Michael Lally

I was given an advanced copy of this book to read and provide an honest review. I love historical fiction, so this book was right down my alley. I loved reading about Helen from a different perspective - hers. There is a little literary licence here in the story telling, but wow what a great read. The story starts with a young Helen, already a great beauty, who is abducted from her home. She is rescued and returned to her family, at which point her father believes marriage will stop future abduction attempts. But Helen loves Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon and secretly hopes he will put himself forth as a suitor. Helen's crafty father makes all the suitors swear an oath to uphold Helen and Menelaus's marriage. Tales of Helen's beauty continue to bring men to Sparta after she marries and takes the crown after her father dies. She agrees to a plot with Agamemnon to leave with Paris of Troy who is intending to wage war on Sparta and abduct her. By professing her love for him and leaving, Agamemnon, Menelaus and all the Greek nobility sworn to defend their marriage take the war to Troy, instead of Spartan soil. Clever? The war raged for years and many lives were lost, including Archilles. Eventually Troy falls as we know from history. What is really interesting in this book is what happens after Helen and Menelaus leave Troy and return home. The story is well told and it grips you quite quickly, even though you know what is going to happen. Loved it.… (mehr)