I absolutely love Greek mythology retellings and I was really excited for this one but unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this book for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the main characters, Helen and Cassandra, weren’t likeable at all. They were both more likable towards the end, but I never found myself actually liking either one of them. I was interested in reading about Cassandra's power of prophecy, that was the only interesting quality of this character. She angers Apollo multiple times and wonders why she gets cursed which ends up being very repetitive.

Apollo was probably the most interesting character of them all, although it felt very out of place when he started calling Cassandra ‘love’. It really didn’t match the way the story is written. There were other words used throughout that felt out of place but this was the main one that agitated me to read.

The discussion and explanation of Cassandra’s asexuality was perfectly scattered throughout the book, which really helps us understand her and what she feels with Helen. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of the romance between them, Cassandra very suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about Helen after hating her since arriving. However, after this, the romance progressed well.

On the other hand, the book had a good premise. The description of Cassandra using her power of prophecy, weaving the golden threads of fate, was very well written. It felt very easy to visualise and was beautiful.

Overall, this book felt slow, there weren’t any moments where I felt I couldn’t put it down. The characters were difficult to like and I didn’t feel entranced by the romance. Fitzgerald stays true to most main events of the war as told in the Iliad, but they are extremely rushed that they feel as if they happened all at once. The story ended up feeling repetitive, Cassandra screaming about prophecy's and no one believing her, this makes up almost the entire book. I did, however, really love the way Cassandra accessed her power.

Thank you Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this ARC. ♡

A fantastic feminist retelling of a story we all thought we knew. Highly recommend for both teens and adults!

I couldnt get into this book and decided to soft DVF at first and waited untill i could try the audio- it still wasnt for me so DNF'd very early in

‘Terrible things happen to those who deny the gods.’

The End Crowns All is a brilliant reimagining of the Trojan War, told from the dual perspectives of Cassandra - an oracle and royalty of Troy, and Helen - queen of Sparta turned princess of Troy.

Cassandra saw what was coming. The deaths, the war, all because of Helen.

But after denying Apollo of the one thing he wants from her, all of her, he has turned her prophecies to a laughing matter, ending her chances at saving their home and people... or is it?

Helen needed to escape from her ex-husband, Menelaus, and what better way than to be whisked away with Paris, the lost son of Troy, with permission from Aphrodite herself?

Nothing will go wrong with Aphrodite on their side... right?

This sapphic, enemies-to-lovers romance left me biting my lips and nails in anticipation, hoping for a happy ending.

But the question is, can Cassandra and Helen save their families while navigating their new relationship without further harm from the Gods?

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House UK for providing me with an eArc of this book! It was one of my most anticipated, and it did not disappoint 👏

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Loved it even more Thant the 1 one

I loved this story way more than the first book don’t know
But I feel like you need some background and basic compare to book 1

“Strong men become heroes immortalized in the stars. Strong women are snapped quicker, punished harder, fall further."


Sapphic retelling of the Troyan war.
And I am not that big fan of the Troyan war.
But I love this.

All the feministic elements were combined perrrfectly. It was a more mature read than GGQ (and had waaaayy more mythology elements) and it dealt with topics of asexuality elegantly. The writing was beautiful, the characters did so much learning and growth, and it was amazing to see those journeys. It's generally healing to my soul to see some of these feministic retellings. :) It also heals my soul to have another retelling show a god as a man-child throwing tantrums. Apollo, they can never make me like you.

As a huge fan of Bea and her debut, Girl, Goddess, Queen, I was beyond excited to read this book. I have read countless retellings of the Trojan War but I just KNEW this one was going to be The One. It was described as sapphic rivals to lovers and I was already gripped by that, and when I threw myself into the pages and rediscovered Bea’s beautiful writing style, I was entranced. Helen is often a controversial character, with authors either being very antagonistic towards her or not really giving her much of a personality of her own, but in The End Crowns All, Helen is not only given POV chapters for herself, but she also gets to embrace her Spartan heritage and learn to fight and stand up for herself as so many of the stories never let her do in mythology. I loved the relationships all of the women had and one of my favourite characters (besides Helen and Cassandra) was Andromache. I found the creative tweaks near the end to be absolutely amazing and I was cheering on different characters throughout (especially Cassandra!). Apollo made for the perfect villain and it was interesting to see Cassandra learning to fight for herself more and more during the story. I absolutely adored this book and recommend it to anyone with an interest in mythology! It’s phenomenal!

A sapphic Greece mythology retelling already sounds like a 10/10 in my books but this one knocked it out of the park!

The character's individual stories and personas outside of the relationship were so intruding and amazing to read about.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and Bea herself for the ARC!

I read Girl, Goddess, Queen at the start of the year and it remains as my only 5 star read of 2024 so far, so I was so ecstatic to be approved for The End Crowns All!

Just a note to start, thank you thank you THANK YOU, to the author and publisher for including content warnings at the beginning. I recently read Hera and was not anticipating how graphic certain things were because of the lack of content warnings, it ruined the reading experience for me, so I am always grateful when they are included.

There's just something about Bea Fitzgerald's writing that just really clicks with me. A combination of beautiful prose with more to-the-point modern writing, perhaps? A lightness to it even when discussing darker themes? Whatever it is, I'm so grateful to have found her.

The concept is interesting and I'll be honest, one I wasn't expecting to get on board with. Helen falls for and marries Cassandra's brother, Paris, to escape to Troy from Sparta, where she falls for Cassandra instead. Love triangles are my enemy at the best of times, but ones with siblings involved?! Ew, thank you, next. It could have gone awry very easily, but where Fitzgerald takes the relationships and eases one into the other was perfect. I cannot think of a better way to have handled this, especially with the characterisation of Paris where yeah we feel a little sorry for him... but not THAT sorry.

The cast of characters, despite being a lot of them, were all distinct in their own way. I can understand readers being frustrated with not knowing all of the characters present in TECA, but honestly you don't need to know anything about Greek myth and it's characters before reading. Fitzgerald explains where necessary, and where not necessary she doesn't explain! I'd argue it's an ideal introduction to anyone just getting into Greek mythology. We see real character growth with Cassandra, and Helen is the strong (physically, mentally, and emotionally!) female character we all need.

I loved both seeing this side of the story (previously I had only read about the side of Achilles and Odysseus), I loved the female perspective, how close it actually is to the original Iliad, and allowing loopholes for how this retelling could have truly happened. But beyond that, I loved the love story, the rare sapphic relationship and the even rarer asexual representation. I need more aspec wlw romance asap pls.

It took a while to get through the first part, but after this the pace picks up. I wish we had more of Helen's POV, and I didn't QUITE like how it ended (though I can't say why without spoiling it!) but these are my only criticisms.

I'll be picking up Fizgerald's other upcoming release, Then Things Went Dark, despite the genre and tone change, simply because I love her writing.

4.5/5

The end crowns all is a brilliant retelling of the Trojan War.

I love retellings & mythology so this was right up my street.

I loved how defiant Cassandra is. I also enjoyed watching the characters develop.

The ending was everything I wanted it to be even if it took awhile to get there.

Bea Fitzgerald’s debut, ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen’ was in my top 3 books of the whole of 2023 (you can read my review right here) so I was SO excited to get my hands on an early copy of her follow up, ‘The End Crowns All’, via NetGalley.

We’re heading back to the Ancient world for another retelling, this time focusing on Helen of Troy and Cassandra, a Princess of Troy and Apollo’s Oracle, during the Trojan War. There’s been a real resurgence in recent years of retellings of classic myths from a female perspective, and this is just that, but it’s also YA and sapphic.


Love caused this war. At least, that’s what the stories will say.

When Cassandra’s patron god, Apollo, offers her the gift of prophecy – and all the power that comes with it – she seizes the opportunity. But when she fails to uphold her end of the agreement, she discovers just how very far she has to fall. No one believes her visions. Which all seem to be of one girl – and she’s going to start a war.

Helen fled Sparta in pursuit of love – though that’s proving more elusive than she’d hoped. Far from home, Helen’s navigating all the politics and backstabbing of the Trojan court.

And one princess seems particularly intent on driving her from the city. . .

But when war finally strikes, it’s more than the army at their walls they must contend with. Cassandra and Helen might hold the key to reweaving fate itself – especially with the prophetic strands drawing them ever closer together.

But how do you change your future when the gods themselves are dictating your demise?


While ‘The End Crowns All’ is technically still YA, it feels much more grown-up and complex than ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen’.

For a start, the mythology is much more important and present in this novel. We find ourselves in Troy as the Trojan War begins up until it’s end, and the politics is high across the novel. We see a whole lot from the Royal court of Troy and the machinations behind the war, but also a lot of action in and among the gods and goddesses and the alliances, betrayals, and rivalry between them. It very much paints a portrait of Ancient Greece/Troy at the height of the mythology that we know and how much these characters were pawns of their deities. The brutality of their lives and the lack of freedoms afforded to them under the ministrations of the gods becomes very apparent and very clearly moves away from the un and playful tone of Fitzgerald’s first novel.

If you’re not already at least somewhat familiar with Greek mythology and the Trojan War, I can imagine that starting this book will feel extremely overwhelming, but Fitzgerald has a gift for retelling mythology and everyone soon settles into place. Everyone is so vividly drawn and distinctive that it’s easy to get to grips with the world and the characters, even through the split perspective.

Cass and Helen’s romance is a true rivals to lovers - Helen has become the trigger for a war that will level Cass’s home and kill her family, after all - and it’s a real slow burn in the best way. They grow to be companions, then co-conspirators, then friends, then lovers. It’s a joy to watch them slowly begin to fall in love without even realising it, fighting against all of the endless restrictions placed upon them and the battles that they’re facing throughout the war. It is YA so it’s not spicy in any way, and it didn’t need to be - their feeling shone through the novel.

‘The End Crowns All’ will be released on 18 July 2024 by Penguin.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the review copy.

Written by Sophie

”𝒫𝑒𝓇𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓈 𝓌𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑜𝑒𝓈 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓈𝓊𝓇𝓋𝒾𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂.”

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒊𝒔:
🏛️👸🏽💙👸🏼🔮🏺

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕:
A Sapphic retelling of the Trojan War focusing on Helen and Cassandra, a Princess of Troy cursed by Apollo with the gift of prophecy that no mortal will ever believe.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕:
💙Dual POV
💙Rivals to Lovers
💙LGBTQIA REP
💙Forbidden Romance

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
This was an absolutely glorious reimagining that is both fresh and fierce. I love Bea’s writing, the attention to detail and the clear research and passion that goes into her retellings makes my A-Level Classics heart sing!👏🏻 It also means that even though the very idea of this book and the romance between Helen and Cassandra, deviates from The Iliad/source material, the setting and society of the book is portrayed accurately. Bea re-weaves the tapestry of myth as triumphantly as Cassandra weaving the threads of prophecy. I loved the sassy, unashamed and self assuredness of both main characters and I enjoyed watching their minds at work and their romance bloom. Equally, even just hearing the name Apollo makes me want to claw at my skin- what an awful, but not inaccurate, depiction of the gods!

Thank you to Penguin House of YA for a proof copy and Netgalley for an earc- this is my honest review.

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The End Crowns All is a Sapphic Greek myth retelling of the Iliad from the author of ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen’ that follows Helen, a spartan princess thrust into the political trojan court, and Cassandra, a princess with prophetic visions cursed to never be believed. Fitzgerald has crafted a story that manages to keep the soul of the original tale alive while also adding in suspense, anguish, witty humour, and a swoon-worthy Sapphic love story. The dynamic between Helen and Cassandra is emotionally complex as we see them transition from political rivals to tentative friends to full-blown lovers. The pining between the two kept me hooked as the tension was built up perfectly, and my excitement at their first kiss could not be contained. Despite being over 500 pages long, the fast pace never dropped, and I wouldn’t remove a single word. I would say this book was written with modern language and intended to be for a YA audience and so fans looking for darker retellings may not enjoy this book as much as other adult Greek myth adaptations. Bea Fitzgerald writes the kind of feminist love stories I wish I had growing up and I would recommend The End Crowns All to anyone looking for a fast-paced, historical Sapphic romance.

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy in exchange for an honest review*

Okay this was not "Girl, Goddes, Queen" but it was a great retelling of the trojan war. I really loved the relationship aspects in this one, the families, the gods and lovers. I did not like the quick abrupt ending and the little too-dragged part leading up to the middle.
I liked the switch between the two perspectives of Helen and Cassandra and I almost felt like I was with them, feeling the tension they were building up between them.

Overall I enjoyed reading a book written by Bea Fitzgerald again, her writing style is great to read and I enjoy her twists to the myths a lot, I hope we get more of them! Big recommendation to all my fellow Rick Riordan-Retelling girlies, that are looking for more mature but still YA retellings of our favourite greek myths!

Introduction
Bea Fitzgerald burst onto the book scene last year with Girl, Goddess, Queen, a retelling of the Persephone myth. It made all the Best Of lists with its clever, sly, smart retelling and expansion of a myth that we all know a bit, recalling Xena in its irreverent humour. This second novel, while not related, is another Greek retelling with the same sense of humour - although this is not a funny book, simply one with some funny lines and moments.

Plot Summary
Cassandra and Helen, princesses in two of Greek's many city-states, have each found a way to deal with their lot in life. Cassandra has avoided an arranged marriage by swearing herself to Apollo; Helen has chosen the husband who seems best able to protect her. The gods love to play their games, though, and Helen and Cassandra's futures are written, along with all of Troy. There's no way to avoid the threads woven by the Fates. Isn't that what we're taught?

Characters
Cassandra and Helen are the main characters, and mirrors of each other. Cassandra leans on her status to avoid censure and live as she pleases; Helen molds herself to the people around her, becoming whatever they want her to be as a way of keeping herself safe. Cassandra is tortured by visions of the future that she can't alter; Helen is a master at manipulating people to produce the result she wants.
There are various other members of the court who both help and hinder our main pair - and of course Apollo keeps dropping in and out to make sure things are staying on track.

Writing Style
Although this is very firmly set in Ancient Greece, the style is modern and chatty. Characters make puns and the dialogue is fast paced. I did think the pace was slower than GGG, especially in the first half - we got stuck in a loop of Cassandra trying to tell someone about the war, them not believing her, her being depressed, her trying to tell someone, for quite a while, but things turned around in the second half. Having the two points of view made it easier to notice things we wouldn't have otherwise and let us understand the two girls more clearly.

Themes and Messages
Both Cassandra and Helen are women trapped in a world run by and arranged for the benefit of men, trying in their different ways to get by as best they can. Similar themes were explored in GGG, along with the power of women when they work together and use their strengths. The novel takes some creative liberties with the mythological narrative, offering a fresh perspective on well-known tales.

Setting
Although Bea is obviously making up some of the day to day details, it all flows beautifully and makes a lot of sense. Cassandra adores her city and it comes through very clearly in her sections, when we see it through her eyes. Helen is naturally less attached to it, but also begins to see the beauty of it as the story goes on.

Strengths
Both main characters are well thought out and distinct
The historical setting is amazing and Bea has expanded it beautifully in ways that make perfect sense
The language is rich and magical without being too dense to follow

Weaknesses
The novel is slower in the first half which may put some readers off
Some purists may not like the way it plays with 'established' mythology
It's long at 555 pages, which might put some people off

Personal Connection
I really enjoyed this book. Fantasy and mythology are my jam, especially when they're not stodgy and old fashioned, and Bea has a way of making these old, old stories seem fresh and relevant to today's issues. This is a great read for those with the patience to see it through.

Conclusion
This is aimed at teens; I think there are many adults who would enjoy it as well. Anyone who's interested in mythology or a good retelling will enjoy this one, and there are several compelling subplots that add depth to the story.

Author Information
Bea Fitzgerald is an author and writing coach. The End Crowns All is her second book; her third, an adult thriller called Then Things Went Dark will be published this summer. (link to Bea's webpage)

Further Reading/Viewing
Obviously Girl, Goddess, Queen, Bea's first book, should be high on the list! For younger readers, the Percy Jackson series is a more modern retelling; for adults, Stephen Fry has a series of retellings. There are literally hundreds of others, I've just scratched the surface here! (links to all titles)

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have read a lot of greek retelling, and The End Crowns All is one of the best! Bea Fitzgerald takes a story that is known to everybody and masterfully manipulates it into a fresh and captivating tale! I ended up reading the last 2/3 of the book in a day-I couldn't put it down.

I was a massive fan of Girl, Goddess, Queen (and of Bea Fitzgerald’s writing!) but The End Crowns All has made her an autobuy author for me. I am always won over by a dual POV and a feminist focus, and that - coupled with the wide, fully fleshed out cast of characters (loved Kreusa and Deiphobus, hated Apollo!) and Cassandra’s arc from spoiled, bratty princess to a vulnerable and unlikely hero - made this novel a real stand out.

We all know (or think we know!) about The Fall of Troy, and the face that launched a thousand ships, and it was so refreshing to see a new and unpredictable take on it while maintaining all the central elements of the original myth. As you would expect from a sapphic, feminist retelling Fitzgerald’s characters rail against the patriarchal constraints of their time (quite rightly) and Helen and Cassandra’s ending was so well done.

I can’t wait to read Bea Fitzgerald’s next book.

"Oh, Cassandra. I'm going to have such fun with you. I have so many devoted followers and what does it mean? When it's so freely given? Your devotion, sweet princess, will be a joy to wrest from you."

I was low-key obsessed by Bea's Pink Era, I mean Girl, Goddess, Queen gave me everything!
My first thought upon hearing the news of a new book was 'there is no way it will top my love for Persephone and Hades'
Well enter Bea's Blue Era and I stand corrected because The End Crowns All is my new obsession and there is nothing low-key about it!

A Fall of Troy retelling, I never knew I needed.
Usually just a footnote to the glory of the men of the Illiad, Helen and Cassandra take centre stage in this sapphic love story to defy the Gods.
Bea's take is equal parts enthralling and enraging, heart warming and breaking. Plainly put it's just beautiful.

The duel perspective offered a depth into these two characters that you don't usually get, highlighting their personal tragedies and tackling heavy themes in a powerful way.
Following these two women, while they navigate living at the whim of misogynistic men and commanding, chaotic and conniving Gods was a rollercoaster of a read.

The themes feel very modern considering this is set in ancient Troy and are handled carefully, sensitively and emerged organically through the story.
The representation of asexuality especially within a time period that didn't have the language for it is expertly delivered and I believe will help people gain a better understanding. I loved how Cassandra's lack of sexual desire for others was portrayed and how that did not diminish her love for Helen.
Equally the subjects on rape culture, systemic abuse, consent and the right to change ones mind were presented in an authentic way and delivered such an important message.

Somewhat sinister, definitely primal and—crucially—self-destructive these women are the epitome of female rage.
'The End Crowns All' is to books as
TayTay's 'Female Rage: The Musical' is to music.

Read this book, relate to these women and then recommend it to everyone!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House UK and Bea Fitzgerald for the copy of the eARC.

A YA romantasy reimagining of the Greek myth of Troy, this book skillfully blends elements of an enemies-to-lovers romcom with a serious literary exploration of women's roles in society, patriarchal control, and various forms of abuse. The story features strong representation and manages to balance its lighter, more whimsical moments—such as fake marriages and couples hiding in closets—with its weightier themes. Overall, it offers an engaging and thought-provoking read.