Claire Heywood

Durante milenios, los hombres han explicado la historia de Helena de Troya, la mujer que originó una guerra y dividió al mundo. Ahora ha llegado el momento de escuchar su propia versión de la historia.

Como princesas de Esparta, Helena y su hermana mayor, Clitemnestra, no han conocido más que lujo y abundancia. Sin embargo, todo privilegio tiene un precio, a veces demasiado caro. Siendo niñas serán separadas y casadas con reyes extranjeros para no volver a verse nunca más. Ambas deberán luchar contra las limitaciones de su sexo para forjarse una nueva vida, provocando una transformación del mundo que durará tres mil años.

La historia de la guerra de Troya como nunca te la han contado.… (mer)

My daughter's immersion in Classical Studies has rekindled my own love of those stories, and, lucky for me, Mythological Fiction is having a moment. Every time you turn around, there is a new reimagining. This one centres on Helen of Troy (originally of Sparta) and her sister Klytemnestra. Helen's story is well-known of course (the face that launched 1,000 ships etc.) but Klytemnestra, while not so prominent, carries her own infamy. This novel follows both women, and tells the famous and less-famous tales from their perspectives. Klytemnestra grows up in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister, known for her dutiful nature and even temper. Married to Agamemnon (whose brother Menelaos her sister Helen will eventually wed) and exiled to Mycenae, Klytemnestra bears her duty admirably until the unconscionable act that her husband carries out as he prepares to embark upon the war in Troy. After that, she must bide her time until that act may be avenged. Carefree Helen becomes the queen of Sparta, as Menelaos takes over as king, but despite the competition that Menelaos had to win to secure her, she is not happy, especially after she nearly dies bearing his daughter. Eventually Paris, prince of Troy, arrives in her kingdom, and bestows upon her all the love and admiration she has never had from her husband. She decides to leave with him for Troy and of course, the rest is history. Or historical fiction. The war is not kind to Helen, as she is exiled from her own country and people, and is reviled, never accepted, by her adopted ones. Klytemnestra finds partnership and happiness in her own husband's absence, but fear and vengeance colours every moment of her life. This story gives power to women who never really have it, and illustrates how very strong they can be.… (mer)

Three women bound by one man fight to have their voices heard. Danae, daughter of a proud king, prophecied to bear a child who will be her father's downfall, abandoned to gods. Medusa, abused and abandoned, taken in by a group of independent women, destroyed by a vengeful boy. Andromeda, sacrificing herself to save her family, kidnapped and forced to travel far from home. Their link, Perseus, not quite the hero of legend.
In this novel Heywood has tried to give a more realistic representation of myth and legend. Taking characters from the great ancient writings she has woven a story which works from a historical perspective, placed in actual locations around the Mediterranean. Here the hero is little more than a boy with a violent temper and at the end no-one wins.… (mer)

The Shadow of Perseus reimagines the myth of Perseus as though it could have really happened. People believe in the Gods and act on those beliefs, but all the mess and drama is thanks to humans being their own silly selves. It also brings to the forefront three women who are simply supporting actors in the classical myth.

The first is Danae, Perseus’ mother who survived her father’s attempt to kill her and did everything she could to protect Perseus, though perhaps he might have had a better life if she had not told him he was the grandson of a king. The second is Medusa who rescued Perseus and then he betrays her. The third is Andromeda, a young woman intent on saving her people by enduring an ordeal. Perseus unnecessarily rescues her and she becomes his reluctant wife, though she is clever enough to make the best of a bad situation.

Through all of this, Perseus is an ungrateful oaf. I loved to see it.

The Shadow of Perseus is surprising and fresh. I love that Perseus was such vain and slightly stupid man, a man undone by his own myth. We see where the myth comes from. We can imagine him telling of his heroics and passing these twisted tales on so we hear his delusional story rather than the far more interesting and honest stories of the women. I love the originality of Heywood’s concept of Perseus as the self-aggrandizing, brutish anti-hero.

The Shadow of Perseus moves quickly. When it was over, I wanted more. Not because the book was not satisfying and complete, but because I want to see the Heywood treatment of all the myths.

I received an e-galley of The Shadow of Perseus from the publisher through NetGalley

The Shadow of Perseus at Dutton | Penguin Random House
Claire Heywood
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2023/02/25/the-shadow-of-perseus-by-...… (mer)