Whilst an interesting exploration of Phaedra, I felt that the characterisation was lacking. However overall, I enjoyed the co-opting of myth and centering female narratives. It was interesting to see the overlap of fact and fiction, myth and truth. Not as good as some of the other Greek mythology retellings.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Within the glut of feminist retellings of Greek mythology, this is a mid-level entry that's enjoyable but doesn't really add much to the source material. I enjoyed the interpretation of the Minotaur section, but less so when the story moves to Athens. I was also a bit confused as to why Shepperson decided to include a male voice (Trypho) in what was otherwise an exclusively female narrative (apart from because, plot). But it's a solid retelling of the Phaedra story which will probably fit the YA market best.