In honour of my love of all things Homer and my goal of reading everything related to it I can find... here are some books featuring the Trojan War
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Millar
This book will forever hold a place in my heart. It’s one of my all time favourite books. Her writing is breathtaking and beautiful. The story is about Patroclus and Achilles from the beginning of their relationship all the way until the war. It’s one of those books you get wrapped up in emotionally. You already know how the story ends but every page keeps you hoping for a different outcome. I will always recommend it.
A Song of War by Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, SJA Turney, Russell Whitfield
One of my favourite things about retellings is getting to learn about the same characters from a different perspective and this book really does this well. The story has seven sections, one for each author and each is told by a different character(s). For being written by so many different authors it all flows together seamlessly. It kept me captivated start to finish and I love hearing the story through so many viewpoints.
Helen of Troy by Margaret George
I am usually a fast reader and this book took a lot of time dedication to finish it. It was worth moment though. You get submerged into the story of Helen from childhood till the end. I have read so many different versions where Helen is the hero or the villain but this one humanizes her in a way you don’t often see.
For the Most Beautiful by Emily Hauser
This ones a more young adult take on the events around Troy that focuses on the views of Krisayis and Briseis. I love how all the Greek gods and goddesses play into this retelling *a nod to my love of all things Percy Jackson*. It does pale a little bit compared to some of the other books but it’s still worth the read.
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
I had a really hard time deciding whether or not to include this one on the list but I think everyone should give it a chance if they want because their opinion could be different. So this story is told through Briseis and is meant to show the view points of the women behind the war. The author narrates the story using British slang and I couldn’t get past that as much as I tried. It completely took the magic out of the book and I couldn’t recover from it. I also found I couldn’t get behind the main character at all.
If anyone has any other Iliad or Odyssey related suggestions let me know!
