Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK (Orbit) via NetGalley for giving me a chance to read House of Odysseus (The Songs of Penelope #2) by Claire North, I have given my honest review. Well, Claire North has leveled UP. I felt way more emotionally invested in ALL the characters in this book. I can’t even put my finger on why that is. My theory is that because this story is told from Aphrodite’s point of view, rather than Hera’s, Aphrodite took a more actively participating role in the lives of the characters. The mortals in the story have to surrender to Aphrodite’s whims and follies and gain from her divinity. I felt that there wasn’t much of that in Ithaca. The pacing is fast, I could have consumed this in a matter of hours if it wasn’t for my stupid human needs like eating and sleeping. This is also hands down one of the most feminist works I’ve ever read. I’ve loved the recent trend of taking such classic, masculine myths and examining the women of those tales, giving them voice and agency for the first time in millennia. Works like Circe and Stone Blind and Clytemnestra have done this beautifully, with power and poignancy. But the Songs of Penelope series has done this with a broader scope, showing the vitality of an entire island of women instead of a select handful or a single woman. I love that it has also included the major goddesses, Hera and Aphrodite, Athena and Artemis, giving more dimension to these deities, as well. And our titular queen, Penelope, is more than a match for her wily husband. Reading about her cleverness has been a joy.

Everything I’ve wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice – this is an absolute masterpiece’ Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin Penelope knows this will lead to nothing but trouble, since destruction follows Orestes wherever he may go. His uncle, Menelaus, King of Sparta, hungers for his chance of seizing his throne.This second volume of Claire North's Song of Penelope is at least as good as the first. I've been a fan since The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, but here her writing has matured to something extraordinary; poetic, earthy, profound, funny. Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. A sensational retelling’Elodie Harper, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf Den In the second book of The Songs of Penelope, Aphrodite, goddess of love, continues the tale of Penelope after Hera's watch over Clytemnestra.

When I requested this I didn't know it was book 2 in a series, so I read Ithaca before diving into this ARC. I was worried about House of Odysseus because Ithaca was a slow, slow read for me, but I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed House of Odysseus! Because the characters and story is already set up, it was easy to follow. Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the Furies circle him. His uncle, Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes's throne - and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims. My favorite character development obviously has to Penelope as she again navigates a political scandal that not only encompasses Ithaca, but now Sparta too. Her growing power is something beautiful to behold, and I’m so ready to see more girlboss Penelope! 🧶 We women of sky and fire, we goddesses, we are so mighty, and yet if we learn anything from old mother Hera, it is that the brighter we blaze, the more the men line up to make us fall. Our power will be suppressed, subdued, and we will be turned from creatures of immortal majesty to cowering wives and simpering whores, adjuncts merely to a story told by a man. A story about a man.” The protagonist of the story is a compelling and complex character, offering a fresh perspective on the well-known figure of Penelope. Her personal journey is filled with obstacles, self-discovery, and moments of profound introspection, allowing readers to connect with her on a deep emotional level. The supporting cast is equally well-crafted, each adding their own layers of depth and intrigue to the narrative. Elektra and Helen of Troy are given voices in this narrative as well; they are not just seen as vapid, beautiful (but tragic) figures in the story. They plot. They aid. They use their wits to ensure Penelope is helped to preserve the peace on the island. I appreciate that this retelling focused on the women and their alliance and how they helped one another and showed strength, not in the physical sense, but the emotional. They were so intelligent and ruthless, it was refreshing to read about.I was a huge fan of Claire North’s first book in the The Songs of Penelope Series. This is my bag, retelling of the ancient Greek epics. North is keeping this to a trilogy, which I think is perfect, long enough to really dig into the details, yet not so long and dragged out that the reader will lose interest. Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the furies circle him. His uncle Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes' throne—and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims. Richly poetic . . . This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history' Booklist North brought in a few old friends from the Iliad and Odyssey. Menelaus and Helen were perfect characters to move this story forward. The face that launched a thousand ships and the buffoon. I never really like Menelaus or his blow-hard brother. Homer never really painted them in a good light, the Iliad and Odyssey had other heroes, and like Tina Turner, we don’t need another one.