I really, really liked this! Claire North’s writing style translated extremely well to retelling Greek mythology. The undercurrent of female rage and sorrow was pleasing and upsetting at the same time. It’s also darkly funny.
I almost feel like I want to re-read this before I write a review so I can get my thoughts more in order, but nobody has time for that. Or, maybe some people do, but I don’t know who they are. I just feel like it was so well done!
I was intrigued when I heard that Claire North would be switching it up and moving to a new genre from her traditional sci-fi arena, but she treats this subject matter the same as she does her wild sci-fi concepts: with great care for worldbuilding (here, mostly historical details and musings on the place of women in Ancient Greece), character, and theme.
Like The Penelopiad (which I haven’t read yet, but will be reading soon for one of my IRL book clubs), Ithaca tells the story of Penelope left behind by Odysseus in the twenty years he is gone, first fighting at Troy, and then making his way home. And North doesn’t just play it straight, either. Here as we enter the story, it’s been eighteen years since Odysseus left for Troy, taking all of the eligible fighting men of Ithaca with him, and we hear about the passing events from the POV of Hera, wife of Zeus, god of marriage and women. Hera, being a god, can not only tell us what’s going on in Ithaca and in her surroundings, but what is happening to Odysseus at the same time (she wryly gives us updates, most of which center on her sarcastic descriptions of him being so tortured about being sexily held prisoner on Ogygia with Calypso).
I don’t want to say too much about the plot, because seeing what North chooses to focus on was surprising for me, but the problem of the suitors looms large, and is explored in a way that feels completely unique to me. And having Hera, frustrated and overlooked and put-upon Hera, be the way into this story ends up feeling extremely inspired. Definitely recommend, and I’m so glad there are going to be two more books in this series.
[4.5 stars]