What do you think?
Rate this book
Retold: The Grecian Women #3
Queens of Themiscyra
They are the women of war.
In ancient Themiscyra, Hippolyte rules as Queen of the Amazons. Feared throughout Greece, their skills on the battlefield are unmatched. But when a ship lands on their shores, it brings something more dangerous than the threat of war. It brings a future Hippolyte could never have dreamed of.
Swept away to Athens, Hippolyte learns a love that transcends even the bond of the Amazon women. Can she forget her warrior past and forge a new life she had never dreamed of?
With her sister gone, Penthesilea is left with no choice but to rise as the new Queen of the Amazons. She does so with a ferocity that sparks terror throughout the Aegean. Replacing her sister’s compassion and wisdom, Penthesilea rules with impulsiveness and might.
So when Hippolyte’s world starts to crumble it is up to Penthesilea to decide how far she will go to defend their honour.
In ancient Themiscyra, Hippolyte rules as Queen of the Amazons. Feared throughout Greece, their skills on the battlefield are unmatched. But when a ship lands on their shores, it brings something more dangerous than the threat of war. It brings a future Hippolyte could never have dreamed of.
Swept away to Athens, Hippolyte learns a love that transcends even the bond of the Amazon women. Can she forget her warrior past and forge a new life she had never dreamed of?
With her sister gone, Penthesilea is left with no choice but to rise as the new Queen of the Amazons. She does so with a ferocity that sparks terror throughout the Aegean. Replacing her sister’s compassion and wisdom, Penthesilea rules with impulsiveness and might.
So when Hippolyte’s world starts to crumble it is up to Penthesilea to decide how far she will go to defend their honour.
458 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2022
627 people are currently reading
17669 people want to read
About the author
Hannah M. Lynn
49 books882 followersHannah Lynn is a multi award winning novelist. Publishing her first book, Amendments – a dark, dystopian speculative fiction novel, in 2015. Her second book, The Afterlife of Walter Augustus – a contemporary fiction novel with a supernatural twist – went on to win the 2018 Kindle Storyteller Award and the Independent Publishers Gold Medal for Best Adult Ebook.
Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction.
With over 30 publications spanning a number of genres and translated into a dozen languages, Hannah has proven herself to be both an accomplished and prolific author.
Now settled back in the UK with her husband, daughter and clowder of cats, she spends her days writing romantic comedies and historical fiction. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena's Child, was also a 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publishers Awards.
Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction.
With over 30 publications spanning a number of genres and translated into a dozen languages, Hannah has proven herself to be both an accomplished and prolific author.
Now settled back in the UK with her husband, daughter and clowder of cats, she spends her days writing romantic comedies and historical fiction. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena's Child, was also a 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publishers Awards.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
May 2, 2024
3.75!
I love Hannah's writing style, it feels like watching a movie because its so vivid and gripping However in this book the first 70% of the book was so captivating that I was actually loving it (I even thought of giving this book 5 stars) but the last 30% of the book fucked itself so hard and the ending doubled the fuckery, this was the same problem I face while I was reading her other novel A spartans sorrow I was enjoying it until it decided to end in the most ridiculous ways. I get she wants to write sad endings and I truly do enjoy bittersweet/sad endings BUT only if they are done right and sadly here it wasn't done write.
I have always been fascinated by the amazonians and was even more when I watched wonder woman, I didnt really know the complete lore surrounding them and I wanted to learn more, I just knew that there were strong, capable, fierce women who were also the strongest warriors and I wanted to learn more about Hippolyte and there was romance with minimsal but sufficient spice to keep me intrigued. The book was going so good, I was actually loving how hard choices Hippolyte had to make, the things that she had to sacrifice and the loyalties that bound her and I was actually shipping her with Theseus but then the plot twist happened and all I wanted was revenge and like?? I didnt even get that. Hippolyte was supposed to be strong, not someone who was a doormat with no backbone, in this book she was literally a disappointment to any female warrior alive because what the fuck??
SPOILERS
So I knew that Theseus used her and then discarded her like she was nothing an brought a new wife, he never really saw Hippolyte as an equal and throughout the book she was proclaimed as this strong warrior that everyone feared but she couldn't even do a single thing to Theseus, LIKE OK he drugged you and took you away from your home but you still chose to understand him and what he was trying to do because you loved him? and then started treating you like you were worthless and replaced you and when the time came for you to kill him you were fooled by two of his words adn jumped in front of him to take an arrow that was meant for him and then fucking died?? and Peninthsila (watev her name was) deserved a better end, killing her made no sense.
SPOILERS END
I did like Hippolyte's relationship with Thesesus's father and I also liked how the book was split into two povs and how well balanced it was.
Overall, it was an enjoyable book until the last 30% messed it up. I have another arc from this author of her new book Daughter of Olympus which sounds so good! I want to read it as her last chance despite loving her writing style and the way she thinks I will not read her books, if the ending part is not well thought or well written.
I love Hannah's writing style, it feels like watching a movie because its so vivid and gripping However in this book the first 70% of the book was so captivating that I was actually loving it (I even thought of giving this book 5 stars) but the last 30% of the book fucked itself so hard and the ending doubled the fuckery, this was the same problem I face while I was reading her other novel A spartans sorrow I was enjoying it until it decided to end in the most ridiculous ways. I get she wants to write sad endings and I truly do enjoy bittersweet/sad endings BUT only if they are done right and sadly here it wasn't done write.
I have always been fascinated by the amazonians and was even more when I watched wonder woman, I didnt really know the complete lore surrounding them and I wanted to learn more, I just knew that there were strong, capable, fierce women who were also the strongest warriors and I wanted to learn more about Hippolyte and there was romance with minimsal but sufficient spice to keep me intrigued. The book was going so good, I was actually loving how hard choices Hippolyte had to make, the things that she had to sacrifice and the loyalties that bound her and I was actually shipping her with Theseus but then the plot twist happened and all I wanted was revenge and like?? I didnt even get that. Hippolyte was supposed to be strong, not someone who was a doormat with no backbone, in this book she was literally a disappointment to any female warrior alive because what the fuck??
SPOILERS
So I knew that Theseus used her and then discarded her like she was nothing an brought a new wife, he never really saw Hippolyte as an equal and throughout the book she was proclaimed as this strong warrior that everyone feared but she couldn't even do a single thing to Theseus, LIKE OK he drugged you and took you away from your home but you still chose to understand him and what he was trying to do because you loved him? and then started treating you like you were worthless and replaced you and when the time came for you to kill him you were fooled by two of his words adn jumped in front of him to take an arrow that was meant for him and then fucking died?? and Peninthsila (watev her name was) deserved a better end, killing her made no sense.
SPOILERS END
I did like Hippolyte's relationship with Thesesus's father and I also liked how the book was split into two povs and how well balanced it was.
Overall, it was an enjoyable book until the last 30% messed it up. I have another arc from this author of her new book Daughter of Olympus which sounds so good! I want to read it as her last chance despite loving her writing style and the way she thinks I will not read her books, if the ending part is not well thought or well written.
June 3, 2022
Third in trilogy, this time focusing on the legendary Amazon women, mainly Queen Hippolyte. Descriptive and engrossing.
June 11, 2025
Oh how I enjoyed this one - about the Amazons. A fierce sisterhood. This seems to be my year to bulk up my mythological storylines with well-written re-imaginings.
In the pages from beginning to end, I found myself visiting Themiscyra - the land where the Amazons lived and loved, and how humanity inter-mixes with them (bringing about fatal consequences for the this lower level of immortals where the dark death creeps up into Olympus) and it brought me great satisfaction. I pulled out maps and pinned out who was where when and got each of the Queens straight, and for what each one was known - instead of being all grouped together. I truly appreciate that kind of detail in ways others may not.
They were fighters to the end, and then everyday heroines telling quiet stories to the hoi polloi when the glory days are over. . .for all the days they last in the land. . .a believable conclusion that pleased me immensely. I highly recommend for all those who are interested in these daughters of the Greek Gods and the myth cycles in which they orbit. Kudos to Hannah Lynn for not letting them be left out of the great retelling that is happening these days.
*A sincere thank you to Hannah Lynn, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently."
In the pages from beginning to end, I found myself visiting Themiscyra - the land where the Amazons lived and loved, and how humanity inter-mixes with them (bringing about fatal consequences for the this lower level of immortals where the dark death creeps up into Olympus) and it brought me great satisfaction. I pulled out maps and pinned out who was where when and got each of the Queens straight, and for what each one was known - instead of being all grouped together. I truly appreciate that kind of detail in ways others may not.
They were fighters to the end, and then everyday heroines telling quiet stories to the hoi polloi when the glory days are over. . .for all the days they last in the land. . .a believable conclusion that pleased me immensely. I highly recommend for all those who are interested in these daughters of the Greek Gods and the myth cycles in which they orbit. Kudos to Hannah Lynn for not letting them be left out of the great retelling that is happening these days.
*A sincere thank you to Hannah Lynn, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently."
November 25, 2024
My biggest complaint about this one is that it was roughly 200 pages too long.
BUT.
Switching between the e-book and the paperback, I realised the paperback has roughly an extra 100 pages?! Which is wild. I can only assume it's an earlier draft, though to be honest it's a neater read.
So I guess e-book is the way to go? It's definitely more concise and I do remember thinking often reading it that I really appreciated the way it didn't linger or drag things out for too long.
Whereas the paperback lingers, so if you prefer the deeper details, go for the print version.
PLOT: It's death to any man who sets foot on the lands of Themiscyra, yet when a boat of them turns up one day it'll change the future for the Amazon warriors who reside there. Queen Hippolyte and her sister, Penthesilea, in particular will find themselves on paths they could never have fathomed.
I picked this one up as both a fan of mythology and of Wonder Woman (who of course hails from Themiscyra). Fans of the latter will be mostly disappointed, but fans of the former will get plenty of bang for their buck.
The main focus here is on Queen Hippolyte, and she's not quite the powerhouse from the WW comics that we know and love. In fact, she's my other main complaint. She's supposed to be the leader of this super powerful race of warriors, known for their lack of tolerance for the BS of men. She's supposed to be fearsome and wise and strong. So when her actions began to contradict all of those traits, it infuriated me.
I spent so much of this book frustrated by Hippolyte and her behaviour. I wanted her to see the very obvious red flags. But as I read on and thought more and more about her behaviour in situations, I was reminded of the very real issues of domestic violence in our own world. My compassion towards women in these situations transferred to this character for me, and I found a little more understanding. I didn't like it - it was tough to read - but I understood her actions a little better in this light.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed how Penthesilea lived up to the Amazon name. She's exactly the ferocious sort of character I wanted to read about, so I really enjoyed her story. Mostly.
I do really feel there were too many events covered in this story. I think the last little bit was unnecessary and dragged on for too long, and it just felt like the ending kind of tapered out into nothing. I wanted a strong finish but I guess it's just not that kind of story.
Mythology fans will love all the references, but may also be let down by the absence of endings for other characters that play a role. This is very much focused on the Queens of the title, and no other resolutions are to be found.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this one but did struggle emotionally with some of the content. I loved the mythology, but also was disappointed that some parts seemed unfinished. The paperback seemed too long, but the e-book was wonderfully streamlined.
I'll still go ahead and recommend this one, particularly for the feminist angle. This is a book full of strong women, and that's never a bad thing. I also think this will be a win with fans of mythology retellings.
BUT.
Switching between the e-book and the paperback, I realised the paperback has roughly an extra 100 pages?! Which is wild. I can only assume it's an earlier draft, though to be honest it's a neater read.
So I guess e-book is the way to go? It's definitely more concise and I do remember thinking often reading it that I really appreciated the way it didn't linger or drag things out for too long.
Whereas the paperback lingers, so if you prefer the deeper details, go for the print version.
PLOT: It's death to any man who sets foot on the lands of Themiscyra, yet when a boat of them turns up one day it'll change the future for the Amazon warriors who reside there. Queen Hippolyte and her sister, Penthesilea, in particular will find themselves on paths they could never have fathomed.
I picked this one up as both a fan of mythology and of Wonder Woman (who of course hails from Themiscyra). Fans of the latter will be mostly disappointed, but fans of the former will get plenty of bang for their buck.
The main focus here is on Queen Hippolyte, and she's not quite the powerhouse from the WW comics that we know and love. In fact, she's my other main complaint. She's supposed to be the leader of this super powerful race of warriors, known for their lack of tolerance for the BS of men. She's supposed to be fearsome and wise and strong. So when her actions began to contradict all of those traits, it infuriated me.
I spent so much of this book frustrated by Hippolyte and her behaviour. I wanted her to see the very obvious red flags. But as I read on and thought more and more about her behaviour in situations, I was reminded of the very real issues of domestic violence in our own world. My compassion towards women in these situations transferred to this character for me, and I found a little more understanding. I didn't like it - it was tough to read - but I understood her actions a little better in this light.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed how Penthesilea lived up to the Amazon name. She's exactly the ferocious sort of character I wanted to read about, so I really enjoyed her story. Mostly.
I do really feel there were too many events covered in this story. I think the last little bit was unnecessary and dragged on for too long, and it just felt like the ending kind of tapered out into nothing. I wanted a strong finish but I guess it's just not that kind of story.
Mythology fans will love all the references, but may also be let down by the absence of endings for other characters that play a role. This is very much focused on the Queens of the title, and no other resolutions are to be found.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this one but did struggle emotionally with some of the content. I loved the mythology, but also was disappointed that some parts seemed unfinished. The paperback seemed too long, but the e-book was wonderfully streamlined.
I'll still go ahead and recommend this one, particularly for the feminist angle. This is a book full of strong women, and that's never a bad thing. I also think this will be a win with fans of mythology retellings.
January 2, 2023
Big thank you to the author for sending a book and bookish goodies!
I don't usually like accurate retellings of Greek mythology, because no matter how much I love it, it is still quite misogynistic. While the author tried to avoid it, I think it was still incredibly hard thing to do if you want to stay accurate to the original myths.
I found Hippolyte weak and unlovable character and Penthesilea not much better. That's why I prefer when these stories are not quite so close to the original myths and are more author's takes on the myth.
I don't usually like accurate retellings of Greek mythology, because no matter how much I love it, it is still quite misogynistic. While the author tried to avoid it, I think it was still incredibly hard thing to do if you want to stay accurate to the original myths.
I found Hippolyte weak and unlovable character and Penthesilea not much better. That's why I prefer when these stories are not quite so close to the original myths and are more author's takes on the myth.
May 19, 2024
Enjoyed this historical fiction reworking on Greek mythology
July 20, 2022
A una prima parte molto interessante dove si vengono a conoscere le usanze delle amazzoni segue una parte centrale molto lenta che descrive la storia di Ippolita e Teseo che poteva durare mooolto meno infine abbiamo un'ultima parte che poteva dare molto di più ma che invece risulta essere piatta.
Fino ad oggi i retelling scritti da questa autrice mi avevano trasmesso un messaggio femminista, un messaggio che faceva capire il motivo del retelling, qui non ci sono messaggi se non che diventare madre cambia tutto dalla vita che si vive alla visione della vita stessa.
Teseo rimane un gran pezzo di cacchina ed ormai a furia di leggere retelling mi faccio spoiler da sola!
Davvero delusa
Fino ad oggi i retelling scritti da questa autrice mi avevano trasmesso un messaggio femminista, un messaggio che faceva capire il motivo del retelling, qui non ci sono messaggi se non che diventare madre cambia tutto dalla vita che si vive alla visione della vita stessa.
Teseo rimane un gran pezzo di cacchina ed ormai a furia di leggere retelling mi faccio spoiler da sola!
Davvero delusa
September 19, 2022
Hannah Lynn SLAYED this book. I will read whatever she writes.
I only got a small glimpse of the Amazons in a Thousand Ships and I wanted to know more. Hannah Lynn LITERALLY DELIVERED 🔥gorgeous, heart breaking and fierce.
Turns out Theseus is as big as a dick as per usual, surprise surprise.
10/5 stars definitely recommend.
I only got a small glimpse of the Amazons in a Thousand Ships and I wanted to know more. Hannah Lynn LITERALLY DELIVERED 🔥gorgeous, heart breaking and fierce.
Turns out Theseus is as big as a dick as per usual, surprise surprise.
10/5 stars definitely recommend.
July 4, 2023
“IL MISTERO DELLE AMAZZONI” è il terzo volume della saga Donne Greche, dove Hannah Lynn riunisce le fonti classiche a noi pervenute per offrirci un quadro quanto più completo possibile della storia di questo fiero e feroce popolo guerriero, vissuto nel Ponto e guidato dalle figlie stesse di Ares.
Interessanti le descrizioni dello stile di vita, così particolare e differente da quello delle donne del tempo: un’emancipazione anacronistica ed esasperata che, se da un lato le presenta come ci sono state tramandate dagli antichi, ovvero indomabili, temibili e invincibili, dall’altro ne fa emergere un aspetto quasi di vulnerabilità. Diventano, infatti, agli occhi di un prode (di dubbia moralità) come Teseo una sorta di “mostro” utile a mettere alla prova le proprie capacità e ad alimentare la propria fama di eroe.
È stata una lettura scorrevole ed intrigante, caratterizzata da una forma curata ed un lessico appropriato. Grazie ad essa ho potuto approfondire argomenti della mitologia greca che mi erano piuttosto estranei ma, soprattutto, tutte queste rivisitazioni (che vanno così di moda ultimamente) mi hanno concesso la possibilità di crearmi una sorta di linea del tempo degli eventi relativi ai personaggi mitologici, così come un loro albero genealogico (decisamente molto complesso, considerata la varietà di rapporti che intercorrevano tra di essi).
Interessanti le descrizioni dello stile di vita, così particolare e differente da quello delle donne del tempo: un’emancipazione anacronistica ed esasperata che, se da un lato le presenta come ci sono state tramandate dagli antichi, ovvero indomabili, temibili e invincibili, dall’altro ne fa emergere un aspetto quasi di vulnerabilità. Diventano, infatti, agli occhi di un prode (di dubbia moralità) come Teseo una sorta di “mostro” utile a mettere alla prova le proprie capacità e ad alimentare la propria fama di eroe.
È stata una lettura scorrevole ed intrigante, caratterizzata da una forma curata ed un lessico appropriato. Grazie ad essa ho potuto approfondire argomenti della mitologia greca che mi erano piuttosto estranei ma, soprattutto, tutte queste rivisitazioni (che vanno così di moda ultimamente) mi hanno concesso la possibilità di crearmi una sorta di linea del tempo degli eventi relativi ai personaggi mitologici, così come un loro albero genealogico (decisamente molto complesso, considerata la varietà di rapporti che intercorrevano tra di essi).
April 26, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
"She had been a wife, she had been a mother, but she would always be an Amazon."
Choosing the rating for this one was really hard because the writing is excellent, every sentence is beautiful, but the story itself made me so angry so many times it left me very conflicted (i might have permanent frown lines bc of this).
“Since you are here, it seems wrong not to make some use of you,” she said, still holding the sword as she straddled him. “But do not disappoint me, or I will end you.”
“I was born to serve you, my Queen. That I promise.”
So here we have Hyppolite, the strongest most badass and powerful Amazon Queen, who enjoys some d time with lover boy Theseus until he drugs her and kidnaps her 🤨 typical Greek mythology event moving on that's not the issue, in fact it was an interesting moment to read UNTIL SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL HIM AND DOESN'T.
“This is what you want,” he said, the blood trickling from a cut above his eyebrow. “You want a man who can control you. Who can best you.”
“There is not a man on this planet who can control me."
Right so in 2 weeks she got head over heels for baby boy despite a lifetime of using men for their body and living in a community of self sufficient women. Okidoki let's go then!! oh wait that backfires and she gets terribly wronged by him???? naurr who could have expected it 😧
“You? It was not you that was never enough. You were too much for him, sister. Always too much. Too strong. Too powerful. Too smart. Too compassionate. Too brave. Too loving. He tried to bring those things down in you, but he could not succeed. He did not replace you because he wished for something better, my darling sister, believe me. He replaced you because he knew you were more than he could ever live up to.”
I wont spoil anything so I can't even describe the most infuriating, revolting, scandalous, and any other intense and dramatic adjective TURN OF EVENT that left me absolutely dumbfounded and by this point forward I gave up on these women having any sense. Since the book also follows her sister Pe- (can't remember the name for the life of me) and her own stupid decisions, as if the status of Amazon never meant anything and they just let men win over them time and again (and refuse to listen to sound advice, which is a personal pet peeve).
Anyway so those are my main complaints, but as you can see it may just be history related and the author didn't have a choice to make the events that way so the story would make sense. I just couldn't enjoy this book fully while the two most powerful women on God's green earth let men get away with the worst of the worst.
On this note, please if you haven't already, check out A Spartan's Sorrow (2nd book in this series) which was flawless, tragic, beautiful, mesmerizing etc etc a 5 star read no question.
[arc review, honest opinon ; thank you again for the opportunity]
"She had been a wife, she had been a mother, but she would always be an Amazon."
Choosing the rating for this one was really hard because the writing is excellent, every sentence is beautiful, but the story itself made me so angry so many times it left me very conflicted (i might have permanent frown lines bc of this).
“Since you are here, it seems wrong not to make some use of you,” she said, still holding the sword as she straddled him. “But do not disappoint me, or I will end you.”
“I was born to serve you, my Queen. That I promise.”
So here we have Hyppolite, the strongest most badass and powerful Amazon Queen, who enjoys some d time with lover boy Theseus until he drugs her and kidnaps her 🤨 typical Greek mythology event moving on that's not the issue, in fact it was an interesting moment to read UNTIL SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL HIM AND DOESN'T.
“This is what you want,” he said, the blood trickling from a cut above his eyebrow. “You want a man who can control you. Who can best you.”
“There is not a man on this planet who can control me."
Right so in 2 weeks she got head over heels for baby boy despite a lifetime of using men for their body and living in a community of self sufficient women. Okidoki let's go then!! oh wait that backfires and she gets terribly wronged by him???? naurr who could have expected it 😧
“You? It was not you that was never enough. You were too much for him, sister. Always too much. Too strong. Too powerful. Too smart. Too compassionate. Too brave. Too loving. He tried to bring those things down in you, but he could not succeed. He did not replace you because he wished for something better, my darling sister, believe me. He replaced you because he knew you were more than he could ever live up to.”
I wont spoil anything so I can't even describe the most infuriating, revolting, scandalous, and any other intense and dramatic adjective TURN OF EVENT that left me absolutely dumbfounded and by this point forward I gave up on these women having any sense. Since the book also follows her sister Pe- (can't remember the name for the life of me) and her own stupid decisions, as if the status of Amazon never meant anything and they just let men win over them time and again (and refuse to listen to sound advice, which is a personal pet peeve).
Anyway so those are my main complaints, but as you can see it may just be history related and the author didn't have a choice to make the events that way so the story would make sense. I just couldn't enjoy this book fully while the two most powerful women on God's green earth let men get away with the worst of the worst.
On this note, please if you haven't already, check out A Spartan's Sorrow (2nd book in this series) which was flawless, tragic, beautiful, mesmerizing etc etc a 5 star read no question.
[arc review, honest opinon ; thank you again for the opportunity]
August 31, 2022
In ancient Themiscyra, Hippolyte rules as Queen of the Amazons. Feared throughout Greece, their skills on the battlefield are unrivalled. But when a ship lands on their shores, it brings something more dangerous than the threat of war. It brings a future Hippolyte could never have dreamed of.
Swept away to Athens, Hippolyte learns a love that transcends even the bond of the Amazon women. But can she forget her warrior past and forge a new life?
With her sister gone, Penthesilea is left with no choice but to rise as the new Amazon Queen. Forgoing her sister’s compassion and wisdom, Penthesilea rules with impulsiveness and ferocity that sparks terror throughout the Aegean.
But when Hippolyte’s world starts to crumble it is up to Penthesilea to decide how far she will go to defend their honour, family and way of life.
Swept away to Athens, Hippolyte learns a love that transcends even the bond of the Amazon women. But can she forget her warrior past and forge a new life?
With her sister gone, Penthesilea is left with no choice but to rise as the new Amazon Queen. Forgoing her sister’s compassion and wisdom, Penthesilea rules with impulsiveness and ferocity that sparks terror throughout the Aegean.
But when Hippolyte’s world starts to crumble it is up to Penthesilea to decide how far she will go to defend their honour, family and way of life.
April 8, 2024
I loved Queens of Themiscyra by Hannah M. Lynn so much! It is the third installment in The Grecian Women series, but I really hope it isn't the last. I enjoyed all three books, but I think this one is my favorite. Maybe because I haven't read many stories about the Amazon's and their queens so the story had new details and an unfamiliar stryline, but also because I love the author's storytelling style.
We start with Queen Hippolyte, feared by all for her unparalleled skills in battle, and well- known for her wisdom and compassion. After some serious wooing, she falls for Theseus but is still unwilling to leave her Amazons. In an act of misguided love and manipulation, he drugs her and takes her back to Athens with him. Hippolyte believes she may be in love with Theseus and decides to stay for now.
Penthesilea, Hippolyte's sister, is left to rule in her stead. She is a powerful Queen but rules impulsively, yet the Amazons thrive under her reign.... until Hippolyte returns, then Penthesilea is forced to make a decision that will affect the future of all Amazons.
Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and the amazing Hannah M. Lynn for early access to read Queens of Themiscyra in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I'll be hoping and waiting for #4!
We start with Queen Hippolyte, feared by all for her unparalleled skills in battle, and well- known for her wisdom and compassion. After some serious wooing, she falls for Theseus but is still unwilling to leave her Amazons. In an act of misguided love and manipulation, he drugs her and takes her back to Athens with him. Hippolyte believes she may be in love with Theseus and decides to stay for now.
Penthesilea, Hippolyte's sister, is left to rule in her stead. She is a powerful Queen but rules impulsively, yet the Amazons thrive under her reign.... until Hippolyte returns, then Penthesilea is forced to make a decision that will affect the future of all Amazons.
Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and the amazing Hannah M. Lynn for early access to read Queens of Themiscyra in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I'll be hoping and waiting for #4!
April 22, 2024
Ok, I read this with ZERO knowledge of the actual Greek mythology behind it and this review is written based on that. It’s my understanding that there isn’t much historical accuracy, but I enjoyed reading about the Amazons though I likely could’ve gone without the romance. Still really love this series, but this definitely won’t be the best one of them all.
April 22, 2022
This has been my favourite book in this series, with Athena's Child taking a close second because I enjoyed the subject matter of that book so much. I had been aware of the legendary Amazon warriors before reading Queens of Themiscyra - think Wonder Woman and all the other references to this legendary race of women scattered liberally through pop culture and popular literature - but this book delves so much deeper. Queens brings context to this extraordinary group of women, arising from Ares, God of War, himself. Yet, it is the complexity of characters themselves and their interpersonal relationships that held me entranced, and although men of fame and renown play significant roles throughout most of the text it is the women - and more importantly the Amazon women - who carry the story and ensure that it is a memorable one.
June 16, 2023
L’antica città di Temiscira ha una sovrana leggendaria: Ippolita, regina delle amazzoni. Il suo è un popolo di guerriere, temute in tutta la Grecia per lo straordinario valore in battaglia: si dice che sottomettano gli uomini e li utilizzino per la procreazione, che si amputino il seno destro per tirare meglio con l’arco e siano formidabili a cavalcare e con le armi. Ma ci sono pericoli che nessuna arma, per quanto letale, può scongiurare. E quando una nave giunge sulla costa dove Ippolita domina incontrastata, il destino ha già iniziato a tessere la sua tela. Travolta da un amore inatteso e proibito, tanto impetuoso quanto contrario ai doveri di amazzone – ancora prima che di sovrana –, Ippolita fa una scelta dalle conseguenze irreversibili. Sentendosi tradita dalla propria sorella, Pentesilea sarà costretta a salire sul trono al suo posto e lavare via la sciagura che Ippolita ha gettato sul popolo delle guerriere. Dimostrerà al mondo intero, se necessario, che le amazzoni non conoscono alcuna debolezza. E che sfidare la loro ira vuol dire prepararsi a combattere.
LIBRI / NARRATIVA / NEWTON COMPTON / NUOVI ARTICOLI / RECENSIONI
Recensione: “Il mistero delle Amazzoni” di Hannah Lynn
27/07/2022 - by Linda La Commare - Leave a Comment
Il mistero delle Amazzoni, il nuovo avvincente libro di Hannah Lynn.
Dopo il successo de Il segreto di Medusa e La vendetta degli dei, Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo libro allo stesso modo appassionante: Il mistero delle Amazzoni.
il mistero delle amazzoni
Titolo: Il mistero delle Amazzoni
Autore: Hannah Lynn
Editore: Newton Compton Editori
Genere: Narrativa.
Link d’acquisto: Amazon
Trama
L’antica città di Temiscira ha una sovrana leggendaria: Ippolita, regina delle amazzoni. Il suo è un popolo di guerriere, temute in tutta la Grecia per lo straordinario valore in battaglia: si dice che sottomettano gli uomini e li utilizzino per la procreazione, che si amputino il seno destro per tirare meglio con l’arco e siano formidabili a cavalcare e con le armi. Ma ci sono pericoli che nessuna arma, per quanto letale, può scongiurare. E quando una nave giunge sulla costa dove Ippolita domina incontrastata, il destino ha già iniziato a tessere la sua tela. Travolta da un amore inatteso e proibito, tanto impetuoso quanto contrario ai doveri di amazzone – ancora prima che di sovrana –, Ippolita fa una scelta dalle conseguenze irreversibili. Sentendosi tradita dalla propria sorella, Pentesilea sarà costretta a salire sul trono al suo posto e lavare via la sciagura che Ippolita ha gettato sul popolo delle guerriere. Dimostrerà al mondo intero, se necessario, che le amazzoni non conoscono alcuna debolezza. E che sfidare la loro ira vuol dire prepararsi a combattere.
Recensione
Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo romanzo sulla mitologia greca che appassiona il lettore. Il titolo dice già tutto; il romanzo si concentra proprio sulle figure misteriosi delle Amazzoni. Chi erano? Cosa facevano? Come agivano? Le amazzoni sono un popolo di donne guerriere della mitologia greca famose per il loro coraggio e le loro abilità. Combattevano a cavallo mediante l’utilizzo dell’arco e le spade. Attorno a loro, alla loro storia e alle loro battaglie, si svolge l’intero libro e iniziamo proprio dall’arrivo di Eracle, mandato dal re Euristeo con una missione: prendere la cintura della regina Ippolita, segno del suo potere e della sua autorità sulle amazzoni.
Conosciamo Ippolita, regina delle Amazzoni e Pentesilea sorella e regina delle Amazzoni nella guerra di Troia. A questo punto siamo già immersi nella loro storia, ma non solo quella che le riguarda come guerriere e sorelle, ma anche donne. Accanto a loro troviamo nomi che conosciamo bene, storie che siamo lieti di rivedere e affrontare, tra i protagonisti della mitologia greca troviamo Eracle, Teseo, Achille e perfino la guerra di Troia, con la differenza che ognuno di questi personaggi e di questi eventi vengono visti dagli occhi delle donne.
Il mistero delle Amazzoni racconta di regine, lealtà, tradimenti, guerre e famiglie e si serve di personaggi reali che entrano nel cuore del lettore e creano un posto speciale in cui soggiornare. Sono donne che non hanno paura di combattere, ma non hanno nemmeno paura di cedere all’amore. Hannah Lynn infatti ci racconta non solo le loro imprese, ma ci dona anche storie d’amore travagliate con grandi sorrisi ma anche immensi pianti. Un mix di elementi, un insieme di emozioni contrastanti. La storia che si appresta a raccontare è interessante, tuttavia l’ho trovato un po’ lenta, un dettaglio che ha rallentato la lettura.
Ancora una volta la penna di Hannah Lynn si conferma pulita, fluida e coinvolgente. Lo avevo già appurato con la lettura di “La vendetta degli dei”. Con la sua capacità di trasportarci in epoche lontane ci ha ridato il gusto e il piacere di rivivere la mitologia greca.
LIBRI / NARRATIVA / NEWTON COMPTON / NUOVI ARTICOLI / RECENSIONI
Recensione: “Il mistero delle Amazzoni” di Hannah Lynn
27/07/2022 - by Linda La Commare - Leave a Comment
Il mistero delle Amazzoni, il nuovo avvincente libro di Hannah Lynn.
Dopo il successo de Il segreto di Medusa e La vendetta degli dei, Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo libro allo stesso modo appassionante: Il mistero delle Amazzoni.
il mistero delle amazzoni
Titolo: Il mistero delle Amazzoni
Autore: Hannah Lynn
Editore: Newton Compton Editori
Genere: Narrativa.
Link d’acquisto: Amazon
Trama
L’antica città di Temiscira ha una sovrana leggendaria: Ippolita, regina delle amazzoni. Il suo è un popolo di guerriere, temute in tutta la Grecia per lo straordinario valore in battaglia: si dice che sottomettano gli uomini e li utilizzino per la procreazione, che si amputino il seno destro per tirare meglio con l’arco e siano formidabili a cavalcare e con le armi. Ma ci sono pericoli che nessuna arma, per quanto letale, può scongiurare. E quando una nave giunge sulla costa dove Ippolita domina incontrastata, il destino ha già iniziato a tessere la sua tela. Travolta da un amore inatteso e proibito, tanto impetuoso quanto contrario ai doveri di amazzone – ancora prima che di sovrana –, Ippolita fa una scelta dalle conseguenze irreversibili. Sentendosi tradita dalla propria sorella, Pentesilea sarà costretta a salire sul trono al suo posto e lavare via la sciagura che Ippolita ha gettato sul popolo delle guerriere. Dimostrerà al mondo intero, se necessario, che le amazzoni non conoscono alcuna debolezza. E che sfidare la loro ira vuol dire prepararsi a combattere.
Recensione
Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo romanzo sulla mitologia greca che appassiona il lettore. Il titolo dice già tutto; il romanzo si concentra proprio sulle figure misteriosi delle Amazzoni. Chi erano? Cosa facevano? Come agivano? Le amazzoni sono un popolo di donne guerriere della mitologia greca famose per il loro coraggio e le loro abilità. Combattevano a cavallo mediante l’utilizzo dell’arco e le spade. Attorno a loro, alla loro storia e alle loro battaglie, si svolge l’intero libro e iniziamo proprio dall’arrivo di Eracle, mandato dal re Euristeo con una missione: prendere la cintura della regina Ippolita, segno del suo potere e della sua autorità sulle amazzoni.
Conosciamo Ippolita, regina delle Amazzoni e Pentesilea sorella e regina delle Amazzoni nella guerra di Troia. A questo punto siamo già immersi nella loro storia, ma non solo quella che le riguarda come guerriere e sorelle, ma anche donne. Accanto a loro troviamo nomi che conosciamo bene, storie che siamo lieti di rivedere e affrontare, tra i protagonisti della mitologia greca troviamo Eracle, Teseo, Achille e perfino la guerra di Troia, con la differenza che ognuno di questi personaggi e di questi eventi vengono visti dagli occhi delle donne.
Il mistero delle Amazzoni racconta di regine, lealtà, tradimenti, guerre e famiglie e si serve di personaggi reali che entrano nel cuore del lettore e creano un posto speciale in cui soggiornare. Sono donne che non hanno paura di combattere, ma non hanno nemmeno paura di cedere all’amore. Hannah Lynn infatti ci racconta non solo le loro imprese, ma ci dona anche storie d’amore travagliate con grandi sorrisi ma anche immensi pianti. Un mix di elementi, un insieme di emozioni contrastanti. La storia che si appresta a raccontare è interessante, tuttavia l’ho trovato un po’ lenta, un dettaglio che ha rallentato la lettura.
Ancora una volta la penna di Hannah Lynn si conferma pulita, fluida e coinvolgente. Lo avevo già appurato con la lettura di “La vendetta degli dei”. Con la sua capacità di trasportarci in epoche lontane ci ha ridato il gusto e il piacere di rivivere la mitologia greca.
January 3, 2023
Never hated a book so much in my life. I gave up a few chapters from the end because I just couldn't take it. We all agree on the pact that Theseus is a huge piece of asshole, but the one that pissed me off the most is Hippolyta: all her life she affirms her contempt for "normal" women, who are mothers and wives, then comes an idiot who he drugs you, he kidnaps you, promising a future without giving you anything concrete to confirm it, and what do you do?? An Amazon queen would have tried to escape using her strength and intelligence to return to her people, but what does she do? Stockholm syndrome and “he loves me in his own way”. GO FUCK YOURSELF GIRL. The whole siege of Athens, her people who is slaughtered and what does she do? She takes an arrow for the asshole who betrayed her, humiliated her and took her child away from her. Another thing I hated is all this unconditional love she has for Hppolyto. Perhaps the young lady forgot that she also had another son. Bad representation of feminism, especially if that is what the author believes feminism is. I liked Pentasilea. She is like what I imagine a true Amazon queen was. But I didn't like how little her "self-exile" was explored and how superficial her reconciliation with her feelings is, about what she felt for killing her sister. The most appreciated part was certainly when the culture of the Amazons was explored, although I don't know if it is historically accurate.
Overall I don't recommend, I don't think it's worth the money
Overall I don't recommend, I don't think it's worth the money
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2022
Ippolita cazzutissima nella prima parte, capisce alcune cose e risulta "competente" sia come donna, sia come guerriera, sia come regina...
peccato che nella seconda teseo (e non uso altri epiteti) la rapisca e da regina forte, cazzuta, integerrima Ippolita incomincia a soffrire di una sindrome di Stoccolma immensa dove non riesce ad allontanarsi dal suo rapitore se non alla fine, quando la allontana in malo modo. Ma cos'altro ci si può aspettare da lui?
Il rientro e l'assalto ad Atene interessante. teseo che le parla è da uccidere ma dopo, con Pentesilea, si riprendono certi standard abbastanza buoni per questo libro.
La parte su Pentesilea mi è piaciuta abbastanza e ci sta molto, anche qua però abbiamo delle mancanze: che fine fanno teseo e Ippolito?
peccato che nella seconda teseo (e non uso altri epiteti) la rapisca e da regina forte, cazzuta, integerrima Ippolita incomincia a soffrire di una sindrome di Stoccolma immensa dove non riesce ad allontanarsi dal suo rapitore se non alla fine, quando la allontana in malo modo. Ma cos'altro ci si può aspettare da lui?
Il rientro e l'assalto ad Atene interessante. teseo che le parla è da uccidere ma dopo, con Pentesilea, si riprendono certi standard abbastanza buoni per questo libro.
La parte su Pentesilea mi è piaciuta abbastanza e ci sta molto, anche qua però abbiamo delle mancanze: che fine fanno teseo e Ippolito?
May 5, 2022
Loved this retelling of the Amazon Legend!
Why did Queen Hippolyte REALLY stay in Athens with that abusive cad, Theseus? Did she really turn traitor to her heritage as an independent woman and leader of same? Did her sister(s) "murder" / "execute" her for her decision to stay with her "hero" (gag!) husband out of love? Or is that just something that the patriarchy has concocted over millennia to build themselves up?
Whatever the story, Theseus is DEFINITELY one of those men unable to get things done without the help of a woman -- and then to give her credit where it's due!
Why did Queen Hippolyte REALLY stay in Athens with that abusive cad, Theseus? Did she really turn traitor to her heritage as an independent woman and leader of same? Did her sister(s) "murder" / "execute" her for her decision to stay with her "hero" (gag!) husband out of love? Or is that just something that the patriarchy has concocted over millennia to build themselves up?
Whatever the story, Theseus is DEFINITELY one of those men unable to get things done without the help of a woman -- and then to give her credit where it's due!
September 7, 2025
I knew how this would end and it crushed me anyway, what a tale.
July 15, 2024
”With that, she raised her spear to the sky and, a second later, three thousand more were lifted to join it, their tips shining in the moonlight, as a battle cry echoed through the sky. They were formiable. They were unbeatable. They were the Amazons.”
Queens of Themiscyra follows the lives of Hippolyte and Penthesilea, daughters of Ares and fierce warriors. Hippolyte, the beloved and trusted queen of the Amazons, is swept away to Athens where she is torn between her loyalty to her tribe and the love she finds in Athens, while Penthesilea, the greatest warrior to have ever lived, is left to rule their people. This is a novel of sisterhood, survival, end of an era and the lives and ways of the Amazons.
This novel was, unfortunately, merely okay. I had high hopes for it. The writing is good – although there were weirdly many typos and missing words - and I had an okay time, but not an awesome one. I would be open to trying some of Lynn's other retellings because I do think she has a good grasp on the mythology and I vibed with how she wrote the culture, the landscape, the gods and so on. This just was not fully it for me. But before I go on to my gripes, let's talk about all the good stuff!
As much as this pains me to say in a novel all about women and following the lives of Amazon queens, the character I found most compellingly written was Theseus. I hate him with a fiery passion, but that doesn’t mean he cannot be a cool character, and boy was he well done in this. He is perfectly cocky, arrogant, seemingly charming, stubborn and childishly brash, exactly as infuriating as he should be. If I turned off all my pre-existing hatred for him, I could also kinda see why Hippolyte would grow fond of him, although I could not believe that Theseus felt like such a good character because I could recognize the kind of man he is. We’ve all met or known of someone like that, someone who is so oblivious to their privilege, is certain they know what’s best and who believe they are some kind of gift for women, someone who can read their ”secret signals” behind what they are actually saying. When he I would’ve loved for my fave character to be like Hippolyte or Penthesilea, but well, no can do.
One of the highlights of this novel was, for me, the depiction of Amazon life and culture. I liked reading about their endless, harsh training, their values and the weight they put on a warrior’s nobility and a warrior’s death. Reading about this community of free, independent and confident women was so refreshing in a myth retelling since, most of the time, the myths that get retold take place in battlefields or courts or ships – realms that are nearly exclusively run by men. I only hope the author would’ve spent more time in Themiscyra and really focused on their culture and way of life, but more on that later. I think, through Hippolyte, Hannah Lynn explored the stark and brutal differences between Themiscyra and Athens for a woman; where she was once a respected Queen, valued for her skill in battle and her wisdom, chosen by Ares himself, in Athens, she is a strange, scary woman whom people expect to be quiet, demure and hidden in the women’s quarters at all times. As much as I love Themiscyra as a setting and the Amazons as an idea, a group, I just love court intrigue and drama, so I also loved the depiction of Athens’s court and its inner workings. Hippolyte, being such a fish out of water, was a cool narrator for those sections. It was really
The Trojan War is a small part of this novel, albeit an important one, and as a huge sucker for that myth, I have to talk about it a little bit. I loved how, through Penthesilea, we got to meet Priam and his family years before the war. Seeing little Hector with his good heart was a twist of a knife in my heart, knowing how his story will end, as was seeing the glory days of Troy, ruled by its beloved king and queen. I also really loved how the book explained the origins of the war and Helen’s role in it: ”Some claimed that it has been her choice, that she had been overcome with passion and lust at the sight og the young hero, who must have seemed all the more attractive when compared with the bloated brute her husband had become. Others insisted that was not the care, that it was Paris who had become so enamoured with Helen that he had snatched her away in the night. It was a story that bore echoes all too uncomfortably familiar to Penthesilea. Either way, the outcome was the same. A thousand ships.” Yeah, it does not matter, in the end, what Helen did or did not do. It happened and that’s that. Thousands die, thousands lose their families either way. The way I had my issues with this novel, but this was a well done ending for a character. What I did not like about the Troy-section, however, was Patroclus being made Achilles’s cousin. Why oh why.
Despite the interesting premise and good writing, something about the novel didn’t fully click with me. I think my biggest issue was with how only a handful characters felt fully developed. Hippolyte was quite interesting and I liked how she ended up struggling between love of her family in Athens and her loyalty to her sisters and her role as their Queen. Some of her decisions did not make sense to me, which took me out of the story for a bit, and made it difficult for me to really connect with her, but for the most part, I liked her fierceness, her calm and empathetic leadership and the fact that she is not flawless: she makes mistakes, trusts the wrong people and so on. Theseus was intriguing cause you never know how much of what he says is lies and Lynn just, in general, captured his weasel-like slimy nature so well. Penthesilea, on the other hand, remained way too, to but it bluntly, meh, for the longest time, which is a shame cause she is such a cool character in myth (also, I was so happy to see her depicted as queer in this novel!). She just felt like the more warrior-like Amazon Queen and that’s it. Later on in the book, she got more focus (I thought Lynn depicted her guilt over a few unfortunate events very well – I liked ), but her characterization never really gripped me or stood out to me as anything all that unique.
Her and Hippolyte’s other sisters were very bland. Aegeus had his moments but even he was just pretty much the kindly old king who has an unusually good heart for his world. Cletes was just the loyal lover who gives wise council. None of the characters managed to surprise me. Of course, in a myth retelling, you kinda know where the story is going all of the time, but that doesn’t mean the characters can never surprise a reader. The relationships also could’ve used more time, especially the dynamic between the daughters of Ares. They deserved more depth. As it is, Theseus and Hippolyte’s relationship stuck out to me the most, especially when I was also quite bummed out that, for a novel titles Queens of Themiscyra, we spent, in the end, quite little time there: most of the story seemed to take place in Athens and not following the Amazons being Amazons. I felt like this book only scratched the surface of their world and way of life. It was a bit unfortunate. Hippolyte’s story Otherwise, I think the novel just lacked a kind of oomph-factor that I cannot quite explain: it just didn’t hit me in the feels or fully captivate me. I am a bit bummed, cause the Amazons are super cool and I really wanted to find a novel to love that centers them, and I have heard very positive reviews about this book.
I wouldn't recommend this first if someone asked me for a Greek myth retelling recommendation, but if someone was looking for specifically a story about Penthesilea and Hippolyte, I would not dissuade anyone from reading this story. After all, many have loved this novel – I know I am in the minority, here.
Queens of Themiscyra follows the lives of Hippolyte and Penthesilea, daughters of Ares and fierce warriors. Hippolyte, the beloved and trusted queen of the Amazons, is swept away to Athens where she is torn between her loyalty to her tribe and the love she finds in Athens, while Penthesilea, the greatest warrior to have ever lived, is left to rule their people. This is a novel of sisterhood, survival, end of an era and the lives and ways of the Amazons.
This novel was, unfortunately, merely okay. I had high hopes for it. The writing is good – although there were weirdly many typos and missing words - and I had an okay time, but not an awesome one. I would be open to trying some of Lynn's other retellings because I do think she has a good grasp on the mythology and I vibed with how she wrote the culture, the landscape, the gods and so on. This just was not fully it for me. But before I go on to my gripes, let's talk about all the good stuff!
As much as this pains me to say in a novel all about women and following the lives of Amazon queens, the character I found most compellingly written was Theseus. I hate him with a fiery passion, but that doesn’t mean he cannot be a cool character, and boy was he well done in this. He is perfectly cocky, arrogant, seemingly charming, stubborn and childishly brash, exactly as infuriating as he should be. If I turned off all my pre-existing hatred for him, I could also kinda see why Hippolyte would grow fond of him, although I could not believe that Theseus felt like such a good character because I could recognize the kind of man he is. We’ve all met or known of someone like that, someone who is so oblivious to their privilege, is certain they know what’s best and who believe they are some kind of gift for women, someone who can read their ”secret signals” behind what they are actually saying. When he I would’ve loved for my fave character to be like Hippolyte or Penthesilea, but well, no can do.
One of the highlights of this novel was, for me, the depiction of Amazon life and culture. I liked reading about their endless, harsh training, their values and the weight they put on a warrior’s nobility and a warrior’s death. Reading about this community of free, independent and confident women was so refreshing in a myth retelling since, most of the time, the myths that get retold take place in battlefields or courts or ships – realms that are nearly exclusively run by men. I only hope the author would’ve spent more time in Themiscyra and really focused on their culture and way of life, but more on that later. I think, through Hippolyte, Hannah Lynn explored the stark and brutal differences between Themiscyra and Athens for a woman; where she was once a respected Queen, valued for her skill in battle and her wisdom, chosen by Ares himself, in Athens, she is a strange, scary woman whom people expect to be quiet, demure and hidden in the women’s quarters at all times. As much as I love Themiscyra as a setting and the Amazons as an idea, a group, I just love court intrigue and drama, so I also loved the depiction of Athens’s court and its inner workings. Hippolyte, being such a fish out of water, was a cool narrator for those sections. It was really
The Trojan War is a small part of this novel, albeit an important one, and as a huge sucker for that myth, I have to talk about it a little bit. I loved how, through Penthesilea, we got to meet Priam and his family years before the war. Seeing little Hector with his good heart was a twist of a knife in my heart, knowing how his story will end, as was seeing the glory days of Troy, ruled by its beloved king and queen. I also really loved how the book explained the origins of the war and Helen’s role in it: ”Some claimed that it has been her choice, that she had been overcome with passion and lust at the sight og the young hero, who must have seemed all the more attractive when compared with the bloated brute her husband had become. Others insisted that was not the care, that it was Paris who had become so enamoured with Helen that he had snatched her away in the night. It was a story that bore echoes all too uncomfortably familiar to Penthesilea. Either way, the outcome was the same. A thousand ships.” Yeah, it does not matter, in the end, what Helen did or did not do. It happened and that’s that. Thousands die, thousands lose their families either way. The way I had my issues with this novel, but this was a well done ending for a character. What I did not like about the Troy-section, however, was Patroclus being made Achilles’s cousin. Why oh why.
Despite the interesting premise and good writing, something about the novel didn’t fully click with me. I think my biggest issue was with how only a handful characters felt fully developed. Hippolyte was quite interesting and I liked how she ended up struggling between love of her family in Athens and her loyalty to her sisters and her role as their Queen. Some of her decisions did not make sense to me, which took me out of the story for a bit, and made it difficult for me to really connect with her, but for the most part, I liked her fierceness, her calm and empathetic leadership and the fact that she is not flawless: she makes mistakes, trusts the wrong people and so on. Theseus was intriguing cause you never know how much of what he says is lies and Lynn just, in general, captured his weasel-like slimy nature so well. Penthesilea, on the other hand, remained way too, to but it bluntly, meh, for the longest time, which is a shame cause she is such a cool character in myth (also, I was so happy to see her depicted as queer in this novel!). She just felt like the more warrior-like Amazon Queen and that’s it. Later on in the book, she got more focus (I thought Lynn depicted her guilt over a few unfortunate events very well – I liked ), but her characterization never really gripped me or stood out to me as anything all that unique.
Her and Hippolyte’s other sisters were very bland. Aegeus had his moments but even he was just pretty much the kindly old king who has an unusually good heart for his world. Cletes was just the loyal lover who gives wise council. None of the characters managed to surprise me. Of course, in a myth retelling, you kinda know where the story is going all of the time, but that doesn’t mean the characters can never surprise a reader. The relationships also could’ve used more time, especially the dynamic between the daughters of Ares. They deserved more depth. As it is, Theseus and Hippolyte’s relationship stuck out to me the most, especially when I was also quite bummed out that, for a novel titles Queens of Themiscyra, we spent, in the end, quite little time there: most of the story seemed to take place in Athens and not following the Amazons being Amazons. I felt like this book only scratched the surface of their world and way of life. It was a bit unfortunate. Hippolyte’s story Otherwise, I think the novel just lacked a kind of oomph-factor that I cannot quite explain: it just didn’t hit me in the feels or fully captivate me. I am a bit bummed, cause the Amazons are super cool and I really wanted to find a novel to love that centers them, and I have heard very positive reviews about this book.
I wouldn't recommend this first if someone asked me for a Greek myth retelling recommendation, but if someone was looking for specifically a story about Penthesilea and Hippolyte, I would not dissuade anyone from reading this story. After all, many have loved this novel – I know I am in the minority, here.
December 15, 2022
I suppose I get what she was *trying* to show here - that a narcissist can manipulate any woman, no matter how strong. An abuser can use a woman's children against her to make her weak, the crumbs of affection, sweet words and gestures that suggest love can make her forget the cruelty, disrespect and methods he used to get her in that place. And even in the face of unimaginable, remorseless cruelty, she still ultimately loves him. I get it, I work with this every day. But she gets two things majorly wrong.
Firstly, she makes it all about sex and flattery at first, and perhaps this was deliberate to convey the impact of him, but it's like she's championing predatory and stalking behaviour as simple persistence and yearning. It's *romantic*. Narratives like this, being offered to girls and young women through books, TV, films, music, are part of the reason red flags don't appear red until it's too late.
Secondly, this is the fucking Queen of the Amazons. The idea that she would fall for this shit SO QUICKLY is absurd. Oh he's drugged you, kidnapped you, continues to drug you so you can't escape, a rescue party turns up and you go "he loves me in his own way" after little over two months AND YOU'RE THE QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS? No.
Penthesilea is an infinitely more interesting character than Hippolyte, but her development feels rushed and shallow. I wanted to read about her travels over seven years, her turmoil, her conflict as she tried not to care about people but ultimately couldn't stop herself. Her story could have been a beautiful one about the "softness" of women and how a woman's compassion and empathy doesn't always have to be shown as a weakness, but we didn't get that and more's the pity.
Fair play to her though, she wrote Theseus as the hateful wanker he was. From his first introduction I hated him, and not just because I knew what a prick he is in every myth and retelling. She got his arrogance, his smarmy little grin, his self-assured shite patter, his petulance and then his terrible cruelty absolutely spot on.
I feel as though the main reasons I couldn't get away with this book are similar to my dislikes in Athena's Child - the language is too flowery and overly descriptive (I can picture the scene without needing to know the position of every strand of hair) and the women who are initially portrayed as strong, compassionate, admirable characters become weak, unsure and, more often than not, bitchy. It doesn't feel like a genuine "there's two sides to this coin" piece of character development, it feels like a pattern of attack and it doesn't feel particularly feminist. I don't believe a feminist retelling has to paint women in a complimentary light all of the time, but at least more than the first two chapters might be nice.
I'll read the other one, probably, but I suspect it'll feel like a bit of an endurance like these two have.
Firstly, she makes it all about sex and flattery at first, and perhaps this was deliberate to convey the impact of him, but it's like she's championing predatory and stalking behaviour as simple persistence and yearning. It's *romantic*. Narratives like this, being offered to girls and young women through books, TV, films, music, are part of the reason red flags don't appear red until it's too late.
Secondly, this is the fucking Queen of the Amazons. The idea that she would fall for this shit SO QUICKLY is absurd. Oh he's drugged you, kidnapped you, continues to drug you so you can't escape, a rescue party turns up and you go "he loves me in his own way" after little over two months AND YOU'RE THE QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS? No.
Penthesilea is an infinitely more interesting character than Hippolyte, but her development feels rushed and shallow. I wanted to read about her travels over seven years, her turmoil, her conflict as she tried not to care about people but ultimately couldn't stop herself. Her story could have been a beautiful one about the "softness" of women and how a woman's compassion and empathy doesn't always have to be shown as a weakness, but we didn't get that and more's the pity.
Fair play to her though, she wrote Theseus as the hateful wanker he was. From his first introduction I hated him, and not just because I knew what a prick he is in every myth and retelling. She got his arrogance, his smarmy little grin, his self-assured shite patter, his petulance and then his terrible cruelty absolutely spot on.
I feel as though the main reasons I couldn't get away with this book are similar to my dislikes in Athena's Child - the language is too flowery and overly descriptive (I can picture the scene without needing to know the position of every strand of hair) and the women who are initially portrayed as strong, compassionate, admirable characters become weak, unsure and, more often than not, bitchy. It doesn't feel like a genuine "there's two sides to this coin" piece of character development, it feels like a pattern of attack and it doesn't feel particularly feminist. I don't believe a feminist retelling has to paint women in a complimentary light all of the time, but at least more than the first two chapters might be nice.
I'll read the other one, probably, but I suspect it'll feel like a bit of an endurance like these two have.
March 23, 2024
I'm super familiar with these myths, and the source material is VERY difficult to repaint in a feminist way while also maintaining integrity to the myth. Thesus is, and will always be, the absolute worst. THE WORST. So many women deserve better than they received at his hand, and there's not a lot you can do in some of the stories to make that better. But there ARE things you can do and we just...didn't do them here.
Theseus quite literally drugs and kidnaps Hippolyte and takes her to Athens, despite her saying a million times she doesn't want to go. Which is true to myth. HOWEVER, somehow it's fine because she learns to love and be happy in her situation and life moves on, Greece isn't terrible, etc. Which is gross, however I do understand the logic here of trying to give Hippolyte some agency and "rewriting" her story. But like....couldn't we have just had her choose to go with him instead? Yes, that's not as close to the myth, but it would have been far better off had she actively made the choice to go to Athens instead of being kidnapped--especially because she doesn't try to escape.
Being said, I did generally enjoy the book and read it in two days. It's well written and entertaining, and I think an accessible way to get the gist of the original myth without all of the gory details. But it's also not 100% accurate, nor do I think it's fair to paint this one as a feminist retelling/reimagining of the story given what choices weren't made.
It was still pretty good, but definitely my least favorite of the three books.
Theseus quite literally drugs and kidnaps Hippolyte and takes her to Athens, despite her saying a million times she doesn't want to go. Which is true to myth. HOWEVER, somehow it's fine because she learns to love and be happy in her situation and life moves on, Greece isn't terrible, etc. Which is gross, however I do understand the logic here of trying to give Hippolyte some agency and "rewriting" her story. But like....couldn't we have just had her choose to go with him instead? Yes, that's not as close to the myth, but it would have been far better off had she actively made the choice to go to Athens instead of being kidnapped--especially because she doesn't try to escape.
Being said, I did generally enjoy the book and read it in two days. It's well written and entertaining, and I think an accessible way to get the gist of the original myth without all of the gory details. But it's also not 100% accurate, nor do I think it's fair to paint this one as a feminist retelling/reimagining of the story given what choices weren't made.
It was still pretty good, but definitely my least favorite of the three books.
September 15, 2022
Eternalabyss - per RFS
.
Siamo davanti al terzo volume della saga più famosa di Hannah Lynn, la Greek Women.
Questo romanzo ha come protagoniste le Amazzoni, figlie di Ares, Dio della guerra, a cui sono consacrate tutte le donne che nascono a Temiscira, città natale delle donne guerriere, situata nella regione del Ponto sulle coste del Mar Nero.
Il libro gravita attorno alla vita della regina Ippolita e delle sue sorelle, Pentesilea, Antiope e Melanippe.
Il tutto ebbe inizio quando un giorno, lontano dalla costa, videro una nave sconosciuta avvicinarsi a Temiscira, le amazzoni erano ben consapevoli che nessuno sano di mente avrebbe solcato i loro territori senza un motivo valido e, infatti, su quella nave non vi era un uomo qualunque, ma Eracle, venuto alla ricerca della zoster (cintura) della regina Ippolita, che avrebbe dovuto consegnare come premio per una delle sue dodici fatiche. Tuttavia, ad attirare l’attenzione di Ippolita non fu Eracle, ma un giovane, dai tratti ancora bambineschi, Teseo, figlio di Egeo, re di Atene. L’arroganza e la sicurezza del ragazzo incuriosirono Ippolita mentre Pentesilea avrebbe solo voluto rimandare indietro il plotone di soldati o ucciderli prima che potessero lasciare le loro coste, ma la prima era di altro avviso. Il giovane Teseo in modo sconsiderato e inverosimile chiese alla regina delle amazzoni di diventare sua moglie, promettendole che sarebbe diventata la sovrana più grande che Atene avesse mai conosciuto.
Da qui inizia la meravigliosa storia della regina Ippolita, infatti, Teseo non accetterà mai un rifiuto da parte sua, e anni dopo il loro primo incontro ritornerà più adulto e ancora più convinto della sua proposta. Con un piano ben articolato riuscirà a rapire la sovrana e a trascinarla ad Atene; le amazzoni, furiose per questo affronto, si avvieranno in direzione di Atene per riportare a casa la loro regina, tuttavia, una volta arrivate Pentesilea dovrà fare i conti con i voleri della sorella Ippolita, ormai incinta, e intrappolata per sempre in quella città così lontana da Temiscira.
Pentesilea sarà la nuova regina, condurrà l’esercito di donne in numerose battaglie, facendo parlare di sé e rendendo grande il nome delle amazzoni come Ippolita non aveva mai fatto prima, eppure, dentro di lei, la sofferenza si farà sempre più forte, la sensazione di abbandono che le donne provano dopo che Ippolita le lascia è come un macigno sulle loro teste. I sentimenti e le lotte interiori vengono raccontati da Hannah Lynn in modo limpido e schietto, le amazzoni non sono abituate alle emozioni, ma allo stesso tempo sono profondamente leali e fedeli, ed è proprio per questo che l’amore tossico tra Teseo e Ippolita arriverà presto a un punto di non ritorno quando lui ritornerà a casa con Fedra, affermando di volerla sposare, abbandonando la moglie e il figlio che avevano generato. Ed è qui che il culmine viene raggiunto, Temiscira è in subbuglio, Ippolita ritorna più furiosa che mai con la voglia di uccidere Teseo e sterminare Atene, ed ecco che Pentesilea coglie l’occasione di comandare la guerra più attesa di sempre, quella contro Atene.
Definirei questo libro con una sola parola: straziante.
L’autrice riesce a catapultare il lettore in un tornado di emozioni e sentimenti contrastanti, la sua scrittura, sostenuta e scorrevole, permette di trovarsi dentro gli eventi senza neanche averne la percezione, il lettore soffre, piange, ama e si distrugge insieme a Ippolita, e successivamente con Pentesilea quando affronta il momento più buio della sua vita. La morte in battaglia è ciò che ogni amazzone desidera, e nel bene o nel male tutte un giorno saranno insieme al loro padre Ares, degne di essere lì.
Leggendo questo libro sono stata pervasa dal vero femminismo in carne e ossa, le amazzoni sono donne forti, che non si piegano al volere di un uomo, non seguono i canoni delle normali donne greche, ed è per questo che più di ogni altra cosa vengono temute. Nel romanzo le si appella come “oriopate”, ovvero, assassine di uomini, proprio per sottolineare la paura e il timore generato verso i loro confronti.
Hannah Lynn, inoltre, senza risultare pesante e frettolosa accompagna il lettore nell’osservare l’amore omosessuale di Pentesilea e Clete, lo narra come un amore dolce, duraturo nel tempo, resistente alle minacce ed eterno; Clete amerà per sempre Pentesilea, e nelle ultime righe del romanzo ci è chiaro come non mai che le amazzoni sono in grado di amare, di provare sentimenti così profondi da fare pazzie per perseguirli, sono donne ultraterrene, ma il loro sangue metà umano e metà divino le vincola alle emozioni umane, costringendole ad accettare il dolore, la delusione, la tristezza, l’allegria e la soddisfazione, in tutte le loro sfumature.
.
Siamo davanti al terzo volume della saga più famosa di Hannah Lynn, la Greek Women.
Questo romanzo ha come protagoniste le Amazzoni, figlie di Ares, Dio della guerra, a cui sono consacrate tutte le donne che nascono a Temiscira, città natale delle donne guerriere, situata nella regione del Ponto sulle coste del Mar Nero.
Il libro gravita attorno alla vita della regina Ippolita e delle sue sorelle, Pentesilea, Antiope e Melanippe.
Il tutto ebbe inizio quando un giorno, lontano dalla costa, videro una nave sconosciuta avvicinarsi a Temiscira, le amazzoni erano ben consapevoli che nessuno sano di mente avrebbe solcato i loro territori senza un motivo valido e, infatti, su quella nave non vi era un uomo qualunque, ma Eracle, venuto alla ricerca della zoster (cintura) della regina Ippolita, che avrebbe dovuto consegnare come premio per una delle sue dodici fatiche. Tuttavia, ad attirare l’attenzione di Ippolita non fu Eracle, ma un giovane, dai tratti ancora bambineschi, Teseo, figlio di Egeo, re di Atene. L’arroganza e la sicurezza del ragazzo incuriosirono Ippolita mentre Pentesilea avrebbe solo voluto rimandare indietro il plotone di soldati o ucciderli prima che potessero lasciare le loro coste, ma la prima era di altro avviso. Il giovane Teseo in modo sconsiderato e inverosimile chiese alla regina delle amazzoni di diventare sua moglie, promettendole che sarebbe diventata la sovrana più grande che Atene avesse mai conosciuto.
Da qui inizia la meravigliosa storia della regina Ippolita, infatti, Teseo non accetterà mai un rifiuto da parte sua, e anni dopo il loro primo incontro ritornerà più adulto e ancora più convinto della sua proposta. Con un piano ben articolato riuscirà a rapire la sovrana e a trascinarla ad Atene; le amazzoni, furiose per questo affronto, si avvieranno in direzione di Atene per riportare a casa la loro regina, tuttavia, una volta arrivate Pentesilea dovrà fare i conti con i voleri della sorella Ippolita, ormai incinta, e intrappolata per sempre in quella città così lontana da Temiscira.
Pentesilea sarà la nuova regina, condurrà l’esercito di donne in numerose battaglie, facendo parlare di sé e rendendo grande il nome delle amazzoni come Ippolita non aveva mai fatto prima, eppure, dentro di lei, la sofferenza si farà sempre più forte, la sensazione di abbandono che le donne provano dopo che Ippolita le lascia è come un macigno sulle loro teste. I sentimenti e le lotte interiori vengono raccontati da Hannah Lynn in modo limpido e schietto, le amazzoni non sono abituate alle emozioni, ma allo stesso tempo sono profondamente leali e fedeli, ed è proprio per questo che l’amore tossico tra Teseo e Ippolita arriverà presto a un punto di non ritorno quando lui ritornerà a casa con Fedra, affermando di volerla sposare, abbandonando la moglie e il figlio che avevano generato. Ed è qui che il culmine viene raggiunto, Temiscira è in subbuglio, Ippolita ritorna più furiosa che mai con la voglia di uccidere Teseo e sterminare Atene, ed ecco che Pentesilea coglie l’occasione di comandare la guerra più attesa di sempre, quella contro Atene.
Definirei questo libro con una sola parola: straziante.
L’autrice riesce a catapultare il lettore in un tornado di emozioni e sentimenti contrastanti, la sua scrittura, sostenuta e scorrevole, permette di trovarsi dentro gli eventi senza neanche averne la percezione, il lettore soffre, piange, ama e si distrugge insieme a Ippolita, e successivamente con Pentesilea quando affronta il momento più buio della sua vita. La morte in battaglia è ciò che ogni amazzone desidera, e nel bene o nel male tutte un giorno saranno insieme al loro padre Ares, degne di essere lì.
Leggendo questo libro sono stata pervasa dal vero femminismo in carne e ossa, le amazzoni sono donne forti, che non si piegano al volere di un uomo, non seguono i canoni delle normali donne greche, ed è per questo che più di ogni altra cosa vengono temute. Nel romanzo le si appella come “oriopate”, ovvero, assassine di uomini, proprio per sottolineare la paura e il timore generato verso i loro confronti.
Hannah Lynn, inoltre, senza risultare pesante e frettolosa accompagna il lettore nell’osservare l’amore omosessuale di Pentesilea e Clete, lo narra come un amore dolce, duraturo nel tempo, resistente alle minacce ed eterno; Clete amerà per sempre Pentesilea, e nelle ultime righe del romanzo ci è chiaro come non mai che le amazzoni sono in grado di amare, di provare sentimenti così profondi da fare pazzie per perseguirli, sono donne ultraterrene, ma il loro sangue metà umano e metà divino le vincola alle emozioni umane, costringendole ad accettare il dolore, la delusione, la tristezza, l’allegria e la soddisfazione, in tutte le loro sfumature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2024
"Hippolyte was the Queen of the Amazons. Invincible in human terms. Fearless. How was it possible that any man could break her like this?"
Queens of Themiscyra is powerful story of two women from mythology, actually not just two women but many and their strife and passion. I finished Spartan's sorrow first and started this back to back and I was quite sure that this won't top Spartan's sorrow as I was quite sad reading the story of Clytemnestra. But this was heartbreaking. I just felt so devastated , so much lost for both the Queens of Themiscyra.
Hippolyte was the Queen of Amazon and their life was so simple till a man entered her life and caused the destruction of the whole world they had set themselves in.
"Old enough to consider himself a man, yet still oblivious of the burdens that fell on one who was truly accountable for their actions." Theseus is the typical example of naricissicist, egotistical maniac who believes there's nothing that matters more than him. He is cunning, ready to go lengths to achieve what he desired.
And Hippolyte and ultimately Penthesilea and every woman of Amazon even though not involved directly in the affairs suffered at the hands of Theseus. To be honest one can't help but curse Hippolyte and yet feel broken for her. Love can make people blind even if it is a strong passionate woman.
"For it is not in our own deaths that we face the worst torment a man can know. It is in the deaths of those we love.”
And time and again it is proved how women suffered they fell in love with the wrong man or is there a right man out there?
"She had always believed that she and her sisters were immune to such folly. They loved each other. They loved their lands and their women. Wasn’t that enough? What more could one man possibly bring?"
I have loved this book. The starting is bit slow but it gets interesting. After the war of Athens again things slow down and at first I wasn't interested in the rest of the story but I liked it nevertheless.
This is even better than Spartan's sorrow, very well written.
I will definitely and highly recommend it to all Greek mythology fans out there and those who Will like to read Hippolyte's side of the story.
Thank you Netgalley and sourcebooks landmark for the amazing ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Queens of Themiscyra is powerful story of two women from mythology, actually not just two women but many and their strife and passion. I finished Spartan's sorrow first and started this back to back and I was quite sure that this won't top Spartan's sorrow as I was quite sad reading the story of Clytemnestra. But this was heartbreaking. I just felt so devastated , so much lost for both the Queens of Themiscyra.
Hippolyte was the Queen of Amazon and their life was so simple till a man entered her life and caused the destruction of the whole world they had set themselves in.
"Old enough to consider himself a man, yet still oblivious of the burdens that fell on one who was truly accountable for their actions." Theseus is the typical example of naricissicist, egotistical maniac who believes there's nothing that matters more than him. He is cunning, ready to go lengths to achieve what he desired.
And Hippolyte and ultimately Penthesilea and every woman of Amazon even though not involved directly in the affairs suffered at the hands of Theseus. To be honest one can't help but curse Hippolyte and yet feel broken for her. Love can make people blind even if it is a strong passionate woman.
"For it is not in our own deaths that we face the worst torment a man can know. It is in the deaths of those we love.”
And time and again it is proved how women suffered they fell in love with the wrong man or is there a right man out there?
"She had always believed that she and her sisters were immune to such folly. They loved each other. They loved their lands and their women. Wasn’t that enough? What more could one man possibly bring?"
I have loved this book. The starting is bit slow but it gets interesting. After the war of Athens again things slow down and at first I wasn't interested in the rest of the story but I liked it nevertheless.
This is even better than Spartan's sorrow, very well written.
I will definitely and highly recommend it to all Greek mythology fans out there and those who Will like to read Hippolyte's side of the story.
Thank you Netgalley and sourcebooks landmark for the amazing ARC in exchange of an honest review.
April 19, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC for this review.
Im the vein of feminist retellings of mythology comes the third book by Hannah M. Lynn, Queens of Themiscyra. We follow the Amazon women led by Queen Hypolyte and their interactions with Greek heros Heracles and Theseus, ending with the Trojan War.
I am torn on my feelings for this retelling since I love Greek mythology, but calling this a "feminist" retelling feels misleading. I would consider it woman focused, but something I noticed with this, and Lynn's retelling of Clytemnestra & Elektra, is that it is extremely focused on motherhood. Like, so focused on it that it almost feels like tradwife stuff.
Marketing this to younger women feels almost like propaganda?? Like, the great Amazon Queen, leader of a society of women that do not need men, is "tamed" by Theseus and becomes basically a housewife. Women don't need breaking, we don't need to be tamed. It feels extremely disingenuous to call this feminist.
On the other hand, I just simply enjoy exploring Greek mythology. I haven't read much regarding the Amazons previously, so it was nice to delve into their society. Other reviewers may point out it not being "accurate" to the myths, but that's kind of the point of retellings? They are meant to be bew takes, and stories/myths/legends change over time naturally.
Overall: I do think it's a good read that pairs well with Ariadne, giving you another look at Theseus being a P.O.S. but has lots of not so subtle themes that are less than feminist.
Im the vein of feminist retellings of mythology comes the third book by Hannah M. Lynn, Queens of Themiscyra. We follow the Amazon women led by Queen Hypolyte and their interactions with Greek heros Heracles and Theseus, ending with the Trojan War.
I am torn on my feelings for this retelling since I love Greek mythology, but calling this a "feminist" retelling feels misleading. I would consider it woman focused, but something I noticed with this, and Lynn's retelling of Clytemnestra & Elektra, is that it is extremely focused on motherhood. Like, so focused on it that it almost feels like tradwife stuff.
Marketing this to younger women feels almost like propaganda?? Like, the great Amazon Queen, leader of a society of women that do not need men, is "tamed" by Theseus and becomes basically a housewife. Women don't need breaking, we don't need to be tamed. It feels extremely disingenuous to call this feminist.
On the other hand, I just simply enjoy exploring Greek mythology. I haven't read much regarding the Amazons previously, so it was nice to delve into their society. Other reviewers may point out it not being "accurate" to the myths, but that's kind of the point of retellings? They are meant to be bew takes, and stories/myths/legends change over time naturally.
Overall: I do think it's a good read that pairs well with Ariadne, giving you another look at Theseus being a P.O.S. but has lots of not so subtle themes that are less than feminist.
May 19, 2024
I enjoyed reading the first 65% or so of this book, then everything went south. I found Hippolyte unlikeable and felt many of her choices to be unbelievable. The ending really threw the whole book into a tails pin that the story never really recovered from.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.
December 29, 2024
Enjoyable retelling of the stories of two warrior Amazon Queens.
June 1, 2024
It’s Green mythology so of course I was prepared for misogyny and prejudice against women. We know the story of Hippolyte so I was intrigued to see this where this book would take us. And I was not surprised but I’m was still appalled most of the time. Let’s note that this book is telling what we already know about their story but I wasn’t easy to read I could not believe a woman as strong and powerful as Hippolyte was reduced to this. It was not fair how Theseus got away with everything. But it is not surprising isn’t it?
““𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?” “𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰. 𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩.”
No, no he does not love you, he is obsessed with you. You are a woman he cannot possess, you are a challenge you are something to be conquered and you told you that!
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?”
“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
This is not love. You do not tell someone what they want and you are in no position to make such drastic decisions for them. He kidnapped her when she clearly told him repeatedly that she does not wish to go with or get to marry him.
She is A QUEEN in her own right but he still kidnapped her because women are nothing to people like him she is just another woman who has strayed from the concept of how we should be in their eyes so therefore she must be tamed.
Even if she loved him it wasn’t his choice to make, it was hers, even if she regretted not going with him and he left like he should have when she said NO it’s her regret to bare not anybody’s. No one has the right to take that from her and he did that and acted like she is the one being difficult.
“𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵,” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘚𝘰 𝘪𝘵 ����𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘺 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰?”
The freaking manipulation here makes me sick. What disgust me more is he still thought he was doing the right thing.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘢’𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.”
“𝘈𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘈 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯.”
I like the writing, the story inspired tremendous amount of anger in me, yet again a man discarded a woman’s autonomy. Nothing Theseus did was right, I never liked him from the start and I never will. Hippolyte disappointed me most of the time even when I understood and felt sympathetic her title as the Amazon queen held no baring after her kidnapping maybe it was because she wasn’t in her stronghold that’s why her character did not match the woman I knew from the first chapter and I don’t blame her, I blame Theseus.
“𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.”
Understatement of the century.
I am sorry to all the women who has suffered at the hands of a weak addled and weak minded men. You deserve better.
“𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘬 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥? 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥.”
After that line I was expecting her to snap out of it.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶? 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰.”
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘏𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘦.” 𝘈𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺. “𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”
The most awe inspiring thing was the bond of sisterhood that no matter they come first and would go to war for each other.
Thank you so much for a copy of this book Netgalley.
““𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?” “𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰. 𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩.”
No, no he does not love you, he is obsessed with you. You are a woman he cannot possess, you are a challenge you are something to be conquered and you told you that!
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?”
“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
This is not love. You do not tell someone what they want and you are in no position to make such drastic decisions for them. He kidnapped her when she clearly told him repeatedly that she does not wish to go with or get to marry him.
She is A QUEEN in her own right but he still kidnapped her because women are nothing to people like him she is just another woman who has strayed from the concept of how we should be in their eyes so therefore she must be tamed.
Even if she loved him it wasn’t his choice to make, it was hers, even if she regretted not going with him and he left like he should have when she said NO it’s her regret to bare not anybody’s. No one has the right to take that from her and he did that and acted like she is the one being difficult.
“𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵,” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘚𝘰 𝘪𝘵 ����𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘺 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰?”
The freaking manipulation here makes me sick. What disgust me more is he still thought he was doing the right thing.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘢’𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.”
“𝘈𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘈 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯.”
I like the writing, the story inspired tremendous amount of anger in me, yet again a man discarded a woman’s autonomy. Nothing Theseus did was right, I never liked him from the start and I never will. Hippolyte disappointed me most of the time even when I understood and felt sympathetic her title as the Amazon queen held no baring after her kidnapping maybe it was because she wasn’t in her stronghold that’s why her character did not match the woman I knew from the first chapter and I don’t blame her, I blame Theseus.
“𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.”
Understatement of the century.
I am sorry to all the women who has suffered at the hands of a weak addled and weak minded men. You deserve better.
“𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘬 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥? 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥.”
After that line I was expecting her to snap out of it.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶? 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰.”
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘏𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘦.” 𝘈𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺. “𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”
The most awe inspiring thing was the bond of sisterhood that no matter they come first and would go to war for each other.
Thank you so much for a copy of this book Netgalley.
May 31, 2024
This devastated me a little bit.
This is not a romance, though there are romantic parts in it. This book, instead broke my heart, to see everything they went through and to know how the story was going to end anyway. And yet, they had these beautiful moments that were focused on these two sisters, these two Queens.
This is not a romance, though there are romantic parts in it. This book, instead broke my heart, to see everything they went through and to know how the story was going to end anyway. And yet, they had these beautiful moments that were focused on these two sisters, these two Queens.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews