A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

One of my favourite radio programmes is ‘Natalie Haynes Stands up for the Classics’ – comedy and education is a perfect combination. So, of course, I had to read her retelling of the events surrounding the Trojan War. Especially as this was about the women of the tales – and the goddesses.

It takes a few chapters to get your head around the narrative. This is not told in a true chronologically narrative but is told from the viewpoints of the key female figures from the tales. However, once you have your head around this, it is a fairly easy-to-read retelling.

I really enjoyed the full female perspective. All the figures felt incredibly real and relatable – and probably presented so much if how we possibly view some of those male figures from the stories, in hindsight.

However, I think Penelope’s letters to Odysseus are the true highlight. So much sass, it was fantastic.

I would like to say thank you to my lovely book buddies who read this with me. It was an all-girl team, and this book sparked some great discussion.

So, if, like me, you are becoming fascinated by the Greek tales, this is well worth picking up.