She observes the action from the vantage point of a goddess with a bird’s-eye view of Ithaca, zooms in to its more intimate spaces, and gives access to men only conversations and gatherings denied to women.

Suitors trying to gain her hand and the throne, her land being pressured to take a new King, and all sorts of trickery and manipulation that accompanies these stories and mythologies. for those readers who have, you will definitely enjoy heras feminist commentary on the familiar events. As a woman, she cannot be seen ruling Ithaca in Odysseus' absence, but she also doesn't want her kingdom to be invaded while her husband is missing, presumed death – and so she threads the fine line between publicly being seen as timid and obedient, while cleverly pulling the strings behind the scenes until her son Telemachus is old, strong, and wise enough to take on the throne. These are stories that I know well, but North’s writing and characterizations brought them to life in new ways.One line you have Hera telling you about someone, and right there appear a slave, a secondary character. It's awfully confusing, not to me personally because I know the Ithacan setting of the Odyssey very well so I know what is going on, but not every reader will, so this writing is likely to be discouraging. It's Hera, who looks down on Penelope, encouraging her along and rooting for her in times of difficulty.

According to myth, she is defined by her jealous and vengeful nature in dealing with those who offend her. Ancient geopolitics, espionage, treachery, and games of power make it thrilling, and deeply personal stakes make it intimate and focused. This was an interesting choice that lent a blunt and cynical humour to the book, while also not shying away from her own brutal view of some of the men, and the Gods.She is also a character in her own right, seeking to aid Penelope’s cause as subtly as possible, without drawing the attention of any of the other gods. In each essay another circuit closes, bringing a jolt of understanding – and heart-stopping, heart-starting wonder. Aged sixteen, Telemachus finds himself abandoned, his father’s house overrun with men pursuing his beautiful mother, Penelope, and devouring the family’s wealth. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that husband is dead, and suitors are starting to knock at her door . But North also shows the intricacies of her characters, how Penelope would give up her family to protect her son, and how Hera would not risk involving herself in anything that would gain the wrath of Zeus.

From the multi-award-winning author Claire North comes a daring reimagining that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. A clever, funny, moving retelling of the Odyssey myth—centering not on Odysseus but on Penelope, whose endless clever schemes to keep her kingdom afloat and her suitors at bay are narrated by the goddess Hera, a proud, sniffy, and flat-out hilarious goddess with a soft spot in her spiky immortal heart for scheming queens.

Overall, if you are a fan of feminist retellings of Greek mythology, you should add this one to your list. If the writing ever killed a story, this came close, and it makes me sad because I really like Penelope and this interpretation of her story didn't work for me solely because of the writing and POV style.

Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. North employs the device of having the story narrated by Hera, mother of the gods, allowing her to be all seeing and all-knowing, and see into the hearts and minds of many characters. What I wasn’t really prepared for was the lack of a solid plot and how true to Greek myth this world is. The queen is in her council chamber as the men that are left on Ithaca discuss what she should do around her to quell the worries of the people.Now, she has begun a new series entitled The Songs of Penelope, beginning with Ithacawhich was released earlier this year. Et là grâce à la perspective de ce roman je me suis interrogée franchement quelle femme supporterait que son mari la trompe à tour de bras qu’il ait des enfants avec d’autres femmes et au passage Zeus et le consentement c’est un peu un oxymore. The writing was overly complicated, and the storyline didn't flow as smoothly as I would have liked.