Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman's Destiny: A Novel of Ancient Greece by Alison Blasdell: A Book Review

Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman’s Destiny: A Novel of Ancient Greece
Author: Alison Blasdell
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Alison Blasdell
Release Date: 2023
Pages: 369
Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: She was born Athenian and raised an Amazon warrior. But betrayal and heartbreak will force her to choose who she is.

This is the tale of Kassandra, born in Athens, Greece, in the 4th century BC, and her transition from a frightened but determined girl into a formidable warrior—a path of trust and betrayal,
love and loss, joy and heartbreak—the story of a woman who challenges the very gods of Greece to find happiness.

Kassandra was just ten years old when her mother spirited her away in the middle of the night to avoid an arranged marriage, traveling until they reached the mountains the Greeks believed belonged to Zeus. There, her mother left her alone, telling her she must climb the mountains, a feat no man had accomplished, to find the secret band of free warrior women—the Amazons.

Thus begins Kassandra’s journey, a journey that will take her from the battlefields of Persia to Athens at the height of its glory and ultimately fulfill her destiny.

My Review: Kassandra is the illegitimate daughter of an Athenian noble and a hetaera. When Kassandra is ten years old, her father arranges a marriage for her. In order to avoid the arranged marriage, her mother takes her to the mountains to find the Amazons. Kassandra trains and becomes an Amazonian. Throughout her journey with the Amazons, Kassandra is repeatedly tested through a series of trials and even finds love along the way.

Kassandra is a very strong character. She has a harsh upbringing and goes through many trials. Yet, she is very resilient and determined. Her persistence leads to overcome her hardships. I also find Kassandra to be very kind and merciful. She is very loving and cares for the people around her! Therefore, Kassandra is a very admirable and compelling character. I was deeply invested in her story and wanted to know what happened to her.

Overall, Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman’s Destiny was a deeply moving coming-of-age story. Some of the characters, especially her love interest, were very one-dimensional. Nevertheless, I found Kassandra’s bond with her mother to be the best aspect of the novel. I like how Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman’s Destiny moved at a very fast-pace. There was never a dull moment in the novel, and I found myself reading it in one sitting! I like how the novel incorporates Greek mythology with Greek history! This was a very meticulously researched story that is filled with vivid imagery! I felt that I was walking alongside Kassandra in Ancient Greece! I recommend this novel for fans of Penelope Haines, Amalia Carosella, and Claire M. Andrews!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer by Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein: A Book Review

Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer Author: Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Religion, Mythology Publisher: Harper Perennial Release Date: 1983 Pages: 256 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: With the long-awaited publication of this book, we have for the first time in any modern literary form one of the most vital and important of ancient myths—that of Inanna, the world’s first goddess of recorded history and the beloved deity of the ancient Sumerians. The stories and hymns of Inanna (known to the Semites as Ishtar) are inscribed on clay tablets which date back to 2,000 B.C. Over the past forty years, these cuneiform tablets have gradually been restored and deciphered by a small group of international scholars. In this groundbreaking book, Samuel Noah Kramer, the preeminent living expert on Sumer, and Diane Wolkstein, a gifted storyteller and folklorist, have retranslated, order...

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