I found it both captivating and poignant an enthralling and powerful tale of family politics, gender constraints, love, betrayal and revenge, with a masterful handling of feelings and emotions that truly resonates down the ages. I enjoyed it very much - Elizabeth Buchanĭaughters of Sparta has such a compelling narrative it is utterly absorbing from beginning to end. I admire the ambition with which Heywood tackles the subject, to which she brings freshness and verve.

tells her story vividly, setting it convincingly in the period. Seen through the eyes of Klytemnestra and her sister Helen, the war proves very different from the Homeric conflict with which we are familiar. The story of the Trojan War has been told for close to three millennia and writers are still finding ways to refashion it. Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton ISBN: 9781529349931 Number of pages: 352 Weight: 567 g Dimensions: 240 x 162 x 36 mm MEDIA REVIEWS Absolutely riveting!' - Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist Helen of Troy and her sister Klytemnestra are reimagined in this gorgeous retelling of the classic Greek myth - not as women defined by their husbands and lovers but as battle-weary survivors of a patriarchal society who take control of their own destiny.

Perfect for readers of Circe and Ariadne, Daughters of Sparta is a vivid and illuminating retelling of the Siege of Troy that tells the story of mythology's most vilified women from their own mouths at long last. Their duty is now to give birth to the heirs society demands and be the meek, submissive queens their men expect.īut when the weight of their husbands' neglect, cruelty and ambition becomes too heavy to bear, they must push against the constraints of their sex to carve new lives for themselves - and in doing so make waves that will ripple throughout the next three thousand years. While still only girls they are separated and married off to legendary foreign kings Agamemnon and Menelaos, never to meet again. Such privilege comes at a high price, though, and their destinies are not theirs to command. With their high birth and unrivalled beauty, they are the envy of all of Greece. Īs princesses of Sparta, Helen and Klytemnestra have known nothing but luxury and plenty. I enjoyed it very much' - Elizabeth Buchan, bestselling author of The Museum of Broken Promisesįor millennia, two women have been blamed for the fall of a mighty civilisation - but now it's time to hear their side of the story. a remarkable, thrilling debut' - Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Claire heywood daughters of sparta