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The Last Song of Penelope

Claire North author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Little, Brown Book Group

Publishing:4th Feb '25

£9.99

This title is due to be published on 4th February, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

The Last Song of Penelope cover

'CLAIRE NORTH BRINGS A POWERFUL, FRESH AND UNFLINCHING VOICE TO ANCIENT MYTH' Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

Following the critically acclaimed Ithaca and House of Odysseus comes the final novel in Claire North's Songs of Penelope trilogy - anexquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.

Many years ago, Odysseus sailed to war and never returned. For twenty years his wife Penelope and the women of Ithaca have guarded the isle against suitors and rival kings. But peace cannot be kept forever, and the balance of power is about to break . . .

A beggar has arrived at the Palace. Salt-crusted and ocean-battered, he is scorned by the suitors - but Penelope recognises in him something terrible: her husband, Odysseus, returned at last. Yet this Odysseus is no hero. By returning to the island in disguise, he is not merely plotting his revenge against the suitors - vengeance that will spark a civil war - but he's testing the loyalty of his queen. Has she been faithful to him all these years? And how much blood is Odysseus willing to shed to be sure?

The song of Penelope is ending, and the song of Odysseus must ring through Ithaca's halls. But first, Penelope must use all her cunning to win a war for the fate of the island and keep her family alive, whatever the cost . . .

Praise for the Songs of Penelope series:

'Darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking' Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

'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

'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

'Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. The world building is sensational' Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den

'Conjures up a world in which women,...

Claire North brings a powerful, fresh and unflinching voice to ancient myth - darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking' -- Jennifer Saint, author of SUNDAY TIMES bestseller ARIADNE
Like Penelope at her loom North both weaves and unweaves, teasing out the threads of Homeric myth to recombine them into something unique, wonderful and urgently contemporary -- M. R. Carey, author of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS
North's talent shines out -- SUNDAY TIMES
North goes from strength to strength -- GUARDIAN
An original and even dazzling writer -- KIRKUS
Claire North brings a powerful, fresh and unflinching voice to ancient myth - darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking * Jennifer Saint, author of SUNDAY TIMES bestseller ARIADNE on ITHACA *
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 on ITHACA *
Conjures up a world in which women, abandoned by their men, must weave their own destinies * THE TIMES on ITHACA *
Penelope is proving to be an outstanding epic hero in her own right. The world building is sensational * Elodie Harper, author of THE WOLF DEN on THE HOUSE OF ODYSSEUS *
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 on ITHACA *
Claire North has set a new standard for Ancient Greek retellings. Absolutely sublime * Hannah Lynn, author of ATHENA'S CHILD on ITHACA *

ISBN: 9780356516141

Dimensions: 198mm x 126mm x 22mm

Weight: unknown

432 pages