I have long been a fan of Greek mythology, and when I see a new retelling, I instantly gravitate towards it. I really enjoyed Jennifer Saint's previous book, Ariade, and was excited to get a chance to read Elektra! As it happened, I read this shortly after reading Clare Heywood's excellent Daughters of Sparta, which tells much the same story, albeit in a different manner. I don't want to dwell on comparing the two, though I did feel Daughters of Sparta was, perhaps, done with a greater commitment to historical detail. For example, in the way the women behaved, their curbed freedoms, even the way the names were spelled, which was somewhat inconsistent in Elektra, where the author chose only to spell er name with the "K" as would have been correct, but Clytemnestra and Cassandra with "Cs", though, as far as I know, there is not letter "c" in Greek. Nitpicky, I know, just something I noticed, yet which, of course, did not take away from the overall telling of the tale. Besides, I am no scholar, so likely there is a reason for this discrepancy, which I simply do not know.
The story itself was familiar to me, and yet I felt engaged from start to finish. I have always seen Clytemnestra as a victim, Agamemnon as a monster, and so this version of the story appealed to me. I don't want to give anything away fro the readers who are unfamiliar with the story, but I felt for all the characters, so many women who were used as pawns in the games of men and gods and suffered for it. The writing flowed well, and there was no choppiness when Saint switched from one POV to another, though the most compelling chapters for me were the ones told by Clytemnestra.
If you are a fan of mythology or retellings, this may very well be for you. I am certainly looking forward to seeing what Jennifer Saint comes up with next!

I love mythology retellings, especially in the current trend of feminist reworkings of classic myths. Having recently read and loved Madeline Miller's THE SONG OF ACHILLES, I was especially excited to revisit the Trojan War from a feminist perspective. The obvious choice would be to tell the tale from Helen of Troy's perspective. ELEKTRA offers an expansive and even more interesting narrative, telling the story of the house of Atreus through three central women often left to the periphery of the larger tale. The novel weaves together the stories of Clytemnestra, Helen's sister and Agamemnon's wife; Cassandra, the priestess cursed with the gift of prophecies that are not believed, and the titular Elektra, the tragic heroine who seeks revenge for the murder of her father, Agamemnon.

The crisp prose lends itself to compelling storytelling. However, the story is expansive almost to the point of sprawling, starting before Helen's marriage to Menelaus, spanning the Trojan War, the fall of Troy, Clytemnestra's murder of Agamemnon, and Elektra's revenge. While the story is epic, in all senses of the word, the pacing is a little uneven in parts. The protracted tragedy of the Trojan War is perfectly drawn out through Cassandra's dread and Clytemnestra's devastating grief for Iphigenia; Clytemnestra's audacious, murderous vengeance against Agamemnon is both galling and delicious. However, I found the final act of Elektra's plot of matricide, and Elektra's arc overall, a bit stilted, leading to a rushed conclusion. Even so, this retelling poses interesting questions about infamy, mythmaking, and cycles of violence. I could not put it down.

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
Elektra by Jennifer Saint is the poignant and epic story of three women whose lives were irrevocably changed by Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae – Elektra, Clytemnestra, and Cassandra. This tale is based on Greek Mythology and touched my heart in profound, everlasting ways.

Initial Expectations:
I read Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, and I expect a similar tale. The previous story reminded me of a tragic Greek play. And it’s through my study of those plays I first learned about the characters in this story. I expect a tragic but beautiful story of three strong and courageous women for whom life dealt the worst hand.


Actual Reading Experience:
I immediately felt drawn into the story with its beautiful, lyrical prose that flowed through the many years that the story covers. This writing style makes the poignancy of this tragic tale all the more impactful and memorable. It’s a story that has touched me at my core with the relatable pain and heartache all three women experience through no fault of their own.

I love how the story stays very close to the Ancient Greek plays that introduced them and went on to add a depth that plays cannot convey in their written form. Cassandra’s story has always been one I related to, and I enjoyed reading her story just as I had imagined it but with that special touch that only Saint can add to it. A life of knowing what is to come and not having anyone believe you, especially in these war-torn, dangerous times, must have been incredibly frustrating and heartbreaking. Every nuance of these feelings can be found in this story, and I loved every word of it.

Elektra is told from multiple points of view – that of Elektra, Clytemnestra, and Cassandra. All three voices are unique and fitting for the characters. The transition is never once confusing, and the story is enriched by the three different takes on the events in the story. Saint’s telling allows the reader to sit in each of these three characters and feel what they feel. It is such a visceral experience and will not soon be forgotten.

Characters:
The three main characters are all so fascinatingly developed that you can feel their pain as if it were your own.

Cassandra is one of my favorite Greek mythology characters, and all of her emotions are laid bare in this story. She is a princess of Troy and lives a life of knowing what is to come but not being able to convince people of that knowledge. Her frustration and depression over her reality come through painfully as her story unfolds.

Clytemnestra is the twin sister of the famed Helen of Troy, and she is the wife of Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae. The tragedy that befalls her at the hands of her husband forms and defines her and all of her choices.

Elektra is the daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon and the titular character that the story starts and ends with. She is the least sympathetic of the three women, for me, but she has a lesson to learn that is as hard as it was for the other two women. She loved her father completely and believed what he believed. She is her father’s daughter in every way.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you enjoy a story that will pull you in and delight you with its beauty and poignancy, Elektra by Jennifer Saint is a book you will want to read this summer.

A complex, hauntingly heartbreaking tale of women looking to survive in a world without a place for them.

Clytemnestra wants a better life after discovering the depths of betrayal her husband will do for the sake of power. Elektra doesn't understand her mother's actions while idolizing a man that doesn't exist. And Cassandra has little choice in being heard thanks to a vengeful god.

Saint, however, does a great job of weaving the fury, hopelessness, fatigue, and betrayal within Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra's narratives. How one mother's chain of events spirals into deception while another's ignorance sacrifices a daughter.

I will say to read content warnings since there is a lot of dark concepts. Including infanticide, child murder, cannibalism, PTSD, depression, post partum depression, and sexual assault. Recommend taking breaks between certain scenes.

Saint builds upon on her talent, expanding writing choices. Looking forward to the next and she's become an auto buy. A more review is on my Booktube channel.

Thank you, Jennifer Saint, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. This book hits shelves everywhere, tomorrow, May 3rd, 2022.

“I remembered what my father had told me about my name, that I was the light of our family, and so I tried to shine as brightly as I could for him. I hoped that my face would be the memory he would take with him to war and that it would draw him home as soon as possible.”

ELEKTRA
Elektra written by Jennifer Saint is a mythological retelling about the generations of women during the time of the Trojan War. First, there is Cassandra. She is the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. She becomes the priestess to Apollo and ends up with the gift of prophecy, but it is not a gift at all. Then there is Clytemnestra, the sister of Helen of Troy, the wife of Agamemnon, and the mother of Iphigenia. There is a curse on the House of Atreus and Clytemnestra will stop at nothing to make sure her children are protected, but the curse is much bigger than she ever thought possible. And finally, Elektra. She is the daughter of Agamemnon. While the world sees him as a cruel warrior and leader, she sees him as her father. Her determination will aid in the break of the Curse of the House of Atreus.

Trigger Warnings: Rape, abuse, child death, sacrifice, war. parent death

Once again, I was completely enraptured by this story. I do have a weakness for mythology retellings. This book gives us the point of view of 3 very important female characters. Now, some may confuse this as a feminist retelling. I don’t think it is because the story is the same story we all know. The characters and the story haven’t changed, we just get to see their hardships, trauma, and grief. I do think this is a missed opportunity. I think some changes would be good to give a new voice to the characters we already know, instead of just rehashing the same story. While the story did come together perfectly in the end, there could have been more depth drawn out from the main three characters. The three points of view merge and make for a complete plot. While I am glad that all loose ends were tied up and each character complemented the story perfectly, maybe if there was one less character, we could have had more development or a unique voice.

However, I loved the detail. There is no doubt that Jennifer Saint knows her mythology and I do love that she made the Gods an important part of the story. A lot of retellings have them on the sidelines but this book makes them hold more responsibility for the events of the Trojan War. However, that does not take away the responsibility for the evil hearts of men. The men in this story are cruel and think of their own power which ultimately leads to their downfall. The women are just trying to survive. I can’t wait to see what Jennifer Saint will write next. I do hope for more powerful female voices overcoming the trauma inflicted upon them by men. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Flatiron Books, for a digital arc of "Elektra"!

After adoring "Ariadne," I was clamoring for Jennifer Saint's next feminist Greek mythology retelling - a genre I've been quietly obsessed with since middle school. We all know the story of the Trojan War and its famed and tragic heroes, but Elektra shows a different point of view - one that adds even more depth and nuance to the ancient lore.

"Elektra" follows three women: The sister of Helen, Clytemnestra, her daughter Elektra of the cursed House of Atreus, and Cassandra, princess of Troy and cursed priestess of Apollo. "Elektra" chronicles their lives, emotions, and motivations in a fresh epic that dwarfs the tales of the men in their lives. The book is all at once an opus on familial legacy and trauma, grief, feminine power and rage, and the complexities of mothers, daughters, and sisters.

Each woman gets a brilliant character study, weaving their lives together and into the fabric of this fascinating cycle of Greek mythos. Saint's retelling, again, turns the 2,000-year-old stories on their heads - not pitting the woman against each other or writing them as villains or victims. These women aren't heroines, but Saint has made Clytemnestra, Elektra, and Cassandra more real than any other telling of their myths.

The scenes that stood out most to me were Iphigenia's beautifully horrific wedding day, Clytemnestra's murder of Agamemnon, and Cassandra's visions of the burning of Troy. And while Helen doesn't get a POV, Saint's book offers another perspective on who is really to blame for the decade-long Trojan War: male pride.

The whole of "Elektra" is action-packed and a serious page-turner. It exceeded all of my expectations with Saint's ability to write delicate, intimate prose alongside epic scenes of war. "Elektra" is easily one of my favorite books of 2022 and of all time. I can't wait to see what myth Saint tackles next.

This is a retelling that deals with a complicated story in an elegant, enthralling way. Dealing with some of the more exciting stories of Greek Mythology but told through the women was an interesting viewpoint. Told through the POV of three Elektra, her mother, and Cassandra, these three very different women each tell the same story but with a different perspective and you are drawn in by each. I was pulled in immediately and loved how quickly the story flowed. There were some parts that had too much going on where it got confusing but I guess that's how the gods are. I read this in one sitting and would highly recommend for lovers of Greek mythology.w/4701163717?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I love mythological re-tellings, and knew as soon as I saw this book by Jennifer Saint, that it would tick all the right boxes for me. I was not disappointed.

Jennifer Saint has such a beautiful writing style, it's poetic and flowing without being overdone. There are many different timelines and points of views contained in this book, but the story flows and isn't confusing as often can happen. The story is told from a female perspective, which I enjoyed as we don't often hear from the women in mythology.

If you love mythology, and want to do a deep dive into the lesser known women of the legends, then this book will be right in your wheelhouse. I enjoyed it a lot, and look forward to more from Jennifer Saint.

Thank you to Flatiron Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jennifer Saint is really for the folks who are into Greek Mythology and want, no, crave, retellings. I'm one of those people, and that's why I liked Ariadne. Elektra is similar in that respect, because I'm able to enjoy the mythos of it all as well as the new story that's emerging via the retelling. This is all to say, I'm a fan.

I love mythology re-tellings, and this one was no different. It was an interesting look at a well-known story, the Trojan War and its aftermath, through the eyes of characters that don't always get to be in the spotlight. Three women were the central focus of this book, and all three POVs were fascinating and had their moments that had me in my feelings, which is truly an accomplishment considering I already knew everything about where the story was heading from reading and studying these myths for the last 20 years. The star of this book was Clytemnestra, despite the book being named after her daughter. Her life was absolutely tragic. All she wanted was to be the best mother, but her unfortunate circumstances and the grief and rage inspired by them destroyed everything. Her story, and the story of the House of Atreus in general, acts as a brutal warning that violence and rage begets even more violence and rage in a seemingly never-ending cycle. The saddest part was her realization that her rage accomplished nothing more than driving away the good things she still had in her life. Unfortunately, it took her too long to learn that lesson, and in acting on her rage, she doomed her children to another spin of that cycle, which left Elektra a bitter, selfish woman that I found completely unlikable. Elektra was actually my least favorite character in this entire novel, but, surprisingly and thankfully enough, her POV seemed the smallest. Even though I disliked her, I still appreciated that her character was one of the consequences for her mother's decision to embrace her rage since it led to Elektra being raised on a combination of emotional distance, rage, and loneliness, which is definitely not a good mix for healthy personality development. Elektra's unlikable demeanor just added to the overall tragedy of it all. Cassandra's part of the story provided the Trojan side of the narrative, and the intersection of her story with that of the Clytemnestra was poignant and heartbreaking. All around, this tale was one of tragedy about the all-consuming love of a mother that I didn't want to stop reading. However, the writing wasn't what I expected, and it felt a bit dull and incredibly slow at some points. It wasn't bad by any means or stop me from connecting with the characters, but it kept me from getting completely lost in the beauty of the writing, which is something I've now realized I've come to expect from these types of re-tellings. All in all, it is a solid re-telling with interesting perspectives and compelling POVs that I think fans of Greek mythology and other re-tellings, such as Circe, will enjoy a lot. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

When you guys think of the story of Troy, does anyone remember how Elektra fits in? And for that matter, why are SO many stories focused on the abduction of Helen when her sister's (Clymenestra's) story is far more sordid and compelling?

Jennifer Saint wowed me with her turn at telling Ariadne's story. I have to say she did the same with this one. You know how both Song of Achilles and Circe are written by the same author, but read totally differently because the stories are so different? It's like that!

That is to say...Ariadne's story is...full and full of adventure and magic. A lot like...Circe, actually. Elektra, though? Her story is a bright shot of intense tragedy...a lot like Song of Achilles. It's definitely not a love story, though. There's plenty of love, but it usually turns to something darker with this family.

The thing I'll remember about reading this, though, is the thoughts behind most particularly the mother (Clymenestra) and the daughter (Elektra). How completely easy it is to see when someone else does something horrifying, yet maybe not notice our own fixations or how easily emotional decisions can carry weight for generations.

This would be a great book to just pick apart with friends. :)

After really enjoying Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, I was very excited to start Elektra. I’m not a Greek mythology buff, so I greatly enjoy reading these books because I’m not familiar with the stories and don’t know what I’m getting into. Elektra surprised me in a good way - it’s more of a novel of the House of Atreus instead of just Elektra’s story. There are three POVs: Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon. Cassandra, Princess and prophet in Troy who prophesies about Agamemnon’s armies, and Elektra, daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’s youngest daughter. This was so well done on audio with a different narrator for each point of view. I loved reliving the Helen of Troy story and learning more of the Greek mythology around the House of Atreus. This was really entertaining, and I couldn’t put it down at the end! I highly recommend listening to this if you are into audiobooks.

Thanks to Flatiron book for the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the copy of this ALC!

I was beyond excited to read Elektra, especially after reading Ariadne last year. I’ve always enjoyed Greek mythology, and I taught it for almost two decades. But I was always intrigued by the women. Often secondary, one-dimensional characters, the wives, siblings, daughters, and mothers’ voices were rarely heard, and I wanted to know more about them and hear these epic tales from their perspectives. How did they fare without their husbands? How did they handle betrayal, loss, motherhood, and more? Jennifer Saint gives a powerful and poignant voice to the unheard women of the Trojan War in this brilliant story about love, power, truth, and vengeance.

Elektra follows three women from Greek mythology and the Trojan War. Clytemnestra is Agamemnon’s wife and sister of Helen, Elektra is Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’s youngest daughter, and Cassandra is one of the princesses of Troy. She was granted the gift of foresight but was also cursed by Apollo. Clytemnestra, Elektra, and Cassandra are all so different, and each is dynamically developed. I love how the author brings their stories to life in such a powerful and emotive way. These are women who are often overshadowed and portrayed one-dimensionally, and Saint’s vivid and gripping portrayal of them is incredible.

Clytemnestra is fueled by vengeance and her hatred for her husband. Cassandra is desperate to be heard, and Elektra is devoted to protecting her beloved father. Their stories are woven together masterfully, and each is compelling, heartbreaking, and complex. I found myself emotionally invested in each story, and though I knew what their eventualities were, their journeys felt fresh and unique.

The author also depicts a less glorified version of the larger-than-life leaders and warriors who fought in the Trojan War. Throughout the story, the characters experience the effects of the war – the brutality, the ego, the thirst for victory, vengeance, and more, and the author doesn’t shy away from the selfish, narcissistic, and heartless actions of the men and women involved. Another aspect of the story that I found really interesting is the history of the House of Atreus. The author delves deeply into its dark and brutal past and shows how history often repeats itself. It is a rich and nuanced story with so many layers, and I feel like the more I think about it, the more I unravel.

I loved Elektra. It is a mesmerizing and thought-provoking retelling that offers a fresh perspective on classic tales and characters. I can’t wait to read Saint’s next book and highly recommend Elektra to any fans of Greek mythology or mythological retellings. Thanks so much to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Since reading Ariadne, I’ve been very excited for this book, especially because this one has some familiar storylines. I’ve actually been in a reading slump for a while, but reading something which I liked felt very nice.

I really liked the author’s writing even more in this book - it’s very poetic and beautiful without being full on purple prose and that’s the exact kind of writing I enjoy. The author covers a very long timeline with many necessary time skips but I have to appreciate how seamless she makes the transitions, not just in timelines but also the different POVs. And as with what comes in retelling Greek mythology stories from the women characters’ perspective, there’s a lot here which makes us feel indignant and furious, but also sympathetic at times and I marvel at how masterfully the author created this variety of experiences for us through her words. But the pacing might feel a bit slow for some readers, however, it wasn’t much of an issue for me.

While the book may be titled Elektra, we get her story as well as those of her mother Clytemnestra and Priam’s daughter Cassandra. I think my most disappointment with this book was that I did not like the character of Elektra at all. Not to say she isn’t written well. She is portrayed in a way that evokes strong emotion in us and I like that. But it’s not easy to read a whole POV when you dislike that character. Elektra is a person who has this image in her head of her father and will do absolutely anything to keep up that image, including justifying his cruelty and brutality. I could see why she became that way though - her sister’s sacrifice doesn’t register much with her because she was too young at the time and it’s easier for her to reconcile with the strong and loving father image than one who kills his daughter for the purpose of a war. Her mother’s neglect compounds this feeling in her and then her life becomes all about waiting for her beloved father and later, getting the revenge for his murder. I don’t know if it was just her naïveté or if she was truly her father’s daughter, believing in his supremacy over anything else and justifying any cruelty to maintain it. It was hard to sympathize with her even when she was mostly deprived of both her parents’ love and affection for such a long part of her life.

Clytemnestra on the other hand, is like a foil to Elektra. She is also driven by grief and revenge to such an extent that she forgets that she has other living children. Her life becomes a tomb to her dead daughter and she doesn’t think beyond killing Agamemnon. We feel both pity towards her for her plight but also sad that she is basically stuck at that single awful day. It is also hard not to sympathize and agree with her when she feels grief not just for her dead daughter, but for all the women of Troy who are brutalized by her husband and his men during and after the war. Her story proves though that revenge doesn’t really bring peace but I could still appreciate the way her character arc resolves.

Cassandra is a less significant character than the other two because she is not much in a position to do anything, and her POV is mostly to just give us a way to know what’s happening in Troy. And she is probably the one character on whose behalf I felt most indignation because she is cursed just for not giving consent and her life since then is very difficult. I truly can’t imagine how it must feel to know the destruction the future holds but no one is ready to believe you. I knew she would ultimately not have a good outcome and while she finally got something on her own terms, I wish she had got some kind of acknowledgment from atleast one person in her family that she was right all along. It just made me feel very sad for her.

We don’t really get much detailed portraits of any other characters. But it’s hard not to notice how King Priam and his family know that things are gonna take a bad turn, but never do anything about it and just remain willfully ignorant so that they can have a semblance of happiness with their newly reunited son Paris. Agamemnon is not necessarily a bad person initially but his nature is not much suited for peacetime and has a need to assert that he is the ruler above everybody. Aegisthus is definitely a slimy one who takes advantage of a mother’s grief and becomes a ruler without doing much himself. Orestes is the unlucky one in the sense that he is deprived of his mother’s affection due to her grief but is instead fed the greatness of Agamemnon by his sister, leaving him not much choice but to avenge a father he has never met. But his character arc was another one which I thought had a satisfactory resolution.

In conclusion, this was a very interesting look at what was happening in the background of the Trojan War through the perspective of three women who couldn’t do much about it except wait for it’s conclusion. I definitely recommend if you are looking for some lovely writing but with a languid pace which allows you to simmer in the emotions that the prose and characters evoke. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

First line: Mycenae is silent, but I can’t sleep tonight.

Summary: Told through three female voices of the Trojan War, the reader is transported into the world of Ancient Greece and one of the most famous wars of all time.

Clytemnestra is the sister of Helen and wife of Agamemnon. Her sister is taken by the Prince of Troy, Paris. As her husband prepares for war at any cost Clytemnestra is shattered by his choices.

Cassandra is a princess of Troy but cursed by the god Apollo with visions of the future. However, with this power comes the disbelief of everyone around her. She sees the future of Troy but cannot do anything to stop it.

And Elektra is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. The war has taken everything from her. She knows that her family is cursed but is she destined to break it or follow in her ancestors footsteps?

My Thoughts: When I saw that Jennifer Saint was doing another Greek retelling I was beyond excited. I loved Ariadne! It was a story I was unfamiliar with and it reignited my interest in the Ancient Greeks. Similar to Ariadne is the story of Elektra. I had never heard of Elektra or Clytemnestra since I have not read The Illiad by Homer. I think now I will have to pick it up. I remember reading and enjoying The Odyssey in high school.

I liked Cassandra’s storyline the most. She was an instrument of the gods who is mistreated by her family even as she continues to try and save them and her city. But the other two characters, Clytemnestra and Elektra, drove me crazy. Both were driven by revenge and hatred. I know that this was their roles in the myth but it was just so much that I really despised both of them. Saint did a good job of making them unlikeable but I could also understand their anger to a point. They had both been hurt by someone they loved.

I hope that Jennifer Saint continues with these retellings because I will be there for all of them!

FYI: Lots of murder and blood!

CONTENT WARNING: murder, cannibalism, blood, rape

While this is titled Elektra, it actually focuses on three women—Clytemnestra, Elektra, and Cassandra, and the story easily flows over decades. While some of the story is familiar to me, we get more than the typical Trojan War rehash in this book. It starts well in advance, with Clytemnestra looking on as many suitors vie for her sister, Helen’s hand in marriage. We get to see the world through the eyes of these three very different women, and I was absolutely hooked from very early on. It presents a ton of information, but never felt overwhelming or as though it lagged.

Clytemnestra was probably my favorite perspective. We get a first-hand account of her life, including growing up as Helen’s twin in Sparta, marrying Agamemnon, bearing children, grieving unimaginable loss at the hands of her husband on the eve of the Trojan War, and sitting for a full decade and plotting her revenge.

I also liked seeing the world through Cassandra’s eyes—as she focused on becoming a devout priestess of Apollo, blessed with the gift of prophecy and simultaneously cursed with the fact that no one would believe the accurate visions she had, through the siege of Troy, and then briefly on her enslavement as a war prize of Agamemnon. Often, she was portrayed as mad rather than cursed by the gods, but in this book she’s lucid and sees reason more than any of the other characters.

The perspective I struggled with the most was that of Elektra. I could understand the nature of her rage, but I found that she was often single-minded, refusing to see even a hint of any other side to any situation, and focusing her entire life to revenge, regardless of who got hurt in the meantime.

These women are all so different, but strong and wily. In a world that offers women little power or agency, each of these have grasped the reins of their life to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, I know how Greek tragedies work, and was aware that none of these stories had a happy ending. My heart broke for these women, and the way that factors outside of their control had so much influence on the course of their lives, but also how their own objectives often set the wheels of destruction in motion, without them seeing their part in it until it was too late.

This reminded me somewhat of The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, although these women have far more freedom than the women captured and enslaved by the Greek army on their way to Troy. It really made me think about generational trauma, and how deeply this runs, quite like a curse, with everyone going around in circles as a result. Often, violence begets violence, hate leads to more hate, and then there isn’t any foreseeable way to end the cycle.

I fell in love with the writing style as well. Saint manages to cram decades worth of experiences into a book that is just over 300 pages, and preventing the writing from dragging. This can’t be easy, especially as she covers the decade spent waiting for the war to end. It seems to be very well researched, covering all the bases of the original stories of The Iliad, The Odyssey, and Elektra, plus more that I’m sure I’m not even aware of. I’m so grateful that I got the chance to read this before it was released, and it just reinforced my love of classical Greek mythology, especially those with a feminist twist to them.

I have been loving Greek epic retellings and this one was excellent. Lyrically written, it explored in depth the motivations of its three central characters: Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon and sister of Helen, her daughter Elektra, and Cassandra, the clairvoyant princess of Troy. Even if you know the story of these women and what actions they take, this book makes it feel new because of the compelling insight into their minds and impressive character development. Saint even made me empathize with side characters in this novel, such as Helen. Worth a read for fans of classic retellings and myth-inspired fiction.

I don’t think I’ll ever be bored of reading retellings of stories of Ancient Greek women, mythology, or Trojan War. There is something about them that is so familiar - not because I shared the land with them, but I found that value placed on women and size of men’s ego haven’t changed since then. Women were treated as a commodity and all they thought of were their children. It’s still the case today. Yet men only thought of their name and so called honour and it’s still the case today.

Elektra was her father’s daughter. She loved him so much. His faults, his ego, his guilt, his misgivings did not mean anything to her. Agamemnon was only a father, a king to her. Not a murderer, not vile enough to murder his own daughter for nothing. Clytemnestra was a princess but second grade one compared to her famous twin, Helen. She married Agamemnon to have a comfortable life, to be a mother to children that she would cherish all her life. Yet Helen messed things up for her again. She died with her daughter forgetting she had three more children. Cassandra was across the sea from these two, behind solid walls of Troy. But she was as invisible as those two were. No one took a minute to listen to any of them.

While they were on the opposite sides of the war, all these women were the same in spirit. They deserved more, they deserved to be understood, they deserved to mourn and be mourned, they deserved to have an opinion. But somehow they were pitted against each other. While men played war and celebrated after like nothing happened, women continued to carry the burden and trauma of men’s little games. If you are into Greek mythology and retellings, this is highly recommended.

"I don’t know what my destiny might be, but I know that I was not born to do nothing."

Jennifer Saint’s writing style is thought-provoking and rich. She brings so much depth to the inner thoughts, hopes, dreams, and desires of the lesser-known female characters of Greek mythology, who are often portrayed as flat and one-dimensional in the traditional stories. Her ability to infuse heart and soul into ancient Greek characters is unparalleled!

I enjoyed reading Ariadne and was similarly captivated by Elektra - I especially enjoyed the introduction of characters like Cassandra and Clytemnestra, with whom I was less familiar than I was with those in Saint's previous book. Learning their stories for the first time from a more feminist perspective was so interesting. I would highly recommend this book to any fan of Greek mythology!

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A huge thank you to Jennifer Saint, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After reading and greatly enjoying the author’s debut novel, Ariadne, I was excited to get my hands on her newest release, Elektra. While the tales themselves may be different, I liked how the author’s writing style flowed between the two novels. I love Greek mythology and Jennifer Saint brings some familiar characters to life by telling their own tales. Elektra follows three women of the Trojan Wars, Clytemnestra, Agamemmnon’s wife, and sister of Helen, her youngest daughter, Elektra, and Cassandra, the Princess of Troy with the gift of foresight and cursed by Apollo. While I have learned a little about these three characters in other works, I am not an expert and have not memorized all the details of their stories. As this is a retelling of well-known stories, there are not a lot of surprises as the reader knows many elements before the beginning, but I love how Saint weaved them together to make them her own.

Agamemmnon was an interesting character as he was explored as the husband of Clytemnestra and the father of Elektra. With the sacrifice of Elektra’s sister, Iphigenia, in exchange for a favorable wind to take the army to the Troy battlefront, the reader sees Clytemnestra and Elektra on opposing sides. While readers familiar with these 1000ish-year-old tales know these elements, it was interesting to read about Saint’s take on each character. While both women are set in their goals, it is difficult to fully align with one or the other. Both have sympathetic moments, and both have moments where it seems the reader will disagree with them. Originally, I was wondering how Cassandra’s perspective would add anything to the story considering that the mother-daughter dynamic seemed the most important; however, I enjoyed her struggle with her curse. Agamemmnon may have been the connector between the three characters, but I enjoyed how each of their stories stood on their own.

Through reading, it is apparent that the author has done her research as there are many poems and tales incorporated in this retelling. The writing itself may not be simple in nature with its prose, but it is engaging and has a great flow. There is a lot of emotion expressed in the writing where there is anger, and despair, with some brief moments of happiness. It follows along with the Greek tragedy theme that most takes have while not going too far into making it peril after peril where the reader loses interest. All three women had amazing stories and I loved how Saint weaved them together. Each was distinctive yet they all flowed well together. The Trojan War played out within the story without being at the immediate forefront, which I liked as it helped this novel stand out even more with the focus remaining on the three characters. Overall, I loved this novel. It was engaging throughout with excellent prose and well-written characters. After enjoying both Ariadne and Elektra, I am very excited to see what story Jennifer Saint comes up with next! [4.5 rounded to 5]

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Flatiron Books, for a review copy of this entertaining and enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**