Book Review- A Thousand Ships

Title: A Thousand Ships

Author: Natalie Haynes
Published: 2nd May 2019
Pages: 352
Genre: Fiction, Retellings, Historical Fiction


Rating: 5/5 stars

In A Thousand Ships, broadcaster and classicist Natalie Haynes retells the story of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective.
This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them…
In the middle of the night, Creusa wakes to find her beloved Troy engulfed in flames. Ten seemingly endless years of brutal conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans are over, and the Greeks are victorious. Over the next few hours, the only life she has ever known will turn to ash . . .
The devastating consequences of the fall of Troy stretch from Mount Olympus to Mount Ida, from the citadel of Troy to the distant Greek islands, and across oceans and sky in between. These are the stories of the women embroiled in that legendary war and its terrible aftermath, as well as the feud and the fatal decisions that started it all…
Powerfully told from an all-female perspective, A Thousand Ships gives voices to the women, girls and goddesses who, for so long, have been silent. -Goodreads

Huge thank you to Pan Macmillan, who sent me a review copy of this novel.
I am really enjoying all the retellings of classic Greek and Roman myths that are popping up at the moment, and especially all the feminist, and female focussed versions. Madeline Miller and Pat Barker have written amazing retellings, and this one deserves to be mentioned in the same breath.
Haynes has rewritten the Battle of Troy, when the Greeks besieged the city of Troy for ten years, and sent the infamous Trojan horse into the city in an apparent peace offering. However, this novel barely mentions any of these events, certainly they are not discussed in any detail, there is very little focus on the battles or the years of fighting, instead we read about the Trojan women captured after the city fell, the wives left waiting for their husbands to return to Greece, and even the female Gods themselves.
I adored every single moment of this novel. The narrative is epic and the prose so elegant, it is a superb page-turner. Having the chapters come from different character’s points of view allows there to be an excellent linear flow to the narrative, and Haynes seamlessly weaves the women’s stories together into a rich tapestry of female empowerment.
I don’t consider myself to have much knowledge of the myths, I know the big events and names, but it’s never been an area that I’ve read in much detail. This novel was particularly informative, and I actually learned a lot from this novel, relating to the women and their experiences, but also about the mythology that surrounds the events in general. But even if you have no knowledge about the myths, this novel will still be accessible and enjoyable. There is also a handy character list at the beginning of the novel, which I made regular use of to keep on top of who was married to who etc.
Overall I really loved this novel! If you like mythology and classical retellings, this novel will be a great addition to your reading lists. An epic novel with absorbing characters and emotive prose, it’s well worth checking out!


You can buy A Thousand Ships here (affiliate link)


Have you read this book? Do you like classical retellings?