Penelope is still fending off her unwanted suitors, thanks to the rules of Greek hospitality. The men are drinking the cellars dry and eating as much as they want, whenever they want, and still expecting Penelope to choose one of them. They all think Odysseus is dead.

Matters are only made more complicated by the arrival of Elektra and her brother Orestes, King of the Mycenae - and he isn’t doing at all well after his mothers murder. Then Menelaus turns up for a ‘visit’.

Really, Penelope is being sorely tested, but she’s canny enough to cope with whatever the fates decide to throw at her.

I enjoyed reading everything from Aphrodite’s point of view - at least you can’t accuse her of favouritism. These gods don’t seem to appreciate that humans have feelings too.

Claire North’s women in this story (Penelope, Elektra and Helen especially) is what makes it special. It’s clear that all three have been through a lot at the hands of men - yet they keep going.

I’m currently the third and final instalment from my local library. I know how it all ends, but I can’t wait to read Claire North’s version (no spoiler: it’s not disappointing me at all so far!).

This was a very interesting tale on what could have happened after the death of Clytemnestra which is great because often the story just ends there! I will admit I feel this story could have been condensed slightly as I did feel it lost the dramatic feel slightly at times. However, a strong second book in the series!

I really enjoyed Ithaca - Book 1 of this series - and Book 2 is just as compelling and brilliantly retold. My classics knowledge is very limited but these retellings do give a new perspective on the goings on of the time, and this one carries on the Penelope & Odysseus storyline - she is awaiting his return and it centres around the power struggles and shows the strength of the women left behind when others are threatening!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for sending me an ARC to review.

I love Greek Mythology retellings and those surrounding the Trojan War and the Odyssey are among my favourites. This second book in Claire's Songs of Penelope trilogy is beautifully written. We pick up where Ithaca left off, with Penelope inundated with suitors and having to fight off pirates. It is a well paced and thoroughly enjoyable read and had me smiling and laughing all the way through.

Any author shining light on the women of the stories and myths we have grown up hearing deserves so much praise and Claire is one of my favourites!

I’m very picky with mythology books and sadly this one just didn’t quite hit the spot for me, a little slow and not as gripping as I’d hoped

This second offering in the Songs of Penelope trilogy was fantastic - it is voiced by Aphrodite which was an inspired choice. Viewing the other goddesses as well as the human women of this already well known tale through the eyes of a goddess not immediately at the forefront of the original tellings gives the author room to really think about the ways in which these characters interact, what motivates them and what they might have been doing when the other Olympians eyes were focused on men and heroes.

The book is slow, and is also probably 100 pages longer than it truly needs to be. However,the characterisation of the women of this tale and the very clever addition of murders, mystery surrounding the relationship between Orestes and The Furies and then the ever present threat of Odysseus on the very peripheries of this tale make the length of the novel really worth it.

I continue to adore the addition of Kenamon to these tales. He is everything Penelope actually deserves and should be able to rely on in a man.

Retold Greek Myths are also my thing. The House of Odysseus takes us to Ithaca with Penelope and her suitors. We join the story just Penelope’s just after her son Telemachus has gone in search of Odysseus. Things are bubbling along in an OK kind of a way when Orestes and his sister Elektra arrive on the island followed swiftly by Menelaus. Furies swirl overhead and mayhem ensues. All told to us by Aphrodite who is a wonderful, flirty narrator.

4/5 stars! This is the second book in the Songs of Penelope series. The author's depiction of ancient Greek characters was surprising but often exciting as well. I loved where the story ended up, but it took us a long time to get there. I would say parts 30-60% of the book lacked the action to keep me drawn in. But I did like how it all wrapped up.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

These books provide an enthralling reimagining of Greek Mythology, telling the story of Odysseus’ wife Penelope as she waits for him to return home after the Trojan War.
The plot sees both a physical and internal battle for the resilient women of Ithaca, who are faced with navigating the political and personal turmoil of Odysseus’ absence.
North’s powerful storytelling brings depth and nuance to characters like Penelope, illuminating the lives and struggles previously little explored. The author’s writing style is very eloquent and is the perfect tone for this genre.

These books are not only faithful to their mythological roots, but also offer a modern perspective on these stories whilst encompassing the ever-present themes of heroism, loyalty and power.

Loved it. Artfully written and gripping all the way through. You can't go wrong with Penelope at the centre!

I've always loved Greek mythology and this book is clearly so well researched as it's true to the original myths whilst still building on them in ways that feel utterly believable.

Penelope still awaits the return of her husband Odysseus and fears for the safety of her son Telemachus who has set sail in search of his father.

Elektra and her mad brother Orestes arrive secretly on Ithaca seeking sanctuary but are pursued by Menelaus and his Spartan forces.

A masterful novel of political intrigue and manoeuvring, narrated by Aphrodite who delights in physical beauty and sensuality but who becomes transfixed by the bravery and cunning of the women of Ithaca.

A history dominated by men becomes the story of women seizing control of their own destinies. Skilful and adroit plotting with a pace that never sags, this is a commanding and compelling tale.

Superb storytelling.

I have to admit, I love all things Greek mythology so I knew I would breeze through this book with ease and honestly I was so hooked! The characters were artfully written an I honestly cannot praise this retelling enough. I would definitely like to read more books within the series and by Claire North!

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

House Of Odysseus is the brilliant sequel to 'The Odyssey' retelling 'Ithaca', only these books are from Penelope's side of the story rather than her husband.

Following the events of the first book, Orestes and Elektra are back on Ithaca to ask for Penelope's help with not only their war-loving uncle, Menelaus, but also help for Orestes who is being poisoned by someone close to him.

I think i preferred this book over the first as more interesting characters were introduced (such as Helen of Troy, a very well known and famous woman at this time) and how in the first book i felt like I couldn't like Elektra and Orestes, in this one they didn't seem like the villains so I enjoyed reading about them.

I also liked that it was told through a different narrator, the first book was told by the Goddess Hera but in this one it's the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, who definitely tells the story a little differently. It thought the wording was sometimes comedic and really beautifully written.
I'm aware there is going to be a third book in this series so l will definitely be reading and reviewing it!

I'd recommend this book to any fans of Greek mythology and if you want a retelling of 'The Odyssey.

Great great book. I am loving this series. I enjoyed this book just as much as I enjoyed the first! I love historical fiction and I have many and this one is not to be missed! Excellently written characters. Lots of intense moments. I flew through it couldn't out it down! I would definitely recommend this book!

Unfortunately, I could not find into this book at all. The writing was confusing and did not capture me at all. I am, however, very intrigued by this book and will give it another try later on. For now, unfortunately, it's a DNF.

I enjoy reading abut the Greek gods, goddesses and myths, and this was a highly entertaining and enjoyable addition to the treasure trove of books currently available on the subject.

Filled with plenty of excitement, intrigue and a fair amount of humour, this book is a treat.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the early access to this book.

I'm always a sucker for a good greek myth-retelling - and this is an amazing feminist take on one.

I feel like it's easier to get into these books if you know the basics of greek mythology, otherwise you may struggle understanding who's-who, but otherwise you should find it easy to understand the premise and story-line of this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it to any greek-myth fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Thank you to Orbit UK for sending me a finished copy of this book for review.

This is a non-spoiler review, but I may reference plot points from the first book, Ithaca. House of Odysseus follows the events of Ithaca, when Clytemnestra was killed by her son Orestes, making him King of Mycenae. Now, he and his sister Elektra return to Ithaca.

Elektra wants to hide her brother from their uncle Menelaus, King of Sparta, because Orestes is guilt-ridden and hounded by Furies for killing his mother. Aphrodite’s favourite, and Penelope’s cousin, Helen of Troy, comes to Ithaca with her husband and a contingent of Spartans. Penelope has to manage this conflict between the powerhouses of Mycenae and Sparta, and of course the suitors are still present!

The book started a bit slow, but I really loved that we got to see development and consequences of events that happened in Ithaca. I especially liked that we got to see the women of Ithaca and Kephalonia play a role again! Of course Elektra and Orestes were present as well and it was interesting to see them after some time had passed since Clytemnestra’s death.

I really love the writing style in this book. There were some great quotes and I like how so many characters are explored in an in depth manner. I feel that using a goddess as a narrator allows for a really interesting way to explore the inner workings of characters, how they are viewed by others, and what they are truly like. I was especially interested in Aphrodite’s framing of Helen considering the context of their relationship and the Trojan war.

I was pleasantly surprised with Laertes’ role in this instalment, and yet again I loved the scenes with Kenamon. Claire North characterised Menelaus in such a distinctive way and my skin crawled in so many of his scenes, even before he openly showed his true colours.

I just love Penelope as a character, which is one of the reasons why I am so invested in this series. I love seeing her inner emotions compared to her outer presentations. Eos and Autonoe stood out to me yet again, especially towards the end.

I was unsure about Hera as a narrator before reading Ithaca, but then I loved her, so again I was not sure about how I would feel about Aphrodite narrating the sequel. I will say that it took me slightly more time to warm up to Aphrodite and get used to the narration style, but I ended up really enjoying her different perspective.

I wish we could have seen Hera in this book in order to see her thoughts on plot developments. Regardless, I enjoyed Aphrodite’s interactions with Artemis and Athena.

I really hope Athena narrates book three! I think she will, as she has played a pivotal role in the story, and she is Odysseus’ patron after all. I find her fascinating and she has always been my favourite Greek goddess, so I will find it interesting to see how Athena’s actions are framed in comparison to in the Odyssey, in which she is also very active.

Overall, I do prefer Ithaca slightly, but House of Odysseus was still a strong sequel which made me even more excited for the finale of the series. Because of events that happened at the end of House of Odysseus, I think the next book will be a bit different and I am really looking forward to hearing North’s take on the next part of Penelope’s story!

4.5 stars