From the Booker Prize-winning Pat Barker, author of The Silence of the Girls (“An important, powerful, memorable book” –Emily Wilson, translator of The Odyssey), a retelling of the Trojan War from the perspective of the women who endured it
Troy has fallen and the victorious Greeks are eager to return home with the spoils of an endless war–including the women of Troy themselves. They await a fair wind for the Aegean.
It does not come, because the gods are offended. The body of King Priam lies unburied and desecrated, and so the victors remain in suspension, camped in the shadows of the city they destroyed as the coalition that held them together begins to unravel. Old feuds resurface and new suspicions and rivalries begin to fester.
Largely unnoticed by her captors, the one-time Trojan queen Briseis, formerly Achilles’ mistress, now belonging to his companion Alcimus, quietly takes in these developments. She forges alliances when she can, with Priam’s aged wife the defiant Hecuba and with the disgraced soothsayer Calchas, all the while shrewdly seeking her path to revenge.
I absolutely loved The Silence of the Girls that I read last year. The Women of Troy is a sequel to that (although I think it can probably be read as a standalone). TSotG is one of my top favorite Trojan War and Greek mythology retellings so I’m extremely excited for this new upcoming book from Pat Barker. And also the cover is really beautiful! 2021 releases will break my bank account.
Hehehe, I think 2021 is going to be a year of beauuuuuuuutiful books for you!
I already know I won’t be able to purchase everything I want. ?
The title alone “The Women of Troy” sounds very good. I am not that much into history but the summary sounds like this is a read with some twists and turns in the plot. Happy reading and thank you for sharing.
The Silence of the Girls was so good. One of my favorite myth retellings!
Such an interesting subject matter! And I love her covers!
I could just stare at the covers forever!
Interesting pick! Always wanted to know what happened “after” the war. I think I remember Briseis from the movie Troy? I had never given any thought to her after Achilles dying, so this caught my eye. And speaking of Achilles, have you read Song of Achilles by Miller? Does that book also speak of Briseis?
In The Odyssey you can find out some things that happened after the war but of course it mostly focuses on Odysseus so it’s not a lot. And yes I’ve read The Song of Achilles (and cried with it ?). Briseis is also a character in it, yes.
I do love that cover? I hope you love this!
I’m 99% sure that I will! 😀
Sounds intense. Hope you love it and thanks for sharing!
For sure! Thanks for stopping by!
I love mythology so I’m going to add both of the books mentioned to my TBR!
Yay! 😀
I really want to read The Silence of the Girls after having read Miller’s The Song of Achilles and then hearing so much about Barker’s book. The Women of Troy sounds really good too! I hope you enjoy it when you read it!
I would highly recommend it if you love Miller’s work!
Your poor wallet Stephanie!
I know… it’s crazy.
Oh my days I did NOT know there was going to be a sequel for this book! I really appreciated and enjoyed the silence of the girls a few months ago so I will definitely be reading this. Personally I think it worked best as a standalone and wouldn’t have wanted anymore… but of course I am going to still read it anyway out of curiousity :’)
I didn’t think there would be a sequel but with that cover I don’t mind either. Hopefully it’s as good as The Silence of the Girls 😀
Omg I didn’t even know The Silence of the Girls was getting a sequel! The cover of this book looks as beautiful as that one. I’m looking forward to this ?