It has been said that all’s fair in love and war. Get ready to be immersed in the push and pull of determined women doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals; within and behind the scenes of battle. This novel is a reimagining of the epic conflicts of the Trojan War, an amalgamation of historical fiction and mythology; events that feature the many impactful roles women may have played. For those interested in stories of this era and ancient civilizations, this narrative offers some compelling and plausible insights that could resonate well with modern readers. This is the second book of a duology, so you may wish to read both titles together to get the full impact of the journey. I also suggest reading all author notes as they are rich with thoughts, history, and inspiration.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Daughters of Bronze for my unbiased evaluation. 3.5 stars

I stayed up late last night to finish this book. And once I hit the end, I checked the time in the top left corner of my kindle: it was 1:30 in the morning. That's the kind of book it is. Every time I hit a chapter end, I would say to myself, "Oh just one more." The ladies of A. D. Rhine have crafted a compelling, heartrending rendition of the tale of The Trojan War and I would highly recommend it. I could see every character like it was a movie and felt their anguish, their struggles, their honorable choices, their anger, and above all, their sacrificial love. I barely prevented myself from sobbing so take that into consideration; I'm doing that "this book broke me, you should totally read it" thing.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this read. I enjoy the multiple POV and the structure of the characters, and the writing is phenomenal. It is a bit slow so you'll need to be dedicated to the story to get through it.

The fall of Troy....told from the point of view of the women who lived it. Helen...Andromache....Cassandra.....Hecuba and a young woman called Rhea. This is their story, about as far from the noble stories we've heard about Achilles, Paris, Ajax, Odysseus ....it's the women whose stories are the stories that should have been told, and A.D. Rhine give them a voice in Daughters of Bronze.

Troy is surrounded by its enemies - the Myrmidons, the Achaeans, you name it. Helen is presumed dead, Cassandra's prophecies are dismissed, Priam is a king past his time and Paris is not a hero but a traitor (although nobody knows it). Troy is surrounded and it's the women who are holding things together while kings and counsels talk and plot both within Troy and without. Unknown to anyone but Andromache, there is a network of female spies. of which Rhea is one. These brave women - washerwomen, cooks, seamstresses, slaves - help Andromache stay informed of what's being planned in the enemy camp. Rhea is one of these women; a sort of ward to Andromache, she is able to leave the walls of Troy unseen and gather information under the guise of being one of the female workers. She falls for a handsome man, not knowing who he is, and they carefully trade information. When Andromache's son is born, and there are traitors all around and it appears clear that Troy will fall, Andromache entrusts the baby to Rhea. The story is really complex as are the characters so describing it without giving things away is hard to do. I loved this book; the women are amazing and seeing this war through their eyes puts a whole different perspective on things. The women are bold, brave, politically astute, far more so than the men (duh!). Their stories are told in some of those most beautiful prose I have ever read. The imagery is terrific. Hugely entertaining, thought provoking, in turn exciting, romantic, terrifying - Daughters of Bronze is absolutely a must read!

If you are a fan of Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint, Claire North or Natalie Haynes you almost certainly will love this one and you should absolutely read this one ASAP!

There's nothing I love more than a good Greek Myth retelling and this one is no exception. A.D. Rhine manages to take the tale of the Trojan War, one that we all know how it ends, and develop these classic characters and tell a story that keeps you engaged and wanting to read nonstop. The story is from the point of view of some of the most iconic women in all of Greek Myth, Helen, Cassandra, Andromache, and Rhea the spy for Troy, and despite the whole time how you expect the story to end the authors do a fantastic job of making you root for these characters and hoping that the story will end differently. (*SPOILER*, it kind of does in a way that again, gives you hope for these characters that you have come to love)

The actual writing is fantastic and beautiful and makes you feel like you're reading a piece of classic literature similar to the source material that the story pulls from. The multiple POVs give you insight into the characters and their thoughts and feeling and all the schemes that they plan and execute as they fight for their future in the war, and the future of their city.

Outside of our main female narrators we also get a glimpse of some other iconic characters of the Iliad and getting to see them brought to life and see more of them outside of the battlefield was endearing and made them more relatable as people and made you love (and in some cases, hate) them even more than you do in the original myth.

Again, if you loved The Song of Achilles, Circe, Elektra, A Thousand Ships, or any other Greek Myth retelling, add this one to your list because you will love it!

This duology is more of a reimagining than a retelling as a very large swath takes place before the known story of The Illiad, so the authors added in several fanciful elements that, per their acknowledgements, are fruit of imagining things like the rites inside of Troy that aren't detailed in the myths as some other aspects of the war are.

The second part of the duology, "Daughters of Bronze", is more propulsive in plot as it nears the events of those last days of the Trojan War, lending it a quicker pace than the first "Horses of Fire." The second installment also benefits, to my view, from the added fourth voice of Cassandra that wasn't part of most of "Horses of Fire", as she's less naive than the Rhea character so readers will have more of a variety when being inside the four characters' heads.

I did find myself wishing some of the action had a bit clearer writing (sometimes following the comings and goings of Rhea through a swamp that at a moments notice is also kind of a river and also maybe a plain is honestly unclear even with the map, for example), especially since both books in the series are admittedly long. But I think the mix of voices will appeal to those who liked similar fare such as Pat Barker's "Silence of the Girls" (focused on Briseis, who also makes an appearance here).

3.5/5
thanks to the author(s) and publisher for the netgalley!

I would give it a 4.25. well written. I greatly enjoyed seeing these stories from a different pov even if I didn't agree with the authors interpretation of everything. That being said, it is a tribute to the writing that I still really enjoyed the book. If you are looking for a different, more slighted and relegated to back pov for the events depicted, this is the book I would recommend. Imagining the role these powerful women could have played was well done and thought provoking.

Daughters of Bronze is a four point of view tale of the trojan war. The four point of view are female and each one is telling a unique tale. Like Cassandra, for example. Womens forced by male protagonists to keep quiet, fake their death and live imprisoned by them -- as much as a metaphor than as the simple truth. Men, who thinks they are so much more superior than the servant girl who washes the stained blood clothes. The same servant girl who is listening intently to each little details of every conversation, silent or not, and then report to another woman who then report to another until it reaches it's "queen" a spinning web who is detrimental in the face of the war. Little girls made to be forgotten who are the true "heroes". Women we wanted to silent because men were afraid of their powers, of what they could do and become.
Daughters of Bronze is an important retelling of the trojan war in this aspect. Their role is detrimental and yet they have been forgotten. Put aside to make more space to men whose ideas came from the same silenced women. In the four POV, we are subject to roughly four archetypes: the servant, the espion, the soon-to-be-queen, the sorceress. They have many names but always one purpose: to instruct us, to show us the force they are to be reckoned.
I'm losing myself in trying to share my thoughts on Daughters of Bronze ans it's exactly what I felt when reading it.
The writing style is easy to read and to lose yourself in the story, you are immediately submerged in the historical period.
Overall, it's a piece of literature I think we could all benefit to read, even if only for the "vibe" of women in war.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Daughters of Bronze.

I really liked this book. It exceeded my expectations and carried on the story from Book 1 really well. I loved all the characters and all the plays on history. As a history nerd, I loved seeing where the authors pulled things from, and the stereotypes they tossed out the window to create a fresh story. The tension was definitely there in this book, and it had me hooked till the end.

Daughters of Bronze was an extremely satisfying and well-thought-out sequel to Horses of Fire and I heartily enjoyed it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I got 1/3 of the way through this book before I decided not to finish it. It constantly jumped from various characters and didn’t keep my attention.

As you can probably tell, I am a huge fan of greek mythology retellings that focus on the women who are often left out. This is no exception. The voice these women get are great, and hearing how their stories are impacted is just. So good. I will need to get a physical copy when this book releases.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! 4.5 easy.

I loved this take on the trojan war, from a view point of the women who play vital parts to the war. I do think reading Horses of Fire first helps but its easy enough to follow understand without it if you have a vague understanding of the Trojan War.

We follow Helen of Troy, Cassandra, Andromache and Reah throughout the story and get to see how they help or have negative impact based on their choices and reaction to events happening around them. I couldn't get enough of Reah and her story line.

I feel this story really is a reflection and strength of women coming together to support and be "unsung" heroes in a time of Epic men. If you love retellings of Greek Mythology, especially taking a new view point and reimagining some of the devasting parts of the tales, you will love this one. The writing flows so well.

For readers who enjoyed Circe and Hera, Daughters of Bronze shows us the complex and hidden lives of the women in Homer’s epic tales.

I did not realize this was book 2 of a duology going into it, though I have prior knowledge of Greek mythology and literature. Reading book 1 would have helped, but I was still able to read this as a standalone.

I have a soft spot in my heart for stories that depict the rarely heard, if not u heard, women of classic literature. These women played an important role in the plot of the men’s story, yet their own stories go unheard.

Daughters of Bronze felt a bit heavy in a few parts; the story pacing began to drag, and my interest waned. The beauty of Daughters of Bronze is the depiction of the relationships the women have with one another and the family they built. It’s a great feminist novel for anyone who enjoys retelling and mythology.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel. The views expressed are my own.
Social Media reviews will post closer to publication.

A retelling of the Trojan War through the eyes of three different women. I did not realize this was the second book in a duology. Although it can be read as a stand alone, it would have helped me to have read the other book first. I found the pacing a bit slow and some chapters hard to get into. I particularly liked Rhea's storyline.

Daughters of Bronze, a book by two authors (and friends) who clearly are committed to telling the story of a sisterhood with clarity, sympathy, and empathy, focuses on the interactions and friendships among Andromache, Rhea, Helen, and Cassandra. Although the men of the Iliad are also a seminal part of this tale, the strength of the book is the relationships of the four women and how they ended up in Troy. Occasionally, the cohesiveness of the writing is challenged by the point of view of having two authors, and yet, the reader is taken in by the strength of the women's connections.

Throughout the book, there are births, deaths, sanguinary battles, and deliberate killings of the aristocracy and royalty that target Patrocles. Achilles, Hector, Paris, and ultimately, Ajax. The dealing of women into the arms of these famous men, often as slaves for the rest of their lives, are not easy to comprehend. On the other hand, the romance of some of the women and the men they adore, even if, as in the case of Rhea and Ajax, they are from opposite sides of the warring factions, are strong and lovely.

The strongest, most emotional, and most compelling part of the book are how the women support each other. The four women commit to their sisterhood in order to save each other and their children and babies and relatives.

The men, on the other hand, fight with each other to death and extend this ugly war in order to show who is the best soldier and the most adamantine and driven fighter. The juxtaposition of women's solidarity and the men's more violent interactions are blatantly drawn and often frightening. At the same time, the interior and sensory descriptions of living quarters, including the kitchen, the privies, the laundry, and the nursery, in particular, of Scamandrius, are carefully drawn and add depth to the women's stories.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

"Anguish and Joy
Two strands spun so tightly they can never be undone"

Daughters of Bronze is the follow up novel to Horses of Fire, and continues the stories of the women behind the battle of Troy. We follow Andromache, wife of Prince Hector, Helen of Troy who was brought to Troy by Paris, sister of Hector and Paris, Cassandra and fictional character Rhea who acts as a spy for Troy. We see the battle for Troy through their eyes and all the joy, sorrow, grief and loss that only women can feel amongst each other. While the men fought on the battlefield, the women fought on the other side of the wall, making sure that their children would have a city once the war was over. This is a story of the power and bonds women form, even in the worst of times and how they persevere even when the possibility of losing everything stares them in the face.

I enjoyed following the stories of each woman, however at times I wished that it broken up into separate parts so that we could read each through for awhile. Changing narrative every chapter took me out of the story at times just as I was getting invested in a particular moment in time. The writing was beautiful and lush, but I struggled with pacing at times. I think that some parts were overly descriptive and I would find myself scanning the page until we moved on. I don't know that this book was served well by being over 500 pages.

Ultimately I enjoyed my time in Troy and felt all the sorrow, rage, and protectiveness that the characters felt. Helen and Adromache were my favorite POVs. I give this book 3.75/5

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and publishers for the opportunity to review this eARC of Daughers of Bronze!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

To start, I haven’t read the first of this duology, but if you have any knowledge of Greek mythology, that shouldn’t stop you from understanding and appreciating this retelling! I liked the elements, and characters, that were added and felt that each woman portrayed was incredibly realistic and refreshing. Below are some of my thoughts:

The good stuff:

I appreciated that you could feel the difference in each POV shift. I feel oftentimes authors struggle with this, but I could usually tell who was talking if I missed the chapter title or put the book down for a bit and picked it back up. Helen’s POV was by far my favorite and I loved how real she felt. Andromache is also very good, a difficult character to get right for sure. I liked her and Hector’s relationship.

The language is beautiful. There were quite a few phrases that I tucked away and highlighted because I enjoyed them so much. The authors craft a beautiful world that’s easy to visualize.

Some critiques:

This is probably because I didn’t read the first book, but I had a hard time keeping track of many of the side characters. There weren’t a ton of descriptions given for each one so they got cross-eyed for me at times.

The plot is slow-moving at times. Some chapters took awhile to get through.

I wasn’t a fan of this portrayal of Cassandra, but that could be personal preference.

All-in-all, I am very thankful to have been given a chance to read this! I gave it 4 stars and would very much like to go back to read the first one.

I liked this book a lot. It reminded me of books like Circe. I would recommend this to others who like that type of book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great retelling! I really enjoyed Rhine’s storytelling style and I loved the characters that Rhine chose to focus on for this story. This retelling was exciting and engaging and I can’t wait to read more stories from Rhine.

I always find myself starting reviews about the Trojan war and mythology the same...gimme more and I'm biased as I love them 99% of the time.

I'm loving the new era of retelling stories we have all heard but from the feminine voices that haven't been highlighted well all this time.

If we have strong women now, there had to have been strong women then. Supporting their households and families and husband's while dealing with this never ending war. I love how this was told. Even knowing what I know of Troy, you want Andromache to win with all of her dealings behind the scenes. I love that this gave women more of a helping hand, it was just the heroes on either side and the gods who chose their kin or favorites...it was about the women who aided the war in their own ways using their own talents and intellect. Always going to be here for it.


That said 4 stars because I hadn't read the first book and even while reading this knowing I was missing info, nothing told me this was a 2nd book. If it can be read as a standalone I think filling in some back story instead of just referring to the things that happened in the first would've been helpful.


Because I was mad at first reading this and reading Helen was dead.