I was fortunate enough to get an advance reader copy of Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati and it was so good! Casati did such an excellent job making Clytemnestra come across as a living, breathing woman, I wanted revenge for her as much as she did. The story is an exploration of the female spirit and power of women who refuse to be villains or preyed upon, but instead, take charge and be the heroes of their own tales. The Ancient Greeks were very devoted to their various gods and there are lots of rituals and sacrifices mentioned, such as those that are part of their day-to-day life, as well as important rituals before a wedding or to honour past ancestors.

Queen Clytemnestra’s world shatters when Agamemnon, a rival to the throne of Mycenae, storms her palace, destroys her family and claims not only the throne but Clytemnestra herself. This novel by Susan C Wilson takes a closer look at Clytemnestra, her motivations, and the struggle she goes through. Google also shows that, in addition to her own inventions, Casati has drawn on several conflicting versions of the Greek myths. The writing is beautiful and gripping, laced with that addictive, lyrical style that’s needed to make a mythology re-telling really hook you. This has lead to a well-rounded, tense and perfectly paced story with nuance–and an ending that is surprising even to those who know what to expect.

I love me a powerful female protagonist and Clytemnestra proved herself to be one, very early on in the telling of this tale. Every word is meaningful, and nearly every chapter holds a quote that made me pause and consider it, both in the context of the story and in the context of my own life. I enjoyed seeing her character develop and change throughout the story, and her different relationships with her different children. The ending felt a bit rushed in comparison to the rest of the story, but don’t climactic scenes usually feel feverishly fast, both in the minds of readers and the lives of those experiencing them?

She is then forced to marry Agamemnon, and during this unhappy marriage they have three children: Iphigenia, Electra and Orestes.I loved that it made her far more human, gave her more of a solid reason for her actions, and that her familial relations were better than is often told. It was more Ancient Rome that I didn’t like, although I’ve read a few books set in Ancient Rome recently that I enjoyed.

The reader experiences different perspectives and narration styles – Clytemnestra as first person, and third-person chapters from others such as Orestes, Elektra, Iphigenia and Aegisthus. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. A heroine of fierce spirit caught in a world ruled by men, finding a way through with a sharp, unquenchable courage.Clytemnestra doesn't necessarily believe in the Gods but subsequently finds her life impacted by them all the same because of the “Gods will” delivered through the all too human priestess and priests.