What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wandering Queen: A Novel of Dido
Not yet published
Expected 10 Feb 26An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary
founder of Carthage, from the author of the national bestseller Daughters of Sparta
When the King of Tyre dies, he decrees that the rule of the kingdom will pass equally to both his Elissa, his clever and strong-willed daughter, and Pygmalion, her young half-brother. But Elissa, not yet skilled in the machinations of court, quickly finds herself sidelined by a band of powerful merchants in favor of her more malleable brother.
Forced out of her palace home, Elissa resolves to forge her own path. Both triumph and heartbreak await in the life that she builds, transforming herself from a sheltered princess into a strong and formidable leader. When she leads her followers on an epic journey in search of a new home in a faraway land, she earns herself a name that will echo through Dido, the wanderer.
Then one day, a mysterious stranger, Aeneas, arrives at the city gates, fleeing the Trojan War. As Dido and Aeneas are increasingly drawn to each other, Dido finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between power and love.
founder of Carthage, from the author of the national bestseller Daughters of Sparta
When the King of Tyre dies, he decrees that the rule of the kingdom will pass equally to both his Elissa, his clever and strong-willed daughter, and Pygmalion, her young half-brother. But Elissa, not yet skilled in the machinations of court, quickly finds herself sidelined by a band of powerful merchants in favor of her more malleable brother.
Forced out of her palace home, Elissa resolves to forge her own path. Both triumph and heartbreak await in the life that she builds, transforming herself from a sheltered princess into a strong and formidable leader. When she leads her followers on an epic journey in search of a new home in a faraway land, she earns herself a name that will echo through Dido, the wanderer.
Then one day, a mysterious stranger, Aeneas, arrives at the city gates, fleeing the Trojan War. As Dido and Aeneas are increasingly drawn to each other, Dido finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between power and love.
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 10, 2026
5 people are currently reading
5696 people want to read
About the author
Claire Heywood
3 books427 followersClaire Heywood is a scholar of the ancient world, with a bachelor's degree in Classical Civilization and a master's degree in Ancient Visual and Material Culture from the University of Warwick. Her first novel, Daughters of Sparta, was a national bestseller.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Big thank you to Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC
I wanted to take my time reading this book because I was enjoying it the whole way through.
It is the easiest 5* I have given.
There are a lot of ancient retellings lately, but for me Claire Heywood always writes these in the top tier. You can see in the writing that this is a craft for Claire, and not passing hobby. Claire writes women incredibly well and Dido is no different. Dido loses none of her femininity or strength as she takes a whole city of people to a new place to live a new life, all in the name of escaping her naïve, young brother to regain exactly what was rightfully hers.
This book was a pleasure to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the two perspectives, young Elissa and older Dido. It gave a lovely balance between how it all started with Elissa to how the new life grew and matured with Dido. I felt as though I grew with Elissa, and came to see her perspective and emotions while she was forced to make nightmare choices.
The ending was poignant but I can see how people may not be satisfied with it, however I appreciated the closure and openness of the final chapter. I also believe the Authors note at the end was very informative.
An easy 5*, I always look forward to Claire's books.
Big thank you to Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC
I wanted to take my time reading this book because I was enjoying it the whole way through.
It is the easiest 5* I have given.
There are a lot of ancient retellings lately, but for me Claire Heywood always writes these in the top tier. You can see in the writing that this is a craft for Claire, and not passing hobby. Claire writes women incredibly well and Dido is no different. Dido loses none of her femininity or strength as she takes a whole city of people to a new place to live a new life, all in the name of escaping her naïve, young brother to regain exactly what was rightfully hers.
This book was a pleasure to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the two perspectives, young Elissa and older Dido. It gave a lovely balance between how it all started with Elissa to how the new life grew and matured with Dido. I felt as though I grew with Elissa, and came to see her perspective and emotions while she was forced to make nightmare choices.
The ending was poignant but I can see how people may not be satisfied with it, however I appreciated the closure and openness of the final chapter. I also believe the Authors note at the end was very informative.
An easy 5*, I always look forward to Claire's books.
September 15, 2025
I have enjoyed all of Claire Heywood's mythological novels. I like how she writes about women and their struggles in the world of men, but also how she maintains their beauty and femininity instead of giving into unbridled rage and bitterness. This time, in "The Wandering Queen," I find myself torn between the two halves of the story of Elissa/Dido. The beginning half had me beguiled by and caring for the adventures and plights of our main character, and I loved it; the latter half frustrated me as I watched her make (what I consider to be) some boneheaded decisions which created heartache and tension that could have been avoided had she used her head instead of her emotions and libido. Yes, this creates a more complex figure, adding dimension to a character in mythology who is either eternally untouched or a lovelorn woman. But my emotion regarding her choices made it hard for me to truly enjoy the second half (and the ending!) of this book. But still well-written and a worthy inclusion in the pantheon of modern day mythological retellings. ARC received-read-reviewed, "The Wandering Queen" come out in February 2026.
October 13, 2025
I had thoroughly enjoyed Claire Heywood's "The Shadow of Perseus" so immediately jumped at the chance to get an early read of her newest novel. Similar to her earlier works, "The Wandering Queen" is a Greek mythology retelling, this time centered on Dido, the Queen of Carthage.
From a young age, Elissa has grown up watching her father's words and actions as the King of Tyre. Unlike her younger half-brother Pygmalion, she embraced the opportunity to listen to his rulings and judgements, understanding the weight of the responsibility on her father's shoulders. When her father unexpectedly passes away and his royal decree is forged however, she finds herself shunned from her birthright and can only watch as her younger brother is propped up by a group of scheming merchants. Nonetheless, Elissa continues to try and create a life for herself in the home she loves, until her own brother forces her hand...
Interwoven with Elissa's childhood is the perspective of Queen Dido, a female queen who rules the city of Carthage. She's well-respected by her people and holds a promise to never remarry after losing her husband years earlier, until a group of shipwrecked men from Troy arrive on their shores, led by Aeneas, a Trojan Prince. As the two grow closer and Dido spends more time with him and his young son Ascanius, she begins to question her own resolve - but her decisions carry far more weight given her role, and she's forced to acknowledge her own weaknesses and responsibilities.
Heywood has crafted a strong protagonist in "The Wandering Queen", as we follow Elissa's growth and forced awakening out of childhood, the slow and steady love she develops with her husband despite the unconventional beginning of their marriage, and her struggle to balance her obligations as a queen with her desires as a woman. While the initial jumps between timelines and character names was a little confusing at first, they made more sense as the storylines converged and we understand that Elissa and Dido are the same individual. While I had mixed feelings on the ending and what Dido was willing to do to herself, I think the novel as a whole presented a complex character who persevered through numerous struggles but adhered to her values and beliefs.
Very much a recommended read for other fans of Greek mythology retellings when "The Wandering Queen" is published in February 2026!
From a young age, Elissa has grown up watching her father's words and actions as the King of Tyre. Unlike her younger half-brother Pygmalion, she embraced the opportunity to listen to his rulings and judgements, understanding the weight of the responsibility on her father's shoulders. When her father unexpectedly passes away and his royal decree is forged however, she finds herself shunned from her birthright and can only watch as her younger brother is propped up by a group of scheming merchants. Nonetheless, Elissa continues to try and create a life for herself in the home she loves, until her own brother forces her hand...
Interwoven with Elissa's childhood is the perspective of Queen Dido, a female queen who rules the city of Carthage. She's well-respected by her people and holds a promise to never remarry after losing her husband years earlier, until a group of shipwrecked men from Troy arrive on their shores, led by Aeneas, a Trojan Prince. As the two grow closer and Dido spends more time with him and his young son Ascanius, she begins to question her own resolve - but her decisions carry far more weight given her role, and she's forced to acknowledge her own weaknesses and responsibilities.
Heywood has crafted a strong protagonist in "The Wandering Queen", as we follow Elissa's growth and forced awakening out of childhood, the slow and steady love she develops with her husband despite the unconventional beginning of their marriage, and her struggle to balance her obligations as a queen with her desires as a woman. While the initial jumps between timelines and character names was a little confusing at first, they made more sense as the storylines converged and we understand that Elissa and Dido are the same individual. While I had mixed feelings on the ending and what Dido was willing to do to herself, I think the novel as a whole presented a complex character who persevered through numerous struggles but adhered to her values and beliefs.
Very much a recommended read for other fans of Greek mythology retellings when "The Wandering Queen" is published in February 2026!
December 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc.
This book got me out of a reading slump and if I'm being honest I'm not really well versed with the story of Queen Dido or Greek mythology in general but there was something about the description and the beautiful book cover that drew me to this book and I'm glad it did. All in all i thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I'm definitely going to check out more books by Claire Heywood now.
This book got me out of a reading slump and if I'm being honest I'm not really well versed with the story of Queen Dido or Greek mythology in general but there was something about the description and the beautiful book cover that drew me to this book and I'm glad it did. All in all i thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I'm definitely going to check out more books by Claire Heywood now.
November 16, 2025
Claire Heywood emerges with another Greek retelling. In the same way Daughters of Sparta expanded on women, The Wandering Queen does as well. There are multiple point of views, but it is cleverly done in a way that is very distinct from DOS. I don’t want to give it away since it is a fun reveal, but if you’re familiar with the mythos it may come to you sooner then the book tells you.
I love how this book would convince you you’re understanding what’s going on, you’re predicting what’s next, and then it would casually reveal a new piece of information that completely changes your perception of the narrative. It’s expertly crafted, and a true testament to Claire Heywoods talent. I will say that I did not have the same investment as I did in DOS, because the stakes were much lower. There’s a lot more focus put on interpersonal differences and culture, which can be a little slower and chiller then bigger stakes. Yet, this book still shined in its own way. I loved a lot of the build up and world building, but found the plot to be mostly lacking. It felt like it was more about men being cruel and selfish, and less about women being clever. A delicate balance to strike in this genre. The ending kind of ruined it for me, with the choice being made seemingly very…. Dated. Like of course a woman would jump to that decision when a man did that… I don’t want to spoil but that moment in the last chapter really wasn’t my favorite. I understand it is somewhat canon, but it was tough to read after the characterization throughout the book.
The author clearly has done their research and has a deep understanding of the classical period. The authors note was very thorough and dripping with respect for classics like The Aeneid. Definitely something to appreciate in this genre. My rating is difficult, because I had a largely good time but didn’t love the ending. But the ending is canonish to the classics, and so it feels very authentic?? I think it falls somewhere in the 3.5-4 range, so I will just round up for my enjoyment. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!
I love how this book would convince you you’re understanding what’s going on, you’re predicting what’s next, and then it would casually reveal a new piece of information that completely changes your perception of the narrative. It’s expertly crafted, and a true testament to Claire Heywoods talent. I will say that I did not have the same investment as I did in DOS, because the stakes were much lower. There’s a lot more focus put on interpersonal differences and culture, which can be a little slower and chiller then bigger stakes. Yet, this book still shined in its own way. I loved a lot of the build up and world building, but found the plot to be mostly lacking. It felt like it was more about men being cruel and selfish, and less about women being clever. A delicate balance to strike in this genre. The ending kind of ruined it for me, with the choice being made seemingly very…. Dated. Like of course a woman would jump to that decision when a man did that… I don’t want to spoil but that moment in the last chapter really wasn’t my favorite. I understand it is somewhat canon, but it was tough to read after the characterization throughout the book.
The author clearly has done their research and has a deep understanding of the classical period. The authors note was very thorough and dripping with respect for classics like The Aeneid. Definitely something to appreciate in this genre. My rating is difficult, because I had a largely good time but didn’t love the ending. But the ending is canonish to the classics, and so it feels very authentic?? I think it falls somewhere in the 3.5-4 range, so I will just round up for my enjoyment. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!
Read
November 2, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood is a third person-POV dual-timeline historical reimagining the story of the legendary Queen Dido also known as Elissa. When Elissa was young, she married Zakarbaal and fell in love with him over time. As a widow and the queen of Carthage, she has a romantic relationship with Aeneas and balances her relationship with him and her role as the sovereign.
I was somewhat familiar with the story of Dido but not in full detail nor was I aware that she was also called Elissa. With figures as old as her, it's harder to verify whether or not they existed, but their impact can live on throughout the centuries anyways. Here, we get a deep look into her life before and during her marriage and after her husband disappeared, giving readers unfamiliar with her a broad picture of what we know. As noted by Claire Heywood in the author's note, some aspects were changed for artistic purposes so this is not a reconstruction or entirely accurate adaptation to the time period that Dido lived in.
This is on the slower side and it fits in with a lot of the other women's fiction Greek myth retellings; in other words, it's not full of magic or epic adventure and tons of worldbuilding but is more focused on deep character exploration and themes, with one of the largest themes being power and free will. Dido’s own power often fluctuates, but she does seem to always try to use whatever power she has responsibly.
The part I liked most was how the book talked about sex work when Dido/Elissa meets Anna. It shows the complexity of autonomy as well as when a solution seems good on the surface, but when you really analyze it, either nothing has really changed or the only thing that actually changed is a shift in power.
I would recommend this fans of reimaginings that are character studies and readers of historical fiction looking for more stuff set in the ancient world
The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood is a third person-POV dual-timeline historical reimagining the story of the legendary Queen Dido also known as Elissa. When Elissa was young, she married Zakarbaal and fell in love with him over time. As a widow and the queen of Carthage, she has a romantic relationship with Aeneas and balances her relationship with him and her role as the sovereign.
I was somewhat familiar with the story of Dido but not in full detail nor was I aware that she was also called Elissa. With figures as old as her, it's harder to verify whether or not they existed, but their impact can live on throughout the centuries anyways. Here, we get a deep look into her life before and during her marriage and after her husband disappeared, giving readers unfamiliar with her a broad picture of what we know. As noted by Claire Heywood in the author's note, some aspects were changed for artistic purposes so this is not a reconstruction or entirely accurate adaptation to the time period that Dido lived in.
This is on the slower side and it fits in with a lot of the other women's fiction Greek myth retellings; in other words, it's not full of magic or epic adventure and tons of worldbuilding but is more focused on deep character exploration and themes, with one of the largest themes being power and free will. Dido’s own power often fluctuates, but she does seem to always try to use whatever power she has responsibly.
The part I liked most was how the book talked about sex work when Dido/Elissa meets Anna. It shows the complexity of autonomy as well as when a solution seems good on the surface, but when you really analyze it, either nothing has really changed or the only thing that actually changed is a shift in power.
I would recommend this fans of reimaginings that are character studies and readers of historical fiction looking for more stuff set in the ancient world
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2025
4 stars
I not only enjoy reading mythology and mythological retellings but absolutely LOVE teaching them and having the chance to share them with my students. Few situations better make the point that mythology is timeless than a solid retelling.
This is my first book by this author, and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the entire flow of the narrative but especially some smart structural elements. I'm always looking for a good balance of ode to the classic texts and tales AND some sort of freshness in the take. Heywood delivers both successfully.
While I liked the pacing and characterization already, reading the author's note made me appreciate this work even more. I kept really connecting with how layered this character is, and that's something Heywood addresses and further highlights with her own commentary.
I'll be back for more from Heywood, and I'll absolutely be introducing this author - likely through this book - to my students in the near future.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I not only enjoy reading mythology and mythological retellings but absolutely LOVE teaching them and having the chance to share them with my students. Few situations better make the point that mythology is timeless than a solid retelling.
This is my first book by this author, and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the entire flow of the narrative but especially some smart structural elements. I'm always looking for a good balance of ode to the classic texts and tales AND some sort of freshness in the take. Heywood delivers both successfully.
While I liked the pacing and characterization already, reading the author's note made me appreciate this work even more. I kept really connecting with how layered this character is, and that's something Heywood addresses and further highlights with her own commentary.
I'll be back for more from Heywood, and I'll absolutely be introducing this author - likely through this book - to my students in the near future.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
October 31, 2025
Feeling and rightness were cousins, not twins.
“You are a woman, and I am a common man. They will keep us in our places or stamp us out entirely.”
The swish of his sash made her heart clench with guilt. But as much as she hated that feeling, she hated the burn in her cheeks more. She flushed it away with self-justification, with pride shaped into reason. After all, what crime had she committed?
Beautifully written novel on the legend and mystery of Dido and Aeneas, drawing from Virgil’s classic story The Aeneid. I am loving these contemporary re-tellings of mythology and legends (I.e., Madeline Miller), and Claire Heywood delivers.
Incorporating themes of love, gender, loss, and the struggle for power, Heywood makes Dido into her own 3-D character, with her own personal history.
“You are a woman, and I am a common man. They will keep us in our places or stamp us out entirely.”
The swish of his sash made her heart clench with guilt. But as much as she hated that feeling, she hated the burn in her cheeks more. She flushed it away with self-justification, with pride shaped into reason. After all, what crime had she committed?
Beautifully written novel on the legend and mystery of Dido and Aeneas, drawing from Virgil’s classic story The Aeneid. I am loving these contemporary re-tellings of mythology and legends (I.e., Madeline Miller), and Claire Heywood delivers.
Incorporating themes of love, gender, loss, and the struggle for power, Heywood makes Dido into her own 3-D character, with her own personal history.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
****Many thanks to Netgalley and Dutton for an advanced eArc in exchange for my honest opinion****
I will start off by saying I loved Claire Heywood's Daughters of Sparta, I own a physical copy for my bookshelf and find myself rereading it during any book-slumps I may have. That being said I don't understand what happened with The Wandering Queen.
This was a big let down for me and I hate that I have to type these words out. The cover is beautiful and I have always been interested in the story of Queen Dido. I wanted to learn more about the times, more about her intelligence and the bonds she formed that eventually created Carthage.
Elissa started off already so well matured which can be okay but I was thrown off at instances like were her father's will was read and it wasn't the one she witnessed her father write. Her instant calmness didn't feel like a natural reaction to me. The inner turmoil she experienced lasted maybe a page or two. Her first husbands death I was TOLD about her emotions... I wanted to feel the sorrow wafting off the page. I got all these wonderful passages about their eventual fall into love with one another and really expected more raw emotion to come from Elissa. I felt stuck in her internal stream of thought. Her explaining the sadness she felt, how well they were together, how she can't believe this happened etc. So much TELLING and it got old really fast.
I am not normally a grammar Karen but I was LITERALLY dying with how many nots I saw in this story. So many in fact I started writing down all the times it appeared in the storyline.
Had she NOT been born there? Had she NOT grown here? Had she NOT lived in the palace?
Had they NOT been there before? Or had she NOT seen them?
Were they NOT embarrassed to sit before a King who knew NOT why he was there?
"Should you NOT be the one to speak first?
"Is it NOT curious though?'
"Do we NOT see much wealth entering the temple of Melqart?"
"Should we NOT be guided by him in such matters?"
"Better than what? Is this NOT a good outcome?"
"Is that NOT important?"
Her anxiety at the possibility of seeing Aeneas turned to concern that she had NOT.
And was that NOT all she needed?
"Why should it NOT be?"
"Have you NOT said we should be cautious?"
"Is that NOT what we have done for Egypt?"
"Is there NOT something we could do to assure the King?"
She had NOT had time for a proper meal.
"Will you NOT come and take some food now?"
"Why did you NOT take him to the temple of Eshmun?"
"Would we NOT have seen him?"
"Must she NOT have means to honor Melqart"
"Is it NOT encouraging?"
The amount of times I encountered this word was simply UNGODLY. To the point after finishing this book while talking with my husband those dreaded words "did it not?" slip out.. He looked at me amused because I had been complaining about the number of times NOT appeared in this book. It has INFECTED me. It seemed to me she used it so many times to make her characters appear intelligent? Instead of replacing some of those nots with a "didn't, wouldn't or couldn't" which would have improved the book for me entirely. Every "not" snagged my attention and I didn't freaking like it.
Moving on to the absolute LA CROIX of feeling's in this book. There was a subtle hint of emotions on the surface but the aftertaste fell flat for me.
HOW. COULD. ANYONE. ON. GODS. GREEN. EARTH. FALL. FOR. AENEAS.... This man was a beige character through and through. Such a lack of emotions. The fact she fell for him and not Iarbas made me CRY. Iarbas was one of the more well written characters in this book and she did him dirty. He was kind, playful, made her laugh, protective.. you know qualities of a bloody husband. So after a 10 year span of celibacy she decides this foreign prince from Troy who talks of NOTHING else but saving the Trojan line somehow peaked Dido's attention and she literally gave everything up for it. Had that 10 year span of celibacy because she didn't want a husband but the Trojan was SO good she literally assumed they were married?!? I'm just at a complete loss of words for what logic she is trying to apply here. Aeneas would POUT when Dido went about her queenly duties, you expect me to believe she didn't see the multiple red flags that shot straight in the air. Like when he was super tender and loving when they were in bed but pulled back and would become tense when she cared after Carthage. Ugh. Complete slime ball of a human being. Yes you can try to make his character redeemable by trying to make him a "good" father but that only gets you so far with La Croix Aeneas.
Dido was Ms. Perfect. Always in control of her feeling's until the end of the book when she wanted to throw her life away for a human equivalent of a Krill. Her constantly choosing the high road got exhausting. Give me some GRIT, give me a hard choices she had to make. She left the only home she ever knew and it seemed everything just happened to fall onto her lap and work out perfectly. I don't believe it worked for EASILY for her and again takes me out of the story. I understand we are reading a fictional retelling but don't you want your readers to stay in the storyline? I needed to see more challenges she had to face. Perhaps solving the rift with her head priest or something along those lines.
It was too perfectly smooth of a storyline for a woman of her time to up and leave and start a new city. Were women not held back by social standing? No one tried to wrench the power she had away? All because they loved her father?
The dialogue had me constantly rolling my eyes because the way the characters interacted was someone info dumping and then the other character telling it back in the form of a question.
The characters were all very one dimensional and had just a sprinkle of backstory and personality.
Seems to be the first let down of 2026 for me.
I will start off by saying I loved Claire Heywood's Daughters of Sparta, I own a physical copy for my bookshelf and find myself rereading it during any book-slumps I may have. That being said I don't understand what happened with The Wandering Queen.
This was a big let down for me and I hate that I have to type these words out. The cover is beautiful and I have always been interested in the story of Queen Dido. I wanted to learn more about the times, more about her intelligence and the bonds she formed that eventually created Carthage.
Elissa started off already so well matured which can be okay but I was thrown off at instances like were her father's will was read and it wasn't the one she witnessed her father write. Her instant calmness didn't feel like a natural reaction to me. The inner turmoil she experienced lasted maybe a page or two. Her first husbands death I was TOLD about her emotions... I wanted to feel the sorrow wafting off the page. I got all these wonderful passages about their eventual fall into love with one another and really expected more raw emotion to come from Elissa. I felt stuck in her internal stream of thought. Her explaining the sadness she felt, how well they were together, how she can't believe this happened etc. So much TELLING and it got old really fast.
I am not normally a grammar Karen but I was LITERALLY dying with how many nots I saw in this story. So many in fact I started writing down all the times it appeared in the storyline.
Had she NOT been born there? Had she NOT grown here? Had she NOT lived in the palace?
Had they NOT been there before? Or had she NOT seen them?
Were they NOT embarrassed to sit before a King who knew NOT why he was there?
"Should you NOT be the one to speak first?
"Is it NOT curious though?'
"Do we NOT see much wealth entering the temple of Melqart?"
"Should we NOT be guided by him in such matters?"
"Better than what? Is this NOT a good outcome?"
"Is that NOT important?"
Her anxiety at the possibility of seeing Aeneas turned to concern that she had NOT.
And was that NOT all she needed?
"Why should it NOT be?"
"Have you NOT said we should be cautious?"
"Is that NOT what we have done for Egypt?"
"Is there NOT something we could do to assure the King?"
She had NOT had time for a proper meal.
"Will you NOT come and take some food now?"
"Why did you NOT take him to the temple of Eshmun?"
"Would we NOT have seen him?"
"Must she NOT have means to honor Melqart"
"Is it NOT encouraging?"
The amount of times I encountered this word was simply UNGODLY. To the point after finishing this book while talking with my husband those dreaded words "did it not?" slip out.. He looked at me amused because I had been complaining about the number of times NOT appeared in this book. It has INFECTED me. It seemed to me she used it so many times to make her characters appear intelligent? Instead of replacing some of those nots with a "didn't, wouldn't or couldn't" which would have improved the book for me entirely. Every "not" snagged my attention and I didn't freaking like it.
Moving on to the absolute LA CROIX of feeling's in this book. There was a subtle hint of emotions on the surface but the aftertaste fell flat for me.
HOW. COULD. ANYONE. ON. GODS. GREEN. EARTH. FALL. FOR. AENEAS.... This man was a beige character through and through. Such a lack of emotions. The fact she fell for him and not Iarbas made me CRY. Iarbas was one of the more well written characters in this book and she did him dirty. He was kind, playful, made her laugh, protective.. you know qualities of a bloody husband. So after a 10 year span of celibacy she decides this foreign prince from Troy who talks of NOTHING else but saving the Trojan line somehow peaked Dido's attention and she literally gave everything up for it. Had that 10 year span of celibacy because she didn't want a husband but the Trojan was SO good she literally assumed they were married?!? I'm just at a complete loss of words for what logic she is trying to apply here. Aeneas would POUT when Dido went about her queenly duties, you expect me to believe she didn't see the multiple red flags that shot straight in the air. Like when he was super tender and loving when they were in bed but pulled back and would become tense when she cared after Carthage. Ugh. Complete slime ball of a human being. Yes you can try to make his character redeemable by trying to make him a "good" father but that only gets you so far with La Croix Aeneas.
Dido was Ms. Perfect. Always in control of her feeling's until the end of the book when she wanted to throw her life away for a human equivalent of a Krill. Her constantly choosing the high road got exhausting. Give me some GRIT, give me a hard choices she had to make. She left the only home she ever knew and it seemed everything just happened to fall onto her lap and work out perfectly. I don't believe it worked for EASILY for her and again takes me out of the story. I understand we are reading a fictional retelling but don't you want your readers to stay in the storyline? I needed to see more challenges she had to face. Perhaps solving the rift with her head priest or something along those lines.
It was too perfectly smooth of a storyline for a woman of her time to up and leave and start a new city. Were women not held back by social standing? No one tried to wrench the power she had away? All because they loved her father?
The dialogue had me constantly rolling my eyes because the way the characters interacted was someone info dumping and then the other character telling it back in the form of a question.
The characters were all very one dimensional and had just a sprinkle of backstory and personality.
Seems to be the first let down of 2026 for me.
November 21, 2025
Through dual timelines, we meet Princess Elissa of Tyre and Queen Dido of Carthage: one in the same person separated by time. Claire Heywood does an admirable job breathing life into this historical/mythological figure with whom I first became acquainted years ago reading Virgil’s Aeneid. In that epic poem, Aeneas, fleeing the ruined city of Troy, encounters Dido years after she fled her easily manipulated but increasingly cruel younger brother, now King Pygmalion of Tyre, whereupon she eventually founded and ruled over the ultimately prosperous city of Carthage in Libya. Ms. Heywood’s tale is loosely constructed around those ancient bones of a story. In her author’s notes, she says she manipulated the timing so that it was more in line with the end of the Trojan War. She also changed the names of some characters.
What emerged in this fast-paced retelling, is a strong, capable leader who is nearly undone by scheming men in Tyre. But she leads her people in five ships away from the mess in once magnificent Tyre and builds a thriving city on a hill in Libya, which flourishes under her nurturing guidance and wisdom for the ten years she keeps her vow to never love again. But she is nearly undone again by the ambitious Aeneas, with his band of refugees from the Trojan War. No longer is Dido a mere footnote in Aeneas’s hero’s quest, but she is a multi-dimensional woman, with her own quest, desires, strengths, and flaws, and, in some ways, with Aeneas but a footnote in her story. I highly recommend this work to fans of ancient history/mythological retellings, like the works of Pat Barker, Madeline Miller, Costanza Casati, Jennifer Saint, and Natalie Haynes, among others.
Many thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for making the ARC of this book available for my reading pleasure and review and for introducing me to Ms. Heywood’s writing. Expected release date is February 10, 2026.
What emerged in this fast-paced retelling, is a strong, capable leader who is nearly undone by scheming men in Tyre. But she leads her people in five ships away from the mess in once magnificent Tyre and builds a thriving city on a hill in Libya, which flourishes under her nurturing guidance and wisdom for the ten years she keeps her vow to never love again. But she is nearly undone again by the ambitious Aeneas, with his band of refugees from the Trojan War. No longer is Dido a mere footnote in Aeneas’s hero’s quest, but she is a multi-dimensional woman, with her own quest, desires, strengths, and flaws, and, in some ways, with Aeneas but a footnote in her story. I highly recommend this work to fans of ancient history/mythological retellings, like the works of Pat Barker, Madeline Miller, Costanza Casati, Jennifer Saint, and Natalie Haynes, among others.
Many thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for making the ARC of this book available for my reading pleasure and review and for introducing me to Ms. Heywood’s writing. Expected release date is February 10, 2026.
September 28, 2025
The Wandering Queen did a wonderful job at an adaptation of the story of Dido: I think you can always tell that Claire Heywood is a no kidding actual scholar and enthusiast of ancient cultures and Greek mythology. The dual timelines are deftly done as we follow Elissa's past as the daughter of the King and the one he meant to have succeed him and sister to Pygmalion who ends up getting maneuvered into succeeding their father, and Dido's present as she becomes the wandering and widow Queen of Carthage and establishes a new home with her people.
We see her navigate a decent amount of nonsense as a woman in a man's world (in stellar timing, Man's World by Marina was playing as I started writing this review). Her journey is layered in love for her people and a confidence in her capabilities to help and lead, while also dealing with lingering grief for her father, her relationship with her brother, her husband, and her old home. I found the writing overall compelling but particularly resonant in the descriptions of grief and loss.
The book ends after a bit of a dramatic moment and does a fade to black: you don't really get a sense that everything's nicely concluded and wrapped up and it is a bit ambiguous ending, but I'm just going to wander on in my delusion that everything was happily ever after!
Thanks to the author, Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC! Definitely recommend picking this up when it publishes in February.
We see her navigate a decent amount of nonsense as a woman in a man's world (in stellar timing, Man's World by Marina was playing as I started writing this review). Her journey is layered in love for her people and a confidence in her capabilities to help and lead, while also dealing with lingering grief for her father, her relationship with her brother, her husband, and her old home. I found the writing overall compelling but particularly resonant in the descriptions of grief and loss.
The book ends after a bit of a dramatic moment and does a fade to black: you don't really get a sense that everything's nicely concluded and wrapped up and it is a bit ambiguous ending, but I'm just going to wander on in my delusion that everything was happily ever after!
Thanks to the author, Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC! Definitely recommend picking this up when it publishes in February.
October 26, 2025
Mythology retellings are one of my favorite genres. I haven't read many this year, so getting this advanced digital copy was very much appreciated. I didn't actually know much about Didos original tale, I googled it real quick for a synopsis and then dove into the book.
This was honestly one of the best books I've read this year. This was told in dual timelines/POV Elissa in Tyre who later becomes Dido in Carthage. Getting to read how Elissa grew and transformed into Dido was truly wonderful.
Princess Elissa is such a sweet character, her devotion to her family is truly admirable and my heart broke for her over and over again. The strength she found to forge ahead when faced with the obstacles thrown at her was truly inspiring.
Queen Dido felt like she was a force to be reckoned with from the first chapter in her timeline. She's a gentle presence, which is a nice change from what I think is expected from leaders in these type of stories. She struggles with maintaining her power while exploring a second chance at love. This woman definitely made me nervous towards the end!!
I thought the ending was handled well. Even though it wasn't full closure, I liked the openness for Didos future.
This was a 5 star read from the beginning of the book. This is the first book I've read by Claire Heywood and will definitely not be the last!
Thank you Dutton Books and NetGalley for this free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review
This was honestly one of the best books I've read this year. This was told in dual timelines/POV Elissa in Tyre who later becomes Dido in Carthage. Getting to read how Elissa grew and transformed into Dido was truly wonderful.
Princess Elissa is such a sweet character, her devotion to her family is truly admirable and my heart broke for her over and over again. The strength she found to forge ahead when faced with the obstacles thrown at her was truly inspiring.
Queen Dido felt like she was a force to be reckoned with from the first chapter in her timeline. She's a gentle presence, which is a nice change from what I think is expected from leaders in these type of stories. She struggles with maintaining her power while exploring a second chance at love. This woman definitely made me nervous towards the end!!
I thought the ending was handled well. Even though it wasn't full closure, I liked the openness for Didos future.
This was a 5 star read from the beginning of the book. This is the first book I've read by Claire Heywood and will definitely not be the last!
Thank you Dutton Books and NetGalley for this free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review
October 28, 2025
This was a lovely retelling of a pretty unknown story. I really enjoyed the dual POV of Elissa/Dido. I think Heywood did a really good job of making them seem like different characters but then eventually connecting them as one person through some great character development. I loved all the relationships and thought they were very well-done and realistic in their own ways. The relationship between Elissa and her brother was probably the most heartbreaking. Elissa new ambitious men existed and would go to great lengths to get what they wanted, but I think this is betrayal that hurt her the most and gave her a horrific reality check.
There were some things about this book that I didn't love. For example, there were so dull points that dragged the story a bit. Even though I did eventually really like the dual POV, the timeline was a bit confusing at first since I didn't realize Elissa and Dido were the same person. I also got a little frustrated with some of Dido's decisions towards the end, however it did make a her feel like a more realistic person, instead of this super intelligent and infallible leader.
While I do not hold this against it, the most frustrating part of this whole book was that the moral of the story was that you truly can't trust any man, even the ones that claim to love you--an unfortunate problem women have had to deal with across the centuries.
There were some things about this book that I didn't love. For example, there were so dull points that dragged the story a bit. Even though I did eventually really like the dual POV, the timeline was a bit confusing at first since I didn't realize Elissa and Dido were the same person. I also got a little frustrated with some of Dido's decisions towards the end, however it did make a her feel like a more realistic person, instead of this super intelligent and infallible leader.
While I do not hold this against it, the most frustrating part of this whole book was that the moral of the story was that you truly can't trust any man, even the ones that claim to love you--an unfortunate problem women have had to deal with across the centuries.
December 31, 2025
You can tell that this author has a ton of knowledge and experience when it comes to greek mythology because this book definitely set itself apart in regards to Greek retellings. As someone who has an interest in Greek mythology and has therefore read a lot of retellings of popular myths, this one for sure ranks high up on my list of favorites within this genre.
This book follows the story of Dido, the founding queen of Carthage, and her story leading up to her leaving her homeland and starting a new life for herself and her people. After she establishes Carthage, she meets Aeneas and they begin a personal journey together that forces Dido to confront her past. “The Wandering Queen” combines the older myth about Dido and the later stories told by Virgil into one novel that finally makes Dido the main character in her own story.
I found this book to be extremely engaging and I pretty much read it in one go because I was just so enthralled with the story. The writing was so good and I didn’t feel like I was missing something while reading this which isn’t always the case when I’m reading historical fiction books. I truly don’t have complaints about this book because it was exactly what it set out to be.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows the story of Dido, the founding queen of Carthage, and her story leading up to her leaving her homeland and starting a new life for herself and her people. After she establishes Carthage, she meets Aeneas and they begin a personal journey together that forces Dido to confront her past. “The Wandering Queen” combines the older myth about Dido and the later stories told by Virgil into one novel that finally makes Dido the main character in her own story.
I found this book to be extremely engaging and I pretty much read it in one go because I was just so enthralled with the story. The writing was so good and I didn’t feel like I was missing something while reading this which isn’t always the case when I’m reading historical fiction books. I truly don’t have complaints about this book because it was exactly what it set out to be.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2025
The Wandering Queen caught my attention right away because I love a good myth retelling, especially when it gives a woman back the story she deserved in the first place. This one follows Dido, or Elissa, as she goes from a princess pushed aside to a queen who builds her own world out of nothing, and that arc is easily the strongest part of the book. The politics, the betrayal, the long road to exile, the founding of Carthage, all of it feels vivid and rooted in the grit of survival rather than the usual tragic shadow she gets stuck in. I loved watching her grow into her own power, and the emotional weight of leaving everything behind hits in all the right spots. Some moments feel a little uneven when the romance threads try to share center stage with the bigger political story, but nothing that pulled me out completely. Overall it is a solid and engaging retelling that gives Dido real agency, real fire, and a voice that finally feels like hers. I would give it a strong four stars.
December 30, 2025
4.5 stars
“The Wandering Queen” tells the story of Queen Dido, legendary ruler of Carthage. It is told in split timelines to chronicle her upbringing in Tyre and how she is supplanted and mistreated by her brother Pygmalion, in parallel with her present day as queen of Carthage and meeting with Aeneas as he sails from Troy. This book was beautifully written, profound, and rich with character growth. The sense of historical place and time is strong and it’s clear Heywood did her research. My only wish would have been either for Aeneas to be a little less of a walking red flag, or for Dido to have been more suspicious of him initially; it just didn’t quite work for me that this intelligent and powerful queen wasn’t seeing how shady he was acting upon their first meetings. I still highly recommend this for any fans of myth retellings and inspiring women!
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“The Wandering Queen” tells the story of Queen Dido, legendary ruler of Carthage. It is told in split timelines to chronicle her upbringing in Tyre and how she is supplanted and mistreated by her brother Pygmalion, in parallel with her present day as queen of Carthage and meeting with Aeneas as he sails from Troy. This book was beautifully written, profound, and rich with character growth. The sense of historical place and time is strong and it’s clear Heywood did her research. My only wish would have been either for Aeneas to be a little less of a walking red flag, or for Dido to have been more suspicious of him initially; it just didn’t quite work for me that this intelligent and powerful queen wasn’t seeing how shady he was acting upon their first meetings. I still highly recommend this for any fans of myth retellings and inspiring women!
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton publishing for the free ARC ebook in exchange for my honest opinion. I LOVE Greek mythology retellings and expected to adore this story as well, but it fell flat at times for me. I was disappointed Elissa's marriage with her first husband felt told, not shown, and while it circled back to it a little later by then I'd lost interest. I wanted to read about how she went from a stressful "we have to get married" situation to how they fell in love, but it kind of just skipped over it. The pacing was slow and the choice to alternate between Elissa and Dido vs presenting everything with Elissa and then everything with Dido threw me. However, I appreciated the strong feminine characters, the clever strategizing, and the foreshadowing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The King of Tyre's decision to leave his kingdom jointly to his son and daughter is thwarted by the machinations of the merchants who hope to benefit from manipulating his son, who is the weaker of the two.
His daughter charts her own path and becomes famous as Dido the wanderer, eventually to become a ruler in her own right. Until she encounters Aeneas, a survivor of the Trojan War, with whom she begins a passionate love affair. But Aeneas has plans of his own and they may not be in line with Dido's.
Claire Heywood does a brilliant job of bringing these well known mythological characters vibrantly to life, and delivers to us a portrait of the wandering queen that truly does Dido justice.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
His daughter charts her own path and becomes famous as Dido the wanderer, eventually to become a ruler in her own right. Until she encounters Aeneas, a survivor of the Trojan War, with whom she begins a passionate love affair. But Aeneas has plans of his own and they may not be in line with Dido's.
Claire Heywood does a brilliant job of bringing these well known mythological characters vibrantly to life, and delivers to us a portrait of the wandering queen that truly does Dido justice.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
October 26, 2025
Being the daughter of a king in ancient times was not all it was cracked up to be Elissa is the daughter of King of Tyre. Before the king dies he divides the power of his throne between Elissa and her young brother Pygmalion. But when the decree is read, Elissa is cut out of the leadership role by the nobles. Quietly forging her own life, Elissa soon discovers her life might be in danger and she marshals her supporters to leave for another land. They travel the seas and settle in a city she names Carthage and she takes the name DIdo, the wandering queen. Life is complicated when a Prince of Troy arrives on her shores. Dido must choose between power and love. An epic tale.
November 24, 2025
This was my first novel by Claire Heywood and also my first time reading a retelling centered on Dido. As someone who enjoys Greek mythology, I’ve loved seeing the rise in modern retellings in recent years. This one started off strong, but I felt it lost some momentum toward the end. The dual timelines were occasionally challenging to follow, especially with the author noting she shifted events to align with the Trojan War. Even so, it remained an engaging and enjoyable read overall, and I’d still recommend it to fellow fans of the genre. Thanks to the author, Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC!
November 12, 2025
*I received this book as a giveaway winner*
“Because it was easier to be a legend than a flawed and fractured woman.”
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and finished it in 3 sessions. The legendary Dido is made flesh and blood in this retelling of her story. She becomes relatable, pitiable, and frustrating human. You’ll catch yourself giving her warnings, hoping she won’t make the same choices you’ve warned friends not to make.
It’s a similar vein to Circe by Madeleine Miller, but for me it didn’t pull me in as much or hit with quite the same level of emotional depth.
“Because it was easier to be a legend than a flawed and fractured woman.”
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and finished it in 3 sessions. The legendary Dido is made flesh and blood in this retelling of her story. She becomes relatable, pitiable, and frustrating human. You’ll catch yourself giving her warnings, hoping she won’t make the same choices you’ve warned friends not to make.
It’s a similar vein to Circe by Madeleine Miller, but for me it didn’t pull me in as much or hit with quite the same level of emotional depth.
October 3, 2025
An enjoyable story of the woman who became Queen Dido of Carthage, and an unusual subject amongst the current Greek mythology tales of female characters. While it was a little slow to get going, it then ended rather abruptly and I would have liked to read a little more after the final event.
However overall I liked it and will look for other works by this author.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
However overall I liked it and will look for other works by this author.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
November 9, 2025
“The Wandering Queen” was an interesting work of historical fiction. I am familiar with the later years of Carthage and its wars with Rome. However, I did not know the story behind its founding or the story of Elissa/Queen Dido. The author has taken liberties with the story, which is always the case in historical fiction but more so when the written record for the historical figures is so sparse. I think the choices she made resulted in a good story.
October 17, 2025
If you are like me and love strong female characters and a simmering feminine rage you will love this amazing book. I personally was not aware of Dido or her story before reading this and I am so glad because the twist shocked and delighted me. I adored the main character and identified with her frustrations and her dissolutionment in a world that doesn’t seem to recognize a woman’s value or worth. I appreciated the emotional complexities as she became so multi dimensional. I hungerly and eagerly flipped through the pages, feeling her anger, her love and her hopefulness and her utter heartbreak. I loved this book!
October 27, 2025
Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - I found Dido extremely relatable and spent a few nights staying up late reading it! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction, especially about strong female characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - I found Dido extremely relatable and spent a few nights staying up late reading it! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction, especially about strong female characters.
November 6, 2025
Powerful mortal women of Greek and Roman myth rarely fared well against the masculine prowess of the Big Damn Heroes on their divinely blessed/cursed quests, even Queen Dido, who was a legendary leader long before she had the...misfortune...of kindly assisting war refugees from Troy. In Aeneas's myth, she is reduced to a lovestruck tragedy. In The Wandering Queen, Claire Heywood gives Dido the full independent story she deserves as a Princess of Phoenicia, founder of Carthage, and Queen in her own right.
Full review here: note there are some spoilery bits in the full review.
https://jessicasettergren.com/2025/11...
Full review here: note there are some spoilery bits in the full review.
https://jessicasettergren.com/2025/11...
October 15, 2025
The Wandering Queen is another enjoyable retelling of mythology by Clare Heywood. This time she fleshes out the story of Aeneas and Dido. Instead of a few paragraphs in the Aeneid as a side character, Dido is the main character and is fully fleshed out. It is an interesting and enjoyable read.
December 20, 2025
Thank you netgalley for the ARC! This is a great historical look at Dido’s story but i also feel like it doesn’t give her a lot of credit - it just makes her a depressed and guilty feeling grieving woman the whole time
Read
December 22, 2025Rating and review forthcoming.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews