Clytemnestra

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The Ancient Greeks were very devoted to their various gods and there are lots of rituals and sacrifices mentioned, such as those that are part of their day-to-day life, as well as important rituals before a wedding or to honour past ancestors. I would not hesitate to recommend this novel to fans of Greek mythology and feminist retellings/reimaginings. The author looks at Clytemnestra as a mother and sister and how that affected her role as a queen and leader of her people.

With Clytemnestra, Costanza Casati makes a familiar story feel fresh and different, and as a debut novel it’s quite impressive. I had the immense privilege to read this novel in advance… 5 stars is not enough to describe how much I loved it!

This novel by Susan C Wilson takes a closer look at Clytemnestra, her motivations, and the struggle she goes through.

An ominous scene introduces the Spartan princess as she peers into a ravine rumored to be the repository of the remains of dead infants. I for one have massively enjoyed this influx of feminist retellings and am excited to see it begin to expand to less well-known narratives and particularly less Western myths. The reader got to see her at many different stages of her life but also, and most interestingly for me, how she altered when faced with differing losses, fears, and woes. I really liked Clytemnestra's sister Helen, her brother Castor, and sister Timandra, they each had their own unique personalities. The heartbroken Clytemnestra takes her revenge on Agamemnon, which in turn provokes their other children, Electra and Orestes, to plot a revenge of their own.The pacing here was very well done; for an over 400 page book on such a familiar story, I never felt as if it were dragging in any way. Even knowing how the story goes, I felt there was never a dull moment in this, and that is really down to the strength of Constanza Casati’s haunting writing and her brilliant focus on characterisation.

Clytemnestra's Bind is a bold and brutal first-person retelling that redefines her story, unveiling the untold depths of her soul and the legacy she forged as a mother, wife, and queen. Also included are passages from ancient literature, like the Odyssey and the Iliad, supplying contrast and/or completing her own point of view.Various side characters who move in and out of the story hint at enticing plotlines — but instead of adding to the world of the story, these aspects distract the reader from the central plot. Known as the daughter of King Tyndareus and Leda, twin sister of Helen, princess of Sparta, and eventual wife of Agamemnon and Queen of Mycenae, Clytemnestra has been portrayed as a schemer and murderer. After the murder of her first husband and their baby son, Clytemnestra transforms her heartbreak into steel. She is then forced to marry Agamemnon, and during this unhappy marriage they have three children: Iphigenia, Electra and Orestes.

By spending so much time on Clytemnestra’s childhood and her relationships with her family members, her character is given more depth, so that by the time she is married off to Agamemnon and the familiar, tragic part of her story is set into motion, we have come to know Clytemnestra well and to understand how her environment and upbringing have made her into the person she is. Clytemnestra’s rage, her heartbreak, and her determination radiate off the page—I was utterly gripped. But when her daughter is sacrificed in the name of war, Clytemnestra’s rage knows no bounds and she knows what she has to do. She experiences great personal tragedy at various points in her life–as those of you who are familiar with Greek mythology will be aware of–and uses it to grow stronger, to shape herself into a figure of authority.Bouts were brutal, sometimes delivering broken bones or even death, but always, at the very least, resulting in bruises and blood spilt.