Claire Heywood

For millennia, men have told the legend of the woman whose face launched a thousand ships--but now it's time to hear her side of the story. Daughters of Sparta is a tale of secrets, love, and tragedy from the women behind mythology's most devastating war, the infamous Helen and her sister Klytemnestra. As princesses of Sparta, Helen and Klytemnestra have known nothing but luxury and plenty. With their high birth and unrivaled beauty, they are the envy of all of Greece. But such privilege comes at a cost. While still only girls, the sisters are separated and married to foreign kings of their father's choosing--the powerful Agamemnon, and his brother Menelaos. Yet even as Queens, each is only expected to do two things: birth an heir and embody the meek, demure nature that is expected of women. But when the weight of their husbands' neglect, cruelty, and ambition becomes too heavy to bear, Helen and Klytemnestra must push against the constraints of their society to carve new lives for themselves, and in doing so, make waves that will ripple throughout the next three thousand years. Daughters of Sparta is a vivid and illuminating reimagining of the Siege of Troy, told through the perspectives of two women whose voices have been ignored for far too long.

Daughters of Sparta

Nationally bestselling author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative and female-centered reinterpretation of the myth of the great hero Perseus, told through the voices of three women who are sidelined in the traditional version—his mother, Danae; his trophy, Medusa; and his wife, Andromeda—but whose viewpoints reveal a man who is not, in fact, a hero at all. Danae: Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, the king of Argos, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone in a remote fishing village. It’s a harsh new world for a young woman who grew up as a coddled princess, and forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she’s ever done. Medusa: As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest. Andromeda: When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe’s way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda’s life is set on an entirely new path. As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women’s lives. But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future.

A Novel

The Shadow of Perseus

Siamo sicuri di aver sempre saputo la verità sulla guerra di Troia? Elena e Clitemnestra, principesse della nobile Sparta, sono cresciute circondate dal lusso. La loro straordinaria bellezza, che ha in sé qualcosa di divino, le ha rese celebri in tutta la Grecia. Non esiste donna che non le invidi o eroe che non desideri conquistarle. Ma la bellezza è una rosa dalle spine appuntite. E, nel caso delle due principesse, si dimostra presto un fardello. Ancora molto giovani, le sorelle vengono separate e inviate presso gli sposi che sono stati scelti per loro: i potenti re stranieri Agamennone e Menelao, fratelli di nobile discendenza. Se ai loro mariti è concesso il privilegio di determinare il proprio destino, le due regine non devono far altro che dare alla luce eredi e limitarsi ad assistere, miti e silenziose, allo scorrere degli avvenimenti. Non sarà così. Quando la crudeltà e l’ambizione sfrenata degli uomini arriveranno a privare le due sorelle di ciò che hanno di più caro, Elena e Clitemnestra sentiranno il bisogno di sottrarsi alle rigide regole della società in cui vivono: il loro nome verrà per sempre associato agli eventi nefasti della guerra di Troia, per la sola colpa di essersi opposte a una storia già scritta. Nel corso dei millenni le loro scelte riecheggiano come atti di straordinaria ribellione. Elena e Clitemnestra: vittime o colpevoli? È arrivato il momento della verità sul mito L’assedio di Troia raccontato attraverso la prospettiva di due donne le cui voci sono state ignorate per troppo tempo «Chiunque ami la mitologia deve leggerlo. Un esordio da brivido.» Fiona Davis «Elena di Troia e sua sorella Clitemnestra prendono vita in questa splendida rivisitazione del mito greco: non come donne passivamente sottomesse ai loro mariti e amanti, ma come due sopravvissute, che lottano per diventare artefici del proprio destino in una società patriarcale. Assolutamente avvincente!» Alka Joshi «È uno di quei libri meravigliosi che ti prendono fin dalla prima pagina. Una storia di odio, dolore, desiderio e vendetta. Cinque stelle strameritate.» «Geniale. Lo raccomando a tutti gli appassionati del mondo antico.» Claire Heywood È una studiosa del mondo antico, con una laurea in Civiltà classica e un master in Cultura visuale e materiale antica conseguito presso l’Università di Warwick. Le figlie di Sparta è il suo primo romanzo.

Le figlie di Sparta

'A page-turning retelling . . . so interesting and thought-provoking' JENNIFER SAINT 'A fresh and original take on the myth of Perseus . . . I was gripped by the human drama at the novel's heart' ELODIE HARPER ***** Perfect for fans of Jennifer Saint, Elodie Harper and Natalie Haynes, author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative reinterpretation of the myth of the great hero Perseus, bringing to life the voices of three women who are side-lined in the traditional version, and whose stories reveal a man who might not, in fact, be a hero at all. His mother Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone. Forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she's ever done. His trophy As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest. His wife When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe's way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda's life is set on an entirely new path. As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women's lives. But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future. ***** Readers LOVE The Shadow of Perseus: 'I absolutely adored this book, I devoured it.' ***** 'I think it's absolutely brilliant! It's bold and brave, and beautiful in parts . . . and also a little bit gut-wrenching in others.' ***** 'I loved the more human take on the Greek myth. The book is a real page turner.' ***** 'This was such a compelling and wonderful read! I genuinely loved every minute of this book and cannot recommend it highly enough!' ***** 'A beautifully written, unique, approach to the myth of Perseus. Just gripping' ***** 'A masterful voice in the popular new wave of feminist reworkings of Greek mythology . . . A must-read for fans of Madeline Miller and Natalie Haynes' ***** 'As someone who loves Greek Mythology retellings i absolutely loved reading this book' ***** 'The story of each woman is empowering, courageous and such a delight to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will be going back to read the authors other works as well as any future reads' *****

An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage, from the author of the national bestseller Daughters of Sparta When the King of Tyre dies, he decrees that the rule of the kingdom will pass equally to both his children: Elissa, his clever and strong-willed daughter, and Pygmalion, her young half-brother. But Elissa, not yet skilled in the machinations of court, quickly finds herself sidelined by a band of powerful merchants in favor of her more malleable brother. Forced out of her palace home, Elissa resolves to forge her own path. Both triumph and heartbreak await in the life that she builds, transforming herself from a sheltered princess into a strong and formidable leader. When she leads her followers on an epic journey in search of a new home in a faraway land, she earns herself a name that will echo through millennia: Dido, the wanderer. Then one day, a mysterious stranger, Aeneas, arrives at the city gates, fleeing the Trojan War. As Dido and Aeneas are increasingly drawn to each other, Dido is forced to make an impossible choice between power and love.

A Novel of Dido

The Wandering Queen

'A beautifully woven tale with brilliant, confident writing, [Heywood] has illuminated the stories of ladies too often relegated to the role of villain or damsel' CLAIRE M ANDREWS The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son, Pygmalion, comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom - exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart. After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, and she is crowned Queen Dido: the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon a trading empire, Carthage thrives under Dido's governance. But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago, never to trust or to love another again. Can Dido overcome her past and open herself - and her city - up to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?

National bestselling author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative and female-centered reinterpretation of the myth of Perseus. Myth remembers Perseus as one of its greatest heroes. A slayer of monsters. A rescuer of damsels. But the women who knew him best have a different story to tell. His mother, Danae. His trophy, Medusa. His wife, Andromeda. As Perseus becomes obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women's lives. It takes strength to survive a legend.

Claire Heywood

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