Unfortunately I did not see that this book was a sequel and so I did not understand everything that was going on in the story. I ended up dnfing at 20%

Unfortunately I did not realize this was a sequel, so I found it hard to follow at the beginning as I only had the most basic knowledge of Greek mythology. Once I got further into the story and sorted out the characters, I really enjoyed it. It is a retelling of the mythological tale of Troy, but told from the point of view of the women. In spite of being a darkly violent and tragic tale, the strength of the women and their sisterhood made for a great read. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reading copy. 4/5 stars

I appreciated the fact that someone actually took time to include Anatolian themes into this book because Trojans were Anatolians. This wasn’t a Greek story only. I loved that words and traditions were included.

The other thing I really liked about this book was the alternative storylines. Having Helen not as villain but a mother through and through, and having Paris as a traitor I always believed he was.

This was the alternative version of Iliad where women took the center stage not because they were the reason to start the war or they could be captured, traded, and discarded. There is not much to say about the story, so I focused more on the style and storytelling.

Honestly, the only thing that I’m mad about with this books is that it was not advertised more clearly as being the second installment in a duology. THAT BEING SAID, this was a brilliant read as a standalone. I will 1000% be going back to read the first book because I loved the characters, the drama, and the writing. This book had everything I needed and more: powerful, smart, and brave women, gorgeous prose, dynamic female friendships, the crushing weight and tension of war, and hot muscle-y men who respect, honor, and highly regard the women in their lives. I laughed, I gasped, I angered, I cried, I mourned. I felt every emotion because the characters were developed so deeply and profoundly. What a wonderful human experience. I will be recommending this to anyone and everyone. TTYL, gotta go read Horses of Fire expeditiously!

A beautiful retelling of the story of Troy. The war scenes were excellent and some of my favorite. Heart wrenching, engaging, and beautiful!! Deserves to be up there with the great Greek Mythology stories@

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the eARC of this book.

Everyone who was a fan of Song of Achilles NEEDS to read this duology (this is book 2). I am on my knees absolutely begging.
Beautifully written, Daughters of Bronze is book two in a sweeping retelling of the Trojan war through the eyes of four women: Andromache, Cassandra, Helen and Rhea. If you’re familiar with The Iliad, you know the fates that befall Andromache, Cassandra and Helen already (Rhea is the only character created by the authors of this book), but A.D. Rhine (writing duo) breathe so much life into these female characters that you do not get in the original text.

I adore women-centric stories, and this book pays tribute to mothers and women who will do everything they can to save those they love in a time where they have little voice and agency to do anything. This book is both horrifying, tender; brutal, soft; intimate and sweeping.

This book is a tragedy in a way that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. You’re rooting so hard for these women and, if you’re like me, hoping the inevitable end doesn’t come to pass. While the authors take some liberties with the story, I have to say this retelling stayed remarkably close to the original text and characters. As long as you’re ok with that, then I say pick it up! 5 stars. No notes. An incredible story.

Note: I read this book in its entirety before reading book 1. I honestly didn’t know it was book 2 when I requested it. While some things were a little confusing, it could be read as a standalone if you truly want to. I requested book 1 from my local library and I am so, so excited to dig in.

The fall of Troy told by the women most impacted: Andromache, Helen, Cassandra, and Rhea.

Intense! And I was completely unaware this was also part 2 of a duology! I was familiar enough with Troy to know the general set up, so I didn’t really feel lost jumping in the middle. And this was so great! The historical aspects were really well done.

Everyone’s stories balanced nicely, & there was an element of hope evident throughout, even as you know the awful tragedy that is coming. I do any to go back and read the first one, and then reread the second one, because I know there is a depth to the story that I am missing out on.

Also, I always love a Greek retelling that validates my Paris sucks belief.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this arc.

Daughters of Bronze picks up where Horses of Fire left off, in the midst of the Trojan War. As someone who loves Greek mythology and Homer’s writing, I will always be drawn to mythology retellings! I absolutely loved this duology and think AD Rhine is a duo to watch.

Daughters of Bronze tugged at my heart even more than book one did, and I thought the authors did an excellent job balancing the plot and keeping the story moving while also telling a story that was very emotional at times.

I loved that some of the main characters are familiar but some are unique to this duology. Rhea is a POV that is centric to the duology and not featured in the original mythology or other retellings, and I thought her character added so much to the book. I thought the choice of multiple female POVs was excellent, and I really appreciated getting to see Helen as more than just the woman who is “to blame” for the Trojan War.

I am so glad that I have this book on my shelf, and I will absolutely be re-reading this duology when I am craving a well-written reimagining of Greek mythology.

Both this book and the duology as a whole get an easy five stars from me, and I highly recommend them!

Thank you to Dutton Books and Uplit Reads for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is a masterpiece.

I really enjoyed Horses of Fire but Daughters of Bronze just gave me so much more than I was expecting. The writing is beautiful and expansive. The characters are multi-dimensional and so alive. I could feel the fear, the injustice, the love, and the many other emotions that authors wove into the book. I really loved the author’s interpretation of the stories of Helen, Andromache, Rhea, and Cassandra and other events of the Trojan War.

I finished this a few weeks ago and I am still thinking about it. This duology is firmly placed among my favorite Greek retellings.

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and while I had already pre-ordered a physical copy, I was excited to dive in. Overall, I had mixed feelings. The story builds from the foundation of the Iliad, but there are significant changes to characters and plot points—some that work and others that don’t. For instance, the side romance felt unnecessary and out of place, and I wasn’t a fan of Paris’s characterization, though I understand the context of Helen’s story making her more sympathetic.

That said, I absolutely loved the bond between the Weaver, the Spindle, the Hawk, and the Mouse, and the ending moved me to tears. The authors did an incredible job of conveying what the siege of Troy would have been like, even though some poignant details, like Polyxena’s sacrifice, were left out. I also appreciated the nuanced inclusion of Luwian customs and how they depicted Troy as a cultural melting pot.

In the end, despite some critiques, I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the optimistic conclusion. It’s a solid A for me, and I’ll definitely be returning to this and its predecessor in the future.

Daughters of Bronze is a retelling of the Trojan war, told from the perspective of the women involved.

It took me a long time to get through this one, but it was worth it. This was so well done and felt like a fresh take on a story we've all heard dozens of times. This is one of those retellings where you know exactly what is going to happen, but you still find yourself begging the author to change the ending anyway.

I particularly loved their take on Helen. I don't think I've ever read something that focused on her in this way and it was very interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC!

Unfortunately I ended up DNFing this, which is a shame as the writing was great but I could not get myself into the story. It felt more like history vs historical fiction to me. I may give it another go in the future as I generally like greek retellings

I wanted to love this. I did not. I thought the book generally felt like this was not an enjoyable time. It could have been much shorter.

Perfect.Daughters of Bronze continues the retelling of the Trojan war through the eyes of its main female characters. Most of us know this story, either from school, or our own personal interest in greek and roman stories. Getting this new perspective on countlessly retold story was so interesting. I loved Rhines interpretation of Helen through out this story, swell as her depictions of Rhea and Andromache. If you are a lover of Greek myths and histories, give the book a go, you won't regret it.

It took me a long time to read Daughters of Bronze, and I had two good reasons for it. First, when I started reading, I didn’t know that it was a duology. I thought I should read the first book to get a better picture of the story, and I was right.

The second reason for my prolonged process of reading Daughters of Bronze was more complex. We all know the ending of the Trojan War and what happened to the protagonists of this story. The death of Hector, the exemplary husband, son, leader, and man guided by a sense of duty, has always been personally difficult for me to accept. In this version, Hector is an even more admirable figure, and the authors succeeded in breathing life into this statue of perfection, showing the traits of a true human being, not just a hero. With each page I read, I came closer to the inevitable moment of Hector's death, and it was very painful.

I am also impressed by the portrayal of the Trojan War, not as a divine-level war, but as a regular, bloody conflict, with dirty political motivations from the participants that lead to tragedy. All the efforts of Andromache, Hector, Helen, and others to save the city are in vain. Everything noble loses in the clash with the base nature of humanity and the thirst for power. The price that all decent participants in this drama pay for their sacrifices is hard to accept.

By eliminating divine intervention in these events (which is an integral part of Homer's original), the story becomes even more tragic and depressing. We cannot blame any angry, selfish gods for our actions and their consequences. The fault is entirely ours as humans.

Finally, I would like to deeply thank the authors for their interpretation of the reasons behind Hector's behavior during his duel with Achilles. For decades, since I first encountered the Iliad, I could not understand how it was possible for Hector to betray his entire life as a noble man and brave warrior during the duel with Achilles. In the interpretation of Daughters of Bronze, I received an explanation, and it is the most wonderful one possible. I am very grateful.

My big thank to to NetGalley , the Authors and the Publisher for the copy.

What an ending. What a tragic but beautiful ending. This duology has really and truly opened up my eyes to how rich and literary mythological retellings can actually be. Like, A.D. Rhine really gave these characters a life and richness and a story that have left a lasting impression. I will never likely consider the Trojan War through any other lens ever again. This second book in the series is battle heavy and as someone who's eyes tend to glaze over during these kinds of scenes, I found myself impatient at times to see how the story played out. The fact that (being familiar with the mythology like many are) I largely knew the fate of many of the characters, did not diminish the impact of the story at all. I was close to tears on numerous occasions and by the end of it felt a heaviness that is only appropriate and necessary for such a tragic story of a brutal, brutal war. I cannnnottt wait to see what comes next from A.D. Rhine and I sincerely hope it is something adjacent to this story in that it follows up with *spoiler*, because I was NOT ready to let him go in that way!

What a truly stunning sequel to an amazing story! Daughters of Bronze brings right back into the political intrigue and personal relationships of the Trojan War. I love the scenes included Cassandra and other women. It was truly a feminist read!

If you read book 1, you must finish book 2! The authors tied together the story so well.

I adore all things Greek mythology, and I enjoy getting the opportunity to read new versions of stories that I grew up with. This book was masterfully well-written, and hauntingly beautiful. The continuation of the duology is what every Greek myth loving reader needs in their life.

This book!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. It was so beautifully written. Heartbreaking along with the perfect amount of feminine rage. Highly recommend!

While I absolutely adored Horses of Fire (and in fact rated it 5 stars), I somehow loved Daughters of Bronze even more. Can I somehow give it 5.5 stars? Even knowing the general framework from The Iliad, Daughters of Bronze still kept me on the edge of my seat and fully interested the entire time. Plenty is changed or slightly adjusted from the original myth, so it keeps the entire story fresh while remaining familiar at the same time.

Daughters of Bronze is a truly phenomenal continuation of the story that began with Horses of Fire. Just as with the first book, the writing was gorgeous. The different POVs really allowed us to get the full picture of what was going on both inside the walls of Troy and at the Achaean camp. The character relationships in this book really crushed me in the best way possible. They were just so beautifully done that it makes the events of the book all the more heartbreaking. I mean, Ajax and Rhea?! I sobbed. I love them so much. Hector and Andromache have a beautiful relationship as well, and I loved seeing Andromache open up more to others throughout both books.

It’s always interesting to get these familiar stories (in this case, The Iliad) told from a different perspective than usual. Not only was this told from the perspective of the women, but it was also told from within Troy itself. Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze gave us the Trojan’s side of the story. As someone that has really only read from the Greek perspective of the Trojan war, it was refreshing for me to see the other side of it. Hector was always a rather admirable character even from the Greek side, but Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze made him so much more human. Instead of just seeing Hector as a warrior, we see him as a husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He was one of my favorite non-POV characters of this duology, along with Ajax.

I could not recommend this duology enough. It was beautifully written and the story is absolutely heart-wrenching. I’d suggest checking it out if you’re even a little interested in the Trojan War. I also alternated between the ebook and audiobook for both Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze, and I have to say, I really enjoyed the audiobook, and this is coming from someone who really doesn’t do audiobooks. Something about the way the narration was done scratched my brain just right, so I would highly recommend checking it out, especially if you’re already an audiobook lover!

Thank you Dutton and NetGalley for the early copy of Daughters of Bronze. All opinions are my own.