3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Hannah Lynn for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is the story of a mother's love, and what lengths a mother will go to protect her children.

Clytemnestra loses one of her daughters to her husband's selfishness. He willingly sacrifices their eldest daughter to appease the gods and regain the wind to sail.

There are bitter betrayals, loss, heartbreak, and love. There are vengeful gods and family rivalries. There are also decisions that have to be made, no matter how hard those decisions may be.

This was a heartbreaking and vengeful retelling of the mythology of Greece's most formidable queen.

This is the second book in the Grecian Women Trilogy series. However, you do not have to read these books in order. Each book is a different mythological retelling from the women's perspectives.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading mythology and retellings.

"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.”“One is not worth more than the other. Men are not more worthy. Fathers are not more worthy. Do you think a god would be here defending a girl who had killed her father? Of course not. She would be hanged, or worse."

I have been a big fan of Greek mythology and I have read many books but not a single book gave more than few lines for Clytemnestra. When o googled about her this is what came up —
Clytemnestra is known for her role in Greek mythology. She is often seen as the epitome of a vengeful, scheming plotter. She was the wife of Agamemnon, who defeated the Trojans during the Trojan War. On his return from war, Clytemnestra murdered her husband as revenge.

Yeah coz that's what women do in Greek mythology, either they are too stupid or they are scheming. Like men ain't. Or whatever happened with Agamemnon, he didn't deserve.

A Spartan's sorrow by Hannah Lynn is one of those reads that will make Clytemnestra shine in totally different light. She is epitome of motherhood and strength. Throughout the book she had my heart and my soul. Being a smart woman that she is portrayed, she tried to survive and save her children from a very cruel man who was indeed their own father.


What broke me was even after her constant worry about her kids, what she had in the store was far worse than she deserved and how Orestes was just a pawn in blind and pathetic patriarchal society governed by Gods who cared for nothing but their own pride. Orestes' dilemma and then trial was very well written perhaps the whole book was written smartly. When you can't believe that you can actually understand another side, when you are standing on opposite, Hannah did real good job there so my morals kept jumping from one side to the other.


I will definitely and highly recommend it to all Greek mythology fans out there and those who Will like to read Clytemnestra's side of the story.

Thank you Netgalley and sourcebooks landmark for the amazing ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The depth of emotion in this book was stunning. The writing was a bit slow at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Clytemnestra.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Greek retellings are one of my favorite genres! Thank you, Source Books Landmark and Netgalley, for this read!!

"A Spartan's Sorrow" truly captured a 'Greek Tragedy.' All the sorrow, revenge, betrayal, love, and hate between all the characters. A truly well written novel. I was completely invested in all of the characters' live from beginning to end.

4 stars

I've read a few Clytemnestra retellings, I am wholeheartedly on Clytmenestra's side ALWAYS! Whenever I read her story, I always wish for a different outcome. Lynn mostly focused on two points of view: Clytemnestra and Orestes, and added the story of "The Orestia" into the mix. Although I am a fan of Clytemnestra, I have never read the Orestia, but after reading this book I am compelled to do so.

Lynn's retelling of this story adds new ideas to my perspective from previous retellings. I have always considered Iphegenia's life ending due to Agamemnon's greed for war. This story goes along with this idea we all know to be, but there's also the question of loyalty. And I think when it all comes down to it, loyalty is what is put to the test for all the characters.

I've had the pleasure of reading another book of Lynn's in this series, and currently reading an ARC for another, and I see in all of them, the humanity that is imbued in each one. Lynn truly brings such humanity and tangible feelings to these characters. I seriously recommend "Daughters of Olympus", if you're looking for that.

Clytemnestra has always been a complex character, and again I loved seeing how Lynn perceived Clytmenstra. The way she wrote about her, and her life before Agamemnon. Although I'm always suspicious of Aegisthus, the relationship between Clytmenestra and Aegisthus felt like a relief to me, for Clytmnestra. He wasn't a consort that Clytmenstra kept to herself, Aegisthus became something for her children, especially Orestes.

I loved the fact that Orestes wasn't immediately spiteful of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, like Electra. Rather, Orestes understood from both sides of the story. As for Electra in this retelling, I came to hate her A LOT. There was a lot of tension between mother and daughter, and even in death that tension never really resolved itself. I didn't really like Pylades, like Aegisthus I became wary of him. At the height of the story, I felt as if Pylades shouldn't have been trusted. He sides with Orestes and puts his best interests at heart, but I feel as if he took advantage of that, so these intentions come to fruition.


When it came to the end *trying to avoid spoilers* Lynn made it instant. I found this to be effective, for the most part many know the story, and so with that quickness of the scene Lynn shifts the focus to other characters. With this shift, it became clear, that this wasn't just a quest ending on the person, and how detrimental it was for Orestes and others who witnessed the scene. Part three with the trial was very interesting and I loved that this was added to the story. But alas, I couldn't agree with the verdict of course. Still -- I liked the way Lynn approached this scene and how two certain people fit in the scene. Although I like them best concealed, their time in part three proved to be useful.


Overall, this was a great retelling of the others we have in the world. Lynn's prose and detail are impeccable, that's another notable thing about her and her writing. She brought her understanding of humanity in Clytmenestra, in this story, and it is worthwhile to read.

I got to 28% and I’m really not feeling this book. I’ve been enjoying mythology retellings, and thought this would be right up my alley, but I’ve gotten bored already…

I’m a total sucker for Greek mythology and this was just what I wanted. The family drama, the murder to get people out of you way, and the deep undying love. At its heart this story for me was a mothers love and the way children interpret their mothers actions.
Full of drama and danger! I had a great time reading this one!

Thank you to Source Books and Netgalley for my gifted copy!

Wow, what a tale of bravery, hope, and ultimately betrayal. I was briefly aware of the story of Clytemnestra, but I hadn't read about it in this way, and from her point of view yet. The absolute horror that she lived with the cruelty of her husband, the murder of her daughter, and the betrayal from her only son. Grecian stories are often met with tragedy, almost always at the expense of a woman it seems.

While I really loved the overall story I did feel like it dragged on a bit towards the end. I found myself wanting to skim a little bit, but forced myself to really read this all the way through. There were a couple of areas I might have removed a little bit from, but overall I thought it was a good story from beginning to end.

Now I'll be on to read the next in this series by Lynn and I'm looking forward to it.

I was completely unfamiliar with the story of Clymenestra prior to this and it was enthralling! The writing was a bit slow at times, but I felt despair and anger and frustration and that makes it a win for me!

Your basic story about both Clytemnestra and her son, Orestes. I didn’t feel like there was anything to make this particular retelling stand out more than any other. It did continue into the story of Orestes, which not all retellings do if they are focusing on Clytemnestra… so that’s a plus. If you’re new to mythology and don’t know their stories, then this is the perfect book to get to know them, what they went through, and the choices they made. If you know their stories and are looking for a retelling that takes that extra spin you weren’t expecting, this isn’t the book for you.

Clytemnestra- A Spartan Princess, Sister of Helen, Wife of King of Kings, Queen of Mycenae but more than all of that, a Mother.

A mother who was murdered by her very own son.

Why? Because of Greek gods tradition of avenging their father’s murder. Why should fathers only be avenged? Why should only all fathers be avenged, and not mothers or children? Why Patriarchy trumps over everything, in times ancient and even in present times, in certain countries and cultures?

When will we get over this mentality and break free our society from patriarchy? This book poses beautiful questions whose answers will help refine your thinking.

This is a great book, and something that should be a part of your TBR pile. Only con: I wish it was slightly crisp in the beginning because at one point it felt like it dragged on and on. But when you continue turning the pages, it gets better.

Rating - 4/5

Thank you to Sourcebook Landmark and Netgalley for the digital ARC of A SPARTAN'S SORROW. This review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions based on the ARC.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

A Spartan's Sorrow is a fantastic feminine rage retelling into the myth of Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon, who sacrificed their eldest daughter to bring back the wind so he could finally set sail to Troy. Fearing for the rest of her children's lives, Clytemnestra stops at nothing to keep them safe, but can one go to far?

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

MY THOUGHTS:

I love Greek tales. I grew up on a steady diet of reading Greek Mythology and all the supernatural trials and tribulations their heroes went through. Greek re-tellings will always be a favorite of mine to sink into and this did not disappoint.

Hannah Lynn did a fabulous job of keeping true to the atmosphere of Greek Mythology, the verbiage, the caidence, the culture, while also modernizing Clytemnestra's tale. She did a fabulous job keeping true to the tragedy of her story. (I'm not saying I cried, but like... it was weird. it started raining inside the house sooo).
The Clytemnestra of Hannah's book is first and foremost, a mother and she will stop at nothing to protect her children, even from their own father, even at the risk of her own relationships with her children. She is fierce, she is loving, she is a Queen. There is never a moment when her character doesn't drop the air of regalness, even when in dire moments. Hannah does an excellent job portraying the moral grey dance Clytemnestra does throughout this book as she struggles with being true to herself while also ensuring her actions protect her children and herself.
The constant hypocrisy of what is okay for men to do and not okay for women to do is put on full display as Clytemnestra's tale continues to unravel. A son must avenge his father, but what about a mother avenging her husband and son? What about a mother protecting her children from an abusive husband and neglectant father? Men can have concubines and multiple wives, but women cannot take a single lover? I felt for Clytemnestra as she struggled to navigate these waters.

I especially appreciated that Clytemnestra's story did not end with her death. It continued on as her son begins to deal with the consequences of his actions—so great in fact that the gods themselves had to step down and intervene. This gave way to a riveting trial where hard truths were brought up and put on display in a skillfully written way. My only complaint is that those who encouraged her son's betrayal (mainly his friggen sister) were never held responsible for the fact that needled him into doing something he repeatedly stated he did not want to do.

All in all, this was such a great book. I almost read it in an entire day, I was so caught up in it. I absolutely need to read more of Hannah's Greek retellings!

Once again, I'm raving about Hannah Lynn. I will read everything this woman writes. I get so caught up in her words that i forget I'm reading. Love love love. This might just be my favorite book, and Clytemnestra holds such a special place in my heart.

I loved the female strength in this book. It intertwines history with the author's own creative stories beautifully. There's drama, romance, tension and everything in between. Loved this author's other works and will keep an eye out for more of their stuff! :)

**I received this as a free ARC from NetGalley.**

I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the first chapter, and crying pretty soon after that. I felt like it was a fresh retelling of the myth, and it dealt with the tricky issues really well. The characters were believable and alive, all with different motives, feelings, and understandings of what was happening to and around them.

I can't wait to read more from Hannah Lynn!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I was hopeful of this being a new spin on Clytemnestra and giving more insight into her psyche but that felt like it was done better by Costanza Casati. This did not have any moments in Clytemnestra's life before the Trojan War is about to begin beyond dialogue from Clytemnestra as she remembers. Nothing about her relationship with her parents or her siblings which could have enhanced her character even more. The parts following Orestes and his murder and subsequent torture by the Fates was well executed but I was here for Clytemnestra. It was still good for what it was but I was left wanting more. 3 stars.

This captivating story takes place in ancient Greece and tells the moving tale of Clytemnestra. After her husband Agamemnon tragically sacrifices their eldest daughter, Clytemnestra is determined to protect her remaining children at any cost. The story explores themes of love, grief, and revenge, vividly portraying Clytemnestra as a powerful queen caught in a whirlwind of divine punishment and family conflicts. Lynn's expert storytelling, rich historical detail, and complex character development made me feel deeply connected to the struggles and triumphs of Clytemnestra and her son Orestes.

The tale of Clytemnestra, a Queen of Ancient Greece, has been told many times, having come down to us through Homer’s Iliad, the story of the Siege of Troy. But the queen didn’t set sail for Troy, and Hannah M. Lynn stands fast with this Spartan woman, left behind to hold court for ten long years. A SPARTAN’S SORROW focuses on the woman behind the story of revenge, murder and grief.
Continued.

This is such an emotional and heartbreaking story. This Greek mythology retelling shares the story of Clytemnestra, wife of King Agamemnon and Queen of Mycenae, and her heartbreak as a mother. 
 
Hannah Lynn did such a great job with her research for this book. When it comes to Greek mythology, the stories have been told so many times by so many, and over time, details get changed or added, giving us now so many different ways to interpret them. 
 
While reading this book, I was really able to connect to Clytemnestra as a mother. She wanted nothing more than for her children to be safe and happy, and any mother can relate to that. My heart broke for Clytemnestra for all the heartbreak she went through, and I was 100% in support of her revenge on her horrible husband. 
 
I loved how the book progressed, starting with Agamemnon and what started this story. Then it opens to Clytemnestra and her life and years as Queen, ruling over Mycenae while Agamemnon and the men were at war. Eventually, the story progresses into her son's point of view, his life after his father's death, and the heartbreak he had to endure. I thought the POV of Orestes was so great and really did a good job at closing the story. My heart broke for him throughout his entire POV. 
 
Hannah Lynn did such an amazing job bringing new light to these well-known Greek mythological characters. She wrote the story with Greek mythology facts as well as making it her own in such a great way. I loved Athena's Child, her first book in the Grecian Women series, and I am so excited to read the next ones too!

What an amazing Story. I am a fan of Hanna Lynn and her way with words. A mothers determination to protect her daughter no matter the situation tugged at my heart strings. I loved the power, love, and vulnerbility that was given to Clytemnestra was amazing and i cried and i am not sorry about it. This book is just amazing.