Karen's Reviews > The Last Song of Penelope

THE LAST SONG OF PENELOPE (THE SONGS OF PENELOPE #3)
BY: CLAIRE NORTH

This was my first reading experience with Claire North, as an author and I have mixed feelings about this last installment. I read this a couple weeks ago and it's the longest time that I have let a novel simmer in my mind after reading it and writing my review. I always write my review while a book is fresh in my mind with this being the exception. Anyone that takes the time to read my reviews, I'm pretty sure knows that I love Greek Mythology feminist re-told tales. My favorite are the two by Madeline Miller which the clear winner is Circe, followed by her former which served as an introduction to her gorgeous prose many years earlier called, The Song of Achilles. I didn't in all honesty find The Last Song of Penelope, which is the final installment in Claire North's trilogy as beautifully written as Madeline Miller's two of the novels which Circe being the clear favorite. If you are familiar with Greek Mythology this can be read as a standalone. I did find Athena's voice and guidance in the narration to be the most compelling written aspects of the novel which Claire North executed brilliantly.


The first book in this trilogy is called, Ithaca, which is narrated from the Greek goddess, Hera's perspective who was Zeus's wife. The second in this trilogy is called, House of Odysseus, which is narrated by the Greek goddess named, Aphrodite with some of the Greek goddess Artemis, as well. This one being reviewed is called, The Last Song of Penelope, which as I said is narrated by the Greek goddess, Athena. Athena is known in Greek Mythology as the goddess who represents: war, wisdom and military victory, but also includes a representation of the arts. The second half of this novel was my least favorite part of the book since it is when Penelope realizes that the shabby looking man who had disguised himself as a beggar is her husband, Odysseus. The reason I didn't feel as engaged in the writing was because it featured battles where they took place at Odysseus's father's farm where Odysseus has followed Penelope's ideas, which didn't feel organic. Because I've studied this subject matter on a scholarly level extensively, I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I should have.

In this re-telling in the feminist representation starts out with descriptions of Ithaca being an Island that was thought inferior since the land is scraggy, scrub brush and rocky, who most of the other kingdoms of Greece felt it less desirable to inhabit. Penelope has reigned by her strategic fashion of not alienating the vast amount of suitors who wish to marry her. One Egyptian King is given more focus in the narrative which was instrumental in his involvement with Penelope and Odysseus's son Telemachus learning to fight. Odysseus has been absent for nearly twenty years which if you are familiar with Homer's "Odyssey", and, "The Iliad," in short where he spent ten years fighting in the Trojan War to simplify it. It actually contains much, much more. For the sake of this novel and review I have omitted a wealth of information. Odysseus took with him all the strong men of fighting age off with him to fight with the other kings and mortals. This left Penelope in a vulnerable position to deal with the suitors who think that she is a widow because of Odysseus's long absence. She has had to deal with an enormous burden being young when he left. There are other men who were also hoping to replace Odysseus as king which Penelope had to outwit such as pirates and King Menelaus, Helen's husband.

What is the difference between, "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"? They are both epic poems written by Homer, with the scholarly texts that I studied and both contain more than twenty volumes each. I'm going to give a quick and short explanation. "The Iliad," should be read first since they are sequential. The Iliad is the epic poem about the Trojan War which Odysseus was fighting among the other kings of Greece which accounts for ten years of his time away from Ithaca. While the epic poem of "The Odyssey," is the story about the survivor of the war and his attempts to return home. For purposes of this trilogy, and "The Odyssey," it is Odysseus who takes from seven to ten years finding his way back to Ithaca. In this novel, and trilogy, this leaves Penelope utilizing all of her wits to keep other men from and kings from conquering Ithaca with the help of her trusted maidens and women. She has kept her suitors at bay and her son Telemachus who is now a grown man has just returned from searching for his father by which he doesn't have any news of whether Odysseus is alive or dead because he was unable to locate him. We the reader know, that Odysseus is safe and hiding on Ithaca disguised as the beggar, who is watching Penelope in trying to ascertain if she is/has been faithful to him.

The first half was more engaging for me than the second half by which I have already said was largely about battles of which there is retribution from some of the fathers of the suitors fighting Odysseus for something that he did. Actually, there were two things that he did in Claire North's version that has enraged Penelope and were the catalysts for her going to find safety to shelter with her father-in law, who is at Odysseus's father's farm. Before Odysseus makes his presence known Penelope is feeling guilty towards herself, in her view she feels responsible for Telemachus's indifference and hostility to her. She blames herself since she reasons within that she was neglectful of Telemachus's upbringing since she was always preoccupied with saving the kingdom of Ithaca. She is angry at Odysseus for reasons I won't say because they would be major spoilers. It has more to do with acts he did after he revealed who he was, making his presence known upon his return, than the twenty years he spent away.

In the parts of fighting that I found tedious and slow, but then again someone else who reads this may love it for its action driven plot. Odysseus and Telemachus who follow Penelope to the farm, with a small number of men will find themselves fighting for their lives. It is here that I noticed Claire North's writing infused in the empathetic voice of Athena's narration to be stunning. Athena who is created by North to employ her voice of reason, and fighting for just causes. as the goddess of war and wisdom. Athena is seen as a civilizing influence with her wisdom of war, in sharp contrast to Ares who is seen as representing the distasteful aspects of brutal warfare and slaughter. I did like this part when I felt the author's love of her central characters. One part of this is going to appeal to women as Penelope's is seen as the feminist icon who saves the the main characters by having her maidens and more warriors arrive within Elektra's army fight in an important battle. By bringing in women reinforcements where Odysseus, his father and Telemachus are outnumbered with each battle fought. As the battles proceed, and both sides rest and bury the dead. Next they regroup, and strategic decisions are made when their size of men left are greatly outnumbered by the opposition. As a feminist retelling having Odysseus portrayed as deferring to Penelope's decisions it works for this novel, but I found it unrealistic and that could've influenced my enjoyment of the first half to be more connected to the storytelling, characters and narrative to a greater degree.

In the final saga of Penelope, the song of Penelope is ending and the song of Odysseus's return to take his place as King of Ithaca again will happen if everybody is to be up to the task of cooperation. First it's up to Penelope to dig deep within her and with Athena's gentle guidance and voice it will test Penelope again to gather her wits and use her cunning to win a war for the fate of Ithaca. No matter what, or how grand the challenge, the lengths she will go to save her island and family, in ways that are unconventional and seldom done will surprise you.

Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Claire North and Redhook Books, Redhook for generously providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

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