Thank you to The Write Reads, NetGalley, Neem Tree Press and the author for granting me a digital review copy of this book. My review is honest and my opinions are my own.
Clytemnestra’s Bind is the first in a trilogy of ancient Greek mythological retellings. Clytemnestra is the sister of the more famous Helen. I had not heard of Clytemnestra before reading this book. She is the tragic wife of brutally cruel warlord Agamemnon, who seizes her as his wife after murdering her teenage husband and infant son in vengeance for his family having previously been ousted from the throne.
The lives of high-born women in Ancient Greece were far from fun. Baby daughters were considered useless in comparison to a male heir. Their only worth was as a possible bargaining chip for a future alliance through their betrothal to a king, allowing their fathers to grab more land. Women had no say and must always defer to their husbands.
Clytemnestra had been lucky up until the point that Agamemnon entered her life, since her first husband, Tantalus was kind, gentle and caring. He had even allowed her to help him rule and make decisions regarding their petitioners. Her marriage to Agamemnon is as different as possible from such a partnership. When she bears him two daughters he treats her with violence and scorn and is not in the slightest bit interested in their childhoods except in the hope that they might soon be of marriageable age.
I found this book compelling and difficult to put down. As brutal and often difficult to read as it was, I had to keep turning the pages in order to find out how Clytemnestra would survive each of the gut-wrenching events that occurred, how she managed to keep going through it all is testament to her love for her children, not wishing to bring shame on them or endanger their lives by fleeing their father. She is betrayed by her servants as well as her husband and her only friend is Aegisthus, the foster brother of her husband, who quickly develops feelings for her and tries to protect her and her children.
I found the characterisation in this book to be excellent in most cases, I particularly liked Clytemnestra’s character and that of Aegisthus, and Electra who took after her father quite alarmingly. It was very easy to connect with Clytemnestra quickly, perhaps the first-person narration helped with this. I did feel that Agamemnon was a little one-dimensional. He was a stereotypical brutish warlord and there really was nothing about him to like.
The customs, both religious and cultural, of this society were mentioned naturally throughout the book and showed a lot of historical research, which made the narrative come to life in a really interesting, educational way and painted a more detailed picture of the daily life of these characters.
I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for its sequel and possibly a few other Greek myth retellings as well, since this is a new genre for me.
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more
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Reviews with images
Greek History Come Back to Life!
For fans of Greek history and mythology, this is the story of Clytemnestra; the wife of Agamemnon and the mother of his heir Orestes.A very well told story, and one I was unfamiliar with, I got to really understand and appreciate Clytemnestra as a loyal wife and mother to her children. She finds herself in the middle of a long family feud that continues to play out and the men around her are killing one another off in hopes of usurping the throne from their brothers, uncles, etc.The brutality witnessed in this story revolves mostly around the Atreus family feud that begins with two brothers vying for the throne, in which one kills the other and then the slain brother's sons attempting to avenge the slaying of their father. This continues to play on and is a consistent theme in Greek Mythology stories.Clytemnestra is a woman who finds herself in the middle of these dynamics and wants to do her part in trying to prevent these feuds from continuing even further. She devotes herself fully to being a good wife to Agamemnon and a mother to his children. She understands and embraces the important role she has within her palace and her society and really does everything she can to try and keep these feuds from continuing. She could have sought vengeance for her slain husband and son when Agamemnon arrives to take the throne, and then her as his bride, but she quickly realizes that is not the path for her.She is a likeable character because of her choices. Choosing the righteous path of subordination and support to her kingdom as their Queen and embracing her roles. Agamemnon doesn't really like her, but their marriage is one of convenience and they make it work. Being a mother included some of the hardest challenges for her especially with their middle child Elektra who was incredibly disobedient and strong willed. Clytemnestra is admirable in her qualities and strong in her convictions to care and defend her family.A story about Greek faith, the complications of family dynamics, and the running of a vast kingdom. Clytemnestra's Bind will transport you back to the lands of Mycenae and invites you to remember the way of the Greek Gods and how everyday life was guided by these practices and beliefs. Always on the lookout for signs from the Gods, prostrating at altars and making sacrifices in hopes of finding favor in their eyes.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2024
For fans of Greek history and mythology, this is the story of Clytemnestra; the wife of Agamemnon and the mother of his heir Orestes.
A very well told story, and one I was unfamiliar with, I got to really understand and appreciate Clytemnestra as a loyal wife and mother to her children. She finds herself in the middle of a long family feud that continues to play out and the men around her are killing one another off in hopes of usurping the throne from their brothers, uncles, etc.
The brutality witnessed in this story revolves mostly around the Atreus family feud that begins with two brothers vying for the throne, in which one kills the other and then the slain brother's sons attempting to avenge the slaying of their father. This continues to play on and is a consistent theme in Greek Mythology stories.
Clytemnestra is a woman who finds herself in the middle of these dynamics and wants to do her part in trying to prevent these feuds from continuing even further. She devotes herself fully to being a good wife to Agamemnon and a mother to his children. She understands and embraces the important role she has within her palace and her society and really does everything she can to try and keep these feuds from continuing. She could have sought vengeance for her slain husband and son when Agamemnon arrives to take the throne, and then her as his bride, but she quickly realizes that is not the path for her.
She is a likeable character because of her choices. Choosing the righteous path of subordination and support to her kingdom as their Queen and embracing her roles. Agamemnon doesn't really like her, but their marriage is one of convenience and they make it work. Being a mother included some of the hardest challenges for her especially with their middle child Elektra who was incredibly disobedient and strong willed. Clytemnestra is admirable in her qualities and strong in her convictions to care and defend her family.
A story about Greek faith, the complications of family dynamics, and the running of a vast kingdom. Clytemnestra's Bind will transport you back to the lands of Mycenae and invites you to remember the way of the Greek Gods and how everyday life was guided by these practices and beliefs. Always on the lookout for signs from the Gods, prostrating at altars and making sacrifices in hopes of finding favor in their eyes.
A very well told story, and one I was unfamiliar with, I got to really understand and appreciate Clytemnestra as a loyal wife and mother to her children. She finds herself in the middle of a long family feud that continues to play out and the men around her are killing one another off in hopes of usurping the throne from their brothers, uncles, etc.
The brutality witnessed in this story revolves mostly around the Atreus family feud that begins with two brothers vying for the throne, in which one kills the other and then the slain brother's sons attempting to avenge the slaying of their father. This continues to play on and is a consistent theme in Greek Mythology stories.
Clytemnestra is a woman who finds herself in the middle of these dynamics and wants to do her part in trying to prevent these feuds from continuing even further. She devotes herself fully to being a good wife to Agamemnon and a mother to his children. She understands and embraces the important role she has within her palace and her society and really does everything she can to try and keep these feuds from continuing. She could have sought vengeance for her slain husband and son when Agamemnon arrives to take the throne, and then her as his bride, but she quickly realizes that is not the path for her.
She is a likeable character because of her choices. Choosing the righteous path of subordination and support to her kingdom as their Queen and embracing her roles. Agamemnon doesn't really like her, but their marriage is one of convenience and they make it work. Being a mother included some of the hardest challenges for her especially with their middle child Elektra who was incredibly disobedient and strong willed. Clytemnestra is admirable in her qualities and strong in her convictions to care and defend her family.
A story about Greek faith, the complications of family dynamics, and the running of a vast kingdom. Clytemnestra's Bind will transport you back to the lands of Mycenae and invites you to remember the way of the Greek Gods and how everyday life was guided by these practices and beliefs. Always on the lookout for signs from the Gods, prostrating at altars and making sacrifices in hopes of finding favor in their eyes.
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