Clytemnestra, sister of Helen, grew up in Sparta where women are treated as equals and taught to fight. As she chose her own husband, and father of her child, Agamemnon decides he wants her for himself. Enduring tragedy, leaving her homeland and ruling Myncae while Agamemnon is fighting to bring down Troy, Clytemnestra is vengeful, resourceful, and patient. She does everything for her children, and in the end, was it the right decision?

I've only read a handful of Greek mythology books and this by far is my favorite. Spread over the entire course of Clytemnestra's early life and through the end of the Trojan war, I couldn't help but feel for her.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I did try reading Clytemnestra, but ended up not enjoying it, thus getting about 40% through and finally DNF.

Clytemnestra is interesting book. I am giving it 4 out 5 stars. I enjoyed reading this novel however it loses a star due to it dragging in the begging of the novel and the way it was written in third person present tense making it a difficult read. The book centers from the view point of Clytemnestra who is a women who is met with much grief in her life, and focuses on her relationship with her family. her sister happens to be Helen of Troy, but the book does not center about the war of troy. instead it centers around our main character who is abused at the hands of her husband. She does become centered in her rage , and his her want of vengeance to guide most of her decisions in the story. It truly capture's a lot of complex feeling for the mains character, as she loves her children she has, even if they came from a monster. It shows that you can overcome terror in your life. It is one of those powerful novels about moral grey areas, and gives a good view of a minor character of the Trojan war. I think it is a must read even though it is initially very hard to get into.

I was given this novel in exchange for my honest review from Net Galley.

Clytemnestra was absolutely fantastical! Casati wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

Clytemnestra, as the style makes clear, is another entry in the ever-growing genre of Greek myth retellings. Casati does a nice job here of creating tension even within a well-known tale, and has several quite moving scenes, though the book’s somewhat flat style and — for me at least — odd choice of where to end, places it more in the middle tier of similar works.

After some a welcome family tree and large cast of characters that also serves to refresh a few details (who raped whom, who cooked whose kids and served them as dinner — all the Greek classics), the narrative opens with a young Clytemnestra alone in the forest in a predator-prey faceoff with a lynx. Since it’d be a pretty short novel otherwise, it’s no spoiler to say she’s the one walking away with a carcass. The scene does a nice job of displaying her abilities, will, and the dance she’ll be dancing for most of her life going forward. It also foreshadows in some of its other details as well, but those events I won’t spoil.

From there we move onto her youth in Sparta, in the court of her father Tyndareus and her mother Leda, along with her siblings Helen (though some say Zeus not Tyndareus is her father while other parental rumors are more worldly), the twins Castor and Polydeuces, Timandra, Phoebe, and Philonoe. Their cousin Penelope also plays a role in the tale. Clytemnestra and Helen are quite close, though things begin to change as potential marriages begin to arise on the horizon. Clytemnestra, much to her surprising pleasure, ends up courted by King Tantalus; Penelope is happy to be wed to Odysseus, while Helen chooses Menelaus despite Clytemnestra and Penelope’s warnings about both him and his brother Agamemnon.

As anyone familiar with Greek mythology knows (spoilers for the millennia-old stories), happiness and peace are short-lived, as Agamemnon eventually kills Clytemnestra’s husband and child and forces her to become his wife instead. The story takes us through her ongoing relationships with her siblings and then with her children Orestes, Electra, and Iphigenia. Then, of course, Helen is taken by Paris off to Troy, leading to even more tragedy for Clytemnestra, though ironically Agamemnon’s absence while he’s off commanding the Greek army for a decade gives her more power than she has ever or will ever have. Eventually she meets up with Aegisthus, with whom she plots her revenge on Agamemnon. The book closes with her husband’s death.

As noted, Casati does a nice job even with the highly familiar beats of the story, carving out scenes of originality and crafting strongly realized characters such that expected scenes, such the death of Iphigenia still carry a good amount of emotional weight, at least where Clytemnestra is concerned. Other characters are a bit more mixed in their depth and thus the impact of scenes focused more on them than the title character. Electra’s response to things toward the end, for instance, felt somewhat rushed into matching what we know happens in the original tales.

As is typically the case in these retellings, what is often glorified or glossed over in the myths (violence, rape, etc.) is cast in a less flattering (or neutral) light. As when, for instance, a very young Helen is kidnapped and raped by Theseus, Tyndareus says they can’t go to war with powerful Athens for “such a reason,” a phrasing that infuriates both Clytemnestra and her brother Polydeuces. Even more so when Tyndareus waves off their anger, noting “Theseus is a hero, and he does what heroes do.” So much for being covered in glory. Agamemnon and his brother come off as mostly brutes, Calchas the seer a manipulative, ice-cold killer of women and children; and even “wise” Odysseus is portrayed as clever, yes, but to sometimes appalling ends.

While Casati does at times turn a nice phrase and employ some vivid detail, overall there was a flatness to some of the prose and narrative that distanced me from the book somewhat. I also felt at times the writing was bit too overt, where I would have preferred picking up on things without them being revealed by the interior narrative or sometimes the dialog. Finally, I felt a bit mystified by choosing to end the story so soon after Agamemnon’s death, with so much dramatic potential left on the table. And the more or less triumphant (only partially so, admittedly) close feels more than a little odd given what I assume most of her readers knows is coming.

We’ve seen a run of these sorts of stories, to greater and lesser extent. While Clytemnestra doesn’t match the best in this genre, such as Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls or Madeline Miller’s Circe, it’s a worthy entry into the field with a strongly conceived character as its central strength.

Mythology comes alive with the telling of Clytemnestra's story. The lives of Spartan women are detailed. Power is taken and in this case by a woman! Different stories are intertwined and family dynamics are fleshed out. All in all a vivid telling of ancient history. Thank you for a chance to read this debut novel.

For fans of Circe and A Thousand Ships, Clymtemnestra is another masterful Greek retelling focusing on the notorious queen of Mycenae, wife of Agamemnon. Casati brings this story alive exploring complex characters, powerful women, sibling relationships, injustice, and revenge. Her writing is accessible, even for those who do not know all the Greek myths. I highly recommend Clytemnestra!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I was a big fan of Madeline Miller's Circe, so I was really excited for this novel to come out. The premise and reviews seemed great, and I really loved that it started off with a family tree because I was definitely a little bit confused. However, I found a lot of the passages really beautiful, and this was probably one of my more highlighted texts on my kindle just due to how much imagery there was. I do think, though, that this book did not click with me as much due to just the pacing of the novel overall. I did really appreciate some of the themes, but over time they began to seem a little more dragged on than I had wished for. I think for a debut novel, Casati did a great job, and I definitely am looking forward to more works by her.

(3.75/5)

This debut novel reads like the author has polished and published a dozen novels. This story of the Greek queen, Clytemnestra, really brings to life the period of the Spartans and the Trojans with all of the intrigue and bloodiness included. Even though Clytemnestra is remembered as heartless and scheming, here her motivations are explored and the reader supports her in her desire for retribution. The author did a fabulous job dealing with all of the characters so that I was never confused about who was who.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC to read and review.

I love anything to do with Greek mythology, now I am not a savant of it in any way but I do know my fair share. Clytemnestra is not someone that I have heard ever referrred to in anything that I have read. She almost reminds me of Hera, Clytemnestra has no forgiveness in her heart once she is wronged and she is wronged many many times in this novel. Her sister however is the infamous Helen of Troy who feels as though she lives in the shadow of her older sister. In this story we hear of Agamemnonn, who Clytemnestra is forced to marry after he brutally disposes of her Husband and Child while her Father the King sits back and allows it. On this day an anger and thirst for vengenance grows within her heart and she is more than happy to cultivate it. Costanza Casati brings Clytemnestra alive in a wonderful way, pulling you into the world of this strong, brutal woman. I found this book to be very intriguing and loved being wisked away.

Thank you #NetGalley for letting me read the eArc of #Clytemnestra by #CostanzaCasati in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me access to this arc! I was really excited for this because I feel like the tell of Clytemnestra gets forgotten and put on the back burner quite often and I felt that the author was able to breathe new life into this story. This story felt raw and real and it will be staying with me for a while. I found this to be really well written and my attention never drifted while reading this. I believe that Casati is a great storyteller.

I generally love the retellings of Greek mythology, and this was no exception. I know Clytemnestra as the sister of Helen of Troy and the wife of Agamemnon and was intrigued to read more about her. This story really dug deep into her life starting with childhood, her tragic first marriage, and the heartbreaking events that shaped her life. It also shows the strength that manifests from grief and how hatred fuels revenge. I did feel everything from the Trojan war to the end was a bit rushed and I wished to learn more about Aegisthos and his motivations. But overall, this was a fantastic debut novel and I'm looking forward to more from Costanza Casati. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

The teaser states that Clytemnestra is "the most notorious villainess of the ancient world." Clearly my knowledge of ancient history is lacking - I've never heard of her. But I know of her sister, her husband, her daughter...and Clytenmestra's story is fascinating. The author takes what we know of this queen and creates a complex character who I loved, hated, pitied, and celebrated.

I will caution readers to stay off of Google while reading - if you don't remember your ancient Greek history, let Casati tell it to you.

I love re-tellings of Greek myths and I loved this book. Clytemnestra was definitely not my favorite character in Greek mythology so I was hesitant about reading this novel. However, this story surprised me in the best way. This is an amazing villainess origin story and a killer revenge story. There are other major character of Greek mythology included in this story but Clytemnestra outshines them all. The book did not get into the fate of Tantalus, Elektra, or any of the other memorable characters of Greek myth, which I appreciated. I liked how the story focused on her but I would have liked to have read about her demise/death in this book. It might have made the book too long thus I’m not too disappointed by this choice. I also loved how the Greek gods and goddesses did not feature in this story. None of the gods/goddesses make an appearance in this book, which made this book seem more realistic than a Greek myth. I’m so excited to continue reading re-tellings of Greek myths. Novels such as this one and Circe by Madeleine Miller have really cultivated my interest in this subject.

Fantastic and delightful tale of a strong woman from Greek Mythology. Not familiar to me, this book transported me to ancient times and I dived right into this journey. After doing a bit of my own research on this character it seems as though she tends to usually hold a supporting role. It was fascinating to read her telling from her point of view. This novel has so many facets; anguish, rage, pain, revenge... Such an amazing book. Thank you to Net Galley, SourceBooks Landmark, and the author Costanza Casati for introducing me to this incredible book. The cover is absolutely stunning and I plan on purchasing a physical copy just based on its beauty.

Clytemnestra, what a lady! Fierce, powerful, brave, and tender (at times). This story traces Clytemnestra's journey from a child, to a married woman, with emphasis on her family, and relationships. The story begins in Sparta, with Clytemnestra, her sisters, and parents. She is the strongest of her siblings, and perhaps even all of the women in Sparta. This is a blessing for her, and a curse, for it strikes the attention of Agamemnon, who claims her as his own, and goes to violent lengths to have her. This is where our 5-part story begins.

This story and characters really sucked me in, I loved Timandra, Persephone, and Helen. The relationship between Helen and Clytemnestra may be one of my favorite parts of the book. Casati has also crafted a very multifaceted character in Clytemnestra. She is morally gray in a big way, which I really enjoy. We see her mistakes, and flaws, along with her moments of victory and justice, all framed with explanations of her traumatic experiences that have jaded her.

I really appreciated the formatting, with each part of the book breaking up a period of Clytemnestra's life. Some of these parts do involve time jumps, which were a little confusing for me at times, but regardless, I think they served the story well. Overall 3.5/5 stars (rounded up to 4 here).

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Feminist Greek mythology retellings have been having a moment, and I am here for it! Costanza Casati’s brutally beautiful tale tells the sweeping story of Clytemnestra’s life from girlhood through her reign as the Queen of Mycenae.

No longer will this formidable queen be a one-dimensional murderous footnote to Agamemnon or an afterthought as Helen of Troy’s sister. This Clytemnestra is bold, fearless, and empowered, quick to protect and defend those she loves. She is irrevocably shaped by the grief and unimaginable heartache she endures as those closest to her are cruelly cut down. It’s impossible not to feel compassion for the ravages Clytemnestra has suffered. Her character is brilliantly rendered: nuanced, wise, and fierce. The prose feels faithful to traditional mythology but with a faintly modern spirit, creating an ancient Greece that is immersive and totally absorbing.

Fans of Greek mythology are sure to enjoy this stand-out debut novel, especially readers of Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint, and Claire Heywood. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Costanza Casati's CLYTEMNESTRA retells a redeeming story of Clytemnestra, a woman who is vilified to no end in mythology. Casati provides so much more dimension to her character than we are given in the ancient Greek epics. While I was never completely swept away by the prose, it didn't feel dull to me either. Clytemnestra's characterization and motivations felt 'right'. Definitely for fans of stories that give narrative space to marginalized characters, like Madeline Miller's CIRCE. I loved the ending (Clytemnestra's thoughts there are so powerful and fitting).

SPOILER AHEAD: My only wish for this novel is that it had ended when Orestes avenges Agamemnon's death, but I realize that would have made the (already quite long) novel even longer.

This well written take on Greek mythology follows Clytemnestra, the daughter of the Spartan king and the wife of Agamemnon. Other than reading Circe, by Madeline Miller, it’s been ages since I read up on any Greek mythology. The names were familiar but the stories had faded in my memory. This book does a fabulous job of taking the reader to the time and place and bringing all the stories alive.
Spartan women were raised to be warriors and to fight. Clytemnestra was one of the strongest and thus, Agamemnon was determined to have her. He enlists her father’s help to kill her first husband and baby son. From then on, she lives for revenge. This is a woman who was prepared to wait to get even; she could have created the phrase that revenge is a dish best served cold. Agamemnon continues to give her reasons to hate him. 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 myths about Clytemnestra speak of what she does. This book provides the reasoning for her actions. While she is despised in the myths, here she is a sympathetic character (at least to me).
This book doesn’t read like a debut novel. It is polished and taut. For a book with almost 450 pages, it read quickly.
My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of this book.

This was a ten out of five star read for me! Clytemnestra is a debut novel that is incredibly and beautifully written, and accessible to a reader who loves Greek Mythology and the tough language that goes with it. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and actually lost myself and surroundings while I was reading as the story immersed me into the culture, scenery, and characters.

The story centers around Clytemnestra's point of view vs being a side character. Her story is heart-wrenching, at times, and the true strength and bravery of a woman speaking her mind when it was not welcomed.

This book will be one to watch for in 2023, and I am grateful to NetGalley, SourceBooks, and Costanza Casati for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Looking forward to future works by this author, she is now on my favorite list!