My Goodreads review: The Children of Jocasta

The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An entertaining offering in the current trend for feminist retellings of Greek myth, The Children of Jocasta digs deeper than some. By crafting a variant on the standard Oedipus story, Natalie Haynes manages to feature not one, but two neglected women: Jocasta herself, & her younger daughter Ismene. The novel moves back & forth in time between these two women, which can become confusing -- especially if you're an Audible listener, as I was -- but generally works out well.

I found it interesting to see what plotting choices Haynes made, & particularly appreciated the detailed Afterword in which she made these clear. Apparently, there have always been alternative versions of many of the characters & events in this tragic cycle.



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