The Last Song of Penelope
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Average rating4
Following the critically acclaimed "Ithaca" and "House of Odysseus" comes the final novel in Claire North's Songs of Penelope trilogy - an exquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.
Many years ago, Odysseus sailed to war and never returned. For twenty years his wife Penelope and the women of Ithaca have guarded the isle against suitors and rival kings. But peace cannot be kept forever, and the balance of power is about to break . . .
A beggar has arrived at the Palace. Salt-crusted and ocean-battered, he is scorned by the suitors - but Penelope recognises in him something terrible: her husband, Odysseus, returned at last. Yet this Odysseus is no hero. By returning to the island in disguise, he is not merely plotting his revenge against the suitors - vengeance that will spark a civil war - but he's testing the loyalty of his queen. Has she been faithful to him all these years? And how much blood is Odysseus willing to shed to be sure?
"The Song of Penelope" is ending, and the song of Odysseus must ring through Ithaca's halls. But first, Penelope must use all her cunning to win a war for the fate of the island and keep her family alive, whatever the cost . . .
Series
Series
3 primary booksThe Songs of Penelope
The Songs of Penelope is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by Claire North.
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Out today, the third book in The Songs of Penelope Series.
Oh, how I loved this series! Each narrated by a different goddess, this is the book narrated by Athena, goddess of wisdom and war. Her personality and values makes for a very strong narrative voice. Because a goddess is the narrator, we get both her 1st person perspective, but an all-seeing 3rd person perspective, giving you insights into everyone around Ithaca.
This is the culmination of a story of how men consistently underestimate women's power. Penelope, Queen of Ithaca, has had to get creative defending her land all while taking advantage of those who dismiss her. I will not spoil this book or this series, but it was so fun to read. This book was a lot heavier on the battle scenes, but with a good mix of political scheming and interpersonal conflict. The ending did not disappoint.
The whole series for me is a 4 star. I liked it a lot and do recommend it, especially if you're already a fan of Greek mythology. I appreciate Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book. I will be getting the physical copy soon to complete my set.
