Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book pre-publication.
I hadn’t read Ithaca, the first book of the trilogy in this retelling, but nothing is lost by that as the story continues.
Narrated by Aphrodite, we meet with Penelope as the absence of her husband continues, she mourns the disappearance of her son as he searches for his father, and the suitors continue to take up residence. Elektra and Orestes arrive seeking refuge followed swiftly by Menelaus who comes to ‘take care’ in Odysseus’ absence while pursuing his opportunity to seize power as king of kings and the story continues, portraying Penelope as a strong Queen leading her women.
It took a good few chapters to get into the story and one thing that jarred with me was when Aphrodite’s language suddenly becomes very current day, very much out of flow with the rest of the story. Having said that, I would probably pick up ‘Ithaca’ and the final book to read.

For me, "House of Odysseus" didn't have quite the same sparkle as "Ithaca" - but that doesn't take anything away from this follow up. It simply shows how blown away I was by "Ithaca". It's a brilliant continuation. Written brilliantly, awesome setting, excellent characters...and a hope that Claire North will write many, many more books in this vein.

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

I have a smile on my face after reading this brilliant book. Claire North made me laugh my head off at this excellent re-telling of the Penelopiad.

This is the second part of the trilogy and, if anything much better than Ithaca, which bodes extremely well for the final part which I now can't wait to read.

It did admittedly start slow and I had to try yo get in gear and remember where we'd left Odysseus wife last time -- apart from knee deep in suitors eating her out of house and home while fighting off pirates.

In House of Odysseus we advance the story as Orestes (now driven to the point of utter insanity by the Furies) and Elektra try to fend off Menelaus, King of Sparta, who would quite like the title King of Kings for himself.

However, as usual, all these "heroes" forget about the women and also as usual the women take complete advantage of the fact that they are either being beaten, raped or ignored in order to do whatever the heck they wish.

I really can't praise this book enough. Its an absolute joy to read. Claire North has outdone herself. If only all retellings could be this good (she said wistfully). This will give you a completely different outlook on various goddesses, Spartans in general and Helen in particular. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the advance copy.

Penelope's story continues, now told by another goddess. Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, sensuality and the master.

These novels still seem wonderful to me because of the way they tell us things, present the facts, rethink history but from the feminine side, not hide women and take away the place they deserved. To say present

I admit that the way in which Aphrodite tells the story did not seem as interesting to me as that of Hera (in the book Ithaca) and that is why some parts seemed heavier and denser than others, but it is clear that they are two different personalities and that shows well. I just don't get along very well with Aphrodite.

The author continues to amaze readers with her novels and I think she will continue to do so in the future. She is an author that I really want to continue reading because she has shown that she has a unique appeal in the way she writes, narrates, expresses herself, and changes perspectives from book to book.

Thanks Little, Brown Book Group for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a while since he has had a fight - a real fight. He had forgotten the taste of it, the flavour upon his tongue, and now here it is. Here she is. Enemy. His enemy, pure and glorious and simple and true.
He had not thought he could be so thrilled to look upon a combatant and see that she is female. [loc. 3357]

Ithaca, the first in Claire North's 'Songs of Penelope' trilogy, was a refreshingly different perspective on Greek myth: witty, colloquial and profoundly feminist. Ithaca was narrated by the goddess Hera. Volume two, House of Odysseus, is narrated by Aphrodite, and I suspect that the concluding volume will be narrated by Athena, for reasons to do with Paris and Mount Ida.

Penelope is still beset by suitors, and her son Telemachus has gone in search of his absent father Odysseus (who is, ahem, 'captivated' by the nymph Calypso). She'd hoped she'd seen the last of the House of Atreus after Orestes' murder of his mother Clytemnestra, but Elektra and Orestes return to Ithaca, the latter raving, insane and tormented by Furies. The Furies are only visible to Aphrodite, but the madness is plain to all. And, as though this weren't enough, Menelaus and his lovely wife Helen arrive, in search of the absent pair -- for Orestes is the king of all Greece, and if he's unfit for the job then Menelaus will bravely and selflessly step up.

It's a silent invasion: the Spartans are everywhere, 'guarding' those in the palace, 'going hunting' and rocking up at the house where Laertes (father of Odysseus) is sheltering Orestes and his sister, eclipsing the local bards, insisting that their priest take charge of Orestes' healing. Menelaus, addressing Penelope as 'sister', is loudly solicitous, and Penelope is well aware of her vulnerability -- and of the fact that Menelaus knows her husband better, and has spent more time with him, than Penelope herself.

Of course Penelope is not alone. Laertes (an utterly splendid grumpy old man in North's version) is one of the few to whom even Menelaus shows respect. Penelope's maids and the other women of Ithaca, all effectively invisible to the Spartans because female, conduct effective guerilla warfare. A few of the suitors -- notably the Egyptian, Kenemon, whose intriguing backstory is only hinted at -- play key parts in Penelope's plots, while others find themselves unwillingly pressed into service. And Penelope, for all her meekness and pious 'prayer' (the only way she gets peace to think), is a fearsome opponent, making some brutal decisions for the good of her island and her people.

Aphrodite's light-hearted narration offsets the grimness of the story very well, and her conversations with Athena and Artemis -- Hera having been confined in Olympus -- are often hilarious. Aphrodite reminds us, too, that she's the one who started all this, who 'broke the world' by promising Paris the love of the most beautiful woman alive. And though she may appear to be as empty-headed as her chatterbox protégé Helen, neither goddess nor mortal are as foolish -- or as harmless -- as they take pains to appear.

I am really looking forward to the third volume, in which it seems likely that Odysseus will finally return. His welcome may not be all he hopes, though, for Penelope is thoroughly fed up with men and their honour and their oaths...

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK publication date is 22nd August 2023.

Narrated by Aphrodite, House of Odysseus follows the story of the women of Greek epic and tragedy.

Penelope is besieged by suitors, her husband Odysseus still some time from returning and her son, Telemachus, searching for news of him.

When Elektra and her brother, Orestes, arrive seeking help with his illness, Penelope and her band of women set about ensuring that Menelaus of Sparta doesn't take Orestes' throne.

This was a wonderfully lyrical reimagining of myth - the prose excellently suited to the original source material. At times there were some more modern turns of phrase and Aphrodite's character makes her domain very clear. There was some lovely vocabulary used throughout, again very fitting for something inspired by epic.

I hadn't read Ithaca before this and could easily dive straight in - the dramatis personae was helpful in filling in a few blanks. I will, however, be adding Ithaca to my TBR so that I can continue the story.

I really appreciated the female focus of the story, as well as the interaction between the mortal and divine. This too, has a female lense.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys myth retellings and wants to hear more from the female characters of the these stories.

Content warnings for various forms of violence against women.

House of Odysseus es la segunda entrega de la serie The Songs of Penelope y no sé si será debido a que ya conocemos el juego que propone la autora o al cambio de voz narrativa por la sensual Afrodita, pero me ha gustado bastante más que Ithaca.

No deja de ser un juego malvado por parte de North titular el libro House of Odysseus cuando Ulises es precisamente el gran ausente de toda la serie, el héroe griego al que todos esperan pero contra el que todos conspiran. La autora nos cuenta en esta ocasión los acontecimientos tras el asesinato de Clitemnestra, y las maniobras poco sutiles de Menelao para convertirse en rey de reyes aprovechando la locura de Orestes.

En el libro disfrutaremos de una intriga y un misterio bien planteados, de unos personajes atractivamente definidos y, sobre todo, del mensaje feminista del que la autora ya hizo gala en su momento, pero con una Penélope más segura de sí misma capaz de enfrentarse de tú a tú con los héroes de la época, siempre con una gran preparación por su parte y haciendo gala de una inteligencia que pocos le hubieran reconocido.

También me parece muy interesante la representación de Elena, que parece una mosquita muerta, un guiñapo del que resulta difícil creer que fue la causa de la guerra de Troya, por más que su belleza siga siendo legendaria. Pero North, lejos de quedarse en la bidimensionalidad del mito, dota a la bella Elena de profundidad y redaños, como a todas las mujeres de la saga, mientras que a algunos de los personajes masculinos los retrata como simples peleles llevados y traídos por sus bajos instintos. Se insiste mucho en la violación como herramienta de humillación de la mujer, transformado a las personas en simples objetos sin valía, pero no es solo esta espada de Damocles la que pende sobre todas las mujeres, si no la consideración de que son menos valiosas per se, simplemente por haber nacido mujer.

No sé si la autora tiene intención de seguir con la serie, pero desde luego tiene mi interés.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and have enjoyed most of the retelling that I have read but sadly this was just not for me. I think it was the authors writing style I couldn't click with. Most of the other reviewers have given great reviews so I'm certain it must be me and I may come back to this book in the future and love it as has happened before just maybe not the right time for me.

I'm a huge fan of stories that retell the Greek myths from a different perspective, so was really looking forward to reading this, particularly as it was by an author I hadn't read before. Whilst this doesn't have the fast-paced narrative of other books in the genre, such as those by Pat Barker and Natalie Haynes, it's definitely up there with them in terms of quality. It was much more of a slow-burner and it took me three times as long to read the first half of the book as it did the second half. The first part is very much setting the scene, establishing the characters etc and almost all of the action happens in the last third.
The only thing that put me off a bit - and this is absolutely not a criticism of the book - is that I know how the story of Penelope ends. I know what happens to her maids. I did not want to get attached to them, but I did. I couldn't help it. Menelaus is not a complicated character, he stomps, he shouts, he throws his weight out (literally and figuratively), Orestes is weak and half-mad with guilt, the suitors reminded me of whiny children who aren't getting their own way. The only men who come out of this looking good are Laertes and Kemnon and that's because they respect the women enough to let them get on with doing their thing. On the other hand, the women are impossible to pigeon-hole in quite the same way. They are all experts at presenting one face to the public, whilst keeping their thoughts and opinions to themselves until they are confident that their actions can make a difference. They know they are viewed as weak and unimportant and rather than wallowing in their powerlessness, they find ways to use it to their advantage. These women are not victims of fate, they create their own fate within the confines of their society and when the moment comes to strike they are ready.
The other thing I really liked about the way the narrative is structured is that part of it is narrated by the goddess Aphrodite. This gives a different perspective again. Often, the Greek gods are portrayed as narcissists who care nothing for the humans they use as pawns in their games. This book tells a different story - whilst humans are affected by the gods' petty jealousies and rivalries, the goddesses are also limited in how far they are allowed to act on behalf of their favourites. Zeus is an amplified reflection of the human males. The goddesses are three-dimensional characters and like her favourite, Helen, there is more to Aphrodite than just a beautiful face and this comes across very clearly in the sections she narrates.
I love the Ithacan society created in this world and the characters contained within are bold and expressive. By the end I wanted to cheer for Penelope and her women.

House of Odysseus continues to tell North’s distinctive take on the epic tale known to us all, but ensures to tell it in a way that stands apart from its peers in dynamic fashion.

I loved reading Ithaca last year, so had to snap up the sequel. It keeps that loom spinning, bringing in multiple strands of various perspectives and crashing Greek myths. You know the inevitable ending (or do you?) but getting there is an awesome, epic journey. North diverges from the tale you may think you know in challenging and awesome ways, shedding new light on different aspects. In particular, House of Odysseus sits with a chapter of the tale that is often forgotten or minimised. I loved getting to see this part fully explored and how North chose to present it in intriguing and fresh new ways.

Yet again, the framing device of the choice of narrator was nothing short of excellent. It just added an extra dimension to the story that I absolutely adored. For me, it epitomised North’s choice to have unexpected voices and perspectives that are often shunned or dismissed in this story. Straight away, this shows the focus on those neglected voices, particularly those of women. Through this and the previous choice, it also explores different aspects of femininity and how these are weaponised with and against the gendered expectations of the period, but also how those same expectations come through into the present. There are still characteristics we associate primarily with femininity and shun, exploit or simply dismiss these because of their association. That societal weight is one explored here in a myriad of fascinating ways. North is exceptional at this subtle social commentary.

House of Odysseus leaves us on the thread of incoming death and destruction and I am eager to see how North decides to conclude this intriguing take on the infamous tale.

Joining the trend of re-imagining and popularising ancient Greek mythology Claire North weaves her novel around what Penelope [ Odysseus' wife ] got up to in the 20 years he was away from Ithaca fighting in the Trojan Wars.
As Queen of a community which had lost all its able-bodied men to that war she has only female warriors to defend Ithaca from any invasion. When Orestes, and his sister Electra, arrive seeking refuge on the island, they therefore present Penelope with a problem as they are being sought by Menelaus whose sole ambition is to take take Orestes back to Troy with a view to usurping his throne.
So when Menelaus arrives, with ships laden with Spartan warriors, Penelope has to resort to cunning in order to outwit him. Menelaus is nothing if not scheming and his battle of wits with Penelope makes for an entertaining read.
Although we are probably reading more fiction than fact in House of Odysseus, it is nonetheless a welcome addition to accessible writing about Greek mythology.

This is the second book in ‘The Songs of Penelope’ series.
Punchily narrated by Aphrodite, keeping a humorous eye on the palace of Odysseus where peace is crumbling into a battle for the throne.
I recommend this novel highly to those Greek mythology, book loving Gods and Goddesses o

Claire North can be relied upon to deliver a great book. This book takes a Greek myth and gives it a great sassy feminist twist and I enjoyed it enormously . A superb summer read, even if the only sun you see is in your own garden, you can imagine that you are in Greece (rain permitting !)

A group of figures from Greek mythology with 'complex' back stories. Claire North's beautiful writing and wonderful imagination. An alternative interpretation delivered via a spicy, sassy narration from the goddess Aphrodite. These elements combine to produce a pacy, enjoyable tale of how Penelope may have whiled away some of the time waiting for Odysseus to return from Troy. Special thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK & NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

this was okay, but read a little messy at times. i will say greek mythology fiction has proven to be not my best sub-genre to read so i'll take it it's just personal preference.

— thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the free digital ARC.

The second in Claire North's Women of Ithaca series sees Penelope having to manage the politics of a soft invasion and the power struggles between Kings - but she understands how much of the power sits with the women and this will be demonstrated with the arrival of Helen of Troy. Captivating series with wonderful storytelling. North spins the worlds of the ancient Greeks around and creates a narrative that you want to follow. Recommended

I love the ways that North explores Greek myths. Her choice of Aphrodite for the narrator was surprising in a novel about Penelope on Ithaca but her portrayal of Aphrodite ended up being one of my favourite aspects of the novel. North’s Aphrodite is as tender as she is impassioned, and as driven by love between sisters and friends, as she is by romantic lovers.

North’s Penelope is a continuation of the Penelope she introduces in the first novel in this series. Clever, cunning and crafty, she plays the grieving wife and worried mother in front of her councillors and suitors (all of whom are laughably incompetent), but is ruling from the shadows when they are not looking, having assembled a small army of women to assist her.

The depictions of Helen, Menelaus and Elektra were exciting to read, and the various plot lines interesting to unwind. To take three separate stories – Penelope waiting for Odysseus on Ithaca, Orestes and Elektra recovering from Clytemnestra’s murder, and Menelaus and Helen’s life after Troy – and thread them together created one epic narrative that was so much fun to read. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

House of Odysseus is a continuation of the feminist retelling of ‘Penelope’s song’ and is continuing the story on from ‘Ithaca’ by the same author that came out earlier in the year. I am happy to say that I felt House of Odysseus was actually the stronger book of the two.

It uses a similar framing device in that it is narrated by an onlooking Greek god, but this time it is Aphrodite rather than Hera and the narrator didn’t feel as obstructive to the story. I found myself really enjoying her little anecdotes and I just felt the story was a bit tighter and a bit more polished, the story was well paced. Reading it made me wonder whether this had originally all been one book because it didn’t read like a sequel, it had no new arc, it was just a continuation of a story that was finished halfway through in the last book.

The story follows Penelope, continuing to rule Ithaca in Odysseus’s absence. Elektra arrives on the island, attempting to hide her brother Orestes because he has gone mad since he was forced to kill their mother and their subjects cannot see, lest it bring his rule into question. But unfortunately the king of Sparta and his wife Helen have also landed on the island looking for Orestes and attempting a soft invasion of Ithaca. Can Penelope and her group of women find a way to outsmart him and regain control?

I really enjoyed this. 4 stars

OMG, this book is seriously amazing! Like, way better than a lot of those Greek retellings out there.I'm totally stoked. Totally worth a read, no doubt. And I can't stop wondering about the sequel... like, gimme! 🙌 Huge shoutout to NetGalley for hooking me up with the ARC! You rock! 🙌

House of Odysseus (Songs of Penelope #2)
Claire North
Ebook
Pub date 24th August
Review: Four stars

I borrowed Ithaca from a friend of mine earlier this year and really enjoyed it so when I saw this book as being available to request through NetGalley I jumped!

Narrated by the Goddess Aphrodite the book picks up with Penelope still trying to ward off the multitude of suitors that have plagued her since her husband Odysseus has been absent from the end of the War of Troy and continues onto the arrival of Elektra and her brother Orestes who is sick seemingly as a result of what happened at the end of the first book and pursued by Menelaus who senses an opportunity to seize power. There’s also a little murder mystery involved as well.

I thought the book was well written and the flow of the story was great although some of Aphrodite’s more salacious comments could have been edited out and I wouldn't miss them. Despite this, I really liked how Aphrodite discussed the different types of love that exist. I enjoyed the portrayal of Helen and the point that women use others' perceptions of them as a shield and as a way to continue on their own path when living in a society where being a woman is next to being a piece of property.

I enjoyed the continuation of Penelope’s character in this book from using all the resources she has available to maneuver herself politically, to protect her maids and in turn Elektra and Orestes to using all of her wits to outbattle Menelaus when the unfortunate complication of a little murder throws a spanner in the works. If you are looking for a strong female MC look no further.

It is my hope that the third installment in this series is narrated by the Goddess Athena and covers Odysseus's return to Ithaca as I think it would be interesting to see that from her perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown Publishing, and Orbit Books for my e-arc of this read!