I love Greek myth retellings that hold no punches. A fresh and interesting look at the story of Clytemnestra, daughter of Sparta and Queen of Mycenae, this novel tries to give agency and understanding to the women of the Trojan War. The ground is so well-trodden here that it can be difficult to set a new story apart, but Constanza Casati does so through a deep dive into Clytemnestra's harsh Spartan upbringing with her famous sister Helen and through the tragedy of her first marriage. I enjoyed the writing style but the time jumps were a bit disorienting - I recognize there was a wide timeframe and a lot of detail to cover in order to get to the climax of the story, but it was tough that every time I sank into a section it moved on. Overall would recommend this to Greek myth fans everywhere who may wish to cover new ground on well-loved stories.

Poetic and haunting. A story about survival in ancient times when being a woman did not mean great things for your future. Fans of books like Circe and The Song of Achilles might enjoy.

I am excited to see how Costanza Casati will grow as a writer.

The time jumps disoriented me at times, but ultimately, I don't know a single thing to change about this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for the ARC! (Some spoilers ahead) This was truly such a joy and a horror to read (in the most Greek tragedy way possible). I enjoyed all of the small details: the descriptions of the artwork on palace walls, the food the characters are eating, the simmering, all-consuming, agonizing grief, lust, contentment, or anger. This novel reminded me of what I love about this current trend in retellings of the women of Greek myths, that they are imperfect and nuanced and human no matter how mortal or immortal. Clytemnestra is a tough one to tackle because the story is so intense, but Costanza executed this beautifully. My only wish is that the novel did not include these long time jumps; we could have gotten more of an insight or character study into her relationship with her children, and the beginnings of her horrific marriage to Agamemnon for example. What was she doing in the nine years after Iphigenia is murdered? That could have been a potentially interesting angle. But overall I could not put this book down and I will be thinking about it for a long time!

Received a copy through NetGalley. Clytemnestra follows in the footsteps of Madeline Miller's Greek myth retellings. Where Miller focuses on characters whose stories we've heard time and again, Clytemnestra's story bring a whole new perspective to the Iliad and the machinations of power.

Clytemnestra is always mentioned as the scorned wife of Agamemnon and that is that. What Casati is able to do is tell both the story of Clytemnestra as well as her sister, Helen of Troy and keep the focus on these two women. She is also able to trace the roots of political power and how many women had to run their kingdoms while the husbands are out playing war. You can absolutely see where a character like Cersei Lannister comes from, but Clytemnestra is also a Spartan warrior who can go toe-to-toe with any of the men in physical combat.

Casati develops a highly readable narrative and shows where the real power lies during war time. For fans of Madeline Miller, this is a great addition to the retelling of Greek myth.

What initially peaked my interested regarding Clytemnestra was that I found her to be a peculiar choice but I hardly have words for how wonderfully surprised I am with this book.

I have always loved Greek retellings, and I am so so so so happy to add this to my list of 5 star books. This is generally where I'd discuss that the story is about but my best advice is to go into this book completely blind and let the story carry you with it. Let this book surprise you.

Even if you do not have a base knowledge of Greek stories I feel like this retelling would be easy to follow along with. Contanza's writing truly blew me away and I cannot wait to get the physical copy in my hands so I can write all of my annotations down. At times I felt myself holding my breath is disbelief of how stunning this book truly is. The story is complex and wonderful and Clytemnestra is one of the best debut novels I have ever read.

6 out of 5 stars

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati. Pub Date: March 7, 2023. Rating: 5 stars. If you enjoy reading about greek mythology and love a good heroine, then pick up this book as soon as possible. Clytemnestra is a fierce woman who has been dealt a life most women would not survive, but she is bound and determined to live and make a name for herself. She deals with grief, tragedy, traitors, an abusive husband, but still finds a way to stand her ground and be dominant. I could not put this book down and read it very quickly. The imagery and story of Clytemnestra was stunning and I did not want this journey of a novel to ever end. Go pick up this novel because you will not be disappointed. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #clytemnestra

Incredible.

A detailed retelling of the life of infamous queen, Clytemnestra. My one caveat is that the pace and tone are slow and measured, just like Clytemnestra's suffering and vengeance.

Casati did a great job of showing us what made Clytemnestra, makes you understand her and thus root for her even though we all know this is not right. (What IS right and wrong anyway?) Equally with other characters in the book, their motivations are laid out, and if you know your ancient Greek history, we see the seeds being sown for other famous stories. And with so many big names (Jason, Odysseys, Theseus, etc.) you'd think it would be confusing but Casati does an excellent job of introducing them and weaving them in without confusion.

At times I was willing the story to advance faster but still devouring every detail, every fight, every glance, every scar.

There has been a trend of retelling myths from the female point of view. This is a particularly fine example. Clytemnestra was Helen’s sister and Agamemnon’s wife, and the mother of sacrificed Iphigenia. In this book. She is front and center, a most impressive and well developed character. This has great potential for discussion.

I couldn’t do it. I told myself that I’d do it. I sat there, forcing myself to read words and trying desperately to find enjoyment in them. But 40% in, I admitted defeat and skimmed through the rest of CLYTEMNESTRA.

I should preface this review by saying that I DNFed Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles. I know, I know. There must be something wrong with me. So maybe take this review with a grain of salt … perhaps myth retellings aren’t for me?

I am loosely versed in Greek mythology. I love the cover and also the Cast of Characters at the front, but I hoped the author would breathe life into them and make them come alive for me. I kept waiting for the magic to happen, but it didn’t. And I don’t have time to waste, not with so many amazing books out there in the world to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Sourcebook Landmark for an eARC of CLYTEMNESTRA in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you are familiar with the mythology surrounding the Trojan War, you are probably familiar with Clytemnestra, Spartan wife to Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, who sacrifices their oldest daughter Iphigenia to the gods. This book is told primarily from Clytemnestra's point of view from a young teenager through to middle age as she grows up, training to be a warrior, and a Queen.

Clytemnestra is a flawed heroine, often unlikable for the choices that she makes in her lifelong quest for vengeance against her husband Agamemnon, who forced her to wed him with the assistance of her father Tyndareus. I enjoyed learning more about the mythology of her life specifically, rather than about Agamemnon, or her more famous sister Helen. She faces tragedy after tragedy and never loses sight of her end goal, all while successfully ruling over a city, biased against her because of her gender.

My minor criticism include the fact that the novel experiences several jumps in time, but Clytemnestra never seems to truly age in her narration. In addition, there are a few random sections where other characters are the narrator and it felt slightly odd since so much of the book is told from Clytemnestra's POV. All that said, I enjoyed this study on a infamous woman and its attempt at changing the perspective on her life.

Thank you to SourceBooks Landmark and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Costanza Casati's Clytemnestra absolutely does measure up to the other great feminist retellings I've read in recent years, such as Circe and Kaikeyi. The writing is not quite as flowery, and I think that's due to Casati background as a screenwriter. The story building absolutely does put Clytemnestra right up there with its contemporaries, and I couldn't put it down. I found the plot and motives compelling, and was rooting for the main character. The events in her life have shaped her, and she uses her power to fight as she can against the people who have wronged her. She is not ruthless, rather a Beatrice Kiddo style heroine, hell-bent on exacting vengeance to whom it is deserved, and she's happy to wait as long as she needs to do so.
I really enjoyed this book, and the opinions expressed here are my own. If you're a lover of this genre, then Clytemnestra is not a book you'll want to miss. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. I just reviewed Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati. #Clytemnestra #NetGalley

The writers of mythology viewed Clytemnestra, princess of Sparta, queen of Mycenae, as a wicked woman for taking a lover and then murdering her husband Agamemnon when he returned home from the Trojan war. But as told in this novel of her life, Clytemnestra was totally justified and her reasons were much more complex than that, and Agamemnon richly deserved to be murdered. Talk about revenge being a dish best served cold!

In Greek mythology, women are routinely shown to be wicked and viewed simplistically, at fault for all the evils of the world (think Pandora). Clytemnestra was evil; her sister Helen ran off with a Trojan prince and caused the Trojan war. It's not that simple and it's time their stories were heard. The men who figure so strongly in Greek mythology don't come off so well here; even the great Odysseus, normally portrayed as the best and smartest of the Greek kings, isn't so heroic here and does some pretty shameful things. Fans of Madeline Miller's Circe or Natalie Haynes' A Thousand Ships will love this retelling of the life of a queen that the author of the Odyssey and the Iliad deliberately misunderstood and portrayed as evil. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of the book. In recent years there has been an influx of Greek retellings especially around the women of the Trojan War, so I thought here's another one. This retelling by the author is hands down one of the best to be released. It not only approaches the story from a historical context with no supernatural or divinity, but it does one thing that the others don't, and acknowledges that Clytemnestra and Helen were Spartan women. This aspect that the author features is what really made this retelling stand out. It shows that the author has done her research. I also enjoyed that it brings up Tantalus, Clytemnestra's first husband. I salute the author and have every intention of telling anyone who will listen to read this book.

4.5 stars

“Sometimes I fear that I am becoming the person I am pretending to be.”

A stunning debut that chronicles the rise of Queen Clytemnestra of myth, that dives deep into questions of family, power, revenge, and grief. Casati is an absolute master of characterization, painting each character so richly that they seemed to shine. Clytemnestra was a beautifully compelling and complex protagonist who stole my heart right from the outset, and I was preemptively grieving for everything I knew she was going to have to endure (being a big mythology nerd). The novel is centered around family and painstakingly details Clytemnestra’s relationships with her parents, brothers, sisters (especially Helen), her husbands, and her children. The author truly grasped how to portray each character’s motivations so that the reader can truly understand them, with the possible exceptions of Tyndareus and Leon - those were the only two that I somewhat struggled to grasp.
My only other critiques were that I felt that a few characters were underutilized (namely Timandra - I needed more!) and that it ended before the ending I would have expected in a seeming attempt to finish the story neatly and (somewhat) happily.
This book asks so many deep questions and I’ll definitely be coming back to this one for a reread before too long. If you enjoy mythology, complex characters, compelling psychology, and not putting up with the patriarchy’s bullshit, this is a must read. I’ll be eagerly awaiting Constanza Casati’s next publication, and in the meantime this will be a most welcome addition to my growing collection of retellings.


CW: rape and child rape, incest, child and infant death, child abuse, animal abuse, animal death, alcoholism, violence

Really enjoyed this book, especially getting to know Clytemnestra as a multifaceted human being, not just as a vengeful queen. Her backstory about her first marriage was really sad, and I liked how she and the young Spartan women were shown to be skilled in fighting from an early age. There are a lot of time skips though which feel lacking, especially the huge gap between Clytemnestra being forced into marrying Agamemnon to many years later when she already has three children. It felt like her emotions during those tumultuous times were just too difficult to tackle so the author conveniently ignored them. Agamemnon was described as a wicked, scheming villain right who doesn't hesitate to murder innocent children from the start. This is definitely a book for more mature readers due to its dark themes, but it provides a great modern feminist perspective on the classic stories of Greek epics and Greek tragedies which form a huge part of the (male-dominated) Western literary canon.

I loved this book. Clytemnestra was such a bad ass, and I was thrilled by her story. This retelling was harsh, and it demonstrated how hard life could be for women in the ancient world. Clytemnestra never let herself become broken, and her spirit made her a character that I rooted for. That being said, she was not perfect, which I appreciate. I like when an author allows their main character to exhibit flaws - it makes them seem more real, which in turn makes me feel more connected to them. This book grabbed me and didn't let me go. It is a quick read, in the sense that it leaves you desperate to see the story unfold (even when you know how it will end, if you're a Greek Mythology fan). The story is beautifully told - the writing is stunning. Clytemnestra's tale is not a happy one, but it is gripping and compelling. I really can't find any fault with this book at all.

I am not usually a fan of Greek mythology. I just find it a bit overwhelming because there is a lot going on with it. But I really enjoyed this one. Clytemnestra was such a strong female character and I loved that. I was really drawn into this story. If you don't really like Greek mythology give this one a try. Because I really liked it more than I thought I would.

This was a really interesting read that reminded me of Circe and Daughters of Sparta. I enjoyed learning more about Clytemnestra's life and reading another take on her characterization (my only other exposure to her being in Daughters of Sparta).

I have recently started dipping my toes into retellings/mythology and I have to say that this is one of the best books I have read in this genre. Loved the protagonist, the story, and the writing.

Clytemnestra, by Costanza Casati, is a book that aims to overturn your thoughts about Greek heroes by presenting the story of a woman who has historically been relegated to the shadows of the tales. Written in the tradition of Madeline Miller’s Circe, this debut novel focuses on Clytemnestra, daughter, sister, wife, mother, warrior and queen.

The story begins when Clytemnestra, daughter of Leda and sister to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, is a princess living in Sparta, a place where women are trained in the martial arts so that they will only submit to the most vicious of men. Although Helen is the beauty, it is Clytemnestra who possesses intelligence, fierceness, and a desire to protect her family at all costs. By the end of the novel, Clytemnestra will have watched her brothers go off to adventure with the Argonauts and witnessed the fall of Troy as the Greeks reclaim her sister Helen from Paris, but the book is about the life of an incredible woman who endures a difficult marriage, suffers immeasurable loss, and exacts revenge upon those who have wronged her.

Clytemnestra features characters and stories from Greek mythology and will delight those who enjoy The Iliad and The Odyssey because it gives readers a chance to revisit these stories through a feminine perspective. There is a family tree located in the front of the book for readers less familiar with the traditional tales. I loved that characters like Leda, Helen, Penelope, Iphigenia, and Clytemnestra all become more than they are in the hands of traditional tale tellers. The book provides a harsh and beautiful look at the lives of women who suffer through great pain to find fleeting moments of love and happiness.

The writing is full of images that stay with you from the Spartan gorge when criminal bodies rot to the bathhouse where Agamemnon meets his fate, but the story truly sings when exploring the complex relationships between the women. Clytemnestra has been vilified in many stories, and forgotten in many others, but this novel celebrates her triumphs and explores her losses, and in doing so, elevates the lives and experiences of all the women whose stories have never been told. I truly enjoyed this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.