In House of Odysseus, Claire North perfectly captures the voice of her narrator: the goddess Aphrodite. Aphrodite is powerful, clever, and effervescent. Written off by many, Aphrodite nonetheless holds influence whether mortals pray to her or not. One of Aphrodite’s favorite mortals, Helen of Troy, plays an important part in House of Odysseus. I appreciated how this story focuses on Helen’s tale after the war is over and Paris has been killed, because it feels like this period of time is typically not covered. Helen was forced to continue on after the final battle concluded and had to deal with the repercussions. Helen’s relationship with Menelaus was terrible to read, but I loved how she ended up with the upper hand. I enjoyed how skillfully Helen manipulates what people expect of her and uses that to her advantage.

Claire North artfully weaves together the stories of Penelope, Helen, and Elektra. North’s writing is detail-oriented and sets the scene beautifully. Readers will vividly feel the harshness of life on Ithaca and the tense political battles. Penelope is such a fantastic character and I loved how she was portrayed here. Penelope holds power in subtle ways and will fight to her last breath to maintain control of Ithaca. She never gives up on the hope of her husband and son’s return, while handling the suitors and invaders by outwitting them. Elektra was the character I knew the least about previously and I enjoyed learning her story, especially her bond with her brother. I also enjoyed how Athena, Artemis, and the Furies were also included in this tale.

Readers who enjoyed The Shadow of Perseus (Claire Heywood) and Psyche and Eros (Luna McNamara) would love this book! Claire North is quickly turning into an auto-buy author for me when it comes to Greek myths. I’d highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reimagined Greek mythology with excellent twists that focuses on powerful women’s stories.

Thank you so much to Claire North, Redhook Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.