For The Most Beautiful by Emily Hauser

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 3, 2016

Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that made - and destroyed - both men, a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War that had yet to be told? Now is that time - time for the women of Troy to tell their story. Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the true story of true for the first time. The story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes. In a novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a story that has waited millennia to be told.

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Logios Hermes

I have mixed feelings about Emily Hauser’s For the Most Beautiful. Parts of it worked beautifully, but others fell flat in my eyes. I enjoyed the time I spent with it and can honestly say that I’d recommend it alongside A Song of War and Helen of Sparta, but there were weak points in the narrative and I wasn’t thoroughly sold on the final product.

Hauser approaches the classic story from the joint perspectives of Krisayis and Briseis. I thought the idea original, but I wasn’t drawn to either heroine and that reality went a long way in defining my experience with the narrative. I found their backstory stories interesting enough, but I never connected with either character and wasn’t particularly invested in discovering how their experiences played out.

That said, I was highly amused by the antics of the Gods. Most of the mythic fiction I’ve encountered has downplayed the celestial cast, written them out of the action entirely, or regulated them to vague supporting roles. Hauser bucks the trend and I caught myself laughing out loud over the drama that played out in the heavens above the battlefield.

Long story short, I found the book entertaining in its way and would recommend it to enthusiasts, but I'm not sure it'd be the first adaptation I’d throw out to other readers when asked for recommended myth based fiction.

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He cocks his head, his excitement rising, like the foaming crest of a wave before the shore. He can almost hear the sharpening of the weapons – the delightful scraping of bronze on stone that means the mortals are at it again. Definitely time for a war, he thinks. It’s getting far too pastoral around here. A little blood to stain the plain, a few heroes fighting and dying, a couple of cities burnt, the columns of soot and ash curling up to heaven, like the smoke of a sacrifice...

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Tamer of Horses by Amalia Carosella

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: August 29, 2016

Abandoned as a baby, Hippodamia would have died of exposure on the mountain had it not been for Centaurus. The king of the centaurs saved her, raised her as his own, and in exchange asks for only one thing: she must marry the future king of the Lapiths, Pirithous, son of Zeus, and forge a lasting peace between their peoples by giving him an heir. It would be a fine match if Pirithous weren’t more pirate than king and insufferably conceited, besides. But Hippodamia can hardly refuse to marry him without betraying every hope her people have for peace.After the death of Dia, queen of the Lapiths, tensions are running high. The oaths and promises protecting the Lapith people from the Myrmidons have lapsed, and the last thing Pirithous needs is to begin his kingship by making new enemies. But not everyone wants peace on the mountain. There are those among the centaurs who feel it comes at too high a price, and Peleus, King of the Myrmidons, lusts for the lush valley of the Lapiths and the horses that graze within it. Pirithous needs a strong queen at his side, and Hippodamia will certainly be that—if he can win her loyalties. But no matter their differences, neither Hippodamia nor Pirithous expected their wedding banquet to be the first battle in a war.

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The Abduction of Hippodamia

Tamer of Horses has been on my list since I hosted a Character Conversation with Polypoetes. It was mentioned that he’d appear in a forthcoming novel and I set myself to keeping an eye out for Carosella’s next release. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to wait long. Three months later I was granted an ARC of the novel and I jumped straight in.

As far as heroines go, Hippodamia is a breath of fresh air. She has tomboyish mannerisms and a great love of horses, but her real motivation is a simple desire to be loved. She wants a husband and a family and I found her modest ambitions both endearing and relatable, especially in a world where glory and immorality reign supreme. She was a very genuine woman in my mind’s eye and I loved how Carosella managed to keep that fundamental element of her character at the forefront of her arc.

Much like his immortal father, Pirithous is an intensely sexual being and it would have been very easy to tire of his appetites, but Carosella plays his prowess against his insecurities and the end result is surprisingly charming. The jealousy he feels towards Eurytion and Antiope soften him and I enjoyed the dimension his flaws afforded. I also appreciated the idea that those same failings eventually drive him to become a better version of himself, but you’ll have to read to book to fully understand what I mean.

The politics of war for the Lapiths fascinated me from the start and I loved how the cultural struggle between the Lapiths and the centaurs heightened the tension throughout the narrative. I was impressed with the role the Gods played in the lives of Carosella's mortal cast and I fell head over heels in love with Antiope, but the moment that stands out in my mind is the final scene. Hippodamia’s sacrifice is profound, but the fact that her worth is truly understood in that moment bring the novel full circle and cuts straight to the heart.

Long story short, I loved every minute I spent with Tamer of Horses and highly recommend it to fellow readers of myth based fiction.

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“A woman who earned her name taming horses ought not be kept from them, Princess. Surely you did not think me so foolish as that?”

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By Helen's Hand by Amalia Carosella

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: May 12, 2016

With divine beauty comes dangerous power. Helen believed she could escape her destiny and save her people from utter destruction. After defying her family and betraying her intended husband, she found peace with her beloved Theseus, the king of Athens and son of Poseidon. But peace did not last long. Cruelly separated from Theseus by the gods, and uncertain whether he will live or die, Helen is forced to return to Sparta. In order to avoid marriage to Menelaus, a powerful prince unhinged by desire, Helen assembles an array of suitors to compete for her hand. As the men circle like vultures, Helen dreams again of war—and of a strange prince, meant to steal her away. Every step she takes to protect herself and her people seems to bring destruction nearer. Without Theseus’s strength to support her, can Helen thwart the gods and stop her nightmare from coming to pass?

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Theseus and Helen by Vincenzo de' Rossi

I've a confession to make and I don't like beating around the brush so I'm just going to come out and say it. I've been avoiding this review for weeks and even now I can't help feeling that I've been holding off because I didn't want to say goodbye to Amalia Carosella's By Helen's Hand. Writing a review bookends my experience with almost every novel I read and this is one I simply didn't want to be done with.

Helen is the natural focus of the narrative, but Carosella's Helen is anything but typical. Forget all you know, or think you know about the face that launched a thousand ships because the Helen we see between these pages is not the siren of legend. Beneath Carosella's pen, Helen is a complex and genuine figure who's wants and desires make her a remarkably relatable protagonist. I can't imagine that adapting Helen and her mythic beauty to fiction that would appeal to modern readers was easy, but I feel Carosella managed to beautifully redefine this character as a woman of strength, intelligence, and depth.

Paris enjoyed a cameo appearance in book one, but I found his lover, Oenone, who debuts in By Helen's Hand absolutely captivating. I was equally impressed with other members of the supporting cast, notably Polypoetes and Odysseus, and I think that's part of what I like about Carosella's work. As an author, she puts a lot of effort into developing both her primary and secondary cast and I think that adds something very special to her books.

Finally, I want to note the ending of the narrative because those chapters caught me completely off guard. I can't go into too much detail or I'd give it all away, but I didn't see any of part of that twist coming and I was tickled by the fact that Carosella managed to pitch that kind of curve ball at her audience. We all know how the story plays out, but Carosella made it own in an incredibly creative and unexpected way. More than that, she did so without infringing on the classic tale and I've an incredible amount of respect for her for finding a way to be true to both her story and the one that inspired it.

I loved By Helen's Hand and would definitely recommend it other readers, but it should be noted that the novel picks up where it's predecessor left off and while it can be read as a standalone, I really wouldn't advise reading the books out of order. Helen of Sparta lays the foundation for By Helen's Hand and I think the relationships and drama in the second volume are best appreciated by those who know what each of these characters has been through.

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Pollux had not been able to meet my gaze from the moment the small basin had arrived. As if the sight of the water conjured images of my nakedness that he could not bear. My own brother, unable to look upon me without lust. It was as Leda had said all my life. This beauty, this supposed gift of the gods, was nothing more than a curse. A tool meant to drive men into madness.

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The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great by Stephanie Thornton

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: December 11, 2015

330s, B.C.E., Greece: Alexander, a handsome young warrior of Macedon, begins his quest to conquer the ancient world. But he cannot ascend to power, and keep it, without the women who help to shape his destiny. His spirited younger half-sister, Thessalonike, yearns to join her brother and see the world. Instead, it is Alexander's boyhood companion who rides with him into war while Thessalonike remains behind. Far away, crafty princess Drypetis will not stand idly by as Alexander topples her father from Persia's throne. And after Alexander conquers her tiny kingdom, Roxana, the beautiful and cunning daughter of a minor noble, wins Alexander’s heart…and will commit any crime to secure her place at his side. Within a few short years, Alexander controls an empire more vast than the civilized world has ever known. But his victories are tarnished by losses on the battlefield and treachery among his inner circle. And long after Alexander is gone, the women who are his champions, wives, and enemies will fight to claim his legacy… 

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Stephanie Thornton’s The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great represents a significant challenge for me as a reviewer. I don’t want to gush and say it’s amazing because no one believes commentary that is one hundred percent positive, but I can’t identify a single aspect of the book that I disliked. My coffee deprived brain has also rendered me temporarily inarticulate so I apologize in advance for what is sure to be overt admiration relayed in language that is far too elementary to do justice to the novel in question.  

I imagine writing multiple narrators is maddening, but I love the tones Thornton is able to strike in approaching this story from multiple points of view and how the chorus of voices contrast one another as Alexander’s story unfolds. Despite constantly shifting perspectives, Thornton manages to keep each voice unique and I thought that lent a genuinely authentic quality to each characterization. It’s clear that each narrator has a story and Thornton’s effort to illustrate each individual as a distinct and separate entity creates a narrative that is deliciously addictive. On a similar note, I also love that Thornton chose not to write from Alexander's point of view. The decision emphasizes the idea that Alexander did not make himself. His legend has eclipsed the contributions of those who helped him achieve greatness, but Thornton’s thesis is that this was not a solo journey and I think choosing to write about his interactions and relationships went a long way in driving that idea home. 

Thornton’s fierce devotion to historical accuracy is another reason I love her books and The Conqueror's Wife is no exception. I can’t imagine the effort that goes into recreating an ancient time and place, but Thornton’s richly drawn descriptions immerse her audience in Alexander’s world and allows them a comprehensive understanding the culture and landscape of his kingdom. As an author, I’m half convinced Thornton beats herself to a pulp working out the details, but as I reader I find the depth and dimension of her books creative and enthralling. 

Few authors have been able to capture political maneuvering in ways that engage me. Chadwick and Quinn jump to mind, but Thornton rounds out the group with her passionate portrayal of the power struggles that defined Alexander’s life. Please excuse my phrasing, but how an author illustrates the bureaucratic bullshit that plays out behind the scenes of any ruler can make or break a book. The author must possess a thorough understanding of the material and they must present it with enough complexity to be believable while retaining enough clarity to avoid confusion. Few can do this effectively, but I feel Thornton’s mastery of the technique clearly evidenced in her latest release.

I fell platonically in love with Hephaestion and despite all odds the wicked side of me adored Roxana. I admired Thessalonike and was charmed by Drypteis. The Conqueror's Wife was an ambitious undertaking in terms of subject, but the intrigue and drama Thornton creates within these pages is historic fiction at its absolute best. A gripping tale of war, danger, love, determination and intrigue.

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We were murders and poisoners, innocents and warrior. And without us, Alexander would have only been a man. Instead, he was a god.

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Dancing In The Athenian Rain by Katie Hamstead

Rating: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: December 7, 2015

When Donna is sent back in time to Classical Athens, she's furious at Dr. Stephens for sending her against her wishes. Then a Greek soldier purchases her to be his wife. She's forced to learn a new language and culture, and faces her fears of never returning to her own time. The society hates her, especially because they think she’s an Amazon, which forces her to confront her issues—being compared to her genius brother, borderline abusive friends, and a cheating boyfriend. But her husband, Peleus, is kind and patient. Although against her best judgment, she allows him into her heart. He counters all the negative voices from her past, but those voices drive a wedge between them. She must let go of her fears, her inhibitions, and insecurities, and admit her feelings, or she could lose him and the life they’ve built.

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I blame Achilles for my interest in Dancing in the Athenian Rain. There wasn't a direct link as he doesn't appear in the novel, but I'd spent several weeks reading about the Greek hero and was arguably predisposed to the subject matter when I stumbled over the Katie Hamstead's fiction. Unfortunately, the reality of her work didn't hold as much water as Homer's and I spent most of my reading annoyed with the author's presentation.

In terms of writing and tone, I feel Dancing in the Athenian Rain is best characterized as young adult lit. There is no depth to the narrative, the language is simple, and the vocabulary elementary. That wouldn't be a problem if the novel were marketed within the genre, but as it stands, the novel is pitched as new adult lit and I'd gone into it expecting much more mature prose, more complex characterizations, and deeper thematic material. I am part of the target age group and this held absolutely no appeal for me.

Hamstead tells more than she shows which likely factors in my struggle to appreciate her approach. There is very little atmospheric detail in Donna's story and I couldn't visualize the world as she saw it. There are plot holes left and right and I often found myself shaking my head over the ridiculous nature of the situational drama facing Hamstead's cast. 

Donna and Peleus bored me to tears, Dr. Stephens read like a poor imitation of Doc Brown, and I found the romantic story contrived and coincidental. Ultimately I feel the book wasn't worth the time I spent with it and I don't see myself recommending it forward. 

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As I reach the door, I can't contain my emotions anymore and break into sobs. Peleus grabs me and holds me against him. I cry into his chest as he strokes my back. His embrace soothes me, despite everything. His strong arms provide a sense of safety, his broad chest a comforting place to let my tears fall. I cling to him, yearning for relief from the feelings of loss, fear of never going home, of being stuck in this place where everyone wants to destroy me

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Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours/Netgalley

Read: March 2, 2015

Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy, Helen of Sparta was haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These dreams foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the palace in the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter and comfort in the arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her side, she believes she can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new dangers—violence, betrayal, extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s plans and bar her path. Still, she refuses to bend to the will of the gods. A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of one woman determined to decide her own fate.

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Helen of Troy by Evelyn de Morgan

I suppose it's only right to confess that I've never liked Helen of Troy. I'm not sure why, but as a character she's never interested me so it should come as no surprise that content was not a huge factor in my decision to read Amalia Carosella's Helen of Sparta. To be honest, my interest in the book was sparked by author Stephanie Thornton. Weeks before Helen of Sparta was available, Thornton made her enthusiasm for the book known via Facebook. For one reason or another, the glowing remark lodged itself in my memory and ultimately motivated my procurement of Carosella's debut.

Lucky for me, Thornton's assessment was spot on. Carosella put my skepticism to rest in only a few pages and I quickly found her work all but impossible to put down. Her depiction of Helen has a fire and intensity I'd never seen attempted, but the way she balanced that drive against soft emotions and feminine gentility brought a fascinating degree of depth to Zeus and Leda's daughter. 

I was equally intrigued by Carosella's decision to begin Helen's story long before Paris laid eyes on her famed beauty. In shifting focus to Helen's association with Theseus, Carosella brought Helen's history into perspective and challenged readers view her character in a wonderfully refreshing context.

Carosella's depiction of Theseus was also very dynamic and I was deeply impressed with how his relationship with Helen was handled over the course of the story. He is much older than his leading lady and far more experienced in both love and politics. There is a maturity about him that contrasts Helen's youth and that really appealed to me.

The book is character heavy and I'll admit Carosella covers a lot of mythological material, but I was never overwhelmed by her presentation and was quite pleased with how she brought the various elements of the story together. I thought the book very well-researched and appreciated how the narrative complimented both familiar and lesser known Greek legends.

Helen of Sparta is an ambitious novel and I understand that many may find its length intimidating, but I found the book nothing short of brilliant and would easily recommend it alongside Bradley's The Firebrand and Fortier's The Lost Sisterhood.

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“We make our own fate, Theseus. I have seen it in my dreams. And whether or not he is my father, I will not let Zeus take that from me.”

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Check Out All the Stops on Amalia Carosella's Helen of Sparta Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, April 1
Review at Unshelfish
Review at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, April 2
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, April 3
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Saturday, April 4
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, April 6
Review at Curling Up By the Fire
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, April 7
Spotlight at leeanna.com

Wednesday, April 8
Review at Historical Reads and Views

Thursday, April 9
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book!

Friday, April 10
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, April 13
Interview at Book Babe
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Obsession

Tuesday, April 14
Review at Forever Ashley

Wednesday, April 15
Review at Just One More Chapter
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, April 16
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Friday, April 17
Review at Impressions in Ink

Saturday, April 18
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Monday, April 20
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Interview at The Maiden’s Court

Tuesday, April 21
Review at Broken Teepee

Wednesday, April 22
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

The Queen of Sparta by T.S. Chaudhry

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Obtained from: Personal Kindle Library
Read: April 27, 2014

Xerxes, the Great King of Persia invades Greece in 480 B.C. at the head of over a million barbarians. 300 Spartan’s led by King Leonidas die heroically blocking the Persian advance at the pass of Thermopylae. The Persians are poised to conquer all of Greece. The only one standing in their way is a woman – Gorgo, Queen of Sparta. Though history has relegated her role to an interested bystander, what if she played a central part at the heart of the Greek resistance to the Persian invasion. What if she kept her true role a secret in order to play it more effectively? What if she was hiding other secrets too – dark secrets of murder and vengeance? What if the only person who truly appreciated her genius was an enemy prisoner? What if after their victory, the Greeks start to turn on each other? What if, eventually, Gorgo has to choose between the security of Sparta and safety of her son? And what if the only one who could find a way out is the same prisoner whom she has vowed to kill?

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When I looked at T.S. Chaudhry's The Queen of Sparta I told myself $9.99 was too much for a kindle book, I told myself I'd regret it, I told myself to wait for a detailed review, and then I told myself to shut up... not one of my better moments, I assure you.

The Queen of Sparta is fact heavy, so much so that reading it felt like attending an academic dissertation. The text is chock full of names, pedigrees, alliances, military campaigns and political discourse. Don't get me wrong, meticulous research is well and good, but trying to keep up with this piece was mentally exhausting, especially as my understanding of the Peloponnesian War is limited to the basics. The end result is informative, but also taxing and that is not something I particularly appreciate in fiction.

There is no thematic material to be seen in this piece. No underlying ideas or motifs. The story is glaringly self-evident, lacking both drama and tension. There is not a single character arc in the entire novel, nor a clearly defined antagonist for that matter. Yes, the idea that Gorgo might have been the mastermind behind the Greek resistance is intriguing, but it does not make a story in and of itself. Chaudhry needed to bring depth and dimension to the narrative and his failure to so left me disheartened and unsatisfied. 

The narrative is almost entirely driven by dialogue, conversations that are splendidly eloquent, but wooden and uninteresting for their excessive exposition. The characters are universally flat and static, with many like Elpinince, Lampito and Cleonice who seem to exist for the sole purpose of expounding superfluous accounts of archaic detail. Even Gorgo's relationship with Sherzada lacks tangible emotion. 

To be perfectly honest, I feel cheated of both my time and money. This piece had loads of potential, but the reality of its execution left much to be desired. 

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Battle, they say, is everything that manhood is about; the very epitome of glory. But what glory, I asked myself, is there in a spear-point sticking out of a jaw or a mangled headless body rotting on the ground?

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The Tenor by Peter Danish

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: March 31, 2014

The Tenor is a sweeping tale of historical fiction in the style of Ann Patchett’s “Bel Canto” and De Burniere’s “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.” It swiftly moves from Pino Vaggi’s youth in pre-war Italy, to his coming of age as a soldier in war-torn Greece, before ending in a shattering surprise finale at Maria Callas’ historic final performance ever on the stage of New York’s Metropolitan Opera House in 1965. It is based loosely on the stories and anecdotes that I learned from several of Maria Callas’ personal friends and from nearly a dozen trips to Italy and Greece to research the subject. Pino Vaggi is not like the other children in Italy in 1930. While they play soccer, he listens to opera. By age ten, he is already a child prodigy, an opera singing sensation on the fast track to a major international career. On the eve of his debut, WWII breaks out. The theater is closed. The season is cancelled. Pino is drafted. He is stationed in war-torn Athens, where he hears and ultimately falls in love with another child prodigy, the young Maria Callas. There is one major problem: she is the enemy. However, as famine devastates Athens, (a famine created by the diversion of humanitarian aid meant for the Greeks to the Russian front to feed the German Army) the artist in Pino can’t fathom the thought of the greatest singer the world will ever know perishing, especially if he is in a position to prevent it. With a firing squad in the balance, he repeatedly risks his own life to protect and feed the young girl and her family. In the process, his love for her deepens, until something tragic happens – something with devastating consequences that blows the young lovers apart.

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Maria Callas as Violetta in La traviata, 1958

I love World War II fiction, so it should come as no surprise that I jumped when offered the chance to read Peter Danish's The Tenor. The political content and the fact that story took place in Italy held great appeal for me and I was eager to see how those elements would factor into the larger story.

Ultimately neither played much of a role, but that doesn't mean I was disappointed. Pino, for one, is a fabulous protagonist. He is talented and ambitious despite his humble upbringing, but he has a tendency to be somewhat indecisive, overly sensitive and smug. In short, he's a very believable and well-balanced character, someone the reader can both root for and relate to. I was similarly struck by Maestro Franco Ivaldi, whose supporting role is memorable despite its brevity. 

Also of note, the operatic themes that are woven throughout the story. Strictly speaking, Danish doesn't offer a lot of explicit exposition for those unfamiliar with the material, but his obvious affinity for the subject matter and deft manipulation of the content make the patterns and motifs easy to interpret. 

Ideally I would have liked closure with characters like Allesandro, Captain Biaggi and Captain Adamo and I personally found the shifting point of views distracting, especially when Danish turned to characters like Mr. Vaggi and Gia. Certain scenes, like the incident with the veal chops and Maria's infatuation with The Beatles seemed out of place and awkward within Pino's story and I think the ending might have been stronger if Maria Callas had enjoyed a more prominent role or served as a second narrator over the course of the book.

All told, The Tenor is an interesting piece that brings to light a fascinating story and though I felt it a bit rough in places, I can honestly say I enjoyed the time I spent with it.

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It was not real and he was not pining for her. It was the dreamy illusion of an inexperienced heart. Nevertheless, he cursed her and he cursed Captain Adamo. He cried, “Maladicione!” like Rigoletto before him, but he knew it would be equally fruitless. Why didn’t curses ever work out in real life like they did in the opera?

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Check out all the stops on Peter Danish's The Tenor Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, March 24
Interview at Caroline Wilson Writes

Tuesday, March 25
Spotlight & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Friday, March 28
Review at A Rose in the City

Monday, March 31
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Spotlight & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing

Tuesday, April 1
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, April 2
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, April 3
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Review & Giveaway at She is Too Fond of Books

Friday, April 4
Review at Closed the Cover
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Review at Princess of Eboli

The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: November 6, 2013

The Lost Sisterhood tells the story of Diana, a young and aspiring--but somewhat aimless--professor at Oxford. Her fascination with the history of the Amazons, the legendary warrior women of ancient Greece, is deeply connected with her own family's history; her grandmother in particular. When Diana is invited to consult on an archeological excavation, she quickly realizes that here, finally, may be the proof that the Amazons were real. The Amazons' "true" story--and Diana's history--is threaded along with this modern day hunt. This historical back-story focuses on a group of women, and more specifically on two sisters, whose fight to survive takes us through ancient Athens and to Troy, where the novel reinvents our perspective on the famous Trojan War. The Lost Sisterhood features another group of iconic, legendary characters, another grand adventure--you'll see in these pages that Fortier understands the kind of audience she has built with Juliet, but also she's delivering a fresh new story to keep that audience coming back for more.

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I have a secret... Are you ready? 

I hate Romeo and Juliet. I'm not joking, the story annoys me to no end. I didn't even want to read Anne Fortier's debut, but it was the first title on the Goodreads giveaway page when I discovered that section of the site and I was a little excited at the novelty of it all. Now anyone familiar with the Goodreads giveaway algorithm knows I won the book, they also know I haven't won another in the three years since, but that's getting off topic. Point is I got a free read and though I had no love for the story that inspired it, I developed a deep appreciation for Fortier's re-imagining of the classic.

Now I know what you're thinking. What does this have to do with The Lost Sisterhood? It has to tie in somewhere right? Don't worry, it does. You see despite the esteem I hold for her earlier work, I didn't return to Fortier out of loyalty, nor did I fall prey to my weakness for eye catching cover art. No, the sad truth is I hate The Iliad and wanted to see if Fortier could work her magic a second time and rework the material into a tale I might actually enjoy. 

Was my reasoning shallow? Absolutely. Do I care? Not particularly. Did Fortier succeed? Without a doubt.

I am always a little hesitant when taking on books with duel storylines, but the format doesn't seem to pose a problem for Fortier. As with Juliet, she creates a nice symmetry between the two halves of the narrative and does so without sacrificing the integrity of either. They complement, but don't outright mimic, retaining a degree of distinction that allows the reader to appreciate each for entirely different reasons. 

Though polar opposites in terms of personality, both Diana and Myrina are driven by a personal agenda, both feel challenged by the men in their lives and both are forced to adapt to circumstances outside their control. Fortier counters this similarity with tone, centering Diana in a complex web intrigue and deceit while presenting Myrina's experiences as an emotional journey of self-discovery and inner strength. The inherent contrast makes both stories unique and allowed Fortier to explore various forms of feminine courage, vitality and endurance.

I personally preferred Myrina's story, but when you consider why I picked up The Lost Sisterhood, that isn't really surprising. Fortier alters the familiar tale, putting a unique spin on the story made famous in Homer's epic and though I didn't appreciate it as much as Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Firebrand, I was far from bored. Diana's story is the more predictable of the two, but I found the larger concepts incorporated into her portion of the narrative, the black market antiquities trade and complexities of artifact restitution, as fascinating as Fortier's version of the Trojan War.

The only thing I wasn't in love with was the length. At six hundred plus pages, The Lost Sisterhood is a tome and though volume in and of itself is not a factor in my personal rating system, momentum is. As much as I liked the story, I can't deny both the contemporary and ancient plots were padded with an unnecessary degree of superfluous information. It is great material and I don't begrudge Fortier's desire to include it, but I nonetheless feel it was detrimental to the pacing of her work and made it difficult to remain engaged in the story.

My mind may have wandered from time to time, but I enjoyed the book all the same. An imaginative blend of adventure, mythology and romance, The Lost Sisterhood is an alluring tale of buried secrets, forgotten truths and the feminine solidarity. 

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He poked at the jackal bracelet with evident loathing. “You make so much of this freedom of yours, yet allow yourself to be enslaved by a piece of metal.” Then, letting go of her, he took a few steps back, a challenge in his amber eyes. “If you really wish it were otherwise, make it so. You are the only one with the power to do that."

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Medusa, A Love Story by Sasha Summers

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Local Library

Read: February 7, 2013

It's said love can change a person. Medusa wasn't always a monster... Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She's no room for the tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard she loves... and curses her as the creature with serpent locks. Ariston goes to war with a full heart... and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld. But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to her. Poseidon will use Greece's war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an Olympian, and she will be his.

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Medusa by Bernini

I have such mixed feelings about Sasha Summers' Medusa, A Love Story that I hardly know where to begin. The piece hit the ground running so I started fairly optimistic. Unfortunately the book lost steam somewhere between points A and B and ultimately left me wanting. Don't get me wrong, I love how Summers adapted the mythology to her fiction, but the telling of it threw me. In the end, I feel most comfortable awarding three stars.

The myth itself is fairly common knowledge. Medusa was punished by the goddess Athena who erased her elegant features and transformed her beautiful hair into a tangled hissing mass of live serpents. Her altered appearance was so terrifying that anyone who looked on Medusa turned instantly to stone. Many attempted to defeat her, but it was the hero Perseus who found a means to her undoing.

Alone the legend is pretty cut and dry but Summers adds flesh to the bare bones, gifting the cast a degree of substance. She has absolutely no trouble breathing life into the myth, I didn't feel she dug as deep as she could have. Summers' characters are believable, but lack the complexity I look for.

My second concern was the pacing. The narrative slows so frequently and for such lengths that I often found my mind wandering. I don't like having to force myself through whole passages and though I appreciated the story as a whole, I can't say Summers' style of writing was quite in line with my personal taste.

While I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would, I am still optimistic about the series and hope book two, For the Love of Hades, is more satisfying than its predecessor. 

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"The love I have for you gives me breath and strength. You will always hold my heart. Let it give you strength to do what must be done. For you will be my lady forever."

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