Title: Helen of Sparta
Author: Amalia Carosella
Publisher: 1st
April 2015 by Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 400 pages
How I Read It: ARC ebook
Genre: historical fiction, Greek mythology, romance
My Rating: four crowns
Synopsis:
Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy,
Helen of Sparta was haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These
dreams foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To
do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the palace in
the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter and comfort in the
arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her side, she believes she
can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new dangers—violence, betrayal,
extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s plans and bar her path. Still, she
refuses to bend to the will of the gods.
A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of
one woman determined to decide her own fate.
My thoughts:
This was a
really enjoyable read. There are not many people who have not heard of Helen of
Troy - ‘the face that launched a
thousand ships’ – but this story goes right back, long before Troy and Paris
and that is what makes it unique. One of the things that set this book apart
from so many others concerning this topic is that it comes from Helen’s point
of view! Quite the twist on the often male dominated perspectives. You’ll like
her, I am sure.
The author
seamlessly winds together a riveting tale, combining the famous mythology with
a fresh pair of female eyes as we trace Helen’s early years and the adventurous
journey she embarks on. So instead of this often passively portrayed woman, we
see develop a girl to a woman: one who assumes strong principles, great depth
but also one who is flawed and very human. Helen is not a stand-alone; there
are many primary and secondary characters that will quickly have you taking
sides. I must confess on a personal level, it was refreshing to have a strong,
mature and wise male lead in Theseus:
“ I am your servant….even if I cannot bring you to Athens
openly as my wife, I will see you made safe. You have my word”.
This tale has
it all! Adventure, romance and of course as we well know, tragedy. However,
presented in such a refreshing context, it’s as if one is reading new material
for the first time - surely a sign of a serious author. For as Carosella
states:
“I wanted to give Helen the opportunity for something better –
a chance to take her life into her own hands. After more than twenty-five
hundred years of texts in which she’s been pushed round by men and gods, I
think she’s earned it”.
Where does it
lose some points? The highly contentious ending – wow - lots of thoughts on
this one from reviewers far and wide. Without giving anything away, suffice to
say I found it abrupt. Yes, it can be viewed as a complete novel where enough
closure was had for one to reach your own conclusions. However, there is plenty
of room for a sequel. Simply put, I was caught out by the abrupt final page and
– even though to go on would be into territory many are familiar with – I
stormed off to Facebook to shout my indignation, for I had not seen it coming.
Truthfully speaking, perhaps all that was left would be a heartbreaking
conclusion:
“And perhaps that was the truth of it all. Perhaps this war,
this destruction, this death, (was) all mine.”
This book is
fast paced and you will find it difficult to put down - the plot is
captivating, the characters intriguing. Give yourself leave and immerse
yourself in these times long gone. Spend some time with what I would like to
consider is the ‘real’ Helen of Sparta.
This review is based on a
complimentary copy from the publisher and
provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted
material may have changed in the final release.
2 comments:
This sounds good. I am a history fan!
I like that it is from Helen's pov and does not portray her as the passive item controlled first by her family and then Paris.
Post a Comment