A Thousand Ships

A thousand ships set sail for Troy to return one woman. Haynes's masterpiece is the story of the woman affected by the ensuing war. From Hecuba in ruined Troy, Penelope waiting for her husband in Ithaca, and the goddesses on Olympus, squabbling for dominance, A Thousand Ship explores the lives and tragedies of every woman except the one those ships were launched for. 

Their narratives are woven together with expert care and knowledge, with every new voice bringing a unique and fresh viewpoint. Haynes's masterpiece unravels in all directions, flitting between past and present in the manner of one of Cassandra's prophecies (and it's always nice to see my favourite classical figure getting such sensitive treatment in a story). Of all the viewpoints, Penelope was my favourite. Her letters to Odysseus were full of snark and wit, perfectly pinpointing the flaws of the Odyssey's hero. 

A Thousand Ships is beautifully written and full of emotion. It contains brilliant explorations of war, grief, and life after the death of a loved one. The final chapters brought me to tears, others made for uncomfortable reading, but all subjects were sensitively handled.

 

This novel drew me back into narratives I love, providing depth and voice to figures often overlooked. It's been a while since I've read the myths and narratives this story is inspired by. A Thousand Ships felt like returning to a much loved world, with the focus shifted to the characters I'm most interested in hearing about. It is accessible to readers who don't have any prior knowledge of these stories, but equally enjoyable for those who do. 

A Thousand Ships is a view of war beyond the battlefield. Sometimes, being a hero is about more than swords and arrows, it is picking up the pieces of a ruined life and moving forwards, it's having the strength to keep going when everything feels lost, or remaining strong and composed in the face of anguish. There is no 'right' way to be a hero, just as there is no 'right' way to retell Classical literature. 

Writers like Natalie Haynes and Madeline Miller are rewriting classics with women in the foreground, and I love it. They are inspiring a new generation of women to enjoy classical literature, and I can't wait to see what they write next - and the new writers their stories inspire.