by Pat Barker
First published 2021
In the aftermath of the Trojan War, the women of the fallen city are enslaved by the victorious Greeks. Briseis, a former queen, is now a concubine to the war hero Achilles. As she and the other captives are forced to confront their losses, they must find the strength to endure the brutality of their new masters. Meanwhile, the gods of Olympus continue to meddle in the lives of mortals, their petty squabbles echoing the devastation wrought on the mortal realm. In this vivid reimagining of a classic tale, Pat Barker gives voice to the silenced women whose lives were upended by the whims of the gods and the ambitions of men.
Genres: feminism, 21st-century, greek-mythology, ancient, epic, classical-studies
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Troy, Greece
Period: Trojan War
307 pages · Paperback · PENGUIN
Content warnings: slavery, violence