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Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Fantasy

Clytemnestra

Debut

We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Costanza Casati, on your first book!

by Costanza Casati

Quick take

This warrior queen won’t tolerate disrespect from her king or anyone else in this biting saga of female vengeance.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_400

    400+ pages

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_GraphicViolence

    Graphic violence

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_BasedOnAClassic

    Based on a classic

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_Siblings

    Siblings

Synopsis

For fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.

As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best . . .

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods’ hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn’t given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

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Content warning

This book contains scenes depicting sexual assault and mentions of suicide.

Free sample

Get an early look from the first pages of Clytemnestra.

Why I love it

My favorite retellings are a bit like treasure-hunting in your childhood home—the familiar bones of the story are there but the shape has shifted to reveal a hidden jewel beneath. I keep turning pages long after I should go to bed, waiting for the moment where the story I think I know flips on its head. In Clytemnestra, Costanza Casati has done just this, delivering a sense of justice for the complex characters inhabiting her pages.

Clytemnestra is a warrior princess of Sparta. Although the men in her life treat her as property, she also sees firsthand the power of women and learns her own strength. So when her father schemes with King Agamemnon and his brother to kill Clytemnestra’s first husband and infant son, and forces Clytemnestra to marry Agamemnon, she never accepts it. And she never forgets. As Agamemnon’s brutality grows, ripping apart the lives of all the women she holds dear, Clytemnestra makes a choice.

It is the exquisite details that transform Clytemnestra from a deceitful, jealous queen into a strong, flawed woman who you can’t stop rooting for. If you enjoy Greek myths and retellings, Clytemnestra and her famous act of revenge are probably familiar to you—one scheming link in the tragedy that defines the House of Atreus. But here, she is so much more than that one act. Casati masterfully brings us into the heart of this hated queen, so we might see what burns inside her, and recognize her fiery spirit within ourselves.

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Member ratings (2,062)

  • Samantha H.

    Marshfield, MO

    Beautifully written, the story of the vengeful queen Clytemnestra. Can you wear anger like another skin and still feel love? Can you still keep going after everything has been taken? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  • Tiffany T.

    Austin, TX

    Such a beautiful retelling of Clytemnestra’s story. I loved that her motives were always clear but that she grew & remained complex. The plot & pacing was consistently good. A fantastic feminist take!

  • Kelsey M.

    Beach Haven, NJ

    I’ve read so many versions of this myth and I do love the portrayal of the heroine here best! I loved her loyalty to Helen and her family, but also how fierce she is. I rooted for her and loved her!

  • Julia W.

    candler, NC

    I enjoyed this book a lot. The only thing I would say is that there were so many characters it was hard to keep up with, but that is a given with any greek mythology book. I did like the story line!

  • Jade R.

    Coeur d Alene, ID

    I’ve always been a lover of Greek myths, and Clytemnestra is the best retelling I’ve read in a long time. Such a poignant, compelling heroine. I already look forward to rereading it. 5/5 stars.