Clytemnestra

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The American modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham created a two-hour ballet, Clytemnestra (1958), about the queen. You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot. Please do not change the beautiful cover, because I plan on purchasing the hardcover for my special collection. This will make a beautiful gift to friends and family. It far exceeded my expectations! I already knew "Clytemnestra's" story from reading "Helen had a Sister," by Penelope Haines, some time ago, which was my introduction to learning about Clytemnestra's life. Although, I enjoyed it immensely, it wasn't as comprehensive and as epic in scope as this one was. This lushly written account is far more detailed, and I don't want to sound unoriginal by saying that this chronicles Clytemnestra's life from the young Princess of Sparta, where she grew up. She was Helen of Troy's sister and this novel illuminates how much they loved each other and, how extremely close they were. Clytemnestra is frequently remembered for her role in murdering her husband Agamemnon, brother of Menelaus, after his victorious return after the Trojan War, but many forget that she's the sister of Helen of Troy. In this retelling, Casati starts at the beginning of her childhood, crafting a fiercely strong and protective woman who readily defends her siblings in wrestling matches - a common occurrence for both women and men and Sparta. She falls in love with and marries Tantalus, King of Pisa, and gives birth to their son, but her life is upended when her father, Tyndareus, enters into a scheme with Agamemnon and Menelaus of Mycenae.

As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best... Feminist Greek mythology retellings have been having a moment, and I am here for it! Costanza Casati’s brutally beautiful tale tells the sweeping story of Clytemnestra’s life from girlhood through her reign as the Queen of Mycenae. It is just fascinating and fabulous that a woman of Greek Mythology can be so notorious and talked about, but yet has had such a small voice and has been type casted and condemned (traditionally). Well, Ms. Casati is about to change all of that.Worst of all, in both situations, Agamemnon’s actions are not only condoned, but even enabled by men close to Clytemnestra such as her father and her friend Odysseus. Clytemnestra is one of the main characters in Aeschylus's Oresteia, and is central to the plot of all three parts. She murders Agamemnon in the first play, and is murdered herself in the second. Her death then leads to the trial of Orestes by a jury composed of Athena and 12 Athenians in the final play. Everything you could want from a mythology-based fantasy. In the vein of both Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes, fans will absolutely love this one too. I would venture to say that her name will soon be added to theirs when people are comparing books within this sub-genre of mythological/historical fantasy. Clytemnestra is one of several narrators of A Thousand Ships (2019) by Natalie Haynes, which retells the Trojan War from the perspective of the women involved.

Clytemnestra’s character is imagined with nuanced complexity. She rages with hatred, wanting vengeance for those she has lost, but is also capable of intense love. Clytemnestra is one well-written, solid protagonist. Clytemnestra was the daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, the King and Queen of Sparta, making her a Spartan Princess. According to the myth, Zeus appeared to Leda in the form of a swan, seducing and impregnating her. Leda produced four offspring from two eggs: Castor and Clytemnestra from one egg, and Helen and Polydeuces (Pollux) from the other. Therefore, Castor and Clytemnestra were fathered by Tyndareus, whereas Helen and Polydeuces were fathered by Zeus. Her other sisters were Philonoe, Phoebe and Timandra.Be the queen that lies in wait within every woman. Protect your daughters with every fiber of your being (or avenge them if it is already too late). Until the Atreidi — Menelaus and Agamemnon — arrive, and Clytemnestra’s world starts to crumble. Helen makes the short-sighted and ill-advised decision to marry Menelaus, practically severing the sisters’ weakening bond. Soon after, everything is taken from Clytemnestra by the hands of the cruel Agamemnon — in league with her own father! — in a plot to secure her hand in marriage.

Costanza Casati's "Clytemnestra" revisits, reevaluates, and retells the life of one of the most villianized women in ancient Greece's literature. Casati breathes life into a centuries old myth, expanding the content of Aeschylus' trilogy of plays (The Oresteia) to dive into Clytemnestra's childhood, family, and development into the woman hell-bent on revenge. It's captivating. While I see many already saying there are no redeemable characters in this book, I truly feel sorry for Clytemnestra and truly understand her pain, rage, and the hunt for her own justice for all the horrible hands she has been dealt for in her life as a mother and truly feel for her. Casati brings the blood-soaked world of Greek mythology fully alive in this powerful novel' WOMAN & HOME

Rotten, Villainous Queen

The story is full of complex relationships. It conveys the strength of bonds between family and friends, and the ramifications of betrayals. The ambient prose paints the setting vividly and builds the state of the world around you, in a time dominated by men, where women were consistently underestimated and wrongly treated. This story has a profoundness to it. It becomes an evocative experience, drawing you into the plights of the characters. First, I want to preface this review with the fact that I have not read The Song of Achilles, nor Circe. That being said, this book is one of the best books I've read in 2022-2023. It should be noted for those who may be sensitive to it, that there are a lot of casual mentions of SA, almost all superficially gone in to. I'm incredibly impressed that this is Casati's debut novel; the writing was beautifully crafted, descriptive, and flowed across passages and chapters. She took on the perspective of Clytemnestra, highlighting the complexity of her character, emotions, and thoughts thoroughly, and created a woman who felt real-to-life that many of us could connect and empathize with. Instead of a devious, traitorous queen, we're presented with a woman forced into a life against her will, having faced incalculable loss over her life, doing her best to protect her loved ones. Thank you so much to the publisher for an ARC and netgalley for an ecopy in exchange for an honest review*