Elektra, Jennifer Saint, Jonathan Ball Publishers, ISBN: 9781472273925

I HAVE always been fascinated by Greek mythology. So, I was particularly excited to get my hands on this book. I mean, just look at that beautiful cover.

The novel is a retelling of the Trojan War from the perspectives of three women, Elektra and Clytemnestra – the daughter and wife of King Agamemnon, who lead the Greek army to Troy – and Cassandra, a princess of Troy.

The reader only gets a few glimpses of the battlefield throughout the book, and it focuses more on the effect it had on those who did not participate in the war. This was an interesting and refreshing aspect to the classic Greek tragedy, and I was really impressed by how the author, Jennifer Saint, was able to imagine and delve into the emotional toll the war would have taken on these women whose lives were irreparably changed by it.

However, that was the only novel part of the book. The overall story followed the traditional mythology, combining several variations. At times, I felt helpless and frustrated for the characters because I knew how the story would unfold.

I would have loved some divergence from the traditional myth or at least, perhaps, an alternative ending (I felt that the synopsis did hint at the possibility.) It was just a little too predictable. In saying so, I do feel Saint did a marvelous job at, at times, creating suspense even when I was familiar with the story.

I also wish the author had added more interactions with the gods.

Then there are the characters. The story is narrated, in turn, from each of the women’s perspectives, and that added some depth and richness to the tale.

Elekta, who is the main protagonist, is undoubtably my least favourite. While she is a strong, smart and capable character, she was unrelatable and I was unable to empathise with her.

Her motivations, while obviously restricted by the traditional myth, fell flat. Her blind love and loyalty for a father she barely knew and the opposing hatred she develops for her mother, who had so tenderly raised her, just felt forced.

Vain, self-absorbed and supercilious are just some words I could use to describe Elektra.

On the other hand, my heart bled for both Cassandra and Clytemnestra. Both gentle and kind, they are forced to become tough and brave. I could relate to their anger, grief and the pure desperation of their actions. I wept for both on separate occasions in the book, and Saint poignantly unwrapped their emotions around this brutal yet classic Greek tragedy. – Mariclair Smit 3/5 stars