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Ithaca
- The Songs of Penelope, Book 1
- Narrated by: Catrin Walker-Booth
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
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Ithaca
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Summary
***A Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Year***
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.
'The greatest power we women can own is that which we take in secret.'
Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the isle 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's 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 . . .
From the multi award-winning Claire North comes a daring, exquisite and moving tale that breathes life into ancient myth, and tells of the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. It's time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . .
The Songs of Penelope novels:
Ithaca
House of Odysseus
Critic reviews
"Claire North brings a powerful, fresh and unflinching voice to ancient myth—darkly fascinating, raw and breath-taking." (Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times best seller Ariadne)
"Everything I've wanted in a retelling: a vibrant cast, full of suspense, told with a phenomenal narrative voice - this is an absolute masterpiece." (Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin)
"Richly poetic.... This is an impassioned plea for the lost, disenfranchised queens of ancient Greece, a love letter to the silenced women of history." (Booklist)
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What listeners say about Ithaca
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-01-23
Totally Brilliant!!!
Absolutely loved it!!! I love Claire North's way of writing. The characters are no longer mythical beings, but come to life as real people. Read and performed wonderfully by Catrin Walker-Booth!!!
Definitely a 5 gold star Book and Performance.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- jennieg
- 28-03-23
Loved it
An amazingly clever book so well written and narrated. My first Clare North book intend to read/listen to many more
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mara
- 27-04-23
wonderful
what a joy! the ancient world through the eyes women. What the Mists of Avalon gave us through Morgaine, we see Ithaca via Hera and Penelope
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M. J. Cooksley
- 18-03-23
Effortless prose beautifully read
A really interesting take on an old, old story. This book flows wonderfully and is one of the most enjoyable I have listened to in a while.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ellenseb
- 22-10-23
beautifully poetic prose at times.
while I agree some of the pronunciation of names was not exactly correct it didn't warrant throwing the baby away with the bathwater. The author emulates the language of Homer 'rosy fingers dawn' etc and that is deliberate. For me the Homeric level description did not detract from Penelope's story. Written from the perspective of women in a man's age is not new but is very effective. I am just about to buy the sequel. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- karen m gill
- 14-07-23
Excellent
If I was reading this I think I would’ve found it hard going but as an audio presentation it was amazing.
Hera was an inspired choice to guide me through the chaos of ancient Greece & was preformed beautifully by Catrin Walker-Boot aided by Claire North’s wonderful writing.
There was an increasing feeling of foreboding disaster which had me shouting at my speaker when events started to unfold. Penelope & her tribe of women were extraordinary and the eventual massacre had squealing with glee. Roll on August for the next book in this series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah Campbell
- 11-05-23
great story
I Really enjoyed the story, and although I like the narrator's reading voice, I struggled with her switching between characters as often there was no difference. Often confusing Hera and Penelope.
Still, this only detracted slightly from the overall story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- lauras
- 30-05-23
enthralling
beautifully performed. the writing is beautiful. I felt like I was there. loved this book. tried to buy the next one as soon as it finished...but I have to wait until it is released in a few months! something to look forward to.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- B. Seed
- 24-02-23
Will listen again. And again.
At first the narrator's almost detached delivery nearly put me off, however once I realised that the weaver and teller of this sumptuous tale was Hera, wife of Zeus herself, it couldn't have been more perfect. Her waspish, witty and all-seeing perspective had me spellbound. This book has everything: human wisdom, triumph, tragedy, disaster, warmth, chilling cruelty, the challenges of womanhood, manhood, motherhood, fatherhood, sonship, the complexities of being a daughter, a brother, a sister, a queen, a slave, a friend, an enemy; the difficulties that love, loyalty, duty, fickleness, courage, ambition and longing pose; birth, life, coming of age, death (lots of death in all manner of guises) I could go on...
And added to this there's the often contradictory perspective of the mortal and immortal characters and the poets whose familiar versions of events are often undermined by a small comment here and there. Plus the frequent exquisite turn of phrase that often had me reaching for the rewind button just to revel in it again. I could go on...
So, why just 14 out of 15 stars? It's TELEMACHUS, NOT 'TELLYMARKUS'!! Nearly made me switch off and give up, but that would have been cutting off my nose to spite my face. Annoyed me right to the very end - and, boy, did that name crop up a lot!
It's not for everyone, as the pace isn't always rapid, but it's of the few books I'll listen to probably on an annual basis, because the 'story' and 'what happens' is almost incidental to the other riches this contains. What a find!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Celia
- 12-08-23
Beautifully crafted
Beautifully crafted prose and a view of the mythology through women's eyes made this a book that I wanted to listen to without pause. In fact, there were a few chapters that were so breathtaking or heart wrenching that I listened to them again.
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