Book Review of Ithaca by Claire North

Name of Book: Ithaca

Author: Claire North 

ISBN: 9780316422963

Publisher: Redhook 

Part of a Series: The Songs of Penelope 

Type of book: -1700s, The Odyssey, Penelope, Odysseus, Hera, Greek and Roman myths, Ithaca, survival, fight, war, rebels, Clytemnestra myth, mother and son relationships, legends, legacy, trickery, wits, suitors, hospitality 

Year it was published: 2022 

Summary:

From the multi-award-winning author Claire North comes a daring reimagining that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. It’s time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . . .

Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them has returned, and the women of Ithaca have been left behind to run the kingdom.

Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. While he lived, her position was secure. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that her husband is dead, and suitors are beginning to knock at her door.

No one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus' empty throne—not yet. But everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, and Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war. Only through cunning, wit, and her trusted circle of maids, can she maintain the tenuous peace needed for the kingdom to survive.

This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women—and their goddesses— that will change the course of the world.

Characters:

Main characters in the story are definitely Hera and Penelope, although others are also portrayed such as Athena, Telemachus, maids and some suitors. Hera is a goddess filled with regrets and definitely acknowledges her previous non-Greek roots. She resents having choices taken away from her and resents going against her will. She is a complex and well-drawn goddess whose shades are impossible to discover. Penelope could best be described as an enigma, and in the book she striked me as a type who loves romanace of a lost husband at sea more than the actual human being. Considering how often Hera reminded the readers of what Odysseus was up to, I seriously wished that Penelope would also take on a lover instead of just wasting away for an undeserving man. The characters of the maids weren't drawn as deeply as Hera and Penelope, and while men were also present, they didn't dominate or take away the story line. 

Theme:

In order to survive, one needs to depend on self 

Plot:

The story is told in first person narrative omniscient point of view from Hera's point of view. It definitely took me awhile to get used to it, but once I did, I found myself glued to the chair, very curious as to how it will all turn out. While The Odyssey simply tells a story of Odysseus' wanderings and troubles due to his past actions, it never answers the questions that many readers crave. ITHACA, on the other hand, describes Ithaca in detail, from its economy to its geography as well as giving the readers the picture of politics at play and of how it all affects Queen Penelope. The women are portrayed as incredibly complex, acquiring personalities and legends beyond names and mention in The Odyssey. I also enjoyed the portrayal of gods as well as their limitations and capabilities. 

Author Information:

Claire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels.

Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.

Opinion:

When it comes to tales of old, especially the ending of Odysseus, I couldn't stomach the treatment the women received at his hands. Perhaps like others, I simply knew the story of Odysseus as double standard tale where women were one dimensional (an early version of Eve and Mary from the Bible) and of how it loosely tied to Greek and Roman myths. Beyond that, I knew nothing. This novel, ITHACA by Claire North, fills up a lot of gaping holes, giving the readers knowledge that they didn't know they craved.. It also talks about the heavy legacy that heroes left for their sons and daughters to fulfil. It also brings in the myth of Orestes and Clytemnestra and touches a lot on survival by women, children and old men when no able bodied men were available and Penelope was at the mercy of politics and games. men play.  

This was given for review

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)