History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

Helen of Troy Author: Margaret George Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Berkley Release Date: 2006 Pages: 636 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: Acclaimed author Margaret George tells the story of the legendary Greek woman whose face "launched a thousand ships" in this New York Times bestseller.      The Trojan War, fought nearly twelve hundred years before the birth of Christ, and recounted in Homer's Iliad , continues to haunt us because of its origins: one woman's beauty, a visiting prince's passion, and a love that ended in tragedy.      Laden with doom, yet surprising in its moments of innocence and beauty, Helen of Troy is an exquisite page-turner with a cast of irresistible, legendary characters—Odysseus, Hector, Achilles, Menelaus, Priam, Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, as well as Helen and Paris themselves. With a wealth of material that reproduces the Age of Bronze in all its glory, it brings to life a war that we ha...

Helen Had a Sister A Tale of Ancient Greece Author: Penelope Haines Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Release Date: 2020 Pages: 259 Source: My personal collection Synopsis: Helen of Troy's story is well known. Hers was the "face that launched a thousand ships", started a ten-year war and brought about Troy's destruction. But Helen had a sister.In a world where women were submissive, she ruled.In a world where women were loyal, she was unfaithful.In a world where honour and blood feuds abound, she exacted the ultimate revenge.Born into the Royal House of Sparta, her courageous spirit, passionate love and lust for life make her a unique heroine. Her character and her choices have fascinated people for centuries. Her story is one of betrayal, murder, adultery and revenge, set in ancient Greece at the time of the Trojan war.She is Clytemnestra, High Queen of Mycenae.       My Review: For centuries, Clytemnestra has had a horrible reputation in Greek mytholog...

By Helen's Hand (Helen of Sparta #2) by Amalia Carosella Publication Date: May 10, 2016 Lake Union Publishing eBook & Paperback; Genre: Historical Fiction Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis:  With divine beauty comes dangerous power.      Helen believed she could escape her destiny and save her people from utter destruction. After defying her family and betraying her intended husband, she found peace with her beloved Theseus, the king of Athens and son of Poseidon.      But peace did not last long. Cruelly separated from Theseus by the gods, and uncertain whether he will live or die, Helen is forced to return to Sparta. In order to avoid marriage to Menelaus, a powerful prince unhinged by desire, Helen assembles an array of suitors to compete for her hand. As the men circle like vultures, Helen dreams again of war—and of a strange prince, ...

Helen of Sparta Author: Amalia Carosella Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Lake Union Publishing Release Date: 2015 Pages: 402 Source:  This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review. Synopsis: Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy, Helen of Sparta was haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These dreams foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the palace in the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter and comfort in the arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her side, she believes she can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new dangers—violence, betrayal, extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s plans and bar her path. Still, she refuses to bend to the will of the gods.      A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of one woman determined to ...

The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across The Ancient World Author:  Adrienne Mayor Genre: Nonfiction, History Publisher: Princeton University Press Release Date: 2014 Pages: 530 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Amazons—fierce warrior women dwelling on the fringes of the known world—were the mythic archenemies of the ancient Greeks. Heracles and Achilles displayed their valor in duels with Amazon queens, and the Athenians reveled in their victory over a powerful Amazon army. In historical times, Cyrus of Persia, Alexander the Great, and the Roman general Pompey tangled with Amazons.      But just who were these bold barbarian archers on horseback who gloried in fighting, hunting, and sexual freedom? Were Amazons real? In this deeply researched, wide-ranging, and lavishly illustrated book, National Book Award finalist Adrienne Mayor presents the Amazons as they have never been seen before. This is the first comprehensive account of warrio...

The Lost Sisterhood Author: Anne Fortier Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, Thriller Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: 2014 Pages: 608 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From the author of the New York Times bestseller Juliet comes a mesmerizing novel about a young scholar who risks her reputation—and her life—on a thrilling journey to prove that the legendary warrior women known as the Amazons actually existed.      Oxford lecturer Diana Morgan is an expert on Greek mythology. Her obsession with the Amazons started in childhood when her eccentric grandmother claimed to be one herself—before vanishing without a trace. Diana’s colleagues shake their heads at her Amazon fixation. But then a mysterious, well-financed foundation makes Diana an offer she cannot refuse.      Traveling to North Africa, Diana teams up with Nick Barran, an enigmatic Middle Eastern guide, and begins deciphering an u...