Clytemnestra

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Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did. After Helen was taken from Sparta to Troy, her husband, Menelaus, asked his brother Agamemnon for help. Greek forces gathered at Aulis. However, consistently weak winds prevented the fleet from sailing on the ocean. Through a subplot involving the gods and omens, the priest Calchas said the winds would be favorable if Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis. Agamemnon persuaded Clytemnestra to send Iphigenia to him, telling her he was going to marry her to Achilles. When Iphigenia arrived at Aulis, she was sacrificed, the winds turned, and the troops set sail for Troy. I’m not sure how much I can reveal of the plot without spoiling some of it for those who have never heard of Clytemnestra. I’m also not sure how much can be considered a spoiler when we’re talking about a story several millennia old. I guess I’ll try not to spoil the novel but I will consider her ‘story’ (the myth, the legend, etc) to be well-known. Clytemnestra goes through the change of a hopeful young child, to an uncertain woman, to a happy mother, a grieving widow, an angry survivor, and a then finally into the monster she has been trying to defeat most of the novel. Casati’s careful consideration of different perspectives allows the reader to sympathize deeply with Clytemnestra. In Greek mythology, Clytemnestra is often remembered for being insane — a wretched woman who, blinded by a need for vengeance, murders her husband. But in Casati’s novel, she is a fiery figure, still fueled by a burning desire for revenge, but never painted as delusional. “Clytemnestra” shows how she is shaped by trauma yet still bravely holds onto power in a time when women were seen as subhuman. Casati’s clear feminist stance makes this retelling fresh despite being based on stories that are thousands of years old.

The Greek retelling of the life of Clytemnestra. The novel begins with her as a young woman growing up in Sparta with her parents and many siblings, a princess. She was a strong and smart woman with a hard life, but she soon meets and falls for her first husband. The two get married and have a child together, a son. Her happiness is soon ripped from her hands because two visitors in Sparta, the two brothers from the Atreus line, have come for her fathers help to retake their kingdom. One, Agamemnon, has eyes for her. He decides his best option is to kill her husband and new baby son. Heartbroken and angry Clytemnestra is forced to marry this man and is taken to be queen in his lands. They do not have a happy marriage, she refuses to break or submit, but they have many children whom Clytemnestra loves with all her heart. After some more time in her life of trying, happiness is taken once more from her as Greece goes to war with Troy. The American modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham created a two-hour ballet, Clytemnestra (1958), about the queen. Clytaemnestra", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. Vol. VI (ninthed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878, p.44 .

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Following in the steps of Madeline Miller’s Circe, Jennifer Saint’s Elektra and Natalie Haynes’ A Thousand Ships, Costanza Casati’s novel Clytemnestra sets out to retell the story of Clytemnestra, the Queen of Mycenae, known for murdering her husband, King Agamemnon, after he returned home from the Trojan War. Greek mythology is usually fascinating, and this novel lives up to that expectation. I did not remember much of the Greek mythology I’d read, and certainly did not know who Clytemnestra was until reading Costanza Casati’s work. Received a copy through NetGalley. Clytemnestra follows in the footsteps of Madeline Miller's Greek myth retellings. Where Miller focuses on characters whose stories we've heard time and again, Clytemnestra's story bring a whole new perspective to the Iliad and the machinations of power. In Ferdinando Baldi's The Forgotten Pistolero, a Spaghetti Western adaptation of the Oresteia, Clytemnestra is named Anna Carrasco and is portrayed by Luciana Paluzzi. As a woman of Sparta, she was able to choose her own husband, and when a kind and adventurous foreign king graced their palace, she fell in love. She envisioned nothing but a happy future surrounded by those she loved.

The girl has learned much in her training, wrestling the Spartiates throughout her youth. This is part of her training as a Spartan, as part of the royal house, as a girl. The Spariates are the daughters of the best and noblest houses of the warriors of Sparta. They are to train with the commoners until they start a family. King Tyndareus oversees the training and fights and when Helen is challenged for her first fight, Clytemnestra has to do something that is against the rules, something never done. While royalty may burn, rape, steal, and kill as they like the only thing forbidden to them is to hurt a noble person. Will Clytemnestra always break the rules? But, will she only do that for those she loves? I requested an arc of this book solely due to the MOST BEAUTIFUL book cover and title I have seen in a while. I had never heard of Constanza Casati before so I wasn't sure what kind of experience I was going to have with this book and let me tell you I am STUNNED at how beautiful this book was. I am SO happy and thankful that I was given the chance to review such a gem of a read. Pray to the gods,” everyone kept telling her … But you don’t get rid of a rat by praying to the gods. Haynes, Natalie (March 28, 2022). "Is Clytemnestra an Archetypically Bad Wife or a Heroically Avenging Mother?". Literary Hub . Retrieved May 12, 2023.

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In its deft portrayal of the many layers of trauma, and in its offering of a feminist take on revenge, Clytemnestra joins a recent spate of similarly minded artworks, including Emerald Fennell’s film Promising Young Woman and Michaela Coel’s television series I May Destroy You. I had no idea that Clytemnestra had a first husband and child. I still don't know for sure if that was this Author's imagination and creative license. I am the type of reader who looks up everybody in this thrilling story and, I couldn't find a record of her first husband and infant son being in her life. Her first husband's name in this retelling is called, Tantalus. Although, this Author has a glossary of all of the characters in this story and she says he was King of Maeonia, and first husband of Clytemnestra. My research revealed him to be a Lydian king, son of Zeus and father of Pelops. It went on to say that as punishment for his crimes (which included killing Pelops), he was forced to remain in chin-deep water with fruit-laden branches over his head, both of which receded when he reached for them. His name is the origin of the word "tantalize". My research has no record of the kind first husband of Clytemnestra who bore her first born infant. Who both were murdered by Clytemnestra's father, Tyndareus, (King of Sparta), who conspired with Agamemnon to kill them, so Agamemnon could have Clytemnestra. In this retelling her father forces her to marry Agamemnon, who she hates for what they did to her first husband and her infant son. This Author may have decided to invent this using her creativity or maybe she knows more than I do. This is my only small quibble with this mesmerizing tale. Not knowing which version is correct.

If you do recall her name, you might immediately associate her with the archetype of the “bad wife”. If you’d like to read something that turns history on its head, offers a completely different take on the mythic tale of the Spartan Clytemnestra and her sister, Helen [of Troy], have I got a book for you. While Clytemnestra’s story is heavily influenced by hate and vengeance, I would be remiss to exclude her abundance of love. Love for her children, her siblings, and her lovers. In the end, it is this love that keeps her going. Honestly, if anyone gives me feminist Greek mythology I just about combust from excitement and Clytemnestra was absolutely no different, I'm COMPLETELY obsessed and fully intend to make it my entire personality for the next three to six months. These tragedies underpin Clytemnestra’s life, but Casati leaves plenty of space for her main character to experience freedom, strength and triumph. The novel’s strength lies in its ability to weave many complex stories into one linear narrative by centering all of these episodes on Clytemnestra herself. Clytemnestra is often portrayed as a side character or villain in Greek mythology, but in this novel she takes the center stage. Classic Greek heroes such as Theseus, Odysseus, Jason, and Achilles thereby become supporting characters in Clytemnestra’s compelling storyline rather than dominating the narrative. While literature and art has typically depicted male Greek heroes as courageous or exemplary, “Clytemnestra” instead highlights their horrible deeds and sexist beliefs. As Clytemnestra quips about Theseus, “Heroes like him are made of greed and cruelty: they take and take until the world around them is stripped of its beauty.” The novel shows how the heroes of some stories are the villains of others — and vice versa.Huge thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks and Costanza Casati for this ARC. I read this book at the tail end of a mythology binge, and I loved this one. This book is all about Clytemnestra’s story, from details of her childhood in Sparta, all the way up through the end of the Trojan war. I went into this book knowing a lot about this story and specifically the women of the Trojan war. Even though I knew the story, the artistic take on this story still left me surprised and on the edge of my seat. I felt so emotionally attached to the story and every scene, even though I already knew the ending, which is something so special and so hard to do. I specifically loved how much of the book was focused on Clytemnestra’s life and childhood in Sparta. In my personal life, my mother told me and my sister stories of the strong and powerful women in Spartan lore. So reading more about the Spartans in this book really touched me in a way that I felt connected to the stories from my own mother. This book was powerful, emotional and empowering. I loved this take on Clytemnestra’s story and would recommend this to anyone who wants to read more Greek mythology. Costanza Casati has written a masterpiece called, "Clytemnestra," that is every bit as fantastic as my favorites called, "Circe," by the great, Madeline Miller. That is a masterpiece also, so this accomplished and ultra talented Author deserves the highest of praise for this novel. I love Greek Mythology, but so few can enchant and make you never want the book to end. That this is right on par with, "Circe," is a testament to how outstanding this retelling of "Clytemnestra," is. Reading it made me feel like I was hypnotized by its poetic prose. It is so addictive I felt like I was bewitched by Costanza Casati's siren song. I LOVED IT! It is also a favorite that I know that I will be recommending and talking about the fantastic reading experience I had to everybody.

Please please please go get this book if you love mythology, strong character development, cinematic writing, Game of Thrones, etc etc…. You won’t regret it!! Redefines the mythical retelling genre with a warrior queen who, instead of enduring suffering, avenges it' ANNIE GARTHWAITE I'm a classics major and I have read (and loved) a lot of the classical literature centered around this Trojan War era. I already adored Clytemnestra's story and the tragic fall of the House of Atreus, and Casati's novel just expands the story in such a beautiful way. The writing style is gorgeous — rich in the animalistic metaphors and epithets present in original Greek writings, perceptive evaluations and foreshadowing of big mythical characters, and a digestible amount of history and myth retellings. Just absolutely amazing.If there’s one story I could read retellings over and over of, it’s the Trojan War. They are always focused on Helen and Paris. I’ve always known Clytemnestra and been curious about her. I absolutely loved this look from her perspective. Helen is a secondary character, and really not all that interesting compared to her big sis. Clytemnestra is the perfect portrayal of revenge and female empowerment in a time when they had none. Even though I knew everything that was going to happen, it wasn’t any less intriguing. I wish this book never ended! This is the most illuminating account of the lead-up to the Trojan War that I have ever read, and I read just about everything having to do with Greek mythology. The author, Costanza Casati, brings her incredible knowledge of the ancient Greeks and of ancient Greek literature, and greatly expands the narrative we think we already know. Not only is her storytelling smooth and seamless, but also rich in every detail. Everything you could want from a mythology-based fantasy. In the vein of both Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes, fans will absolutely love this one too. I would venture to say that her name will soon be added to theirs when people are comparing books within this sub-genre of mythological/historical fantasy. Clytemnestra is left broken and hollow, like a bird with crushed wings, and the first seeds of hatred take root. Rotten, Villainous Queen Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prerelease book at no cost. This was my absolute favorite title obtained through you so far.