Support Angry Angel Books!
Enjoying the reviews? Please consider a donation via Ko-Fi to help keep this website ad free and fund book purchases that usually become library donations too! Thank you for your support!
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/angryangel_03

Title: Ithaca (The Songs of Penelope #1)
Author: Claire North
Source: Pasco County Library System
Publication Date: September 6, 2022
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

Why did I choose to read this book?

Sometimes I think about things that I would get really into, if I had the time or money to do so. One of those things is Greek and Roman mythology. I love the stories, I love the modern day retellings that are more fair to women. I love the gods with their strengths and weaknesses, I love the cleverness and shenanigans of the demi-gods. The quests, the loves, the failures, all of it. It’s fascinating to me. Back in 2022 I was probably reading all the “Best of 2022” book lists at the end of the year and put this one on my library holds because, well, how could I not?

What is this book about?

This is a fairly simple book to explain – it’s about how women are underestimated and overlooked and use that to their advantage. It’s about how a woman can be a queen and still not have any outward power or standing. And most importantly of all, it’s about how women can make their own power and use it, if they are quiet and clever enough to keep it secret.

What is notable about this story?

There are several twists in this story and every single one caught me off guard and had me cackling at how ingenious it all was. The close bond of all the women of Ithaca, and some women from away, is what holds everything together and makes it all work. I haven’t read many other books that prioritized sisterhood so highly. I was always pleased that when I thought those bonds had broken, in actuality they had not and I felt my spirit bolstered by that.

I was also glad that North wrote the gods the way she did. This entire book is narrated by Hera, sister-wife of Zeus and queen of wives, mothers, and queens. We see the other gods through her eyes and they are exactly how you might think – single-minded and dedicated to their purpose(s). It was interesting to see how the gods could not work outside of their given propensities, that there were limitations to how they could affect the mortal world, and that sometimes forced them to work together to achieve certain goals.

Was anything not so great?

In the style of the Illiad and the Odyssey, the writing here tends on the formal side. Emotional moments happen, but they didn’t tug at my heartstrings as much as they may have otherwise due to the dry recounting of events by Hera. This is a small complaint, the writing isn’t so old-worldy to have put me off, but it might for others. You should still give it a chance though; emotions still shine through the dryness.

What’s the verdict?

4 stars on Goodreads. It’s a solid retelling and I can’t wait to read the next one. If you are a woman who feels powerless for whatever reason, this book will be a balm to your spirit. It will give you hope.