House of Odysseus

Claire North's "House of Odysseus" plunges back into the tumultuous world of ancient Greece, continuing the acclaimed Songs of Penelope series. Years after Odysseus vanished en route to Troy, Queen Penelope of Ithaca masterfully maintains a fragile peace amidst the power vacuum. However, her delicate political balance shatters with the arrival of Orestes, king of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra. Orestes, guilt-ridden and increasingly deranged after murdering his mother Clytemnestra, casts a dark shadow over Ithaca, attracting the vengeful Furies. His presence emboldens his uncle, the warmongering King Menelaus of Sparta, who covets Orestes's throne and threatens to engulf the region in conflict. Trapped between these two volatile kings, Penelope fights desperately to avert war, her only allies the resourceful Elektra and the enigmatic Helen of Troy. With the goddess Aphrodite weaving her own intricate schemes, each woman holds secrets that will inevitably reshape the destiny of their world, offering a fresh, unflinching look at these iconic figures.