BookBrowse Reviews Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

BookBrowse:

A retelling of Greek mythology that presents the oft-villainized Clytemnestra as a complex and powerful character.

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Clytemnestra is the debut novel of journalist and screenwriter Costanza Casati. Our First Impressions reviewers gave it a high average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

What the book is about:

Daughter of a king, wife of two kings, trained as a warrior, helpless as a mother to save the ones she loves, and remembered as a usurper and murderess, Clytemnestra begs for a thoughtfully told revisionist look at who she may have been if she could have told her own story. Thousands of years ago, great classical writers of ancient Greece, all men, left a blood-soaked image of Clytemnestra, the wife and assassin of Agamemnon, the hero of the Trojan War. Casati shines a modern light on the woman behind the legend and weaves a page-turning novel that introduces or reintroduces readers to myths and legends we may have been taking at face value for eons (Lynne L).

Readers found Clytemnestra to be a uniquely rich and captivating novel…

This is a rich, indulgent and shattering novel that is uniquely its own; indeed, Clytemnestra has never been more fierce or her vengeance more patient than in Casati's able hands (Peggy K). Casati's absorbing novel Clytemnestra transports the reader to a world familiar through classic literature, that rewards brutality yet honors beauty, that trains women to be warriors then uses them as pawns, and where honor is paramount yet deceit is rampant. … Readers will be engrossed by this vivid, nuanced depiction of a fascinating time and a captivating heroine (Mary G).

…and particularly appreciated the complex view of a character who has historically been maligned.

Clytemnestra, as portrayed by Homer, Aeschylus, Euripides, et al., was really nothing more than an angry wife of a Greek hero. It's interesting to read more about her, and get the picture of a much more complex and powerful woman (Melissa U). The author looks at Clytemnestra as a mother and sister and how that affected her role as a queen and leader of her people. The story seemed real and believable, and I felt invested in her life and happiness. I was angry and appalled, and thoroughly engaged and entertained until the very end. I highly recommend this book for book groups. Lots of possibilities for great discussions (Christine P).

While reviewers stressed that the book is not necessarily a fast read, they considered Clytemnestra appealingly written and accessible…

Put aside any hesitation about reading a novel set in the world of ancient Greece. The author gently navigates the reader through the maze of historical characters and places so that Clytemnestra's personal story can clearly unfold (Robin S). To assist the reader, the author provides helpful family trees, a comprehensive list of characters with descriptions and a glossary of ancient Greek (Cassandra W). This is not a quick read but is beautifully written. Enjoy! (Alison F).

...and thought it should make a fantastic contribution to the genre of modern feminist retellings of Greek myths.

Recommended for those who are fans of the retelling of Greek epics from the perspectives of the women, like Circe by Madeline Miller or Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (Alyson R). I've been reading a lot of Greek mythology retellings recently, and this book stands up with the best (Melissa U). Finally an author takes on Agamemnon's "vengeful" wife and her life story in this modern feminist retelling of the Greek stories of Troy. I was late jumping on board with the retellings but Casati's contribution here is fantastic and provides dimension, intelligence and understanding for this character and the brave woman that she was (Alison F).

This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in May 2023, and has been updated for the March 2024 edition. Click here to go to this issue.