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Retold: The Grecian Women #3
Queens of Themiscyra
Sisterhood is worth fighting for…
In ancient Themiscyra, Hippolyte rules as queen of the Amazons with her sister Penthesilea at her side. Feared throughout Greece, their skills on the battlefield are unrivalled. But when a ship lands on their shores, it brings something more dangerous than the threat of war: Theseus, the legendary king of Athens.
Swept away by a love unlike any she's ever known, Hippolyte leaves her people. In her stead, Penthesilea leads the Amazons with a ferocity that spreads terror across the Aegean.
But not all men of myth are heroes, and, back in Athens, Hippolyte finds herself trapped in her new life. She's a queen without her people, a warrior without her army, and a mother separated from her family. But she remains an Amazon, and she's ready to fight. And across the sea, Penthesilea is ready to do the same…
Perfect for readers of Madeleine Miller and Claire Heywood, this mythic retelling is a rich, thrilling story of war and peace, love and betrayal, and, most of all, sisterhood.
In ancient Themiscyra, Hippolyte rules as queen of the Amazons with her sister Penthesilea at her side. Feared throughout Greece, their skills on the battlefield are unrivalled. But when a ship lands on their shores, it brings something more dangerous than the threat of war: Theseus, the legendary king of Athens.
Swept away by a love unlike any she's ever known, Hippolyte leaves her people. In her stead, Penthesilea leads the Amazons with a ferocity that spreads terror across the Aegean.
But not all men of myth are heroes, and, back in Athens, Hippolyte finds herself trapped in her new life. She's a queen without her people, a warrior without her army, and a mother separated from her family. But she remains an Amazon, and she's ready to fight. And across the sea, Penthesilea is ready to do the same…
Perfect for readers of Madeleine Miller and Claire Heywood, this mythic retelling is a rich, thrilling story of war and peace, love and betrayal, and, most of all, sisterhood.
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2022
About the author
Hannah M. Lynn
52 books1,116 followersHannah Lynn is a multi award winning novelist. Publishing her first book, Amendments – a dark, dystopian speculative fiction novel, in 2015. Her second book, The Afterlife of Walter Augustus – a contemporary fiction novel with a supernatural twist – went on to win the 2018 Kindle Storyteller Award and the Independent Publishers Gold Medal for Best Adult Ebook.
Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction.
With over 30 publications spanning a number of genres and translated into a dozen languages, Hannah has proven herself to be both an accomplished and prolific author.
Now settled back in the UK with her husband, daughter and clowder of cats, she spends her days writing romantic comedies and historical fiction. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena's Child, was also a 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publishers Awards.
Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction.
With over 30 publications spanning a number of genres and translated into a dozen languages, Hannah has proven herself to be both an accomplished and prolific author.
Now settled back in the UK with her husband, daughter and clowder of cats, she spends her days writing romantic comedies and historical fiction. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena's Child, was also a 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publishers Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
April 21, 2024
3.75!
I love Hannah's writing style, it feels like watching a movie because its so vivid and gripping However in this book the first 70% of the book was so captivating that I was actually loving it (I even thought of giving this book 5 stars) but the last 30% of the book fucked itself so hard and the ending doubled the fuckery, this was the same problem I face while I was reading her other novel A spartans sorrow I was enjoying it until it decided to end in the most ridiculous ways. I get she wants to write sad endings and I truly do enjoy bittersweet/sad endings BUT only if they are done right and sadly here it wasn't done write.
I have always been fascinated by the amazonians and was even more when I watched wonder woman, I didnt really know the complete lore surrounding them and I wanted to learn more, I just knew that there were strong, capable, fierce women who were also the strongest warriors and I wanted to learn more about Hippolyte and there was romance with minimsal but sufficient spice to keep me intrigued. The book was going so good, I was actually loving how hard choices Hippolyte had to make, the things that she had to sacrifice and the loyalties that bound her and I was actually shipping her with Theseus but then the plot twist happened and all I wanted was revenge and like?? I didnt even get that. Hippolyte was supposed to be strong, not someone who was a doormat with no backbone, in this book she was literally a disappointment to any female warrior alive because what the fuck??
SPOILERS
So I knew that Theseus used her and then discarded her like she was nothing an brought a new wife, he never really saw Hippolyte as an equal and throughout the book she was proclaimed as this strong warrior that everyone feared but she couldn't even do a single thing to Theseus, LIKE OK he drugged you and took you away from your home but you still chose to understand him and what he was trying to do because you loved him? and then started treating you like you were worthless and replaced you and when the time came for you to kill him you were fooled by two of his words adn jumped in front of him to take an arrow that was meant for him and then fucking died?? and Peninthsila (watev her name was) deserved a better end, killing her made no sense.
SPOILERS END
I did like Hippolyte's relationship with Thesesus's father and I also liked how the book was split into two povs and how well balanced it was.
Overall, it was an enjoyable book until the last 30% messed it up. I have another arc from this author of her new book Daughter of Olympus which sounds so good! I want to read it as her last chance despite loving her writing style and the way she thinks I will not read her books, if the ending part is not well thought or well written.
I love Hannah's writing style, it feels like watching a movie because its so vivid and gripping However in this book the first 70% of the book was so captivating that I was actually loving it (I even thought of giving this book 5 stars) but the last 30% of the book fucked itself so hard and the ending doubled the fuckery, this was the same problem I face while I was reading her other novel A spartans sorrow I was enjoying it until it decided to end in the most ridiculous ways. I get she wants to write sad endings and I truly do enjoy bittersweet/sad endings BUT only if they are done right and sadly here it wasn't done write.
I have always been fascinated by the amazonians and was even more when I watched wonder woman, I didnt really know the complete lore surrounding them and I wanted to learn more, I just knew that there were strong, capable, fierce women who were also the strongest warriors and I wanted to learn more about Hippolyte and there was romance with minimsal but sufficient spice to keep me intrigued. The book was going so good, I was actually loving how hard choices Hippolyte had to make, the things that she had to sacrifice and the loyalties that bound her and I was actually shipping her with Theseus but then the plot twist happened and all I wanted was revenge and like?? I didnt even get that. Hippolyte was supposed to be strong, not someone who was a doormat with no backbone, in this book she was literally a disappointment to any female warrior alive because what the fuck??
SPOILERS
So I knew that Theseus used her and then discarded her like she was nothing an brought a new wife, he never really saw Hippolyte as an equal and throughout the book she was proclaimed as this strong warrior that everyone feared but she couldn't even do a single thing to Theseus, LIKE OK he drugged you and took you away from your home but you still chose to understand him and what he was trying to do because you loved him? and then started treating you like you were worthless and replaced you and when the time came for you to kill him you were fooled by two of his words adn jumped in front of him to take an arrow that was meant for him and then fucking died?? and Peninthsila (watev her name was) deserved a better end, killing her made no sense.
SPOILERS END
I did like Hippolyte's relationship with Thesesus's father and I also liked how the book was split into two povs and how well balanced it was.
Overall, it was an enjoyable book until the last 30% messed it up. I have another arc from this author of her new book Daughter of Olympus which sounds so good! I want to read it as her last chance despite loving her writing style and the way she thinks I will not read her books, if the ending part is not well thought or well written.
June 3, 2022
Third in trilogy, this time focusing on the legendary Amazon women, mainly Queen Hippolyte. Descriptive and engrossing.
October 28, 2026
"With that, she raised her spear to the sky and a second later, three thousand more were lifted to join it, their tips shining in the moonlight, as a battle cry echoed through the sky. They were formidable. They were unbeatable. They were the Amazons.”
Queens of Themiscyra is a Greek mythology retelling of Hippolyte and Penthesilea of the Amazons. The author's writing is incredibly detailed and vivid making the pages play out like a movie in your head. I was absolutely immersed into the story and found myself emotionally invested into the characters. I love when retellings put just as much importance on the characters outside of the legend as it does the part of the story that makes them legends, giving us a better understanding on who these characters really are. Hannah Lynn's writing kept me glued to the page with action, emotion, betrayal, heartbreak, and love.
જ⁀➴ What to Expect
🏹Greek Mythology retelling
🏹Historical fantasy
🏹Fierce Warrior Women
🏹Feminine Rage
🏹Love and Betrayal
🏹Revenge and Retribution
જ⁀➴ Hippolyte
Hippolyte represents a quieter and more measured form of strength. She is fueled by her duty and responsibility to protect her people first and foremost. She has immense strength and courage, but she is not the one to act first and ask later. She understands that sometimes compromise is better than confrontation and she doesn't feel that everything needs to be solved through violence. Hippolyte's character goes through a lot of internal struggles throughout this story, mostly centered around love, motherhood, losing control and her identity.
જ⁀➴ Penthesilea
Penthesilea is the opposite of her sister primarily because her power is a lot more confrontational and uncompromising. She is passionate, proud, fiercely loyal, and driven by emotions. She confronts conflict directly and sometimes she does not think about the consequences behind her actions. Penthesilea's greatest strength is her refusal to surrender but her character struggles with understanding what that can cost her in the long run.
I enjoyed this story and like I stated above, I found myself emotionally invested into the story and the characters. I just had a few issues: the first 75% of this story was absolute perfection to the point I was questioning myself how I had never read this before. With that being said, the last 25% pacing was off, and I wasn't even sure if it was needed. I know that the author was trying to give us more insight into Penthesilea's character, but I felt that the pacing was so different from the rest of the story that it felt like it dragged or was almost a completely different book. That brings me to the second issue I had, I found myself way more emotionally invested into Hippolyte's story because I felt that the main focus throughout the story was on her and Penthesilea was kind of an afterthought. I would have really enjoyed seeing her story given the same amount of time and depth as her sisters. Overall, I enjoyed the story and can't wait to read more by this author.
April 28, 2025
Oh how I enjoyed this one - about the Amazons. A fierce sisterhood. This seems to be my year to bulk up my mythological storylines with well-written re-imaginings.
In the pages from beginning to end, I found myself visiting Themiscyra - the land where the Amazons lived and loved, and how humanity inter-mixes with them (bringing about fatal consequences for the this lower level of immortals where the dark death creeps up into Olympus) and it brought me great satisfaction. I pulled out maps and pinned out who was where when and got each of the Queens straight, and for what each one was known - instead of being all grouped together. I truly appreciate that kind of detail in ways others may not.
They were fighters to the end, and then everyday heroines telling quiet stories to the hoi polloi when the glory days are over. . .for all the days they last in the land. . .a believable conclusion that pleased me immensely. I highly recommend for all those who are interested in these daughters of the Greek Gods and the myth cycles in which they orbit. Kudos to Hannah Lynn for not letting them be left out of the great retelling that is happening these days.
*A sincere thank you to Hannah Lynn, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently."
In the pages from beginning to end, I found myself visiting Themiscyra - the land where the Amazons lived and loved, and how humanity inter-mixes with them (bringing about fatal consequences for the this lower level of immortals where the dark death creeps up into Olympus) and it brought me great satisfaction. I pulled out maps and pinned out who was where when and got each of the Queens straight, and for what each one was known - instead of being all grouped together. I truly appreciate that kind of detail in ways others may not.
They were fighters to the end, and then everyday heroines telling quiet stories to the hoi polloi when the glory days are over. . .for all the days they last in the land. . .a believable conclusion that pleased me immensely. I highly recommend for all those who are interested in these daughters of the Greek Gods and the myth cycles in which they orbit. Kudos to Hannah Lynn for not letting them be left out of the great retelling that is happening these days.
*A sincere thank you to Hannah Lynn, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently."
November 25, 2024
My biggest complaint about this one is that it was roughly 200 pages too long.
BUT.
Switching between the e-book and the paperback, I realised the paperback has roughly an extra 100 pages?! Which is wild. I can only assume it's an earlier draft, though to be honest it's a neater read.
So I guess e-book is the way to go? It's definitely more concise and I do remember thinking often reading it that I really appreciated the way it didn't linger or drag things out for too long.
Whereas the paperback lingers, so if you prefer the deeper details, go for the print version.
PLOT: It's death to any man who sets foot on the lands of Themiscyra, yet when a boat of them turns up one day it'll change the future for the Amazon warriors who reside there. Queen Hippolyte and her sister, Penthesilea, in particular will find themselves on paths they could never have fathomed.
I picked this one up as both a fan of mythology and of Wonder Woman (who of course hails from Themiscyra). Fans of the latter will be mostly disappointed, but fans of the former will get plenty of bang for their buck.
The main focus here is on Queen Hippolyte, and she's not quite the powerhouse from the WW comics that we know and love. In fact, she's my other main complaint. She's supposed to be the leader of this super powerful race of warriors, known for their lack of tolerance for the BS of men. She's supposed to be fearsome and wise and strong. So when her actions began to contradict all of those traits, it infuriated me.
I spent so much of this book frustrated by Hippolyte and her behaviour. I wanted her to see the very obvious red flags. But as I read on and thought more and more about her behaviour in situations, I was reminded of the very real issues of domestic violence in our own world. My compassion towards women in these situations transferred to this character for me, and I found a little more understanding. I didn't like it - it was tough to read - but I understood her actions a little better in this light.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed how Penthesilea lived up to the Amazon name. She's exactly the ferocious sort of character I wanted to read about, so I really enjoyed her story. Mostly.
I do really feel there were too many events covered in this story. I think the last little bit was unnecessary and dragged on for too long, and it just felt like the ending kind of tapered out into nothing. I wanted a strong finish but I guess it's just not that kind of story.
Mythology fans will love all the references, but may also be let down by the absence of endings for other characters that play a role. This is very much focused on the Queens of the title, and no other resolutions are to be found.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this one but did struggle emotionally with some of the content. I loved the mythology, but also was disappointed that some parts seemed unfinished. The paperback seemed too long, but the e-book was wonderfully streamlined.
I'll still go ahead and recommend this one, particularly for the feminist angle. This is a book full of strong women, and that's never a bad thing. I also think this will be a win with fans of mythology retellings.
BUT.
Switching between the e-book and the paperback, I realised the paperback has roughly an extra 100 pages?! Which is wild. I can only assume it's an earlier draft, though to be honest it's a neater read.
So I guess e-book is the way to go? It's definitely more concise and I do remember thinking often reading it that I really appreciated the way it didn't linger or drag things out for too long.
Whereas the paperback lingers, so if you prefer the deeper details, go for the print version.
PLOT: It's death to any man who sets foot on the lands of Themiscyra, yet when a boat of them turns up one day it'll change the future for the Amazon warriors who reside there. Queen Hippolyte and her sister, Penthesilea, in particular will find themselves on paths they could never have fathomed.
I picked this one up as both a fan of mythology and of Wonder Woman (who of course hails from Themiscyra). Fans of the latter will be mostly disappointed, but fans of the former will get plenty of bang for their buck.
The main focus here is on Queen Hippolyte, and she's not quite the powerhouse from the WW comics that we know and love. In fact, she's my other main complaint. She's supposed to be the leader of this super powerful race of warriors, known for their lack of tolerance for the BS of men. She's supposed to be fearsome and wise and strong. So when her actions began to contradict all of those traits, it infuriated me.
I spent so much of this book frustrated by Hippolyte and her behaviour. I wanted her to see the very obvious red flags. But as I read on and thought more and more about her behaviour in situations, I was reminded of the very real issues of domestic violence in our own world. My compassion towards women in these situations transferred to this character for me, and I found a little more understanding. I didn't like it - it was tough to read - but I understood her actions a little better in this light.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed how Penthesilea lived up to the Amazon name. She's exactly the ferocious sort of character I wanted to read about, so I really enjoyed her story. Mostly.
I do really feel there were too many events covered in this story. I think the last little bit was unnecessary and dragged on for too long, and it just felt like the ending kind of tapered out into nothing. I wanted a strong finish but I guess it's just not that kind of story.
Mythology fans will love all the references, but may also be let down by the absence of endings for other characters that play a role. This is very much focused on the Queens of the title, and no other resolutions are to be found.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this one but did struggle emotionally with some of the content. I loved the mythology, but also was disappointed that some parts seemed unfinished. The paperback seemed too long, but the e-book was wonderfully streamlined.
I'll still go ahead and recommend this one, particularly for the feminist angle. This is a book full of strong women, and that's never a bad thing. I also think this will be a win with fans of mythology retellings.
June 16, 2022
Big thank you to the author for sending a book and bookish goodies!
I don't usually like accurate retellings of Greek mythology, because no matter how much I love it, it is still quite misogynistic. While the author tried to avoid it, I think it was still incredibly hard thing to do if you want to stay accurate to the original myths.
I found Hippolyte weak and unlovable character and Penthesilea not much better. That's why I prefer when these stories are not quite so close to the original myths and are more author's takes on the myth.
I don't usually like accurate retellings of Greek mythology, because no matter how much I love it, it is still quite misogynistic. While the author tried to avoid it, I think it was still incredibly hard thing to do if you want to stay accurate to the original myths.
I found Hippolyte weak and unlovable character and Penthesilea not much better. That's why I prefer when these stories are not quite so close to the original myths and are more author's takes on the myth.
November 10, 2026
I couldn’t put this down. Def 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PLOT
Hippopyte is the Queen to the Amazons, the best warriors that have ever lived. Their home is impenetrable, & anyone who steps on their soil uninvited is ended. But one day Heracles & his crew show up with a request, & this request changes everything for the Amazons.
- Amazons Greek myth retelling, including some Iliad story
- female warriors & battle
- brutality & per usually wirh mythology retellings THE MEN ARE RAT SHIT GARBAGE
- romance subplots, not spicy but sex scenes
PROS
- I was engrossed in this. I ate it up, I think I finished it in like 2 days.
- The writing was really nice. Descriptive, robust without being distracting.
- I think the character work was really well done. I appreciated how we showed these women not as a monolith, & what strength could mean in different ways (battlefield, mentorship, emotional support, romance, parenthood, etc.)
- I fucking hate a character so much & when the author can make me do that you know they did their job.
- A lot of Greek mythology retellings can feel rather hopeless & somehow, despite a constant shit storm brewing, this didn’t feel hopeless. This felt like women enduring, no matter what.
MIDS
- I know this was QUEENS of Theymiscyra so we needed to follow multiple but I was more drawn to Hippolyte’s story.
CONS
- I have basically the same con about all Greek mythology retellings & that’s that the endings always seem deeply unsatisfying for the women. It’s not the fault of the author, but it just does tend to feel anti-climactic because the women’s ends tend to be more lesson-driven while the men are the victors & women rarely get proper revenge on them. I sort of wish we had an epilogue just with the end of some characters, but I know this is the story of the Amazons not their enemies.
Did I Google the fates of some characters in this story to see if they got what they deserved? Sure did. & I totally understand why they weren’t in this story since it’s about the Amazons first & foremost, BUT I AM MORE SATISFIED AT SOMEONE GETTING THROWN OFF A CLIFF EVENTUALLY.
I enjoyed this!
PLOT
Hippopyte is the Queen to the Amazons, the best warriors that have ever lived. Their home is impenetrable, & anyone who steps on their soil uninvited is ended. But one day Heracles & his crew show up with a request, & this request changes everything for the Amazons.
- Amazons Greek myth retelling, including some Iliad story
- female warriors & battle
- brutality & per usually wirh mythology retellings THE MEN ARE RAT SHIT GARBAGE
- romance subplots, not spicy but sex scenes
PROS
- I was engrossed in this. I ate it up, I think I finished it in like 2 days.
- The writing was really nice. Descriptive, robust without being distracting.
- I think the character work was really well done. I appreciated how we showed these women not as a monolith, & what strength could mean in different ways (battlefield, mentorship, emotional support, romance, parenthood, etc.)
- I fucking hate a character so much & when the author can make me do that you know they did their job.
- A lot of Greek mythology retellings can feel rather hopeless & somehow, despite a constant shit storm brewing, this didn’t feel hopeless. This felt like women enduring, no matter what.
MIDS
- I know this was QUEENS of Theymiscyra so we needed to follow multiple but I was more drawn to Hippolyte’s story.
CONS
- I have basically the same con about all Greek mythology retellings & that’s that the endings always seem deeply unsatisfying for the women. It’s not the fault of the author, but it just does tend to feel anti-climactic because the women’s ends tend to be more lesson-driven while the men are the victors & women rarely get proper revenge on them. I sort of wish we had an epilogue just with the end of some characters, but I know this is the story of the Amazons not their enemies.
Did I Google the fates of some characters in this story to see if they got what they deserved? Sure did. & I totally understand why they weren’t in this story since it’s about the Amazons first & foremost, BUT I AM MORE SATISFIED AT SOMEONE GETTING THROWN OFF A CLIFF EVENTUALLY.
I enjoyed this!
July 20, 2022
A una prima parte molto interessante dove si vengono a conoscere le usanze delle amazzoni segue una parte centrale molto lenta che descrive la storia di Ippolita e Teseo che poteva durare mooolto meno infine abbiamo un'ultima parte che poteva dare molto di più ma che invece risulta essere piatta.
Fino ad oggi i retelling scritti da questa autrice mi avevano trasmesso un messaggio femminista, un messaggio che faceva capire il motivo del retelling, qui non ci sono messaggi se non che diventare madre cambia tutto dalla vita che si vive alla visione della vita stessa.
Teseo rimane un gran pezzo di cacchina ed ormai a furia di leggere retelling mi faccio spoiler da sola!
Davvero delusa
Fino ad oggi i retelling scritti da questa autrice mi avevano trasmesso un messaggio femminista, un messaggio che faceva capire il motivo del retelling, qui non ci sono messaggi se non che diventare madre cambia tutto dalla vita che si vive alla visione della vita stessa.
Teseo rimane un gran pezzo di cacchina ed ormai a furia di leggere retelling mi faccio spoiler da sola!
Davvero delusa
September 19, 2022
Hannah Lynn SLAYED this book. I will read whatever she writes.
I only got a small glimpse of the Amazons in a Thousand Ships and I wanted to know more. Hannah Lynn LITERALLY DELIVERED 🔥gorgeous, heart breaking and fierce.
Turns out Theseus is as big as a dick as per usual, surprise surprise.
10/5 stars definitely recommend.
I only got a small glimpse of the Amazons in a Thousand Ships and I wanted to know more. Hannah Lynn LITERALLY DELIVERED 🔥gorgeous, heart breaking and fierce.
Turns out Theseus is as big as a dick as per usual, surprise surprise.
10/5 stars definitely recommend.
May 19, 2024
Enjoyed this historical fiction reworking on Greek mythology
July 4, 2023
“IL MISTERO DELLE AMAZZONI” è il terzo volume della saga Donne Greche, dove Hannah Lynn riunisce le fonti classiche a noi pervenute per offrirci un quadro quanto più completo possibile della storia di questo fiero e feroce popolo guerriero, vissuto nel Ponto e guidato dalle figlie stesse di Ares.
Interessanti le descrizioni dello stile di vita, così particolare e differente da quello delle donne del tempo: un’emancipazione anacronistica ed esasperata che, se da un lato le presenta come ci sono state tramandate dagli antichi, ovvero indomabili, temibili e invincibili, dall’altro ne fa emergere un aspetto quasi di vulnerabilità. Diventano, infatti, agli occhi di un prode (di dubbia moralità) come Teseo una sorta di “mostro” utile a mettere alla prova le proprie capacità e ad alimentare la propria fama di eroe.
È stata una lettura scorrevole ed intrigante, caratterizzata da una forma curata ed un lessico appropriato. Grazie ad essa ho potuto approfondire argomenti della mitologia greca che mi erano piuttosto estranei ma, soprattutto, tutte queste rivisitazioni (che vanno così di moda ultimamente) mi hanno concesso la possibilità di crearmi una sorta di linea del tempo degli eventi relativi ai personaggi mitologici, così come un loro albero genealogico (decisamente molto complesso, considerata la varietà di rapporti che intercorrevano tra di essi).
Interessanti le descrizioni dello stile di vita, così particolare e differente da quello delle donne del tempo: un’emancipazione anacronistica ed esasperata che, se da un lato le presenta come ci sono state tramandate dagli antichi, ovvero indomabili, temibili e invincibili, dall’altro ne fa emergere un aspetto quasi di vulnerabilità. Diventano, infatti, agli occhi di un prode (di dubbia moralità) come Teseo una sorta di “mostro” utile a mettere alla prova le proprie capacità e ad alimentare la propria fama di eroe.
È stata una lettura scorrevole ed intrigante, caratterizzata da una forma curata ed un lessico appropriato. Grazie ad essa ho potuto approfondire argomenti della mitologia greca che mi erano piuttosto estranei ma, soprattutto, tutte queste rivisitazioni (che vanno così di moda ultimamente) mi hanno concesso la possibilità di crearmi una sorta di linea del tempo degli eventi relativi ai personaggi mitologici, così come un loro albero genealogico (decisamente molto complesso, considerata la varietà di rapporti che intercorrevano tra di essi).
March 19, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
"She had been a wife, she had been a mother, but she would always be an Amazon."
Choosing the rating for this one was really hard because the writing is excellent, every sentence is beautiful, but the story itself made me so angry so many times it left me very conflicted (i might have permanent frown lines bc of this).
“Since you are here, it seems wrong not to make some use of you,” she said, still holding the sword as she straddled him. “But do not disappoint me, or I will end you.”
“I was born to serve you, my Queen. That I promise.”
So here we have Hyppolite, the strongest most badass and powerful Amazon Queen, who enjoys some d time with lover boy Theseus until he drugs her and kidnaps her 🤨 typical Greek mythology event moving on that's not the issue, in fact it was an interesting moment to read UNTIL SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL HIM AND DOESN'T.
“This is what you want,” he said, the blood trickling from a cut above his eyebrow. “You want a man who can control you. Who can best you.”
“There is not a man on this planet who can control me."
Right so in 2 weeks she got head over heels for baby boy despite a lifetime of using men for their body and living in a community of self sufficient women. Okidoki let's go then!! oh wait that backfires and she gets terribly wronged by him???? naurr who could have expected it 😧
“You? It was not you that was never enough. You were too much for him, sister. Always too much. Too strong. Too powerful. Too smart. Too compassionate. Too brave. Too loving. He tried to bring those things down in you, but he could not succeed. He did not replace you because he wished for something better, my darling sister, believe me. He replaced you because he knew you were more than he could ever live up to.”
I wont spoil anything so I can't even describe the most infuriating, revolting, scandalous, and any other intense and dramatic adjective TURN OF EVENT that left me absolutely dumbfounded and by this point forward I gave up on these women having any sense. Since the book also follows her sister Pe- (can't remember the name for the life of me) and her own stupid decisions, as if the status of Amazon never meant anything and they just let men win over them time and again (and refuse to listen to sound advice, which is a personal pet peeve).
Anyway so those are my main complaints, but as you can see it may just be history related and the author didn't have a choice to make the events that way so the story would make sense. I just couldn't enjoy this book fully while the two most powerful women on God's green earth let men get away with the worst of the worst.
On this note, please if you haven't already, check out A Spartan's Sorrow (2nd book in this series) which was flawless, tragic, beautiful, mesmerizing etc etc a 5 star read no question.
[arc review, honest opinon ; thank you again for the opportunity]
"She had been a wife, she had been a mother, but she would always be an Amazon."
Choosing the rating for this one was really hard because the writing is excellent, every sentence is beautiful, but the story itself made me so angry so many times it left me very conflicted (i might have permanent frown lines bc of this).
“Since you are here, it seems wrong not to make some use of you,” she said, still holding the sword as she straddled him. “But do not disappoint me, or I will end you.”
“I was born to serve you, my Queen. That I promise.”
So here we have Hyppolite, the strongest most badass and powerful Amazon Queen, who enjoys some d time with lover boy Theseus until he drugs her and kidnaps her 🤨 typical Greek mythology event moving on that's not the issue, in fact it was an interesting moment to read UNTIL SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL HIM AND DOESN'T.
“This is what you want,” he said, the blood trickling from a cut above his eyebrow. “You want a man who can control you. Who can best you.”
“There is not a man on this planet who can control me."
Right so in 2 weeks she got head over heels for baby boy despite a lifetime of using men for their body and living in a community of self sufficient women. Okidoki let's go then!! oh wait that backfires and she gets terribly wronged by him???? naurr who could have expected it 😧
“You? It was not you that was never enough. You were too much for him, sister. Always too much. Too strong. Too powerful. Too smart. Too compassionate. Too brave. Too loving. He tried to bring those things down in you, but he could not succeed. He did not replace you because he wished for something better, my darling sister, believe me. He replaced you because he knew you were more than he could ever live up to.”
I wont spoil anything so I can't even describe the most infuriating, revolting, scandalous, and any other intense and dramatic adjective TURN OF EVENT that left me absolutely dumbfounded and by this point forward I gave up on these women having any sense. Since the book also follows her sister Pe- (can't remember the name for the life of me) and her own stupid decisions, as if the status of Amazon never meant anything and they just let men win over them time and again (and refuse to listen to sound advice, which is a personal pet peeve).
Anyway so those are my main complaints, but as you can see it may just be history related and the author didn't have a choice to make the events that way so the story would make sense. I just couldn't enjoy this book fully while the two most powerful women on God's green earth let men get away with the worst of the worst.
On this note, please if you haven't already, check out A Spartan's Sorrow (2nd book in this series) which was flawless, tragic, beautiful, mesmerizing etc etc a 5 star read no question.
[arc review, honest opinon ; thank you again for the opportunity]
August 31, 2022
In ancient Themiscyra, Hippolyte rules as Queen of the Amazons. Feared throughout Greece, their skills on the battlefield are unrivalled. But when a ship lands on their shores, it brings something more dangerous than the threat of war. It brings a future Hippolyte could never have dreamed of.
Swept away to Athens, Hippolyte learns a love that transcends even the bond of the Amazon women. But can she forget her warrior past and forge a new life?
With her sister gone, Penthesilea is left with no choice but to rise as the new Amazon Queen. Forgoing her sister’s compassion and wisdom, Penthesilea rules with impulsiveness and ferocity that sparks terror throughout the Aegean.
But when Hippolyte’s world starts to crumble it is up to Penthesilea to decide how far she will go to defend their honour, family and way of life.
Swept away to Athens, Hippolyte learns a love that transcends even the bond of the Amazon women. But can she forget her warrior past and forge a new life?
With her sister gone, Penthesilea is left with no choice but to rise as the new Amazon Queen. Forgoing her sister’s compassion and wisdom, Penthesilea rules with impulsiveness and ferocity that sparks terror throughout the Aegean.
But when Hippolyte’s world starts to crumble it is up to Penthesilea to decide how far she will go to defend their honour, family and way of life.
April 7, 2024
I loved Queens of Themiscyra by Hannah M. Lynn so much! It is the third installment in The Grecian Women series, but I really hope it isn't the last. I enjoyed all three books, but I think this one is my favorite. Maybe because I haven't read many stories about the Amazon's and their queens so the story had new details and an unfamiliar stryline, but also because I love the author's storytelling style.
We start with Queen Hippolyte, feared by all for her unparalleled skills in battle, and well- known for her wisdom and compassion. After some serious wooing, she falls for Theseus but is still unwilling to leave her Amazons. In an act of misguided love and manipulation, he drugs her and takes her back to Athens with him. Hippolyte believes she may be in love with Theseus and decides to stay for now.
Penthesilea, Hippolyte's sister, is left to rule in her stead. She is a powerful Queen but rules impulsively, yet the Amazons thrive under her reign.... until Hippolyte returns, then Penthesilea is forced to make a decision that will affect the future of all Amazons.
Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and the amazing Hannah M. Lynn for early access to read Queens of Themiscyra in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I'll be hoping and waiting for #4!
We start with Queen Hippolyte, feared by all for her unparalleled skills in battle, and well- known for her wisdom and compassion. After some serious wooing, she falls for Theseus but is still unwilling to leave her Amazons. In an act of misguided love and manipulation, he drugs her and takes her back to Athens with him. Hippolyte believes she may be in love with Theseus and decides to stay for now.
Penthesilea, Hippolyte's sister, is left to rule in her stead. She is a powerful Queen but rules impulsively, yet the Amazons thrive under her reign.... until Hippolyte returns, then Penthesilea is forced to make a decision that will affect the future of all Amazons.
Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and the amazing Hannah M. Lynn for early access to read Queens of Themiscyra in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I'll be hoping and waiting for #4!
April 21, 2024
Ok, I read this with ZERO knowledge of the actual Greek mythology behind it and this review is written based on that. It’s my understanding that there isn’t much historical accuracy, but I enjoyed reading about the Amazons though I likely could’ve gone without the romance. Still really love this series, but this definitely won’t be the best one of them all.
January 3, 2023
Never hated a book so much in my life. I gave up a few chapters from the end because I just couldn't take it. We all agree on the pact that Theseus is a huge piece of asshole, but the one that pissed me off the most is Hippolyta: all her life she affirms her contempt for "normal" women, who are mothers and wives, then comes an idiot who he drugs you, he kidnaps you, promising a future without giving you anything concrete to confirm it, and what do you do?? An Amazon queen would have tried to escape using her strength and intelligence to return to her people, but what does she do? Stockholm syndrome and “he loves me in his own way”. GO FUCK YOURSELF GIRL. The whole siege of Athens, her people who is slaughtered and what does she do? She takes an arrow for the asshole who betrayed her, humiliated her and took her child away from her. Another thing I hated is all this unconditional love she has for Hppolyto. Perhaps the young lady forgot that she also had another son. Bad representation of feminism, especially if that is what the author believes feminism is. I liked Pentasilea. She is like what I imagine a true Amazon queen was. But I didn't like how little her "self-exile" was explored and how superficial her reconciliation with her feelings is, about what she felt for killing her sister. The most appreciated part was certainly when the culture of the Amazons was explored, although I don't know if it is historically accurate.
Overall I don't recommend, I don't think it's worth the money
Overall I don't recommend, I don't think it's worth the money
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2022
This has been my favourite book in this series, with Athena's Child taking a close second because I enjoyed the subject matter of that book so much. I had been aware of the legendary Amazon warriors before reading Queens of Themiscyra - think Wonder Woman and all the other references to this legendary race of women scattered liberally through pop culture and popular literature - but this book delves so much deeper. Queens brings context to this extraordinary group of women, arising from Ares, God of War, himself. Yet, it is the complexity of characters themselves and their interpersonal relationships that held me entranced, and although men of fame and renown play significant roles throughout most of the text it is the women - and more importantly the Amazon women - who carry the story and ensure that it is a memorable one.
June 16, 2023
L’antica città di Temiscira ha una sovrana leggendaria: Ippolita, regina delle amazzoni. Il suo è un popolo di guerriere, temute in tutta la Grecia per lo straordinario valore in battaglia: si dice che sottomettano gli uomini e li utilizzino per la procreazione, che si amputino il seno destro per tirare meglio con l’arco e siano formidabili a cavalcare e con le armi. Ma ci sono pericoli che nessuna arma, per quanto letale, può scongiurare. E quando una nave giunge sulla costa dove Ippolita domina incontrastata, il destino ha già iniziato a tessere la sua tela. Travolta da un amore inatteso e proibito, tanto impetuoso quanto contrario ai doveri di amazzone – ancora prima che di sovrana –, Ippolita fa una scelta dalle conseguenze irreversibili. Sentendosi tradita dalla propria sorella, Pentesilea sarà costretta a salire sul trono al suo posto e lavare via la sciagura che Ippolita ha gettato sul popolo delle guerriere. Dimostrerà al mondo intero, se necessario, che le amazzoni non conoscono alcuna debolezza. E che sfidare la loro ira vuol dire prepararsi a combattere.
LIBRI / NARRATIVA / NEWTON COMPTON / NUOVI ARTICOLI / RECENSIONI
Recensione: “Il mistero delle Amazzoni” di Hannah Lynn
27/07/2022 - by Linda La Commare - Leave a Comment
Il mistero delle Amazzoni, il nuovo avvincente libro di Hannah Lynn.
Dopo il successo de Il segreto di Medusa e La vendetta degli dei, Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo libro allo stesso modo appassionante: Il mistero delle Amazzoni.
il mistero delle amazzoni
Titolo: Il mistero delle Amazzoni
Autore: Hannah Lynn
Editore: Newton Compton Editori
Genere: Narrativa.
Link d’acquisto: Amazon
Trama
L’antica città di Temiscira ha una sovrana leggendaria: Ippolita, regina delle amazzoni. Il suo è un popolo di guerriere, temute in tutta la Grecia per lo straordinario valore in battaglia: si dice che sottomettano gli uomini e li utilizzino per la procreazione, che si amputino il seno destro per tirare meglio con l’arco e siano formidabili a cavalcare e con le armi. Ma ci sono pericoli che nessuna arma, per quanto letale, può scongiurare. E quando una nave giunge sulla costa dove Ippolita domina incontrastata, il destino ha già iniziato a tessere la sua tela. Travolta da un amore inatteso e proibito, tanto impetuoso quanto contrario ai doveri di amazzone – ancora prima che di sovrana –, Ippolita fa una scelta dalle conseguenze irreversibili. Sentendosi tradita dalla propria sorella, Pentesilea sarà costretta a salire sul trono al suo posto e lavare via la sciagura che Ippolita ha gettato sul popolo delle guerriere. Dimostrerà al mondo intero, se necessario, che le amazzoni non conoscono alcuna debolezza. E che sfidare la loro ira vuol dire prepararsi a combattere.
Recensione
Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo romanzo sulla mitologia greca che appassiona il lettore. Il titolo dice già tutto; il romanzo si concentra proprio sulle figure misteriosi delle Amazzoni. Chi erano? Cosa facevano? Come agivano? Le amazzoni sono un popolo di donne guerriere della mitologia greca famose per il loro coraggio e le loro abilità. Combattevano a cavallo mediante l’utilizzo dell’arco e le spade. Attorno a loro, alla loro storia e alle loro battaglie, si svolge l’intero libro e iniziamo proprio dall’arrivo di Eracle, mandato dal re Euristeo con una missione: prendere la cintura della regina Ippolita, segno del suo potere e della sua autorità sulle amazzoni.
Conosciamo Ippolita, regina delle Amazzoni e Pentesilea sorella e regina delle Amazzoni nella guerra di Troia. A questo punto siamo già immersi nella loro storia, ma non solo quella che le riguarda come guerriere e sorelle, ma anche donne. Accanto a loro troviamo nomi che conosciamo bene, storie che siamo lieti di rivedere e affrontare, tra i protagonisti della mitologia greca troviamo Eracle, Teseo, Achille e perfino la guerra di Troia, con la differenza che ognuno di questi personaggi e di questi eventi vengono visti dagli occhi delle donne.
Il mistero delle Amazzoni racconta di regine, lealtà, tradimenti, guerre e famiglie e si serve di personaggi reali che entrano nel cuore del lettore e creano un posto speciale in cui soggiornare. Sono donne che non hanno paura di combattere, ma non hanno nemmeno paura di cedere all’amore. Hannah Lynn infatti ci racconta non solo le loro imprese, ma ci dona anche storie d’amore travagliate con grandi sorrisi ma anche immensi pianti. Un mix di elementi, un insieme di emozioni contrastanti. La storia che si appresta a raccontare è interessante, tuttavia l’ho trovato un po’ lenta, un dettaglio che ha rallentato la lettura.
Ancora una volta la penna di Hannah Lynn si conferma pulita, fluida e coinvolgente. Lo avevo già appurato con la lettura di “La vendetta degli dei”. Con la sua capacità di trasportarci in epoche lontane ci ha ridato il gusto e il piacere di rivivere la mitologia greca.
LIBRI / NARRATIVA / NEWTON COMPTON / NUOVI ARTICOLI / RECENSIONI
Recensione: “Il mistero delle Amazzoni” di Hannah Lynn
27/07/2022 - by Linda La Commare - Leave a Comment
Il mistero delle Amazzoni, il nuovo avvincente libro di Hannah Lynn.
Dopo il successo de Il segreto di Medusa e La vendetta degli dei, Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo libro allo stesso modo appassionante: Il mistero delle Amazzoni.
il mistero delle amazzoni
Titolo: Il mistero delle Amazzoni
Autore: Hannah Lynn
Editore: Newton Compton Editori
Genere: Narrativa.
Link d’acquisto: Amazon
Trama
L’antica città di Temiscira ha una sovrana leggendaria: Ippolita, regina delle amazzoni. Il suo è un popolo di guerriere, temute in tutta la Grecia per lo straordinario valore in battaglia: si dice che sottomettano gli uomini e li utilizzino per la procreazione, che si amputino il seno destro per tirare meglio con l’arco e siano formidabili a cavalcare e con le armi. Ma ci sono pericoli che nessuna arma, per quanto letale, può scongiurare. E quando una nave giunge sulla costa dove Ippolita domina incontrastata, il destino ha già iniziato a tessere la sua tela. Travolta da un amore inatteso e proibito, tanto impetuoso quanto contrario ai doveri di amazzone – ancora prima che di sovrana –, Ippolita fa una scelta dalle conseguenze irreversibili. Sentendosi tradita dalla propria sorella, Pentesilea sarà costretta a salire sul trono al suo posto e lavare via la sciagura che Ippolita ha gettato sul popolo delle guerriere. Dimostrerà al mondo intero, se necessario, che le amazzoni non conoscono alcuna debolezza. E che sfidare la loro ira vuol dire prepararsi a combattere.
Recensione
Hannah Lynn torna con un nuovo romanzo sulla mitologia greca che appassiona il lettore. Il titolo dice già tutto; il romanzo si concentra proprio sulle figure misteriosi delle Amazzoni. Chi erano? Cosa facevano? Come agivano? Le amazzoni sono un popolo di donne guerriere della mitologia greca famose per il loro coraggio e le loro abilità. Combattevano a cavallo mediante l’utilizzo dell’arco e le spade. Attorno a loro, alla loro storia e alle loro battaglie, si svolge l’intero libro e iniziamo proprio dall’arrivo di Eracle, mandato dal re Euristeo con una missione: prendere la cintura della regina Ippolita, segno del suo potere e della sua autorità sulle amazzoni.
Conosciamo Ippolita, regina delle Amazzoni e Pentesilea sorella e regina delle Amazzoni nella guerra di Troia. A questo punto siamo già immersi nella loro storia, ma non solo quella che le riguarda come guerriere e sorelle, ma anche donne. Accanto a loro troviamo nomi che conosciamo bene, storie che siamo lieti di rivedere e affrontare, tra i protagonisti della mitologia greca troviamo Eracle, Teseo, Achille e perfino la guerra di Troia, con la differenza che ognuno di questi personaggi e di questi eventi vengono visti dagli occhi delle donne.
Il mistero delle Amazzoni racconta di regine, lealtà, tradimenti, guerre e famiglie e si serve di personaggi reali che entrano nel cuore del lettore e creano un posto speciale in cui soggiornare. Sono donne che non hanno paura di combattere, ma non hanno nemmeno paura di cedere all’amore. Hannah Lynn infatti ci racconta non solo le loro imprese, ma ci dona anche storie d’amore travagliate con grandi sorrisi ma anche immensi pianti. Un mix di elementi, un insieme di emozioni contrastanti. La storia che si appresta a raccontare è interessante, tuttavia l’ho trovato un po’ lenta, un dettaglio che ha rallentato la lettura.
Ancora una volta la penna di Hannah Lynn si conferma pulita, fluida e coinvolgente. Lo avevo già appurato con la lettura di “La vendetta degli dei”. Con la sua capacità di trasportarci in epoche lontane ci ha ridato il gusto e il piacere di rivivere la mitologia greca.
October 29, 2026
Hannah Lynn co-writes with Heather Harris as Aria Ashbrook and I’ve been loving their Hirathean Path series. When I saw Queen of Themiscyra by Hannah Lynn was getting a makeover I couldn’t resist checking it out. I got an ebook in the sale and bought the audio to enhance my experience. This is narrated so well i would definitely recommend listening to it. Helen Keeley gives the Amazon women a time forgotten feel. Queen of Themiscyra is an 11 hour plus audiobook and makes you feel like you’ve stepped inside another world.
The Amazon women are strong, powerful warriors crafted from the gods. They are made to endure the storm.
Hippolyte rules as the Amazon queen and puts her heritage above all else. When a man washes up on their shores she starts to see more than just her people. Will an alliance change her future forever or will it make the Amazon women stronger?
This book reads more like a full series. It has so much going on it’s hard not to give too much away but you get the full journey from life, war and beyond.
Hannah Lynn has a way to bring this story full circle and the ride was worth getting on board.
The Amazon women are strong, powerful warriors crafted from the gods. They are made to endure the storm.
Hippolyte rules as the Amazon queen and puts her heritage above all else. When a man washes up on their shores she starts to see more than just her people. Will an alliance change her future forever or will it make the Amazon women stronger?
This book reads more like a full series. It has so much going on it’s hard not to give too much away but you get the full journey from life, war and beyond.
Hannah Lynn has a way to bring this story full circle and the ride was worth getting on board.
December 23, 2022
Ippolita cazzutissima nella prima parte, capisce alcune cose e risulta "competente" sia come donna, sia come guerriera, sia come regina...
peccato che nella seconda teseo (e non uso altri epiteti) la rapisca e da regina forte, cazzuta, integerrima Ippolita incomincia a soffrire di una sindrome di Stoccolma immensa dove non riesce ad allontanarsi dal suo rapitore se non alla fine, quando la allontana in malo modo. Ma cos'altro ci si può aspettare da lui?
Il rientro e l'assalto ad Atene interessante. teseo che le parla è da uccidere ma dopo, con Pentesilea, si riprendono certi standard abbastanza buoni per questo libro.
La parte su Pentesilea mi è piaciuta abbastanza e ci sta molto, anche qua però abbiamo delle mancanze: che fine fanno teseo e Ippolito?
peccato che nella seconda teseo (e non uso altri epiteti) la rapisca e da regina forte, cazzuta, integerrima Ippolita incomincia a soffrire di una sindrome di Stoccolma immensa dove non riesce ad allontanarsi dal suo rapitore se non alla fine, quando la allontana in malo modo. Ma cos'altro ci si può aspettare da lui?
Il rientro e l'assalto ad Atene interessante. teseo che le parla è da uccidere ma dopo, con Pentesilea, si riprendono certi standard abbastanza buoni per questo libro.
La parte su Pentesilea mi è piaciuta abbastanza e ci sta molto, anche qua però abbiamo delle mancanze: che fine fanno teseo e Ippolito?
May 5, 2022
Loved this retelling of the Amazon Legend!
Why did Queen Hippolyte REALLY stay in Athens with that abusive cad, Theseus? Did she really turn traitor to her heritage as an independent woman and leader of same? Did her sister(s) "murder" / "execute" her for her decision to stay with her "hero" (gag!) husband out of love? Or is that just something that the patriarchy has concocted over millennia to build themselves up?
Whatever the story, Theseus is DEFINITELY one of those men unable to get things done without the help of a woman -- and then to give her credit where it's due!
Why did Queen Hippolyte REALLY stay in Athens with that abusive cad, Theseus? Did she really turn traitor to her heritage as an independent woman and leader of same? Did her sister(s) "murder" / "execute" her for her decision to stay with her "hero" (gag!) husband out of love? Or is that just something that the patriarchy has concocted over millennia to build themselves up?
Whatever the story, Theseus is DEFINITELY one of those men unable to get things done without the help of a woman -- and then to give her credit where it's due!
December 29, 2024
Enjoyable retelling of the stories of two warrior Amazon Queens.
September 29, 2026
Il romanzo è ambientato nel mondo della Grecia antica, in particolare a Temiscira, la città delle Amazzoni. È un'ambientazione a metà tra storia, leggenda e mitologia: Lynn parte dai racconti antichi sulle Amazzoni. L'autrice riprende figure e vicende della mitologia greca e le racconta dal punto di vista delle donne guerriere. Il libro è quindi un retelling, cioè una nuova interpretazione di un mito già esistente.
Libertà e indipendenza, amore e dovere, forza e vulnerabilità sono i temi dominanti.
Per la prima volta l'eroe uomo è messo da parte e si parla di eroine...fragili quindi il mito, diventa umano. Voto: 8.
Libertà e indipendenza, amore e dovere, forza e vulnerabilità sono i temi dominanti.
Per la prima volta l'eroe uomo è messo da parte e si parla di eroine...fragili quindi il mito, diventa umano. Voto: 8.
August 17, 2026
Realmente 3,5 estrellas
Al principio se me hizo un poco más bola (probablemente entre el italiano y que no leía mucho de seguido...), con el inicio de la trama algo más lento, pero luego se empieza a desencadenar un acontecimiento tras otro y le cogí mucho más el ritmo. Básicamente trata de Hipólita, la reina de las amazonas, y cómo el conocer a Teseo, famoso héroe y heredero de Atenas, le cambiará la vida a ella y a su pueblo, especialmente a Pentesilea, su hermana, protagonista también al final del libro.
Un relato lleno de acción, amor, batallas y muertes, como toda la mitología grecolatina, si te gusta todas las leyendas griegas y demás te encantará (el estilo está muy bien, la verdad).
Al principio se me hizo un poco más bola (probablemente entre el italiano y que no leía mucho de seguido...), con el inicio de la trama algo más lento, pero luego se empieza a desencadenar un acontecimiento tras otro y le cogí mucho más el ritmo. Básicamente trata de Hipólita, la reina de las amazonas, y cómo el conocer a Teseo, famoso héroe y heredero de Atenas, le cambiará la vida a ella y a su pueblo, especialmente a Pentesilea, su hermana, protagonista también al final del libro.
Un relato lleno de acción, amor, batallas y muertes, como toda la mitología grecolatina, si te gusta todas las leyendas griegas y demás te encantará (el estilo está muy bien, la verdad).
September 7, 2025
I knew how this would end and it crushed me anyway, what a tale.
July 15, 2024
”With that, she raised her spear to the sky and, a second later, three thousand more were lifted to join it, their tips shining in the moonlight, as a battle cry echoed through the sky. They were formiable. They were unbeatable. They were the Amazons.”
Queens of Themiscyra follows the lives of Hippolyte and Penthesilea, daughters of Ares and fierce warriors. Hippolyte, the beloved and trusted queen of the Amazons, is swept away to Athens where she is torn between her loyalty to her tribe and the love she finds in Athens, while Penthesilea, the greatest warrior to have ever lived, is left to rule their people. This is a novel of sisterhood, survival, end of an era and the lives and ways of the Amazons.
This novel was, unfortunately, merely okay. I had high hopes for it. The writing is good – although there were weirdly many typos and missing words - and I had an okay time, but not an awesome one. I would be open to trying some of Lynn's other retellings because I do think she has a good grasp on the mythology and I vibed with how she wrote the culture, the landscape, the gods and so on. This just was not fully it for me. But before I go on to my gripes, let's talk about all the good stuff!
As much as this pains me to say in a novel all about women and following the lives of Amazon queens, the character I found most compellingly written was Theseus. I hate him with a fiery passion, but that doesn’t mean he cannot be a cool character, and boy was he well done in this. He is perfectly cocky, arrogant, seemingly charming, stubborn and childishly brash, exactly as infuriating as he should be. If I turned off all my pre-existing hatred for him, I could also kinda see why Hippolyte would grow fond of him, although I could not believe that Theseus felt like such a good character because I could recognize the kind of man he is. We’ve all met or known of someone like that, someone who is so oblivious to their privilege, is certain they know what’s best and who believe they are some kind of gift for women, someone who can read their ”secret signals” behind what they are actually saying. When he I would’ve loved for my fave character to be like Hippolyte or Penthesilea, but well, no can do.
One of the highlights of this novel was, for me, the depiction of Amazon life and culture. I liked reading about their endless, harsh training, their values and the weight they put on a warrior’s nobility and a warrior’s death. Reading about this community of free, independent and confident women was so refreshing in a myth retelling since, most of the time, the myths that get retold take place in battlefields or courts or ships – realms that are nearly exclusively run by men. I only hope the author would’ve spent more time in Themiscyra and really focused on their culture and way of life, but more on that later. I think, through Hippolyte, Hannah Lynn explored the stark and brutal differences between Themiscyra and Athens for a woman; where she was once a respected Queen, valued for her skill in battle and her wisdom, chosen by Ares himself, in Athens, she is a strange, scary woman whom people expect to be quiet, demure and hidden in the women’s quarters at all times. As much as I love Themiscyra as a setting and the Amazons as an idea, a group, I just love court intrigue and drama, so I also loved the depiction of Athens’s court and its inner workings. Hippolyte, being such a fish out of water, was a cool narrator for those sections. It was really
The Trojan War is a small part of this novel, albeit an important one, and as a huge sucker for that myth, I have to talk about it a little bit. I loved how, through Penthesilea, we got to meet Priam and his family years before the war. Seeing little Hector with his good heart was a twist of a knife in my heart, knowing how his story will end, as was seeing the glory days of Troy, ruled by its beloved king and queen. I also really loved how the book explained the origins of the war and Helen’s role in it: ”Some claimed that it has been her choice, that she had been overcome with passion and lust at the sight og the young hero, who must have seemed all the more attractive when compared with the bloated brute her husband had become. Others insisted that was not the care, that it was Paris who had become so enamoured with Helen that he had snatched her away in the night. It was a story that bore echoes all too uncomfortably familiar to Penthesilea. Either way, the outcome was the same. A thousand ships.” Yeah, it does not matter, in the end, what Helen did or did not do. It happened and that’s that. Thousands die, thousands lose their families either way. The way I had my issues with this novel, but this was a well done ending for a character. What I did not like about the Troy-section, however, was Patroclus being made Achilles’s cousin. Why oh why.
Despite the interesting premise and good writing, something about the novel didn’t fully click with me. I think my biggest issue was with how only a handful characters felt fully developed. Hippolyte was quite interesting and I liked how she ended up struggling between love of her family in Athens and her loyalty to her sisters and her role as their Queen. Some of her decisions did not make sense to me, which took me out of the story for a bit, and made it difficult for me to really connect with her, but for the most part, I liked her fierceness, her calm and empathetic leadership and the fact that she is not flawless: she makes mistakes, trusts the wrong people and so on. Theseus was intriguing cause you never know how much of what he says is lies and Lynn just, in general, captured his weasel-like slimy nature so well. Penthesilea, on the other hand, remained way too, to but it bluntly, meh, for the longest time, which is a shame cause she is such a cool character in myth (also, I was so happy to see her depicted as queer in this novel!). She just felt like the more warrior-like Amazon Queen and that’s it. Later on in the book, she got more focus (I thought Lynn depicted her guilt over a few unfortunate events very well – I liked ), but her characterization never really gripped me or stood out to me as anything all that unique.
Her and Hippolyte’s other sisters were very bland. Aegeus had his moments but even he was just pretty much the kindly old king who has an unusually good heart for his world. Cletes was just the loyal lover who gives wise council. None of the characters managed to surprise me. Of course, in a myth retelling, you kinda know where the story is going all of the time, but that doesn’t mean the characters can never surprise a reader. The relationships also could’ve used more time, especially the dynamic between the daughters of Ares. They deserved more depth. As it is, Theseus and Hippolyte’s relationship stuck out to me the most, especially when I was also quite bummed out that, for a novel titles Queens of Themiscyra, we spent, in the end, quite little time there: most of the story seemed to take place in Athens and not following the Amazons being Amazons. I felt like this book only scratched the surface of their world and way of life. It was a bit unfortunate. Hippolyte’s story Otherwise, I think the novel just lacked a kind of oomph-factor that I cannot quite explain: it just didn’t hit me in the feels or fully captivate me. I am a bit bummed, cause the Amazons are super cool and I really wanted to find a novel to love that centers them, and I have heard very positive reviews about this book.
I wouldn't recommend this first if someone asked me for a Greek myth retelling recommendation, but if someone was looking for specifically a story about Penthesilea and Hippolyte, I would not dissuade anyone from reading this story. After all, many have loved this novel – I know I am in the minority, here.
Queens of Themiscyra follows the lives of Hippolyte and Penthesilea, daughters of Ares and fierce warriors. Hippolyte, the beloved and trusted queen of the Amazons, is swept away to Athens where she is torn between her loyalty to her tribe and the love she finds in Athens, while Penthesilea, the greatest warrior to have ever lived, is left to rule their people. This is a novel of sisterhood, survival, end of an era and the lives and ways of the Amazons.
This novel was, unfortunately, merely okay. I had high hopes for it. The writing is good – although there were weirdly many typos and missing words - and I had an okay time, but not an awesome one. I would be open to trying some of Lynn's other retellings because I do think she has a good grasp on the mythology and I vibed with how she wrote the culture, the landscape, the gods and so on. This just was not fully it for me. But before I go on to my gripes, let's talk about all the good stuff!
As much as this pains me to say in a novel all about women and following the lives of Amazon queens, the character I found most compellingly written was Theseus. I hate him with a fiery passion, but that doesn’t mean he cannot be a cool character, and boy was he well done in this. He is perfectly cocky, arrogant, seemingly charming, stubborn and childishly brash, exactly as infuriating as he should be. If I turned off all my pre-existing hatred for him, I could also kinda see why Hippolyte would grow fond of him, although I could not believe that Theseus felt like such a good character because I could recognize the kind of man he is. We’ve all met or known of someone like that, someone who is so oblivious to their privilege, is certain they know what’s best and who believe they are some kind of gift for women, someone who can read their ”secret signals” behind what they are actually saying. When he I would’ve loved for my fave character to be like Hippolyte or Penthesilea, but well, no can do.
One of the highlights of this novel was, for me, the depiction of Amazon life and culture. I liked reading about their endless, harsh training, their values and the weight they put on a warrior’s nobility and a warrior’s death. Reading about this community of free, independent and confident women was so refreshing in a myth retelling since, most of the time, the myths that get retold take place in battlefields or courts or ships – realms that are nearly exclusively run by men. I only hope the author would’ve spent more time in Themiscyra and really focused on their culture and way of life, but more on that later. I think, through Hippolyte, Hannah Lynn explored the stark and brutal differences between Themiscyra and Athens for a woman; where she was once a respected Queen, valued for her skill in battle and her wisdom, chosen by Ares himself, in Athens, she is a strange, scary woman whom people expect to be quiet, demure and hidden in the women’s quarters at all times. As much as I love Themiscyra as a setting and the Amazons as an idea, a group, I just love court intrigue and drama, so I also loved the depiction of Athens’s court and its inner workings. Hippolyte, being such a fish out of water, was a cool narrator for those sections. It was really
The Trojan War is a small part of this novel, albeit an important one, and as a huge sucker for that myth, I have to talk about it a little bit. I loved how, through Penthesilea, we got to meet Priam and his family years before the war. Seeing little Hector with his good heart was a twist of a knife in my heart, knowing how his story will end, as was seeing the glory days of Troy, ruled by its beloved king and queen. I also really loved how the book explained the origins of the war and Helen’s role in it: ”Some claimed that it has been her choice, that she had been overcome with passion and lust at the sight og the young hero, who must have seemed all the more attractive when compared with the bloated brute her husband had become. Others insisted that was not the care, that it was Paris who had become so enamoured with Helen that he had snatched her away in the night. It was a story that bore echoes all too uncomfortably familiar to Penthesilea. Either way, the outcome was the same. A thousand ships.” Yeah, it does not matter, in the end, what Helen did or did not do. It happened and that’s that. Thousands die, thousands lose their families either way. The way I had my issues with this novel, but this was a well done ending for a character. What I did not like about the Troy-section, however, was Patroclus being made Achilles’s cousin. Why oh why.
Despite the interesting premise and good writing, something about the novel didn’t fully click with me. I think my biggest issue was with how only a handful characters felt fully developed. Hippolyte was quite interesting and I liked how she ended up struggling between love of her family in Athens and her loyalty to her sisters and her role as their Queen. Some of her decisions did not make sense to me, which took me out of the story for a bit, and made it difficult for me to really connect with her, but for the most part, I liked her fierceness, her calm and empathetic leadership and the fact that she is not flawless: she makes mistakes, trusts the wrong people and so on. Theseus was intriguing cause you never know how much of what he says is lies and Lynn just, in general, captured his weasel-like slimy nature so well. Penthesilea, on the other hand, remained way too, to but it bluntly, meh, for the longest time, which is a shame cause she is such a cool character in myth (also, I was so happy to see her depicted as queer in this novel!). She just felt like the more warrior-like Amazon Queen and that’s it. Later on in the book, she got more focus (I thought Lynn depicted her guilt over a few unfortunate events very well – I liked ), but her characterization never really gripped me or stood out to me as anything all that unique.
Her and Hippolyte’s other sisters were very bland. Aegeus had his moments but even he was just pretty much the kindly old king who has an unusually good heart for his world. Cletes was just the loyal lover who gives wise council. None of the characters managed to surprise me. Of course, in a myth retelling, you kinda know where the story is going all of the time, but that doesn’t mean the characters can never surprise a reader. The relationships also could’ve used more time, especially the dynamic between the daughters of Ares. They deserved more depth. As it is, Theseus and Hippolyte’s relationship stuck out to me the most, especially when I was also quite bummed out that, for a novel titles Queens of Themiscyra, we spent, in the end, quite little time there: most of the story seemed to take place in Athens and not following the Amazons being Amazons. I felt like this book only scratched the surface of their world and way of life. It was a bit unfortunate. Hippolyte’s story Otherwise, I think the novel just lacked a kind of oomph-factor that I cannot quite explain: it just didn’t hit me in the feels or fully captivate me. I am a bit bummed, cause the Amazons are super cool and I really wanted to find a novel to love that centers them, and I have heard very positive reviews about this book.
I wouldn't recommend this first if someone asked me for a Greek myth retelling recommendation, but if someone was looking for specifically a story about Penthesilea and Hippolyte, I would not dissuade anyone from reading this story. After all, many have loved this novel – I know I am in the minority, here.
December 15, 2022
I suppose I get what she was *trying* to show here - that a narcissist can manipulate any woman, no matter how strong. An abuser can use a woman's children against her to make her weak, the crumbs of affection, sweet words and gestures that suggest love can make her forget the cruelty, disrespect and methods he used to get her in that place. And even in the face of unimaginable, remorseless cruelty, she still ultimately loves him. I get it, I work with this every day. But she gets two things majorly wrong.
Firstly, she makes it all about sex and flattery at first, and perhaps this was deliberate to convey the impact of him, but it's like she's championing predatory and stalking behaviour as simple persistence and yearning. It's *romantic*. Narratives like this, being offered to girls and young women through books, TV, films, music, are part of the reason red flags don't appear red until it's too late.
Secondly, this is the fucking Queen of the Amazons. The idea that she would fall for this shit SO QUICKLY is absurd. Oh he's drugged you, kidnapped you, continues to drug you so you can't escape, a rescue party turns up and you go "he loves me in his own way" after little over two months AND YOU'RE THE QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS? No.
Penthesilea is an infinitely more interesting character than Hippolyte, but her development feels rushed and shallow. I wanted to read about her travels over seven years, her turmoil, her conflict as she tried not to care about people but ultimately couldn't stop herself. Her story could have been a beautiful one about the "softness" of women and how a woman's compassion and empathy doesn't always have to be shown as a weakness, but we didn't get that and more's the pity.
Fair play to her though, she wrote Theseus as the hateful wanker he was. From his first introduction I hated him, and not just because I knew what a prick he is in every myth and retelling. She got his arrogance, his smarmy little grin, his self-assured shite patter, his petulance and then his terrible cruelty absolutely spot on.
I feel as though the main reasons I couldn't get away with this book are similar to my dislikes in Athena's Child - the language is too flowery and overly descriptive (I can picture the scene without needing to know the position of every strand of hair) and the women who are initially portrayed as strong, compassionate, admirable characters become weak, unsure and, more often than not, bitchy. It doesn't feel like a genuine "there's two sides to this coin" piece of character development, it feels like a pattern of attack and it doesn't feel particularly feminist. I don't believe a feminist retelling has to paint women in a complimentary light all of the time, but at least more than the first two chapters might be nice.
I'll read the other one, probably, but I suspect it'll feel like a bit of an endurance like these two have.
Firstly, she makes it all about sex and flattery at first, and perhaps this was deliberate to convey the impact of him, but it's like she's championing predatory and stalking behaviour as simple persistence and yearning. It's *romantic*. Narratives like this, being offered to girls and young women through books, TV, films, music, are part of the reason red flags don't appear red until it's too late.
Secondly, this is the fucking Queen of the Amazons. The idea that she would fall for this shit SO QUICKLY is absurd. Oh he's drugged you, kidnapped you, continues to drug you so you can't escape, a rescue party turns up and you go "he loves me in his own way" after little over two months AND YOU'RE THE QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS? No.
Penthesilea is an infinitely more interesting character than Hippolyte, but her development feels rushed and shallow. I wanted to read about her travels over seven years, her turmoil, her conflict as she tried not to care about people but ultimately couldn't stop herself. Her story could have been a beautiful one about the "softness" of women and how a woman's compassion and empathy doesn't always have to be shown as a weakness, but we didn't get that and more's the pity.
Fair play to her though, she wrote Theseus as the hateful wanker he was. From his first introduction I hated him, and not just because I knew what a prick he is in every myth and retelling. She got his arrogance, his smarmy little grin, his self-assured shite patter, his petulance and then his terrible cruelty absolutely spot on.
I feel as though the main reasons I couldn't get away with this book are similar to my dislikes in Athena's Child - the language is too flowery and overly descriptive (I can picture the scene without needing to know the position of every strand of hair) and the women who are initially portrayed as strong, compassionate, admirable characters become weak, unsure and, more often than not, bitchy. It doesn't feel like a genuine "there's two sides to this coin" piece of character development, it feels like a pattern of attack and it doesn't feel particularly feminist. I don't believe a feminist retelling has to paint women in a complimentary light all of the time, but at least more than the first two chapters might be nice.
I'll read the other one, probably, but I suspect it'll feel like a bit of an endurance like these two have.
March 8, 2023
I’M DONE. I’M FINALLY FREE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. What a snooze fest. The average rating for this book lied to me. Goodreads, you’ve let me down.
I don’t ever want to be mean but what the hell was this.
This was such a struggle to go through. I pushed myself because I was reading it for a book club, but I would have dnf it otherwise. I struggled even with the audiobook and I rarely struggle with those.
The prose was… not good. This is me trying to be nice. I found myself getting bored after a few lines. It was a weird mix between a textbook and a novel. Reading a Wikipedia page would have given me the same information this book did and I would have enjoyed it more.
The dialogue is sparse and when it’s there it’s so robotic and unrealistic.
The characters are strong… but not really because we never actually see them being strong.
I found the time jumps weird too. I had to go back at one point because I thought my kindle glitched and skipped a few chapters. Turned out it’s just the awful narration.
And the story just kept on DRAGGING. After the main battle I thought, that’s it, it’s finally over, but it wasn’t. What happens after that was so anticlimactic I’m wondering why that whole part wasn’t just scratched.
And the way the epilogue starts…
“And what of the remaining Amazons? Those who had stayed in Pontus and those who had travelled with Cletes to sail to Troy?”
What!? ARE YOU ASKING ME? ARE YOU ASKING YOURSELF? ARE YOU ASKING YOUR CHARACTERS? THIS IS THE END JUST TELL ME.
I barely get this heated but I loathed this book. I won’t read from this author ever again, unless I hear there’s a masterpiece by her somewhere in the world. But even then I would be skeptical.
I don’t ever want to be mean but what the hell was this.
This was such a struggle to go through. I pushed myself because I was reading it for a book club, but I would have dnf it otherwise. I struggled even with the audiobook and I rarely struggle with those.
The prose was… not good. This is me trying to be nice. I found myself getting bored after a few lines. It was a weird mix between a textbook and a novel. Reading a Wikipedia page would have given me the same information this book did and I would have enjoyed it more.
The dialogue is sparse and when it’s there it’s so robotic and unrealistic.
The characters are strong… but not really because we never actually see them being strong.
I found the time jumps weird too. I had to go back at one point because I thought my kindle glitched and skipped a few chapters. Turned out it’s just the awful narration.
And the story just kept on DRAGGING. After the main battle I thought, that’s it, it’s finally over, but it wasn’t. What happens after that was so anticlimactic I’m wondering why that whole part wasn’t just scratched.
And the way the epilogue starts…
“And what of the remaining Amazons? Those who had stayed in Pontus and those who had travelled with Cletes to sail to Troy?”
What!? ARE YOU ASKING ME? ARE YOU ASKING YOURSELF? ARE YOU ASKING YOUR CHARACTERS? THIS IS THE END JUST TELL ME.
I barely get this heated but I loathed this book. I won’t read from this author ever again, unless I hear there’s a masterpiece by her somewhere in the world. But even then I would be skeptical.
March 23, 2024
I'm super familiar with these myths, and the source material is VERY difficult to repaint in a feminist way while also maintaining integrity to the myth. Thesus is, and will always be, the absolute worst. THE WORST. So many women deserve better than they received at his hand, and there's not a lot you can do in some of the stories to make that better. But there ARE things you can do and we just...didn't do them here.
Theseus quite literally drugs and kidnaps Hippolyte and takes her to Athens, despite her saying a million times she doesn't want to go. Which is true to myth. HOWEVER, somehow it's fine because she learns to love and be happy in her situation and life moves on, Greece isn't terrible, etc. Which is gross, however I do understand the logic here of trying to give Hippolyte some agency and "rewriting" her story. But like....couldn't we have just had her choose to go with him instead? Yes, that's not as close to the myth, but it would have been far better off had she actively made the choice to go to Athens instead of being kidnapped--especially because she doesn't try to escape.
Being said, I did generally enjoy the book and read it in two days. It's well written and entertaining, and I think an accessible way to get the gist of the original myth without all of the gory details. But it's also not 100% accurate, nor do I think it's fair to paint this one as a feminist retelling/reimagining of the story given what choices weren't made.
It was still pretty good, but definitely my least favorite of the three books.
Theseus quite literally drugs and kidnaps Hippolyte and takes her to Athens, despite her saying a million times she doesn't want to go. Which is true to myth. HOWEVER, somehow it's fine because she learns to love and be happy in her situation and life moves on, Greece isn't terrible, etc. Which is gross, however I do understand the logic here of trying to give Hippolyte some agency and "rewriting" her story. But like....couldn't we have just had her choose to go with him instead? Yes, that's not as close to the myth, but it would have been far better off had she actively made the choice to go to Athens instead of being kidnapped--especially because she doesn't try to escape.
Being said, I did generally enjoy the book and read it in two days. It's well written and entertaining, and I think an accessible way to get the gist of the original myth without all of the gory details. But it's also not 100% accurate, nor do I think it's fair to paint this one as a feminist retelling/reimagining of the story given what choices weren't made.
It was still pretty good, but definitely my least favorite of the three books.
August 8, 2024
I tried to get into this book, and I was fine, till Theseus appeared, and then the whole story soured for me. I knew what was supposed to happen, having read the myth in the past, but I just could not get past Hippolyte, an incredibly strong and amazing Amazon, falling for the guy who raped her. And even going so far as to reject the help of her Amazonian sisters later.
I know the original myths contain a LOT of unacceptable material, but I was hoping for a more balanced take on the myth in this retelling.
Thank you to Netgalley and to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my review.
I know the original myths contain a LOT of unacceptable material, but I was hoping for a more balanced take on the myth in this retelling.
Thank you to Netgalley and to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my review.
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