Her grief at the murder of her eldest daughter, Iphigenia, is raw, heartrending and completely understandable. It’s also the one I found the most compelling.

In fact, Elektra is a background figure for much of the book and it is Clytemnestra’s story that is most prominent. (I confess I had to look up the last two.)īased on the book’s title, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Elektra’s story is the main focus. ‘Blood must be repaid in blood.’ The story of the House of Atreus is one of patricide, matricide, matiricide and filicide. To be rather simplistic, Greek tragedy seems to basically consist of people killing other people because they killed other people. The author’s challenge is that, if they want to remain true to the original myth, they can’t change the outcome of events only try to explore the characters’ motivations. I guess it’s partly because there are only so many ways you can retell a story that has been set down many times before. It was pretty much the same story with Jennifer Saint’s previous novel, Ariadne, which, whilst admiring the quality of the writing, I couldn’t get as enthusuastic about as other readers. Again, I found a lot to like about The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker but didn’t think she completely succeeded in giving a voice to the ‘silenced’ women. I enjoyed Colm Toibin’s House of Names, which also focuses on Clytemnestra, Elektra and Orestes – but wasn’t blown away by it. I have a rather chequered history when it comes to retellings of Greek myths. Links provided for convenience only, not as part of an affiliate programme Publication date: 28th April 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythologyĭisclosure: If you buy a book via the above link, I may earn a commission from , whose fees support independent bookshops But, can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?įormat: Hardcover (352 pages) Publisher: Wildfire She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall.Įlektra – The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. Her husband raises a great army against them, and determines to win, whatever the cost.Ĭassandra – Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it.

This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.Ĭlytemnestra – The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon, her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris.

A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance.

Ariadne by jennifer saint summary