We get some insights into male perspectives, such as that of Achilles's son, Pyrrhus, an insecure boy, feeling the pressure of his father's legacy. The scene is set for tensions, conflicts, feuds, suspicions, violence and frustrations to arise among the men as they drink copiously.

Laden with the spoils of war, the treasure, the women and the weaponry, they are unable to set off, prevented by the weather, an expression of the gods unhappiness.

Pat Barker picks up from The Silence of the Girls, giving continuing voice to the silenced women, after the Greeks have emerged victorious from the terrors of the war with the fall of Troy, with all the males wiped out and King Priam left unburied. so all of these things made the story a worthwhile and enjoyable read for me.Įasily recommendable to fans of greek mythology, particularly those who want to read more about the characters of the trojan war.Ī massive thanks to doubleday books for the ARC!! and, as always, PBs writing is so, so pretty. i think she does a wonderful job at making the characters her own, but staying faithful to the originals, especially when it comes to pyrrhus. I didnt mind this, personally, as this part of the trojan war isnt often retold (theres not a lot of source material for it), so i found the speculations PB made about the characters and their actions to be very interesting. and, objectively, not much happens during this time, so there really isnt much of a plot other than post-war logistics. this story takes place from the moment troy falls up until the greeks leave to return to their various homes. I do have a feeling that some readers may find the content of this installment to be a bit boring, however. She forges alliances when she can, with Priam's aged wife the defiant Hecuba and with the disgraced soothsayer Calchas, all the while shrewdly seeking her path to revenge.Īnother great book to add to my greek mythology retellings bookshelf and a wonderful follow-up to PBs previous book, ‘the silence of the girls.’

Largely unnoticed by her captors, the one time Trojan queen Briseis, formerly Achilles's slave, now belonging to his companion Alcimus, quietly takes in these developments. Old feuds resurface and new suspicions and rivalries begin to fester. The body of King Priam lies unburied and desecrated, and so the victors remain in suspension, camped in the shadows of the city they destroyed as the coalition that held them together begins to unravel. It does not come, because the gods are offended. Troy has fallen and the victorious Greeks are eager to return home with the spoils of an endless war-including the women of Troy themselves. A daring and timely feminist retelling of The Iliad from the perspective of the women of Troy who endured it-an extraordinary follow up to The Silence of the Girls from the Booker Prize-winning author of The Regeneration Trilogy.

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker