ClytemnestraClytemnestra
What it's about
In ancient Greece, Clytemnestra is a princess of Sparta, raised to be strong and fierce, and sister of the famously beautiful Helen. Married to a king she loves, she's left devastated when Agamemnon, a ruthless warlord, murders her family and takes her as his wife. Years later, when he sacrifices their daughter for his war against Troy, Clytemnestra plans her revenge.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a fierce retelling of the Greek myth from the villainess's side.
You'll love it if you liked
Medea
The Iliad
The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval WorldGood to know
It's violent, with the sacrifice of a child.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Moving
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Quick answers
Is Clytemnestra worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 68.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Clytemnestra about?
In ancient Greece, Clytemnestra is a princess of Sparta, raised to be strong and fierce, and sister of the famously beautiful Helen. Married to a king she loves, she's left devastated when Agamemnon, a ruthless warlord, murders her family and takes her as his wife. Years later, when he sacrifices their daughter for his war against Troy, Clytemnestra plans her revenge.
How long does it take to read Clytemnestra?
About 10 hours (409 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Clytemnestra?
If you liked it, try Medea by Euripides, The Iliad by Homer or The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval World by Shelley Puhak.