I am excited to be among the first to share a review of Clytemnestra’s Bind, on The Write Reads tour! Get ready to step back into ancient times, and discover betrayal, loss, and more!

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Release Date: 9 April 2024 from Neem Tree Press

Blurb for Clytemnestra’s Bind:

The House of Atreus is spiralling into self-destruction – a woman must find a way to break the family curse.

Queen Clytemnestra’s world shatters when Agamemnon, a rival to the throne of Mycenae, storms her palace, destroys her family and claims not only the throne but Clytemnestra herself. Tormented by her loss, she vows to do all she can to protect the children born from her unhappy marriage to Agamemnon. But when her husband casts his ruthless gaze towards the wealthy citadel of Troy, his ambitions threaten to once more destroy the family Clytemnestra loves.

From one of Greek mythology’s most reviled characters – a woman who challenged the absolute power of men – comes this fiery tale of power, family rivalry and a mother’s burning love.

My Review of Clytemnestra’s Bind:

First, wow! There is some fantastic storytelling within this book. I have read the Greek myths, and have heard this story before, especially during my history studies, when we talked through some of the myths around the Battle of Troy. This story, however, pre-dates that. We are going to see a wide range of characters, and most of them are going to be names that you have heard before. Paris. Helen. Agamemnon.

Now, this story, it is going to have some “OH MY” moments, and I am not ashamed, that as a mother, I was incensed. But I wanted to read more. I could not stop reading. Even when there places where I was rolling my eyes (which, dear reader, happened a few times), I still felt I needed to read more, and get the “before the story” story. While we are getting the story, leading up to what is going to become the Trojan War, there is a lot to digest. First, we see Helen, and her unhappy marriage. While her husband tries to please her, she despises him. There is a circle of violence, one that is almost innate, something they cannot break away from. While men in this time period often fought battles, expanding empires and more, there is a different type of violence here. It creeps around the edges, almost a mental breakdown of sorts, that you can garner through careful reading of the pages.

What shines through all of this, truly, is the mother’s love and protection. She is willing to do anything to protect her children – and go to any lengths to ensure their survival. This is brutal in some ways, yet soft in others.

Overall, I really did enjoy this read, and look forward to seeing more from this author.