A Spartan’s Sorrow is a Trojan War retelling that follows Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon as she navigates her rage and, well, sorrow at the events that have impacted her children leading up to the war.

Hannah Lynn is a brilliant writer and the story is immersive, Clytemnestra’s background as a Spartan Princess is woven into the fabric of her character and I appreciated the fact that she was adept in defending herself and worked the fact that she was physically fit and exercised into the story. Those who know anything about the Spartans will know that girls were expected to participate in athletics like boys were and that they were not sheltered away like girls in other Greek cities, this attention to detail is a great example of how well researched and historically authentic this story was. It is relatively fast paced and makes for a quick and entertaining read, perfect for fans of Greek Mythology or feminine voiced stories.

This is probably the fourth Clytemnestra retelling I’ve read this year, so I found myself disengaging slightly with some of the background and contextual information (like who Aegisthus is and the background of the violent history of the House of Atreus), however, readers less familiar with the stories or new to Greek Mythology retellings will likely really appreciate this background.

Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark, for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.

I love mythology and retellings. It’s one of my favorite types of sub-genres. Earlier this year, I read another book that centered around Clytemnestra, and I think that contributed to my lack of enjoyment with this one. I’m not that knowledgeable when it comes to these tales, but because I had already read another book about this character, I already knew much about her life and the big events. So there wasn’t really anything new or fresh about the story. I didn’t find this one to be quite as emotional or full of depth. We didn’t really get to see all the events of her childhood that led to her development into the character she is as an adult. So there wasn’t really any backstory to justify her beliefs and actions. I also didn’t particularly like the way that Clytemnestra was portrayed in this book. I felt like she was unnecessarily cruel to her children and others. Especially in the scene where she is whipping her horse while throwing a tantrum because a guy didn’t like her. It just didn’t make me feel any sense of empathy towards her character. It didn’t make me see her in any other light than the shadowy dark one that previous versions of this tale always portrayed her to be. This just really wasn’t the most enjoyable Clytemnestra retelling for me personally, but I am still interested in reading this author’s other retellings with characters I’m not quite as familiar with.

I loved this book! I am a big fan of mythology and this focus on a different female character was done perfectly!I would definitely recommend this book!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I really enjoyed reading ‘A Spartan’s Sorrow’ it is inspired by the story of Clytemnestra. I would highly recommend it. It’s a good read.

Rating 4 Stars

This modern retelling of Greek mythology is very en vogue right now but I found the writing genuinely accessible and engaging. I felt for the characters in their way and the pain of domestic abuse was dealt with sensitively. Curious to read more of this series!

"A Spartan's Sorrow" by Hannah Lynn appears to be a novel that draws inspiration from Greek mythology, particularly the story of Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon. The narrative seems to center around Clytemnestra's perspective and her struggles during the Trojan War and its aftermath.

Clytemnestra's fear of Agamemnon's return, the sacrifice of their eldest daughter to appease the gods, and her vow to protect her remaining children suggest a tale of maternal resilience and sacrifice in the face of tragedy. The description hints at themes of revenge and the transformative effects of history on strong women, exploring how their actions can lead them to be perceived as monsters.

The reference to readers of Madeleine Miller and Natalie Haynes suggests that fans of modern retellings of classical myths and historical fiction may find this book intriguing. If you've read the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts or specific aspects you're interested in!

A beautifully written book about Clytemnesta and Orestes from Greek Mythology. It had me drawn in from the start. I will definitely be on the look out for future books by this author. This is a first read for me by this author and will not be the last!

An elegantly written story of Clytemnestra and Orestes and the Curse of the Atreus from Greek Mythology. Great for fans of the other recent stories about Clytemnestra.

No words. Hanna M Lynn is so graceful with her mythology retellings, the storylines are always so unpredictable and the raw emotion her characters display genuinely cannot help but have me mourning, raging and hurting alongside them .

I loved this. Such a graceful retelling with interesting portrayal of the gods and a mother's rage and grief written down so well

I jumped at these books. I've read them before and I loved them then, and I love them a bit more now. This book had me crying and just loving so hard. As a mother now, it just makes it worse and I feel the strength of Clytemnestra and how badly she wanted to protect her children.