Ithaca ( The Songs of Penelope)

The great hero Odysseus left Ithaca seventeen years ago to fight in the great battle of Troy. The only men left were too young or too old to fight. The war ended eight years ago, and yet Odysseus has not returned. His wife’s position is fragile, with hundreds of suitors arriving for her hand in marriage in order to become the new king of Ithaca. So, Penelope weaves and she waits, and she plots while she waits for her long-lost husband to return to the shores of their kingdom.

I have always loved the stories of Odysseus and I thought this would be interesting as it’s told from Penelope’s point of view. However, it is actually told from the perspective of the goddess Hera as she watches things unfold and sometimes intervenes. I had just recently read Clytemnestra before picking this up and I would recommend that book before this one. The writing style of this particular author didn’t appeal to me in the way the other book did. Nevertheless, if you enjoy stories about ancient Greece and their many tragedies, you might enjoy this one.