Elektra by Jennifer Saint

Synopsis
The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.

Clytemnestra
The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon – her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris. Her husband raises a great army against them and determines to win, whatever the cost.

Cassandra
Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall.

Elektra
The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. But can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?

Review

After the huge success of Ariadne, Jennifer Saint has returned, this time bringing us the story of three very different women whose lives are forever changed by the Trojan War. Clytemnestra is the sister of Helen, who has gone to Troy with Paris, deserting her husband Menelaus, for Paris, Prince of Troy and thus starting the war against Troy. Clytemnestra’s husband, Agamemnon, brother to Menelaus, leads the army to get Helen back, but in doing so betrays Clytemnestra by sacrificing their eldest daughter Iphigenia to appease the gods and get a fair wind to sail. Elektra, is the youngest daughter of Clytemnestra, and sister to the sacrificed Iphigenia, who looks up to her father regardless of what he has done. Finally, Cassandra, princess of Troy and priestess of Apollo. She is a prophetess, but is punished by Apollo so her warnings of the future are always ignored. She forsees the war, and the ultimate destruction of Troy, but her family will not listen. She finds herself as one of the prizes, taken by Agamemnon back to his palace in Mycenae. The stories of these three women weave together giving the female voice to this well known myth.

Ariadne was one of my top reads from last year, so I was excited to be offered a copy of Elektra to review from Wildfire Books, and it has lived up to expectations. What I love about Jennifer Saint’s books are that she gives a voice to the women in these classical myths, rather than just being told from male perspective which is the norm. Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Elektra are three women whose lives and destinies are forever changed before, during and after the ten year Trojan War. All three feel abandoned and betrayed in some way by their families: Clytemnestra being duped by her husband that results in the sacrifice of her daughter, Cassandra being seen as the mad daughter, not to be listened to, that ultimatley leads to the death of her family, Elektra, the eponymous character, who grows up with her father away at war and her mother locked away grieving for her older sister, rather than being a mother to her and her siblings. The different perspectives give a fascinating insight into this popular story, and I felt real empathy for the characters, their sense of betrayal and ultimately need to exact revenge on those who have wronged them.

Jennifer Saint’s prose flows beautifully, moving between the different perspectives with ease and taking the reader on a fascinating journey with them. I felt she really got under the skin of this myth, capturing the nuances of the characters, the atmosphere of the settings, and the morals that underpin all these Greek Tragedies. I think it is wonderful that these myths are being retold, and with such skill and aplomb by writers as talented as Jennifer Saint, who make these stories accessible to a new audience.

I absolutley adored Elektra, and even though it is a myth I know very well, and one I read not that long ago, I was still completely mesmerised by the story. Jennifer Saint has breathed new life into this myth and put her own stamp on it by including the voices of Cassandra and Elektra, rather than just Clytemnestra’s. These myths are called Greek Tragedy’s for a reason, they are full of drama, betrayal and revenge making for such a compelling and riveting read. Another brilliant read from Jennifer Saint, and I’m looking forward to which classical myth she decides to tackle next.

I would like to thank Hatchett/Wildfire books for sending me this wonderul book in return for my honest review.