The Women of Troy (Women of Troy #2) by Pat Barker
21 September 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Pat Barker, The Silence of the Girls, The women of troy, Women of Troy #2
My Five Word TL:DR Review : A unique point of view
I loved The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker. A retelling of the fall of Troy from the perspective of Briseis who is given to Achilles as a battle prize. I fell for this story so hard. The writing was gorgeous, the sense of place and descriptions utterly bewitching and Briseis’ voice so easy to get along with – especially given the violence and bloodiness of the story which could have easily become dark and depressing.
To be perfectly honest I had no idea that this was to be a series and so I was madly happy when The Women of Troy popped onto my radar and to cut a long story short – this doesn’t disappoint.
This story picks up where the first left off, and for the record, I highly recommend you read the first because Briseis is such a compelling point of view. The Greeks may have won the war but they have become marooned on the beach, unable to set sail for home due to strong winds that seem to bode ill. Are the Gods displeased? The Greeks certainly seem to think so and nerves within the camp start to fray with individual factions forming. Each group hopes to place blame elsewhere and ultimately sacrifices will be called for.
Meanwhile the women of the camp seek to come to terms with their captivity and enforced enslavement as they ride the tides of anger roiling off the Greek warriors.
The Women of Troy is appropriately named as this time we spend much more time with the captive women, watching as they form attachments, sometimes watching with horror as they seem to be coming undone and ultimately hoping that their lives will calm down some. Briseis is the key pov, Achilles may be dead but carrying his child, and married to one of his close confidantes, she shares an almost elevated position if you will – or if it’s possible to say such a thing given the horrific circumstances in the first place. I really liked the relationships that slowly formed, and I admit I had palpitations at certain points given the actions of some of the women that Briseis was trying to help and protect.
Also in this instalment we meet Pyrrhus (Achilles’ son). He is one of the povs along with one of the Prophets Calchas. Pyrrhus suffers from an inferiority complex living in his father’s shadow. He is often ashamed of his own actions although he hides this behind bluster and deceit. He is not the nicest of characters to be honest but I couldn’t help feeling pity for him at certain points.
The absolute winning element for this book for me though was the writing. It’s so atmospheric. You could feel the cloying intensity of the camp, the fear, the anxiety. You could taste the salt from the sea and hear the wind howling. I absolutely love the writing. To be fair, the plot itself plays second fiddle a little here. This is a story that is small in scope and deep on emotional impact. And it was excellent.
I don’t think I can say too much more to be fair. There is an element of this story that may trigger certain readers so be aware of that. The women here are taken by force but this isn’t graphic or sensational, simply part of the story of war.
If I didn’t get the message across already I loved this story. And, I’m fairly hopeful that more will be forthcoming so happy days.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 stars
Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
I’m trying to get back into the habit of doing a round-up of the week just completed and also take a look at my plans for the forthcoming week. I rather got out of the habit of doing this last year but I would like to reinstate this type of post as I feel it keeps me on track. So, I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Last week:
Last week I missed my update so I’ll double post this week. As per usual I am behind at the moment as a result of travelling to see family and friends. Still, good times – just, I am fed up with myself sometimes! Anyway. The past two weeks I’ve been pressing on with my reading although I need to sit down now and catch up with some reviews and blog hopping. The week before last I read By the Pact by Joanna Maciejewska and also The Women of Troy by Pat Barker. I’ve also read A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington, continued with my buddy read of Joe Abercrombie’s First Law (75% into this one now) and read one of my SPFBO books – Little White Hands by Mark Cushen.
Next Week
This week I’d like to complete my buddy read, read Wisdom of Crowds and pick up another SPFBO book – of course, we all know what ‘they’ say about the best laid plans.
Reviews Posted since last Sunday:
- By the Pact by Joanna Maciejewska
- Rising Shadows by Phillip Blackwater
Forthcoming Reviews:
- Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
- The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley
- The Women of Troy by Pat Barker
- A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington
- Little White Hands by Mark Cushen
#SPFBO 7 : My Fourth/Final Batch of Books
SPFBO 7 is now into its third month and today I’m highlighting my next batch of four books. To date I’ve read and reviewed 12 books and my updates for Batch 1, 2 and 3 can be found here, here and here. I am a little late posting my final batch of books but I have already completed one of these and so hopefully will finish the final two books by the end of the month.
For those of you unfamiliar with SPFBO here and here are two posts that might provide some enlightenment. Basically, SPFBO is the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off, brainchild of Mark Lawrence. 300 hopeful authors submit their word babies. 10 Judges are allocated 30 books each. Each judge chooses a finalist, the competition narrows to 10 hopeful candidates. Alas, there can be only one winner so following an intense reading session where all the judges read and score each others finalists a winner finally emerges.
The main change for myself this year is that I am joining up with the wonderful Critiquing Chemist and her lovely boffin. We are very excited to start reading our batch (at the moment equally divided between the two blogs). I love this part of the competition, it’s full of expectations and hope. As in previous years I will give a brief introduction to the books and authors that I’m picking up that month together with an update at the end of the month where I may roll some books forwards and cut others. I know! It’s a part of the competition that I’m not overly fond of but it is unavoidable. Personally, I like to think that as the competition begins we already have 300 winners who each took that bold step to throw their hat into the ring and join in. So, enjoy yourselves, take the opportunity to make friends and become part of the community.
This month the three books that I will be reading from my fourth and final batch are:
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Little White Hands by Mark Cushen
Almost five hundred years have passed since the Seasons were at war. Half a millennium since Winter defied Spring, and lost.
Generations have come and gone, not knowing the bitter freeze and howling snows of Winter ever existed.
But now, after centuries of silence, the participants in this ancient struggle have resurfaced and reignited their feud on the doorstep of an unassuming little kitchen boy.
Garlan’s dreams of being just like the knights he idolizes may not be as impossible as he has always been led to believe, when he is chased from his home and thrust headlong into the kind of adventure he had only ever read about in books.
Setting out on a journey that spans the entire kingdom of Faeland, Garlan will traverse impossible mountains and stormy seas and battle terrible monsters, all to keep the world he knows safe from an enemy who will stop at nothing to bring about a never-ending winter.
With a cast of fantastical characters to aid him in his quest, can Garlan overcome his self-doubt and find the courage he needs to rise above his humble station and become the hero he always dreamed of being?
The fate of the world rests in his hands.
About the Author
***
The Throne of Ice & Ash by JDL Rosell
A throne in peril, a tragic betrayal, two heirs struggling to save their land, and a prophesied war threatening to engulf the world…
Bjorn, youngest heir to the Mad Jarl of Oakharrow, has always felt more at ease with a quill than a sword. Yet when calamity strikes his family, he must draw a blade and lead a company of warriors into the cold, deadly mountains in pursuit of a mysterious foe. Though he seeks vengeance, an ancient power stirs within him, and the whispers of prophecy beckon him toward an ominous destiny…
Aelthena, Bjorn’s sister, was born with the aptitude to lead, and she’s eager to prove it. But her society’s rules for women, and her love for her brother, restrain her efforts to command. As she walks the fine line between ambition and virtue, enemies of both mankind and myth rise against Oakharrow’s throne, and even her allies question her right to rule…
A harrowing tale of the struggle for power and the dawning heroes who rise above it, The Throne of Ice & Ash is Book 1 of the Norse high fantasy, coming of age series The Runewar Saga. Fans of A Song of Ice and Fire, The Lord of the Rings, and The Wheel of Time won’t want to miss this new sweeping epic fantasy!
About the Author
J.D.L. Rosell is the internationally bestselling author of Legend of Tal, Ranger of the Titan Wilds, The Runewar Saga, The Famine Cycle, and Godslayer Rising. He has earned an MA in creative writing and has previously written as a ghostwriter.
Always drawn to the outdoors, he ventures out into nature whenever he can to indulge in his hobbies of hiking and photography. Most of the time, he can be found curled up with a good book at home with his wife and two cats, Zelda and Abenthy.
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Out of the Dust by Joe Coates
There are few things more dangerous or more destructive than a bad man who thinks that he is doing a good thing…
The Aska Isles are burning. An unseasonable drought is slowly killing the land; crushing it in a patient and merciless fist of rising fire and dust.
On the prosperous Northern Isle, King Taavi Fulbright, senile and raving, edges closer to death while his Viceroy, the flint-hearted Corbin Cadmael, continues with his plans for subjugating the South and bringing the contemptible, stinking peasants that farm it under his yolk.
On the beautiful and brutal highlands of the Southern Isle, an outfit of desperadoes, bandits and cattle-thieves, led by the infamous Shaw siblings, is in the midst of murdering a team of the Crown’s cattle drovers and nicking their stock. It’s a final payday before the head of their crew, Viggo Shaw, leaves the road-life for good and settles down to fatherhood. Viggo cares little for the fate of the many, being concerned only with the lives of those closest to him; his sister and brother, Ylva and Destin, his lifelong love, Erika, and their unborn child.
That is until the delightfully psychotic Cormac Latrell comes strolling back into their lives after a decade-long absence. Latrell is a monster and, like all good monsters, is a monster of Viggo’s own creation. Once a polite and conscientious young nobleman, Latrell is the bastard son of Viceroy Cadmael and has been twisted by a love unrequited, the scorn of those he wished only to help, and the revulsion of a father who only ever saw him as a disappointment.
Latrell is hunting Erika’s sister, Fenella, who is rumoured to be endowed with powers long believed to be lost to legend. They are the powers of the Empathy, an elemental magic that could bring the Aska Isles back from the brink of the fire –– or cast it into the flames.
Now, Viggo and his band find themselves inexorably drawn into a choking world of revisited childhood sins that have sown the seeds from which fiends grow, soul-ripping jealousies, false prophesies, and blood-soaked feuds that promise little in the way of relief for any of them.
Viggo Shaw must face a trifecta of hard questions and an even tougher choice; is the saving of his world, the keeping of a final promise and the defeating of a monster he helped mould worth becoming a monster himself for?
Or should he just do what he aches to do, and surrender to death?
Or perhaps, Viggo might learn on his journey that the human heart is a torment and a masterpiece.
About the Author
***
Good luck to this month’s authors.
Friday Face Off : Books with ‘Murder’ in the title
17 September 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Murder of Crows, Anne Bishop, Books by Proxy, Books with Murder in the Title, Friday Face off
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.
This week’s theme:
Books with ‘Murder’ in the title
Firstly, you may have noticed a lack of content on here recently, or the fact I’ve been somewhat missing – I haven’t taken a hiatus, I’m not burnt out – I’ve been travelling and seeing people, kind of catching up after all the isolation and lock down from Covid and it’s quite simply been busy. So, I’m yet again behind both with reviews and blog hopping – apologies everyone. I’m hoping to get back on track now after a funny couple of months.
So, books with ‘murder’ in the title. I did have a few in mind for this one but I certainly didn’t want to go over again with books I have already used. Instead I’ve gone for a fairly recent read that was a buddy read with Lisa at Way Too Fantasy – of course I was a bit of a washout even though I was enjoying the series! Anyway. The second book, A Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (The Others #2). Here are the covers:
My favourite
I actually really like the original covers for this series and I also think they really fit the series well. But, I just love this cover and my eye would, without doubt, be drawn to it.
I’ve updated the list now to include themes for next year. If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know. Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions. Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books. If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:
Next Week : A favourite thriller
2021
September (RIP event)
24th – A favourite thriller
October
1st – A Halloween read
8th – Chills – anything at all that almost makes you too scared to pick up the book (your own pet hate)
15th – Your favourite book of magic
22nd – Books with ‘Queen’ in the title
29th – Must be gothic
November – Sci Fi Month
5th – Your earliest sci-fi read or the first sci-fi you reviewed
12th – A book with ‘star’ in the title
19th – Futuristic vista
26th – A Black Hole – in the universe or going deep into the ground
December
3rd – Windswept, the classic figure, stood majestically, with wind blowing out in a fetching way
10th – A fairytale retold
17th – Winter Solstice approaching – anything cold and seasonal
24th – All things fire – red hair, red covers, fire breathing dragons, simply fire?
31st – What’s your catnip – if it’s on a cover you have to pick it up
#SPFBO : My Third Batch of Books – Update
Today I’m posting an update for my third batch of SPFBO books (which can be found here). This year I’m teaming up with the lovely ladies from the Critiquing Chemist and we split the batch of books equally – which gives me a little more time this year.
This month I read and reviewed all four books from my third batch and today I’m providing my feedback on which books will be cut or rolled forward. At this point I’m not making any decisions on semi-finalists as the semi finalists will be decided by both blogs before agreement on a finalist is reached. We will each put forward hopefuls and then take it from there.
I would mention that this is ultimately the most difficult part of the competition for judges and authors. I don’t find making cuts easy to be honest however it’s the nature of the competition. There can be only one. I would also like to thank the authors of the books that are highlighted today for taking the decision to throw their hat into the ring. It can’t be easy and I definitely applaud you for taking this step.
Without further ado here is my feedback from the third batch of books:
Rising Shadows (The Pillar of Creation #1) by Phillip Blackwater
As tension rises between the southern and northern nations of the small continent of Exitium in the world of Anteris, the Elves turn to their eastern neighbors, the Humans, for help. They wish to learn the ways of combat, which they are not accustomed to, for they have always wielded a power far greater than forged steel. The Shards of Creation, mystical artifacts of great and virtually infinite power, have always been their prized weapon, but times have changed. They now face the same threat as the Humans: the southern nation known as the Ethula.
Wariel Ritch, general of the Human army, will take upon his shoulders this burden. But when a shadow of a past long forgotten threatens what little stability is left in the world, he will have to leave everything behind to stop it. Medregal Tergrast, an Ethulan king, dead for a thousand years, plans his return to the world of the living to gain back his former glory and finally fulfill his destiny by gaining control of the Shards of Creation. But is he really the threat people make him out to be?
In the meantime, in the bowels of the Human Kingdom, the reign of Dana Crystaloak is put into jeopardy when people around her start questioning her decisions. If she falls, war could break out across all lands.
My review is here.
In a nutshell: Rising Shadows is a quest style fantasy story involving a number of characters, racing against time, before an army of souls is released to fight for a King who has returned from the dead. There are a number of different threads to the story that all provide their own element of added threat. I didn’t struggle to read this but I did have a few issues and whilst this might not have totally worked for me it could be a gateway into fantasy for readers new to the genre
Conclusion: Cut
***
By the Pact (Pacts Arcane and Otherwise 1) by Joanna Maciejewska
High mages lied: Veranesh, the demon who destroyed the continent is still alive. And it’s up to their former student to expose the truth—even if it means another Cataclysm.
When Kamira, a once high mage student turned arcanist, discovers an imprisoned demon in underground ruins, she is forced into a pact that grants her powerful magic, but also ties her to the very demon that once devastated the continent… and Veranesh wants his freedom.
With one friend by her side, Veelk, a mage killer bound on protecting her, Kamira will have to outwit the archmages, other demons, and possibly her own demonic benefactor to survive. Her chances are slim, but with Veelk’s ever-present sarcastic repartee, Kamira might just pull through.
Plots and schemes, power and means—sometimes the price for victory is choosing which friend will die, but when you only have one friend, the choice is… easy?
My Review is here.
In a nutshell: I enjoyed By the Pact. It has some new (to me at least) notions around demons and magic that I haven’t seen explored before. I enjoyed the central characters and apart from a few issues related to editing (as opposed to the story itself) I would undoubtedly like to read the next instalment.
Conclusion: Roll Forward
***
Iarraindorn by Phil Dickens
ON THE NIGHT THAT HE WAS BORN, THE DEVIL CAME TO KILL HIM The son of a farmer in Iron Age Britain, Nuadhu finds himself thrust into a destiny he is ill-prepared for. After his king murders his parents, he and his brother are forced to flee into the Roman Empire under the protection of the archangel Anael. Meanwhile, a plague of the undead is sweeping across Europe from the east, raising their slain enemies as new allies. Their goal is not the conquest of one tribe or nation, but the subjugation of all humanity. Can one warrior-in-exile, hungry for vengeance, build a force to repel this existential threat?
My review is here
In a nutshell: This was a short but enjoyable story about a man who is born to be the ‘champion’ of the people, a protector from evil if you will. Set in the Iron Age we follow a young man as he trains with a celestial being. My only problem here is that I felt the length of the book worked against it in terms of the author really being able to draw a picture of the way of life, or to really given strength to the characters. As it is it felt like a fairly quick, episodic narrative that quickly sees the main POV grow up and finally face the threat he’s been training for. I think readers who like a quick read and fast pacing might enjoy this one.
Conclusion: Cut
***
Carrion by Alyson Tait
The Rook legacy: duty at all Costs. Regina’s family are the last living members after a long line of magical families. Their heritage is a promise to the world; they can be trusted to keep magic from corrupting power hungry witches — In doing so they keep an unearthly evil from crushing humanity.
When Regina Rook’s mother dies a sudden, violent death, the living coven members come from around the world to attend the funeral, and begin breathing down her neck as next in line to lead. Trying to find a balance between her own goals and her family’s demands, all the while keeping her recent nightmares hidden where she becomes the very thing they fighting.
But when those things become intertwined, can she do anything but watch as the world around her crumbles to ancient horrors?
My review is here.
In a nutshell: Carrion is a story about a coven of witches who use their magic to protect the world. When the coven’s lead witch dies it falls to her eldest daughter to pick up the reins. The eldest daughter however has long rebelled against the coven’s ways and traditions and with a new threat emerging this could spell trouble for the world we know. Again, this is a very quick read and a fairly short novel. I found myself struggling to really connect with the main character though and that could simply be because I wanted more backstory. I admit that shorter stories often leave me wanting more detail so this could potentially appeal to other readers who want something a bit more snappy.
Conclusion: Cut
My thanks again to the authors.
I will be posting my final batch of books very soon.
Books and travelling with Lynn 