It’s been ten years of conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. Troy falls in the tenth year. The Trojan women become slaves in the hands of the Greeks. A Thousand Ship tells the Trojan War from an all-female perspective. It put girls and goddesses at the centre of the story.
But this is the women’s war, just as much as it is men’s, and the poet will look upon their pain – the pain of the women who have always been relegated to the edges of the story, victims of men, survivors of men, slaves of men – and he will tell nothing at all. They have waited long enough for their turn
Thank you to Pan McMillian for this Review Copy.
This is my first Greek mythology and I must admit “I want more”. I did not think Greek mythology would interest me. But after this book, I want to explore the other tales, I want to delve into the other Houses as well as the deities.
Firstly, this book is not the kind of book you can put down. The storytelling is magnificent. I thought the retelling of an “old story” would be complicated and boring, but Haynes breathe life into it and made it quite short and an easy read. It was interesting, fast-paced and compelling. Told from multiple PoVs, I like how each chapter moved the story forward.
This isn’t your usual story about men and their conquests. No. This is a feminist story that gives a voice to the “silenced women” of the Trojan War. I liked that the women are the centre stage and everything else about the war revolves around them.
I loved and enjoyed the story of the Trojan Women – Hecabe – wife of Priam and Queen of Troy and mother of Polyxena, Cassandra, Hector, Paris and Polydorous. What’s there not to love about her resilience and wisdom?
Cassandra’s character and ability to have visions was exceptionally described and for some strange reason, I was looking forward to reading about her visions every time the Trojan Women were mentioned.
I also loved the story of Penthesilea and Hippolyta, the sisters who fought as Trojan’s allies in the last year of the war.
Penelope’s love and desire for her husband’s Odysseus return was heartbreaking
But no one sings of the courage required by those of us who were left behind
Calliope is my favourite deity
This book has put me on to Greek mythology. I would recommend this for anyone who wants a breathtaking book about the female role in the Trojan War.
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