“We are standing outside the temple of a goddess. It was not to a god that mighty Apollo came, for a solution to this problem, just as it would not have been to his father that Orestes would have gone with his troubles as a child. The goddesses, the mothers, they are the ones we turn to.  And yet it is a god’s word that we have to obey, one that tells us that a man must be avenged, but not a woman.”

Clytemnestra has often been portrayed in a negative light in many literary and on-screen renditions of the Trojan War and it's aftermath.

In A Spartan's Sorrow, Hannah M. Lynn lets Clytemnestra take centre stage and tell her story. Although a bit slow in places, the story is still compelling and we not only see Clytemnestra as the loving, doting and protective matriarch but we can also feel her despair, frustration, anger, helplessness and sense of injustice.

For this retelling, the author uses Aeschylus's 'Oresteia (Eumenides)' as her source material. The scenes of torture of Orestes by the Erinyes (the Furies) and the climax of the formal trial of Orestes, arranged by Athena with twelve judges (jury) on the Acropolis of Athens, to decide the fate of Orestes by democracy, were absolutely brilliant! I was amused to see the otherwise smug Apollo become, at one point, worried about the outcome of the trial when Tisiphone (an Erinye) takes up the defence of Clytemnestra with a moving and hard-hitting speech, spitting facts and truths about the double standards of a patriarchal society.

Oh and I detested Elektra! Seriously, what a brat!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark and the author for the digital ARC of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this book was part of a series when I requested it on NetGalley. That said, I did enjoy this retelling of Clytemnestra’s story. It was intriguing, especially since it’s a tale I wasn’t very familiar with. While I found the book engaging, I’m not entirely sure I loved it enough to commit to continuing the series.

The pacing felt off at times, but I did enjoy reading this retelling. I love Clytemnestra as a character! The author took some liberties with her version of the story, and the writing was good for the most part … it just felt slow at times which made me skim some pages.

A retelling of Clytemnestra's horrific life at the hands of Olympic whims, traditions and her egocentric hero-husband's hell-bent for leather quests. My brows are ever furrowed reading of the awful choices many of the women behind the men in mythology are left with - they can't win for losing. Being a Spartan was no benefit, brought no reward for sacrifice. The more power owned and used as men do, the deeper the cuts at the feminine ending. This tale is buried in that black quicksand.

My heart hurt for C, and how very truly the title of this book sits on its cover.

*A sincere thank you to Hannah Lynn, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

A retelling of the Trojan war from Clytemnestra's point of view Agamemnon. And I have to say while this one has it's sad and bitter sweet moments. Clytemnestra is more than pretty face in this one. She's pretty badass and I'm here for that.

Hannah Lyn never disappoints. If you like Clytemnestra's book, you might like this one. It is a historical fantasy in which Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter with Clytemnestra to appease the gods (his own fault). thus clytemnestra vows to take revenge against her husband. Another typical greek trope where women are going to be portrayed as some barbaric, monster like characters as they challenge men and their faults. Clytemnestra will dpo all her best to protect her remaining children as she fears the time when Agamemnon comes back from war. Agesthius is my second male lead syndrome type. He is their husband and father they never had, he cares so much about clytemnestra and her kids.

Hannah Lynn's novels are always a go to for me. Her prose are wonderful and the emotions she gives the well-known stories takes the characters to a whole new depth.If you love Greek mythology, then this is a must read! Thank you for the ARC opportunity!

I didn’t get to finish this book, I got a new Amazon prime account and my kindle deleted everything associated with my previous account including all of my downloads and I only just figured out why it wasn’t appearing whenI tried re-sending to my kindle multiple times. Now I’ve finally found the source of my problem and changed/updated the kindle email and can now download books again. It really messed up my reviews for all of the books I’d requested over the past few months, I apologize. I liked what I was able to read so that’s what I’m rating.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I enjoyed this book but the pacing was a little too slow for my taste. Perhaps it's because I read it so close to Clytemnestra's Bind, another Clytemnestra retelling, but I couldn't fully get into the story here. The writing is great and Clytemnestra's in-depth characterization was very well-done, but I didn't really feel like this retelling brought anything very new to the table. I also thought the other characters weren't explored as deeply as they might have been: I wanted to see more from Orestes and Electra who don't really seem to get much development. But again, I feel that it was perhaps my mistake reading this so close to another Clytemnestra retelling; I felt a little 'burnt out' reading the same story again, through a similar lens. I think I might have loved it more if I'd taken more of a break between them and will probably reread this in the future when my mind isn't already full of another author's Clytemnestra.

Spartan Queen’s Revenge

A Spartan’s Sorrow by Hannah Lynn is the second book in The Grecian Women Trilogy. The story revolves around Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon, and her journey through love, loss, and vengeance. The plot follows Clytemnestra’s transformation from a queen and mother into a figure of infamy. When Agamemnon sacrifices their eldest daughter to appease the gods, Clytemnestra vows to protect her remaining children at any cost, even if it means becoming the most hated woman in Greece.

One of the book’s primary strengths is its character development, particularly the portrayal of Clytemnestra. The novel’s exploration of themes such as power and betrayal adds depth to the narrative. However, some readers may find the pacing slow at times, and the heavy focus on Clytemnestra’s internal struggles might not appeal to those looking for action-driven plots.

In conclusion, A Spartan’s Sorrow is a compelling retelling of Clytemnestra’s story, offering a fresh perspective on a well-known myth. Hannah Lynn’s skillful storytelling and deep character exploration make it a worthwhile read for those interested in historical fiction and feminist retellings.

A gripping retelling of ancient Greek mythology, this novel tells the tragic tale of Clytemnestra who was a formidable queen. There is rich character development, making the ancient world come alive in detail. There are themes of power, betrayal, and revenge.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this series I got the first book sent to me by the publisher and then they gifted me the rest of the series and I really enjoyed it !

The decisions Clytemnestra make the day her daughter is murdered shape her family’s destiny for years to come.

This is my third retelling of the life of Clytemnestra and I am so here for these writings of the lives of the “evil” women of Greek mythology.

First, the strong stuff, Clytemnestra’s characterization is strong here. We get a woman who had planned to settle for what she has until pushed to the breaking point with Iphigenia’s murder. Then we get the characterization as she comes to the decision that her other children are at risk as long as Agamemnon lives.

I also really loved the furies, and I definitely want several books about them now.

And then there’s the characters. I really feel like we didn’t spend enough time with the children to really understand how they got to where they were by the time they have influence on the story. Electra as an adult is the same childish, angry, and vindictive daddy’s girl who believes her mother to be the vilest of monsters. And Orestes is easily manipulated and prone to running away both from his relationship with his sister and the confrontation there about her own anger, and the “duty” the world thinks he owes the gods.

And for all that I know how this story ends, I was unsatisfied with the way that Orestes’s trial was handled. Orestes is so passive that he literally runs away until Electra wears him down. And Electra is offered no space to grow with knowledge other mother, and she leaves the trial still believing she did the right and just thing in pushing her brother to murder his mother. I suppose I just wanted more than half of the novel being Clytemnestra’s story, and then half the novel being Electra’s constant desire for her mother’s death, then the story trying to appeal to my modern sensibilities in wanting Clytemnestra getting her justice while also showing that in Ancient Greece, Orestes did the only morally just option.

I mostly wanted more after the trial of Orestes and Electra coming to terms with what they’ve done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this arc.

It's easy to forget about Clytemnestra, sister of Helen, Queen and wife of King Agamemnon, mother of Iphigenia, Electra, and Orestes, and the woman who coldly murdered her husband on his triumphant return from Troy, ships full of wealth and a new wife, Cassandra.

Author Hannah M. Lynn’s story follows the myth as it is typically known, but she fleshes out Clytemnestra to help us sympathize with this tough Spartan, by giving her a horrifying past, as well as putting us in her head from just before Agamemnon leaves for Troy to after her death, followed by Orestes' overwhelming guilt for murdering her.

As Queen of Mycenae, she enjoys wealth and comfort, but has been humiliated and beaten by her brute husband for years, unbeknownst to the Court and her children. After Agamemnon, to pay for angering Artemis, kills their daughter Iphigenia in exchange for favourable winds for his ships, Clytemnestra decides he can no longer be trusted with his own children.

From this decision, Clytemnestra makes a series of decisions to overprotect her children and to train her body to regain her former martial abilities. She becomes a even-headed and fair ruler while Agamemnon is at war, and begins a romantic relationship with Aegisthus, Agamemnon’s brother. When news arrives that Agamemnon is soon to return, she understandably decides that she will never allow Agamemnon to hurt her again, though deciding to kill the man is not great but understandable considering her many years of abuse at her husband's hands.

Interestingly, this family is suffering such violence and tragedy thanks to a curse incurred by Tantalus, who killed and ate his own children. Each successive generation of the House of Atreus is destined to suffer and kill their own, usually children. Clytemnestra gets pulled into the cursed family because of Agamemnon’s actions, and her heart is only hardened further by his abuse and murder of their eldest child. It doesn’t help that daughter Electra is a toxic dumpster fire of massive internalized misogyny, further helping perpetuate the suffering in the family prior to and after Agamemnon’s death.

This interpretation of Clytemnestra doesn't radically restate the myth, instead choosing to skillfully make Clytemnestra into a more credible and sympathetic character in a story of murder and revenge.

Thank you to Netgalley and to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Growing up in the Mediterranean, Greek and Roman mythology has always fascinated me. In this realm of captivating tales, there's one figure often overshadowed by Helen and Achilles: Clytemnestra. She's notorious for cold-bloodedly killing her husband Agamemnon—a story that's gripped audiences for ages.

I enjoyed this book book as it dives deep into Clytemnestra's character, exploring her motives and the pressures she faced. It was a captivating read, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who shares my love for Greek mythology.

Thank you for this ARC!

A complicated and beautiful story of revenge was presented here. I love Greek retelling and this is no exception.

A Spartan's Sorrow tells the heart-wrenching tale of Clytemnestra. Our heroine is full of grief and rage. I loved her! Hannah Lynn did an amazing job shows Clytemnestra's struggles and emotions. She really came alive to me as a reader. I struggled with the ending. I'm not sure how true it is to Greek mythology, but even then, the author could have made up one better suited to poor Clytemnestra. Still, overall a beautifully written, tragic tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

I was sent this title with out requesting it after reading and reviewing this Authors other book. I have read a lot of Clytemnestra retellings and I am fairly burnt out on this particular myth. But I will be reading Queens of Themiscyra!

I don't really know what to say other than that it was just fine. I didn't find anything particularly enthralling about this mythological retelling, and I'm honestly not sure if that reflects more on the author's writing / subject of choice or on me just being "over" this genre. I do think that this book in particular wasn't that interesting to me -- a lot of the characters felt flat and predictable (more so even than the standard predictability of mythological figures in that I kind of already know bits and pieces of the story). Some themes also felt a bit heavy-handed. Maybe I'm also just "over" revenge-based plots.

Received a free copy from Netgalley.