Throughout, as some of Penelope’s suitors hatch a nasty plot, as a young woman is murdered, as ships are set alight, as a daring escape is made, and as Spartan soldiers are defeated, those awful creatures, the Furies hang over Orestes, exacerbating the effects of whatever mortal poison ails him. Cranky old Laertes gets a decent role in this instalment, with some splendid dialogue, and Kenamon the Egyptian also shows his worth. Haunted by the Furies, Orestes seems to be going mad, giving Menelaus an easy excuse for dethroning him and taking over as king of kings. Penelope must find a way to keep Orestes and Menelaus apart to avoid a war and also keep Ithaca safe at the same time. I know, I know, I also was among others who didn't enjoy the first book, as much as it deserved, but House of Odysseus filled all the previous weak points, I really liked this one! Oh, and don't forget clever Penelope, although I liked Clytemnestra, but I was waiting to see Penelope on, and look what she has to say: This is also hands down one of the most feminist works I’ve ever read. I’ve loved the recent trend of taking such classic, masculine myths and examining the women of those tales, giving them voice and agency for the first time in millennia. Works like Circe and Stone Blind and Clytemnestra have done this beautifully, with power and poignancy. But the Songs of Penelope series has done this with a broader scope, showing the vitality of an entire island of women instead of a select handful or a single woman. I love that it has also included the major goddesses, Hera and Aphrodite, Athena and Artemis, giving more dimension to these deities, as well. And our titular queen, Penelope, is more than a match for her wily husband. Reading about her cleverness has been a joy.

Imagine my surprise in finding out Ithaca was not a standalone novel, and the second book was available to read? My heart soared I was so excited and with good reason. This was a fantastic book, some of the best writing I’ve ever been privileged enough to read in regards to Greek myth retellings. On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace—a peace that is shattered by the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra. The protagonist of the story is a compelling and complex character, offering a fresh perspective on the well-known figure of Penelope. Her personal journey is filled with obstacles, self-discovery, and moments of profound introspection, allowing readers to connect with her on a deep emotional level. The supporting cast is equally well-crafted, each adding their own layers of depth and intrigue to the narrative. Elektra and Helen of Troy are given voices in this narrative as well; they are not just seen as vapid, beautiful (but tragic) figures in the story. They plot. They aid. They use their wits to ensure Penelope is helped to preserve the peace on the island. I appreciate that this retelling focused on the women and their alliance and how they helped one another and showed strength, not in the physical sense, but the emotional. They were so intelligent and ruthless, it was refreshing to read about.Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope must find a way to keep her home from being crushed by the machinations of a battle that stretches from Mycenae and Sparta to the summit of Mount Olympus itself. Her only allies are Elektra, desperate to protect her brother, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus' wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own. In fact, the point of view of Aphrodite is one of my favourite aspects of this novel. It provides such an amusing, slightly sensual, and very sassy overtone. It helps that the writing is completely flawless, which is not a compliment I give away lightly. The plot itself gave me literal goosebumps! I liked the narrator being Aphrodite considerably less than Hera in book one. I thought more could have been done about the parallels between her feigning just being the dumb goddess of love and lust and Helen being her most favored mortal. Overall just not as poignant a storyteller and perspective to share for me as Hera, but to each their own. I can see that (if Athena is indeed the narrator of the third book) what North is aiming for in the trilogy as whole, highlighted by one of Aphrodite's lines alluding to Clytemnestra being Hera's, Helen being hers and Penelope being Athena's by way of Athena's love for Odysseus. And she did have some interesting bits (insight into /all/ forms of love) and it was nice that all the other divinities didn't stall conversation/information delivery etc. because of their contempt for her (as they did with Hera). The constant fawning was something I started to glaze over but I realize that it's very in character and on brand, though I still would have preferred less of it.

Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope fights to keep her home from being crushed by a war that stretches from Mycenae and Sparta to the summit of Mount Olympus itself. Her only allies are Elektra, desperate to protect her brother, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus' wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own.

Richly poetic . . . This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history’ Booklist 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.