AD* | The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.
Clytemnestra
The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon - her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris. Her husband raises a great army against them and determines to win, whatever the cost.
Cassandra
Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall.
Elektra
The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. But, can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?
Immersive from the very first page, Elektra is a brilliant retelling of Ancient Greek mythology.
Elektra was one of the books I was most looking forward to reading this year, after enjoying Ariadne, the author's debut, last year. However, I have to say that Elektra surpassed my expectations and I actually ended up preferring Elektra to Ariadne. Jennifer Saint has really outdone herself with the quality of this book.
The book follows the lives of three women over the course of several decades. Little do they realise initially, but they are all linked together by the hands of fate. Clytemnestra is sister to the infamous Helen of Troy. When she is married off to Agamemnon and sets sail to become queen of a distant land, the sisters' fates diverge forever, setting an unexpected chain of events in motion.
The House of Atreus also suffers from a ruthless curse. Clytemnestra is determined not to let the curse affect the youngest generation of her new family, but with youngest daughter Elektra's headstrong personality and wayward tendencies, her task is more difficult than she could ever have imagined.
The third woman featured prominently in the book is Cassandra, princess of Troy. Poor Cassandra has also been cursed by the Gods and is left powerless and friendless. She is even an outcast among her own family. But what else do the fates have in store for Cassandra, and how does she end up tangled with Elektra and Clytemnestra's fates?
Told alternately from three different points of view, Elektra is engaging, gripping, and enthralling. From the rich descriptions to the sheer amount of research that evidently went into this book, it's a gem from start to finish. Whether you're familiar with Greek mythology or not, Elektra certainly won't disappoint!
Rating: 4 stars
Elektra is available to buy now.
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* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Will you be reading Elektra? Let me know in the comments below!
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