There are conflicted readers about this book. But I am not one of those. I absolutely loved this tale and recommend it to everyone. Here is my book review A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes.
For some reason, I have been on a bit of a Trojan War kick….unplanned but nonetheless. Of the three Trojan War books I have tackled in the past few months (this one plus The Iliad and The Song of Achilles), A Thousand Ships was my favorite and had me riveted.
I was not familiar with Haynes, who is a British journalist, comedian and classicist. No matter, I am now very familiar with her work, and this another retelling of that age-old story of the Trojan War. Haynes however takes a fictional look at the women in this war….those who are never mentioned in the Iliad, but who fight, suffer and defend their husbands, families, cities and way of life.
The story of the Trojan War begins with three goddesses competing with each other…creating the consequences that lead to this war. This war of men fighting for a women, Helen, who most soldiers don’t know or never will know. The women we meet in this story and who’s stories are told are everyone from the Queen of Troy to slaves and concubines. Penelope the wife of Odysseus to the nymph Oenone. And of course the goddesses Hera, Aphrodite, Athena and more.
This great war through the eyes of the women who lived and died through it. A fabulous retelling. I hope you enjoyed my book review A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes.
*****Five Stars for A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
Read last week’s review of The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan
My current read The Warmth of Other Suns
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