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A review by anabel_unker
Elektra by Jennifer Saint
5.0
*I received a copy of this audiobook on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, narrators, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
ELEKTRA tells the story of Troy, both the events leading up to the 10-year war and after. It has three viewpoints intertwined– the titular Elektra, her mother Clytemnestra, and the Trojan princess Cassandra. Each are strung together by the king Agamemnon, a vicious king from a long line of bloodthirsty men.
This book does something as delicate as making you love all sides of a story. The drowning dispare of a mother tricked into the sacrifice of a beloved daughter. The burning rage of a child who’s held onto hatred for as long as her hands could grasp. And the woman who dared stop her own rape at the hands of a god, cursed with knowing the destruction of her beloved home and having no one believe her.
It captures the true folly of the Greek gods, and the helplessness of those caught in the whirlwind of their mythos. Saint does a wonderful job of bringing life to each woman’s story– not only providing the emotional motives for each character but making you root her until the bitter end.
The audiobook in particular was truly spectacular. The narrators (all three) perfectly captured the spirit of these three woman. They were not afraid to wield the power of their voices, and in doing so made each part more powerful than the last.
This is an excellent book for fans of Madeline Miller’s work or anyone looking for a feminist retelling of classic Greek myths. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next Jennifer Saint book!
ELEKTRA tells the story of Troy, both the events leading up to the 10-year war and after. It has three viewpoints intertwined– the titular Elektra, her mother Clytemnestra, and the Trojan princess Cassandra. Each are strung together by the king Agamemnon, a vicious king from a long line of bloodthirsty men.
This book does something as delicate as making you love all sides of a story. The drowning dispare of a mother tricked into the sacrifice of a beloved daughter. The burning rage of a child who’s held onto hatred for as long as her hands could grasp. And the woman who dared stop her own rape at the hands of a god, cursed with knowing the destruction of her beloved home and having no one believe her.
It captures the true folly of the Greek gods, and the helplessness of those caught in the whirlwind of their mythos. Saint does a wonderful job of bringing life to each woman’s story– not only providing the emotional motives for each character but making you root her until the bitter end.
The audiobook in particular was truly spectacular. The narrators (all three) perfectly captured the spirit of these three woman. They were not afraid to wield the power of their voices, and in doing so made each part more powerful than the last.
This is an excellent book for fans of Madeline Miller’s work or anyone looking for a feminist retelling of classic Greek myths. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next Jennifer Saint book!