The Children of Jocasta – Natalie Haynes

The Children of Jocasta - Natalie Haynes
The Children of Jocasta – Natalie Haynes

Jocasta – wife of Oedipus and mother of Antigone – is one of the foci of Natalie Haynes’ retelling of more of the Greek Myths. Her daughter, Ismene, is the other.

My first audiobook, courtesy of Herefordshire Libraries’ Borrowbox service. I am a convert.

Author page: The Children of Jocasta – Natalie Haynes

A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes

A Thousand Ships - Natalie Haynes
A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes

I am loving these recent retellings of the Greek Myths from the women’s perspective.

Natalie Haynes’ A Thousand Ships is, not surprisingly, the story of the Trojan War and the siege of Troy, triggered by Helen whose face launched those ships, and Paris – and the golden apple, but primarily for the story of where it came from and the three Goddesses vying for its accolade.

Penelope, relentlessly weaving and unweaving – and – my favourite chapters – writing increasingly exasperated letters to her errant husband-with-wanderlust, the wily Odysseus. Andromache, Cassandra, Hecabe (Hecuba when I was at school), and lesser known women whose passing mentions are fleshed out into, well, flesh and bones.

Fab.

Author page: A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes