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Ithaca

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About this listen

From the multi-award-winning author Claire North comes a daring reimagining that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. It’s time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . .

"North brings a powerful, fresh, and unflinching voice to ancient myth. Breathtaking." —Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them has returned, and the women of Ithaca have been left behind to run the kingdom.

Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. While he lived, her position was secure. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that her husband is dead, and suitors are beginning to knock at her door.

No one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus' empty throne—not yet. But as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war.

This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca's shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women—and their goddesses—that will change the course of the world.

 Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Marriage Magic Royalty War

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What the critics say

"Claire North brings a powerful, fresh, and unflinching voice to ancient myth—darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking."
—Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne, on Ithaca
"A fantastical nightmare so skillfully sketched that it felt like truth. And when it was done, I simply didn't want to leave... Compelling [and] beautiful."—NPR Books on Notes from the Burning Age
"There is no doubt that Claire North is an exceptional writer with a brilliant imagination and eloquent storytelling."—Nerd Daily on Notes from the Burning Age
"Consistently thoughtful fiction like this needs to be championed. I'll admit it, I'm a little in awe of the author. Her work is sublime.... Claire North deserves your undivided attention."—The Eloquent Page on 84K
"North is an original and even dazzling writer."—Kirkus on 84K
"Claire North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination."—Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls, on The Sudden Appearance of Hope
All stars
Most Relevant
It is not coincidental that I am reading this right after finishing "The Odyssey."

It presents the story from the perspective of Odysseus's WIFE, Penelope, as narrated by the goddess Hera, who has a very cynical opinion of men, and the gods of Greece, for that matter.

In this first part of a trilogy, the queen deals with a threat to her island. Her solution must never become known to MEN,

A Remarkable Woman

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I truly enjoyed this book. Having never read the story before I enjoyed it although you need a fair understanding of the gods and their roles I found.

Great story

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I decided to give it a try after listening to Circe by Madeline Miller, a great book. The narrator does a very good job. I enjoy listening to female narrators and it is particularly appropriate when the story is told largely from the perspectives of women. The story itself builds slowly but deliberately. The ending wraps up the central issues in the book but clearly leaves open the continuation of the story in the second book of the trilogy which is set to come out in 2023. Some reviewers did not like Hera as the narrator, but I think she adds some fun to the story with her biting comments about gods and humans. Not quite as good as Circe but I am definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

Looking forward to the next installment

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I bought this book because I read Circe by Madeline Miller and loved it. I listened to Ithaca for 7 chapters and then returned it because there were so many different characters with unfamiliar Greek names making hard to follow, there were shifts between a number of story lines that complicated things, and I found that the reader's accent made it even more difficult to understand. It took so much work to unravel what was going on and who was doing what that I eventually lost interest in listening. For me I think reading the book rather than listening to it would help with knowing who the characters are.

Hard to follow

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I don’t know if it’s because I was listening instead of reading, but at first I struggled with all the characters! The narrator’s voice was soothing and I did enjoy the story a lot in the end. But it took a while to get into it.

Difficult to follow at first

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