The stunning cover drew me to this book but can you judge a book by it's cover? In this retelling of this fascinating Queen, Clytemnestra it's a resounding yes! This tale is full of betrayal, revenge and evil as the reader is transported to ancient Greece to follow Clytemnestra's life as a young Spartan girl to her her rise as a feared, "evil" Queen. I admit I was not as familiar with her story as the other characters she is associated with (Helen, Penelope). I found the relationships in this novel to be interesting, especially the mother/daughter, sister/sister bonds taking on a unique perspective. I appreciated the cast of characters section and enjoyed a book group guide for better understanding. I recommend this tale to lovers of ancient history. Thank you #NetGalley and Sourcebooks for giving me an ARC copy to read and review. All opinions are my own . #Clytemnestra

This retelling of Clytemnestra follows the titular character from her time as a Spartan princess to becoming the unlikely Queen of Mycenae during the Trojan War. It's a story of heartbreak, death, and vengeance.

Though the beginning of the book was quite slow, that's also generally my experience with Greek Mythology retellings so I somewhat expected it. I actually really liked Clytemnestra's character in this - I actually thought she could be even more calculated and revenge seeking. I really wanted the people who harmed her and her loved ones to SUFFER. This is definitely a case of me supporting women's "wrongs" and honestly I was here for it.

Casati's writing here is really beautiful and captivating. Once I got into the book, I genuinely did not want to put it down.

I think sometimes the feminist myth retellings get a bad rep for not being historically accurate - while I can't really speak to that aspect of this book, I loved how we got to see such a complex character. Clytemnestra is a wife, a mother, a murderer, and a powerful woman who is ready to murder those who hurt her and her loved ones. History often describes these women as "bad", "evil", or "calculating" but then praises men for the exact same things. That's what I truly appreciate about these feminist retellings - it gives us a new perspective on an old story with a lens that aims to understand the motivations and emotions more.

I also liked that this story ended on her strength and not her death. It's a deeply upsetting story in a lot of ways but I liked that it ended on a somewhat hopeful note.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was honestly surprised by this book. I already knew I was going to love it as a teacher of Ancient Civilizations and a lover of the story of the Trojan War, I already had a soft spot for Clytemnestra's plight. She is fierce. I didn't mind that the story started out a little slow, I felt it needed a dramatic build up to strengthen her revenge plot and for readers to feel her pain and vengeance. I loved how all the characters had dimensions instead of the flat versions we get with most retellings. It was an empowering feminist retelling and the world needs to read it.

this novel is described as “circe meets cersei lannister” and it is exactly that in all the most brilliant and brutal ways. a triumphant retelling of the life of one of the most notorious women in greek mythology, clytemnestra follows its titular character from her girlhood as a spartan princess to her reign as queen of mycenae.

casati’s writing is lyrical and captivating, her characters and their relationships complex and flawed. in her hands, clytemnestra is a loving mother and sister; a fierce, clever, and capable queen; a murderer. she is a wronged woman seeking revenge in a patriarchal society that has little space for her rage and grief. she may not be a good person, but she is the best option—and here, she is exquisitely human and sympathetic. i loved the decision to end on her victory rather than her death.

if i had one complaint, it would be the pacing—the beginning is quite slow.

perfect for anyone who enjoys their greek mythology with a side of “i support women’s rights, but more importantly, i support women’s wrongs.”

Authors like Jennifer Saint (Elektra) and Natalie Haynes (A Thousand Ships) have included her as a perspective character in their recent novels, but Costanza Casti’s Clytemnestra is the first to put the Spartan princess (and future Mycenaen queen) and her story front and center. But the trick of this novel, and what ultimately makes it such a compelling read, is its determination to depict its titular character as a complete and fully realized woman, a figure who is more than her worst deeds and whose story is worth telling in its own right.

Casati’s debut spends less than a quarter of its length on the events that most people associate with the name “Clytemnestra”—the sacrifice of her daughter Iphigenia in the name of a fair wind for Greece’s soldiers, her violent plot to take revenge against her husband for his involvement in her child’s murder, and her lengthy rule over the kingdom of Mycenae while Agamemnon is at war in Troy. The reason we are all fairly familiar with that part of her story is, of course, that it’s a bloody tale of a bad woman who kills a supposedly heroic man, and which casts a mother’s rage and grief over the death of her child as somehow less than a king’s right to glory and conquest. But, intriguingly, that’s not the part of her story that Casati’s terribly interested in exploring. We’ve seen it before, after all.

This retelling encapsulates the life of Clytemnestra, in all its tragedy and grief. I loved the rage and revenge that are softened by joy and liveliness, it felt like the story was well balanced on a knives edge. The author covers a lot of mythic ground well and quickly. If you’re interested in myth retellings and anyone interested in a complex story with strong female characters this is for you. 4.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Sourebook landmarks for sending the book for review consideration. All opinions are my own!

What an incredibly powerful portrayal of the life of Clytemnestra, a figure often left behind in legend as an adulterer and murderess. She isn't a villain who seeks murder, she is a woman who has been beaten into submission - only she will not submit. She suffered endlessly at the hands of the man she was forced to marry, and though she was strong-willed from the beginning, his brutality made her heart cold as ice, hard as stone. She had been wronged in many ways, but she will play the long game to exact her revenge, even if it means she will be a heartless monster in the eyes of history.

It is an impressive debut novel, and you can tell the author valued Clytemnestras' story and is well-educated on the subject. I've read other Greek mythology retellings that attempted feminism by forcing the women to be cold and callous when they were never known to be so, but it came naturally for Clytemnestra. It is simply who she is, and Costanza Casati did an honest job of depicting it. Clytemnestra is complex and flawed, but she is powerful and unwilling to let anyone think otherwise.

Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this ARC!

"There is nothing more powerful than a strong-willed woman."

WOW - after a couple of Greek retelling flops, this was incredible! So much drama and a storyline featuring amazing strong women... I'm totally here for it. I absolutely fell in love with Clytemnestra's character and can see myself rereading this book again. This is at hte top of my Greek retellings list!

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is an ambitious debut that seizes the reins of the Greek epic and steers it to uncharted territories, from the perspective of one of the most notorious villainesses of ancient times.

The book’s strongest suit is its unflinching portrayal of Clytemnestra as a woman scorned, a grieving mother, and a queen full of righteous fury. Casati doesn’t shy away from painting a vivid portrait of her protagonist. From the moment we meet Clytemnestra as a woman wronged, trapped in a marriage with a tyrant, we are thrust into a world where the personal and political are intimately intertwined. The depiction of Agamemnon, indeed, leaves no doubts about his tyrannical tendencies, reinforcing Clytemnestra's reasons for vengeance. This is not a black-and-white world but one painted in strokes of moral ambiguity, where right and wrong lose their absolute meanings.

Casati’s narrative style is equally captivating. With a keen understanding of the classical text, the author subtly weaves the ancient tale with a contemporary touch, resulting in a fresh, engaging narrative. This novel feels authentic to the era it depicts, yet it never loses sight of its modern audience.

The depiction of the Trojan War as a prolonged affair, while historically accurate, adds to the suspense and tension in the novel. It allows the reader to experience, along with Clytemnestra, the uncertainty and dread of waiting for news from a distant battlefield.

However, Clytemnestra might not leave a lasting impression on all readers. It is, after all, a retelling of an ancient Greek story, and some may find the plot familiar. Yet, it is in this familiarity that Casati finds her strength. She breathes new life into Clytemnestra, making her a character that feels both ancient and modern, familiar and foreign.

Despite some minor shortcomings, Clytemnestra is a compelling read for anyone interested in classical literature, powerful female characters, or simply a well-told tale of love, hatred, and vengeance. It's a testament to the author's skill and imagination that she can take a story as well-known as the Iliad and transform it into something that feels both timeless and new.

A solid 4/5 stars, Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is a promising debut that leaves you eagerly anticipating what this author will produce next.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an e-Arc of Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati for my review

Clytemnestra is a retelling of the Greek legend. At first, I struggled with it. I thought I would dnf it, as it just didn't get my interest. I'm glad I stuck with it! By the middle of the book, not only was I hooked, I could barely put it down.

Beautifully written. I felt I experienced Clytemnestra's pain and I so wanted to avenge the deaths and betrayals she experienced. This would make a tremendous movie or series.

#Clytemnestra #NetGalley

Greek retellings are all the rage now, and it has led to both well crafted novels and bland retellings. Thankfully, this one was the former. It might actually be my favorite Greek retelling I’ve read. It was heart wrenching and beautiful, simultaneously hard to read and stunning. I loved it

3.5 rounded to 4

The retelling of Greek women in mythology is a trend I am loving. While the story was slow at times, the resilience of Clytemnestra cannot be denied. I enjoyed learning about this lesser known goddess.

Wow, what an intense read. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as a lot of the Greek myth retellings focusing on the female characters tend to highlight and sometimes almost glorify the trauma and pain these women endure. I liked how the author never really breezed over the horrors Clytemnestra endures but it also showed how continues forward. This woman is a survivor and has mastered the art of patience as she never, NEVER forgets what has been done to her and certainly gets revenge for it. Still, this book was an emotionally heavy read and I had to stop reading and eat some ice cream at one point to make me feel better.

Oh the sorrow and tragedy! As with every Greek myth, all are headed for desolation and we are along for the ride. This version gives us the modern angle with Clytemnestra as our strong woman in the center of it all. But she is not immune from tragedy, in fact she seems to bring a lot of it on herself. Her life is defined by violence and war but we see her transition from victim to perpetrator throughout time.

I liked seeing the same story from a different angle. We learn about how Odysseus chooses Penelope instead of Helen, how Meneleus and Agamenon end up marrying the sisters and get a new perspective on the Trojan war and how the kingdoms ran without their men during the decade of war.

Read this if you enjoyed Silence of the Girls, A Thousand Ships or Elektra.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

One of the best Greek mythology retellings I’ve read since Circe, Casati gives us a rich, in-depth look into the life of Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon and vilified queen of Mycenae. From her childhood as a Spartan princess to her survival of some of the most horrible things a Queen could imagine, this is an unflinching survival story of a woman who refused to learn her place.

I really to enjoy retellings that give us a sense of where and when we are in the ancient world, and this book does that well. We get both glimpses and in-depth entanglements of Clytemnestra’s story with her sister Helen (Helen of Troy), her cousin Penelope and her marriage to Ithaca’s Odysseus, her brothers’ journey with Jason (and the Argonauts), and the Trojan War.

My only complaint was that Clytemnestra’s story was not completed, which would have significantly changed the tone of the ending. There are no gods or fantastical monsters here, only real ones. If you enjoy Greek mythology retellings with a thirst for feminist vengeance, this book is for you.

Clytemnestra released May 2, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

What a great debut. It's been years, when I was in college, that I have read any Greek Mythology. I recognized the names in the book, though.

Clytemnestra is a Princess of Sparta. She is a married to a tyrant. She has seen a lot in her life. She has been beaten, betrayed, heartbroken and has never deserved the life she has been given.

Her husband goes off to battle Troy. So she bides her time and ends up forcing the hands of the gods. She has understood, since she was young, that if power isn't given to you, you have to take it yourself. And Clytemnestra does!

Full of power and prophecies, hatred, love, vengeance and of an unforgettable queen who dealt out death to those who wronged her.

Published May 2, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

😊 Happy Reading 🙃

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I never thought I could care about Clytemnestra. Or have my heart broken for Iphigenia more than it has been before.
And the ending? What a place to end.

By the time I finished reading this excellent novel, Clytemnestra had branded my soul. It’s one of those books I’m reaching for the moment I open my eyes in the morning to get a little more reading time in before work, after work, all the reading times in between. Could not put it down. The writing is excellent and the unfolding of the plot, all the awful atrocities committed by the men in power while the women can only stand by and become, step by bloody step, twisted by their circumstances, is pure art. At the end of it all, I felt devastated and uplifted at the same time; well, throughout the story, this is how I felt, but the writing and the story kept me reading.
Lots of books come along. Few books hold this kind of power over me.
1o stars if I could

I've read several of the adaptations where the authors have taken the female protagonists from Greek mythology and expanded on them. So far these stories have been hit or miss for me....some I've really liked and others not so much. But this one was a definite winner. Clytemnestra kept my attention and thus kept me turning the pages until I finished.

It's so interesting to me that Clytemnestra has always been portrayed as such a horrible woman. She was seen as dishonorable for cheating, murder and so on. When in fact, people don't look to see what she endured and the things that led her to do the horrific things she did. She was actually a strong and patient woman who waited until the right moment presented itself to take her revenge on others who had wronged her. And she had definitely been wronged in unimaginable ways. But during those times, the pain women endured was overlooked because they were often viewed as property and not really as people. However, when things were done to men, it was an entirely different thing.

My heart absolutely broke several times for Clytemnestra. Even though I'm familiar with the mythology and often knew what was coming, it still didn't make experiencing her anguish any easier. She truly lived through such intense heartbreak that the fact that she kept moving forward was amazing in itself.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

this book really surprised me, and I loved it! i was nervous going into this as i am not familiar with greek mythology, which has made me dislike similar retellings in the past. luckily, Clytemnestra gives you all of the relevant details/history that you need to know to enjoy the story without feeling like you are missing something. the pacing of this book made it impossible to put down since it was so action-packed. i wasn’t familiar with clytemnestra’s story prior to reading this, but it was sooo sad yet inspiring. Glad I got an ARC of this from NetGalley! 4.75 stars.(-.25 because at some times, the writing felt like it was just there to be highlighted and taken an instagram pic of, lol)