Ithaca

Penelope maintains her kingdom of Ithaca while Odysseus fights in the Trojan War. As suitors descend upon her home demanding marriage, she must protect her son and her people through strategy and cunning. The story comes from the goddess Hera's perspective as she observes Penelope's struggles. This retelling focuses on the women left behind during the famous war - the queens, servants, and mothers who kept their societies intact while men sought glory abroad. This reimagining of a classic myth explores themes of power, governance, and survival in a world controlled by gods and men. The narrative examines how women throughout history have wielded influence and authority through indirect means when direct power was denied to them.

Readers appreciate North's fresh perspective on The Odyssey through Penelope's eyes. Many note the lyrical, poetic writing style and the portrayal of women's strength in ancient Greece. Reviewers highlight the book's exploration of motherhood and resilience. Common criticisms include the unusual second-person narrative style, which some find distancing. Multiple readers mention the repetitive nature of certain passages and a slow middle section. Some struggle with the non-linear timeline and abstract prose. Review Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (250+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.9/5 (100+ ratings) "The writing flows like waves on a shore" - Goodreads reviewer "Too experimental with the POV for my taste" - Amazon reviewer "Captures the quiet power of women waiting and enduring" - LibraryThing reviewer "Beautiful but occasionally tedious" - Goodreads reviewer

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🏺 Claire North is a pseudonym for Catherine Webb, who published her first novel at age 14 and writes under multiple pen names, including Kate Griffin. 🗡️ The novel retells Homer's Odyssey from the perspective of Penelope, focusing on the politics and struggles of the women left behind while the men wage war. 🏛️ Though Ithaca is set in ancient Greece, North deliberately used modern language and expressions to make the story more accessible and relatable to contemporary readers. 👑 The book is part of a planned trilogy, with subsequent volumes exploring other aspects of Greek mythology from female perspectives. 🌊 While most adaptations of The Odyssey focus on the hero's adventures at sea, Ithaca examines the complex political maneuvering and survival tactics required by the women to maintain control of the kingdom in the men's absence.