My Goodreads review: The Voyage Home

[ankh_hpl]

Pat Barker's Women of Troy series finishes strong with this novel, which turned out to be as much a ghost story as a mythological one. Narrated mainly by Cassandra's slave woman -- but occasionally by Cassandra herself, or by Queen Clytemnestra --it relates Agamemnon's doomed return to Mycenae with his unwilling concubine. Most who read this novel will already be aware of the ending . . . but, as usual for such retellings, it's the viewpoint that makes the difference. And, in the queen's case, her motivation.

The primary ghost in this retelling is Iphigenia, Agamemnon's eldest daughter whom he sacrificed to assure a fair wind to Troy for his invading armies. She haunts the entire novel, but is joined in the palace at Mycenae by other, older child ghosts -- and their own reasons for vengeance. Unfortunately, the children's appearances are accompanied by occasional very English nursery rhymes, which can be jarring for the reader. I enjoyed this one on Audible, and had no problem with the British narration otherwise. The rhymes simply damaged my suspension of disbelief, removing me from ancient Greece to a malignant English nursery

That point aside, this one is definitely worth a full credit purchase for those who have been following the series. I preordered mine, and wasn't disappointed.

Comments

[rattfan]

I think English nurseries are generally malignant, considering the references I've read about them! I've read the others in the series and I think the local library has this one. Agamemnon really was a complete pill.