The Women of Troy follows on from The Silence of the Girls. Troy has fallen, and Briseis, pregnant with Achilles’ child moves around the camp of the Greek warriors while they wait for wind for the journey home. I think I don’t know enough Greek mythology to appreciate the detail here; though beautiful, and haunting, in truth I found it a little dull.
Lexi accepts a job as a nanny for a family who have lost their mother under a false name. The family is building a summer house in Norway. Lexi soon becomes attached in the grieving children and is determined to keep them safe. But not is all as it seems. The Norwegian landscape was a highlight for me in this tale. It was part a cautionary environmental tale, part myth and part gothic mystery. If you leave your sensible mind behind you will get caught up in the story and enjoy the ride.
The story centres on the Billymil family living on the outskirts of the town of Darnmoor. I loved the characters and could clearly see them and their lives in my mind. Language, ancestors, connection to land, myth, racism and colonisation are strong themes and are woven beautifully into the story. I was a bit lost at the beginning of the story with the mythical aspects, but as I read the story it all fell into place. At times a difficult read, definitely something that will make you think about life in Australia.
Set in a small, coastal town in New Zealand, The Whale Rider is a mythic story of a young girl’s fight to earn her great-grandfather’s love, and save her people. It is sweet, heart-breaking, hopeful story that both reveres, and challenges tradition. I listened to the audio version, and Jay Laga’aia did a brilliant job of narration.
Circe is the least daughter of Helios, the god of the sun, but she does find that she has the power of witchcraft. Banished to an island, she hones her craft, and becomes caught up in great stories of the gods and mortals. A retelling of mythology, this book is ancient stories fleshed out in a timeless way. Adventure, longing, loneliness, power, vengeance, caprice, and the search for self, this book has it all.
rrlreads 