Despite adopting an interesting viewpoint through the eyes of Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra, much of the novel’s events are skimmed. interest was also mainly in the second half of the book, and completely absorbed me at the end with a more than satisfying ending as the characters wrestle with their moral dilemma and thirst for revenge because that was what tradition dictated.

If you’re familiar with mythology you’ll know Cassandra as a princess of Troy who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but like an awful human, she dipped out on him after promising him she would be his lover if he gave her this gift so he then cursed her so that although she does have the gift of prophecy, she will never be believed. Saint creates a sense of complete and utter dread that builds and builds until the truth is revealed. A few description of the weather, the palace pillars, palace floors, maybe people around them, and tada, scene's done.Utilizing well defined, three dimensional characters and believable dialogue the book for the most part flows easily. This is the story of three women at the heart of the Trojan War whose "their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods. In Jennifer Saint's prose you can hear the songs of the poets, feel the floors beneath your feet, smell the wood burning in the fire and experience the story of these three very different women as if you are there. With the stories of the characters she's chosen so well-defined and told already, she has very little leg room for her own added flair or take on them. And having recently read A Thousand Ships and The Women of Troy, maybe it was just too much similar.

The answers to these questions have no easy answer and are explored in all their grounded and tragic glory, adding human emotion and compassion to these women’s stories.It attempted to cover so much ground but none of it contained depth or was written in a way that made me feel for any of the characters (ok a tiny bit for Clytemnestra). I have always seen Clytemnestra as a victim, Agamemnon as a monster, and so this version of the story appealed to me. It’s gorgeously written, tells the Achilles myths in a way that feels very fresh, and dives deeply into the Achilles/Patroclus relationship that Elektra strangely both emphasizes and glosses over. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.

The scenes between Cassandra and Clytemnestra were stunning in their emotional depth despite rarely anything being said between the two.

Negative stuff: this book is still no better than Ariadne, but it at least got a little bit interesting after Agammemnon's death. Cassandra, Princess of Troy, cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. I can’t quite tell if the intended audience is people who are just getting into mythology or people who already know it well.