I hope everyone is having a nice Sunday so far. I’ve had a busy morning of playing for church services and I will be honest I have also had a little Sunday afternoon nap. I’m really pleased with my blogging and reading this week and I hope it continues once I’m back to school.
I am hooked on these two books. I keep my Wheel of Time reading to last thing at night and last night I could have easily stayed up all night reading it but in the end my husband reminded me I had an early start and that I needed sleep.
House of Odysseus is the follow up to award-winning author Claire North’s Ithaca “a powerful, fresh, and unflinching” reimagining (Jennifer Saint) that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men.
In the palace of Odysseus, a queen lies dreaming . . .
On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace—a peace that is shattered by the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra.
Orestes’ hands are stained with his mother’s blood. Not so long ago, the son of Agamemnon took Queen Clytemnestra’s life on Ithaca’s sands. Now, wracked with guilt, he grows ever more unhinged. But a king cannot be seen to be weak, and Elektra has brought him to Ithaca to keep him safe from the ambitious men of Mycenae.
Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the furies circle him. His uncle Menelaus, the blood-soaked king of Sparta, hungers for Orestes’ throne—and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims.
Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope must find a way to keep her home from being crushed by the machinations of a battle that stretches from Mycenae and Sparta to the summit of Mount Olympus itself. Her only allies are Elektra, desperate to protect her brother, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus’ wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own.
Each woman has a secret, and their secrets will shape the world . . .
Review
I will be honest the previous book IthacaI could have taken or left it but I decided to give this trilogy another go and I started to read this book. The first twenty or so pages of this book I almost did leave the series as the random ramblings of Aphrodite at the beginning were seriously annoying but I am glad I continued with the book because I soon got into the story.
This book is not really rooted in the myth of Penelope and Odysseus, or should we say Odysseus because poor Penelope has never featured very heavily in Odysseus’ tale other than when he suddenly remembered he was married and perhaps should be getting home to his wife and out of the other woman’s bed. However, in the little we do know about Penelope we do know she is loyal, clever, cunning and brave and I think it is these qualities that North has used to inspire this book. I could easily see these events happening in the original myth because there is so much that we do not know about Penelope and how she lived those twenty years her husband was from home.
The absolute star of this book is Laertes. Whenever Laertes appeared I was guaranteed a good laugh. Laertes is a clever old man who really can’t be bothered with being a king. He much prefers living quietly on his farm in his dirty robes and being as eccentric as he pleases. However, with Menelaus appearing on Ithaca and events unfolding he realises he must be there to help Penelope and so arrives at the palace to cause chaos. Laertes knows he has a clever daughter in law and I loved how he took his cues from her and knew precisely what chaos he needed to perform.
Penelope playing detective was also a nice touch in this book and I honestly had no clue who had performed the crime until the culprit started to show their true colours. I also loved North’s interpretation of Helen. Helen was another character who made me laugh quite a lot.
The only reason this book didn’t get the full five dragons from me was because I just couldn’t stand Aphrodite. I did love Athena and Artemis appearing and I really liked North’s interpretation of Artemis but Aphrodite really did waffle too much! I enjoyed this book a lot more than Ithaca and I can’t wait to read the final book of the trilogy. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.
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About the author
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.
I have had a busy day today with work and I have a busy weekend with work as well but I am hoping for some reading time as well.
My chosen poem this week is by American writer and designer Edith Wharton born Edith Newbold Jones (1862-1937).
Patience
PATIENCE and I have traveled hand in hand So many days that I have grown to trace The lines of sad, sweet beauty in her face, And all its veiled depths to understand.
Not beautiful is she to eyes profane; Silent and unrevealed her holy charms; But, like a mother's, her serene, strong arms Uphold my footsteps on the path of pain.
I long to cry, - her soft voice whispers, "Nay!" I seek to fly, but she restrains my feet; In wisdom stern, yet in compassion sweet, She guides my helpless wanderings, day by day.
O my Beloved, life's golden visions fade, And one by one life's phantoms joys depart; They leave a sudden darkness in the heart, And patience fills their empty place instead.
I will be honest August TBR did not go to plan and I didn’t read any of the books I had planned but I did manage to finish another Wheel of Time book so that was progress for one of my 2024 challenges.
Anyway, I will try a September TBR and hopefully I will do better this month than last month.
I’m really enjoying Greek mythology retellings at the moment but as I am back to school and full teaching soon I will be veering towards easier reads rather than the more challenging reads.
I’ve been back to almost full teaching today and I will be honest it has rather worn me out after only teaching a little bit over the summer.
My chosen quote today is by the American philosopher and psychologist, and the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States, William James (1842-1910).
“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action. ”
The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?
What I am Currently Reading
I have finally started reading these two hefty books and I am loving both of them! I am struggling to work out which one to read because I want to read them both.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I read this in basically one sitting and although I was intrigued I wasn’t very keen with the story direction Burton took.
What I Think I will Read Next
I seem to be really going for Greek mythology at the moment so some of these are very high on the TBR pile.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
I thought it was time for a wrap up of August. I’ve been averaging 3 books a month so I was delighted that in August I managed to read 4 books. I am beginning to realise that this year is just proving too busy to read as much as I usually do. A lot of four star reads in August!
Goodreads Monday is now hosted by Budget Tales Book Club. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good start to the week. I have had a busy day fulfilling orders for my Etsy and doing jobs around the house.
My chosen book off my Goodreads TBR is one that has sat there for way too long but I have recently found the book again and have moved it to the top of my TBR pile.
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam–a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion–a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.
“There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .”
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office–leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist–an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand–and fear–the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality. It is all about sharing the books that you have recently added to your bookshelves. These books can be physical books, ebooks and of course audiobooks.
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far. I have had a busy day doing jobs around the house and work on the library continues.
I haven’t done much book buying recently as I am trying to read the books I already have piled up everywhere but I have been reading House of Odysseus by Claire North and realised I hadn’t got the third book in the series yet. So obviously when I went to Worcester Waterstones I had to buy myself a copy. I also bought a couple of books when I visited Belton Estate.
I have the first National Trust On Screen book and really found it interesting so I was very excited to find there was a second one.
I am currently doing a mini course on Art History so when I found this enormous book in the second hand book shop in perfect condition for just £8.50 I knew I had to get it.
Lady Book Dragon 