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Sweetbitter Song
Win a free print copy of this book!
13 days and 12:20:27
20 copies available
U.S. only
Sweetbitter Song is a story of two women on the shores of Ithaca, in the shadows of a legendary war, who must face their own battle – one of sisterhood, survival, and a forbidden love that could destroy them both.
One summer night, within the palace of Sparta, a young slave girl stumbles across a grey-eyed princess. Despite living worlds apart, Melantho and Penelope are instantly drawn to one another, and a powerful friendship blossoms. But the Spartan royals do not approve of this bond, and soon Melantho and Penelope find themselves viciously torn apart, their trust irreparably shattered.
Years later, their paths cross once again upon the rocky shores of Ithaca, where Melantho is sent to serve Princess Penelope and her new husband, Prince Odysseus. Embittered by life as a slave, Melantho is determined to keep her distance. But, once again, the two women find themselves drawn to one other, pulled by the echo of their friendship, and something far stronger they are too afraid to name.
When war blazes across Greece, Odysseus and the men of Ithaca are driven to foreign lands. In their absence, Melantho finds a new world opening up before her – one where women rule, where family can be found, and where a forbidden love is finally given the space to bloom.
A profound tale of love, identity and defiance, Sweetbitter Song tells a story forgotten by history. One of bravery and hope, celebrating two women who fought to protect their love from a world that tried to deny its very existence.
One summer night, within the palace of Sparta, a young slave girl stumbles across a grey-eyed princess. Despite living worlds apart, Melantho and Penelope are instantly drawn to one another, and a powerful friendship blossoms. But the Spartan royals do not approve of this bond, and soon Melantho and Penelope find themselves viciously torn apart, their trust irreparably shattered.
Years later, their paths cross once again upon the rocky shores of Ithaca, where Melantho is sent to serve Princess Penelope and her new husband, Prince Odysseus. Embittered by life as a slave, Melantho is determined to keep her distance. But, once again, the two women find themselves drawn to one other, pulled by the echo of their friendship, and something far stronger they are too afraid to name.
When war blazes across Greece, Odysseus and the men of Ithaca are driven to foreign lands. In their absence, Melantho finds a new world opening up before her – one where women rule, where family can be found, and where a forbidden love is finally given the space to bloom.
A profound tale of love, identity and defiance, Sweetbitter Song tells a story forgotten by history. One of bravery and hope, celebrating two women who fought to protect their love from a world that tried to deny its very existence.
512 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2026
About the author
Rosie Hewlett
4 books792 followersRosie Hewlett is the Sunday Times Bestselling author of MEDEA and MEDUSA.
Having secured a First Class Honours degree in Classical Literature and Civilisation at the University of Birmingham, Rosie Hewlett has studied Greek mythology in depth and is passionate about unearthing strong female voices within the classical world. Rosie currently lives in Kent with her husband and is now a full-time author spending her days lost inside her favourite stories from mythology.
Rosie's first traditionally published novel, Medea, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her self-published debut novel, Medusa, won the Rubery Book of the Year award in 2021 and is being re-released in hardback for the first time in autumn 2025.
Her brand new book Sweetbitter Song will be publishing in spring 2026.
Having secured a First Class Honours degree in Classical Literature and Civilisation at the University of Birmingham, Rosie Hewlett has studied Greek mythology in depth and is passionate about unearthing strong female voices within the classical world. Rosie currently lives in Kent with her husband and is now a full-time author spending her days lost inside her favourite stories from mythology.
Rosie's first traditionally published novel, Medea, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her self-published debut novel, Medusa, won the Rubery Book of the Year award in 2021 and is being re-released in hardback for the first time in autumn 2025.
Her brand new book Sweetbitter Song will be publishing in spring 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 660 reviews
June 16, 2026
In a Nutshell: A Greek-mythology retelling loosely inspired by the story of Penelope (the wife of Odysseus) and narrated via a minor character. Not faithful to the original myth – this could go either way with readers. Lyrical writing, flawed characters, too much of romance and attraction, too much of feminine rage. Plenty of triggering content. I usually love this author’s works, but this one didn’t end up impressing me. My review is more bitter than sweet, but it is an outlier opinion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I have been a fan of this author ever since her indie debut ‘Medusa’ (later republished by Random House after the success of her sophomore work) impressed me. Her second novel ‘Medea’ (also known as ‘The Witch of Colchis’), despite a few flaws, was also a great retelling. In both these novels, you don’t need to know the original story of Medusa and Medea respectively as the author puts her honours degree in Classical Literature to good use by telling us all we need to know without overwhelming us with irrelevant details. Moreover, both Medusa and Medea have compelling roles in Greek mythology, which made them perfect focal characters for a retelling.
However, in this third novel, the lead character isn't Penelope but a slave girl who barely has any role to play in the original myth. And even the little contribution she makes isn't of the inspirational kind but of the interfering kind. As such, I was both surprised and curious to hear that she would be the primary character of this book. While it is good to see a newer (and minor) character get the limelight in this over-saturated genre, it also means that this retelling is actually a reimagination and has little to no basis in the original myth.
Ironically, Penelope had an appearance in ‘Medea’, given how Odysseus is the common link between the two women. But whatever scenes Penelope had in that novel are not just non-existent in this book but also contradicted. It took me a while to delink the two narratives in my head – a tough task as the author of both the retellings is the same.
Nota Bene: In the original myth, Melantho is supposed to be much younger than Penelope and is raised by her “as a daughter.” This book alters the characters’ ages and puts them closer in age and in a different relationship. If you are a stickler for accuracy in retellings, this might be a big red flag. I am still undecided on where I stand about this major change. If it helps, the author has clarified her rationale in this Instagram post.
Bookish Yays:
🤩 The easy explanation of the era and socio-political situation. Even those unfamiliar with Greek mythology will comprehend the story easily.
🤩 Some of the characters (other than Melantho) from Penelope’s handmaidens.
🤩 Lyrical descriptions with some quotable quotes.
Bookish Okays:
🤔 Penelope. The only character I felt like rooting for, even though her detailing was inconsistent. I wish the story had come to us from her perspective.
🤔 The first section of the book went quite well (except for the triggering content.) But given how nothing much happens in Ithaca during the Trojan war, the second section mainly comprises conversations and yearnings and wishes and steam. In fact, for a major chunk of the story, the only action is lustful relations and corporal punishment.
Bookish Nays:
😬 The brutality of several scenes. Horrendous to read. Though this can be partly excused as such graphic content is a part of the original myths as well, the writing appears to make the content more aggravating on purpose.
😬 Melantho as a character – Yikes! So many scenes feel impossible to accept because Melantho’s entitled and judgemental nature. I usually like layered characters, but in this book, the layers just didn’t fit together. The lead character tested my patience throughout.
😬 For a central narrator, Melantho’s first-person POV is surprisingly weak. Her thoughts are dominated by a limited number of topics, and she goes round and round the same.
😬 Given how the story lasts several decades, it’s disappointing to see the lead characters act like hormonal teenagers throughout.
😬 While I accept that stories of feminine rage are rarely true to their times, this one sounds even more aggressive than usual in its portrayal of the prevailing misogyny and the women’s resultant frustration and fury. A certain level of wishful progressive thinking can be accepted as creative license, but this book takes it beyond the limit of believability, especially in the interactions between Melantho and Odysseus. When a historical/mythological work espouses 21st century ideas of feminism, it takes me out of the narrative.
😬 The YA-style writing of the insta-attraction between Melantho and Penelope – the biggest disappointment of the book. Making a mythological story Sapphic is fine, but the love should feel more soulful. (Like the portrayal of the connection between Achilles and Patroclus in Madeline Miller’s ‘The Song of Achilles’ – much better written!) This novel hammers only the physical attraction and calls it ‘love’.
😬 The relationship itself – so unconvincing! I never understood how the duo felt such strong passion for each other. There’s so much red-flag behaviour in each of them! If this is romance, it is a very toxic one.
😬 The inconsistent character development of almost all the characters. They behave the way the plot requires them to behave rather than the other way around. This creates several contradictions, making their decisions seem random instead of a natural result of their personality.
😬 The social commentary on enslavement. Anachronous and awkward coming from the enslaved characters. I also didn’t like the equating of the slaves’ situation with that of Penelope’s limited powers as a queen. Just because an apple and a tomato are both red doesn’t mean they are the same!
😬 Highly overdramatic. This approach suits Hollywood movies better than fiction. The attempts at being meta and commenting on how “history will remember us differently” were probably intended to tug at the heartstrings but instead, they made me roll my eyes.
Overall, this didn’t go the way I thought it would for me. The book could work better for readers who enjoy dark romances with no depth to the characters beyond their attraction for each other and their rage against the rest of the world. But if you want something truer to the Greek myths, better to stay away. I didn’t mind the modification of the original myth, but the resultant new story should have been a well-written and compelling one.
This is the highest rated of the author’s three novels on Goodreads, which baffles me. To me, it is the least impressive by far and easily one of my biggest reading disappointments of 2026. Very clearly, mine is an outlier opinion again. Please check out the other reviews and take a better call on this novel.
I will still read Rosie Hewlett’s next work, but I hope she doesn’t continue with this new tendency of inserting a strong YA tone in her characters and anachronistic modern-day beliefs in their inner monologues and conversations.
I cannot really recommend this novel, but it might work better for YA readers who enjoy tales of feminine rage or Sapphic attraction. Not for those wanting an authentic retelling.
1.5 stars.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing the DRC of “Sweetbitter Song” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t go better for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
The worlds of Melantho and Penelope have always intersected, even though the girls live in different social circles. Melantho is an enslaved girl in the palace of Sparta while Penelope is a princess. When a friendship blooms between them, the royals don’t approve and Penelope is sent away after being made to witness Melantho’s punishment for dreaming beyond her station.
When their paths cross again many years later in Ithaca, Melantho, who is one of the slaves sent to serve Penelope and her new husband Odysseus, is initially determined to stay away. But the lure of Penelope’s personality and friendship makes it tough for her to stick to her resolve. As the war breaks out and Odysseus is forced to fight in foreign lands, the women in Ithaca find themselves facing a new situation, and new freedoms.
The story comes to us in Melantho’s first-person POV.
I have been a fan of this author ever since her indie debut ‘Medusa’ (later republished by Random House after the success of her sophomore work) impressed me. Her second novel ‘Medea’ (also known as ‘The Witch of Colchis’), despite a few flaws, was also a great retelling. In both these novels, you don’t need to know the original story of Medusa and Medea respectively as the author puts her honours degree in Classical Literature to good use by telling us all we need to know without overwhelming us with irrelevant details. Moreover, both Medusa and Medea have compelling roles in Greek mythology, which made them perfect focal characters for a retelling.
However, in this third novel, the lead character isn't Penelope but a slave girl who barely has any role to play in the original myth. And even the little contribution she makes isn't of the inspirational kind but of the interfering kind. As such, I was both surprised and curious to hear that she would be the primary character of this book. While it is good to see a newer (and minor) character get the limelight in this over-saturated genre, it also means that this retelling is actually a reimagination and has little to no basis in the original myth.
Ironically, Penelope had an appearance in ‘Medea’, given how Odysseus is the common link between the two women. But whatever scenes Penelope had in that novel are not just non-existent in this book but also contradicted. It took me a while to delink the two narratives in my head – a tough task as the author of both the retellings is the same.
Nota Bene: In the original myth, Melantho is supposed to be much younger than Penelope and is raised by her “as a daughter.” This book alters the characters’ ages and puts them closer in age and in a different relationship. If you are a stickler for accuracy in retellings, this might be a big red flag. I am still undecided on where I stand about this major change. If it helps, the author has clarified her rationale in this Instagram post.
Bookish Yays:
🤩 The easy explanation of the era and socio-political situation. Even those unfamiliar with Greek mythology will comprehend the story easily.
🤩 Some of the characters (other than Melantho) from Penelope’s handmaidens.
🤩 Lyrical descriptions with some quotable quotes.
Bookish Okays:
🤔 Penelope. The only character I felt like rooting for, even though her detailing was inconsistent. I wish the story had come to us from her perspective.
🤔 The first section of the book went quite well (except for the triggering content.) But given how nothing much happens in Ithaca during the Trojan war, the second section mainly comprises conversations and yearnings and wishes and steam. In fact, for a major chunk of the story, the only action is lustful relations and corporal punishment.
Bookish Nays:
😬 The brutality of several scenes. Horrendous to read. Though this can be partly excused as such graphic content is a part of the original myths as well, the writing appears to make the content more aggravating on purpose.
😬 Melantho as a character – Yikes! So many scenes feel impossible to accept because Melantho’s entitled and judgemental nature. I usually like layered characters, but in this book, the layers just didn’t fit together. The lead character tested my patience throughout.
😬 For a central narrator, Melantho’s first-person POV is surprisingly weak. Her thoughts are dominated by a limited number of topics, and she goes round and round the same.
😬 Given how the story lasts several decades, it’s disappointing to see the lead characters act like hormonal teenagers throughout.
😬 While I accept that stories of feminine rage are rarely true to their times, this one sounds even more aggressive than usual in its portrayal of the prevailing misogyny and the women’s resultant frustration and fury. A certain level of wishful progressive thinking can be accepted as creative license, but this book takes it beyond the limit of believability, especially in the interactions between Melantho and Odysseus. When a historical/mythological work espouses 21st century ideas of feminism, it takes me out of the narrative.
😬 The YA-style writing of the insta-attraction between Melantho and Penelope – the biggest disappointment of the book. Making a mythological story Sapphic is fine, but the love should feel more soulful. (Like the portrayal of the connection between Achilles and Patroclus in Madeline Miller’s ‘The Song of Achilles’ – much better written!) This novel hammers only the physical attraction and calls it ‘love’.
😬 The relationship itself – so unconvincing! I never understood how the duo felt such strong passion for each other. There’s so much red-flag behaviour in each of them! If this is romance, it is a very toxic one.
😬 The inconsistent character development of almost all the characters. They behave the way the plot requires them to behave rather than the other way around. This creates several contradictions, making their decisions seem random instead of a natural result of their personality.
😬 The social commentary on enslavement. Anachronous and awkward coming from the enslaved characters. I also didn’t like the equating of the slaves’ situation with that of Penelope’s limited powers as a queen. Just because an apple and a tomato are both red doesn’t mean they are the same!
😬 Highly overdramatic. This approach suits Hollywood movies better than fiction. The attempts at being meta and commenting on how “history will remember us differently” were probably intended to tug at the heartstrings but instead, they made me roll my eyes.
Overall, this didn’t go the way I thought it would for me. The book could work better for readers who enjoy dark romances with no depth to the characters beyond their attraction for each other and their rage against the rest of the world. But if you want something truer to the Greek myths, better to stay away. I didn’t mind the modification of the original myth, but the resultant new story should have been a well-written and compelling one.
This is the highest rated of the author’s three novels on Goodreads, which baffles me. To me, it is the least impressive by far and easily one of my biggest reading disappointments of 2026. Very clearly, mine is an outlier opinion again. Please check out the other reviews and take a better call on this novel.
I will still read Rosie Hewlett’s next work, but I hope she doesn’t continue with this new tendency of inserting a strong YA tone in her characters and anachronistic modern-day beliefs in their inner monologues and conversations.
I cannot really recommend this novel, but it might work better for YA readers who enjoy tales of feminine rage or Sapphic attraction. Not for those wanting an authentic retelling.
1.5 stars.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing the DRC of “Sweetbitter Song” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t go better for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
January 15, 2026
“how could we love each other so greatly and the world still deny us?”
listen i’m still trying to get myself together after that ending. what a gut wrenching story. sweetbitter song is a sapphic retelling of the odyssey in which penelope and melantho are reimagined as childhood companions. an interpretation that would send most homer purists into damn near cardiac arrest but for me was incredibly effective. shake the table up a little bit if you will!
by narrowing the age gap and allowing melantho and penelope to bond as children, hewlett adds a layer of intimacy to their dynamic that feels like a natural extension of their shared girlhood. this choice also lends profound weight to the guilt penelope carries as they grow older and their roles solidify into those of princess and slave. it was at this point in the story that i started to physically ache, just watching them grapple with the severity of their inherited social hierarchies while still harboring affection for one another.
it’s also worth noting that because the story is told through melantho’s perspective, penelope can sometimes feel very distant. this guardedness and restraint are consistent with her status as a princess so it didn’t bother me. if anything it only magnified the yearning and pining. you feel penelope’s devotion to melantho in the small moments and understated protections she offers. even when honesty is impossible, their love is undeniable and hewlett captures that forbidden bond masterfully. i’m tearing up once again just thinking about it.
another highlight for me was the solidarity between the handmaids. i was deeply touched by their care for one another which functioned as a form of quiet resistance, and by the small nook of tenderness the handmaids managed to carve out for themselves despite their circumstances. their playful back and forth also helped lighten the heaviness of the story at times which i was grateful for.
overall, this was a beautiful and devastating read. i don’t think i’m ever getting over it. sincere thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review. i can’t wait to purchase a physical copy.
June 7, 2026
why are we shipping penelope with her child slave that she raised like a daughter
April 11, 2026
PHEW!! Lord have mercy on me, I went through every emotion possible while reading this. One of the greatest love stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Full review to come maybe
May 2, 2026
RANT INCOMINGGGGG
in the years and years I’ve been reading consistently I don’t think a book has ever disappointed me more than this book. this was my most anticipated book of the year. I bought it the day it came out. I never buy books before reading them anymore; I was POSITIVE this would be for me.
boy was I, so so wrong.
let me just get this part out of the way: the book is not badly written, prose wise. this is certainly not even close to the worst book I’ve read in that regard. the pacing is absolutely atrocious but honestly, I can forgive that simply because reimagining a literal epic naturally would be difficult in that regard. my problem with the book is more insidious than that: it’s the whole fucking story.
I cannot in my right mind understand what drove this author to choice Penelope and Malantho as the love interests. not because I have a problem with aging up/rewriting character backstories, but because if you’re going to go through the trouble of completely changing a character to fit a romance… why not make it romantic? why not instead write about Athena/Pallas, Iphis/Ianthe, Sappho/Atthis? hell, why didn’t she just MAKE CHARACTERS UP? jumping through this many hoops to not even provide a semblance of a romantic story is baffling to me.
I promise, hand to the gods, there are MAYBE a total of 20 pages in this book that depict any sort of romantic feelings whatsoever. I am completely baffled by the amount of people who are invested in this book, especially in that regard.
85% of the book is talking about how miserable and angry Melantho is. why is that? well because she’s a SLAVE! yeah! that’s a pretty shit life huh! she is literally (and rightfully so) furious at Penelope for almost the entire book!!!! the only hint of this being sapphic for the first 300 pages is just because Melantho calls her beautiful all the time. HEY! my gay ass has a lot more thoughts when I see a woman than just “she’s so pretty” DUH she’s a woman!
I truly can’t even give credit to this book for discussing themes like slavery, patriarchy, etc because I don’t even think it does it well? it’s extremely surface level and dare I say repetitive. It’s entirely: Malantho angry, slavery bad. dare I say it seemed the author didn’t do any research whatsoever to even attempt to give us literally anything of depth or value. this is a crime seeing as though it truly is the main focus of the book.
and back to the jumping through hoops to fit this “story” I do absolutely agree with other reviewers who say this is a character assassination of The Odyssey. I’m all for a retelling, reimagining, etc but this was just so messy and bad. there wasn’t a single point to why this book was what it was about. it felt like I was watching a toddler try to shove a square wooden block into the circle hole.
at the end of the day, I don’t care that the author completely changed Penelope/Melantho’s dynamic from the original text. I care that it made absolutely no sense and was utterly and completely unconvincing every step of the way.
that’s all.
in the years and years I’ve been reading consistently I don’t think a book has ever disappointed me more than this book. this was my most anticipated book of the year. I bought it the day it came out. I never buy books before reading them anymore; I was POSITIVE this would be for me.
boy was I, so so wrong.
let me just get this part out of the way: the book is not badly written, prose wise. this is certainly not even close to the worst book I’ve read in that regard. the pacing is absolutely atrocious but honestly, I can forgive that simply because reimagining a literal epic naturally would be difficult in that regard. my problem with the book is more insidious than that: it’s the whole fucking story.
I cannot in my right mind understand what drove this author to choice Penelope and Malantho as the love interests. not because I have a problem with aging up/rewriting character backstories, but because if you’re going to go through the trouble of completely changing a character to fit a romance… why not make it romantic? why not instead write about Athena/Pallas, Iphis/Ianthe, Sappho/Atthis? hell, why didn’t she just MAKE CHARACTERS UP? jumping through this many hoops to not even provide a semblance of a romantic story is baffling to me.
I promise, hand to the gods, there are MAYBE a total of 20 pages in this book that depict any sort of romantic feelings whatsoever. I am completely baffled by the amount of people who are invested in this book, especially in that regard.
85% of the book is talking about how miserable and angry Melantho is. why is that? well because she’s a SLAVE! yeah! that’s a pretty shit life huh! she is literally (and rightfully so) furious at Penelope for almost the entire book!!!! the only hint of this being sapphic for the first 300 pages is just because Melantho calls her beautiful all the time. HEY! my gay ass has a lot more thoughts when I see a woman than just “she’s so pretty” DUH she’s a woman!
I truly can’t even give credit to this book for discussing themes like slavery, patriarchy, etc because I don’t even think it does it well? it’s extremely surface level and dare I say repetitive. It’s entirely: Malantho angry, slavery bad. dare I say it seemed the author didn’t do any research whatsoever to even attempt to give us literally anything of depth or value. this is a crime seeing as though it truly is the main focus of the book.
and back to the jumping through hoops to fit this “story” I do absolutely agree with other reviewers who say this is a character assassination of The Odyssey. I’m all for a retelling, reimagining, etc but this was just so messy and bad. there wasn’t a single point to why this book was what it was about. it felt like I was watching a toddler try to shove a square wooden block into the circle hole.
at the end of the day, I don’t care that the author completely changed Penelope/Melantho’s dynamic from the original text. I care that it made absolutely no sense and was utterly and completely unconvincing every step of the way.
that’s all.
December 29, 2025
E-ARC from NetGalley
RTC but it’s a no for me 🫤 love some sapphic retailing but this felt like a massive character assassination of all Odyssey characters
RTC but it’s a no for me 🫤 love some sapphic retailing but this felt like a massive character assassination of all Odyssey characters
March 17, 2026
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC
*sigh*
Alright. So. As someone who unconditionally loves Greek mythology, Greek retelling AND sapphic romances. This was a no for me.
Granted, I understand that “it’s a retelling blah blah blah.” But this just feels very off to me.
Melantho in the original story is significantly younger than Penelope, is raised like a daughter BY Penelope and BETRAYS HER and sleeps with the suitors!!! Now I know you don’t need to be lore accurate but it feels icky to me that she is aged up in this story.
And normally I would be like “ok whatever” but it’s the fact that MELANTHO HERSELF is disgusted by the fact that Odysseus is TWICE Penelope’s age!!!!!
Further more, this felt very Stockholm Syndrome to me. Penelope gets Melantho whipped, gets her best friend branded, splits her brother and his pregnant wife apart, and then asks her to stay with her in Ithaca?? And all the justification is “well it’s hard to be a woman :((((“. I just in no way shape or form felt like this was necessary, realistic, or like made any sense! I just was very annoyed with their relationship.
The dialogue also did not feel realistic to me. Melantho, with every right, is angry at Penelope and her own circumstances. But I never fully understood her character and her morals. One minute she is shy and demure, the next she is all “WOMAN STRONG” and ugh idk.
Also just the assassination of ALL the other characters in this story. ESPECIALLY PENELOPE. A woman who had to ENDURE SO MUCH! Like I just want a retelling from HER perspective. This just wasn’t it unfortunately.
*sigh*
Alright. So. As someone who unconditionally loves Greek mythology, Greek retelling AND sapphic romances. This was a no for me.
Granted, I understand that “it’s a retelling blah blah blah.” But this just feels very off to me.
Melantho in the original story is significantly younger than Penelope, is raised like a daughter BY Penelope and BETRAYS HER and sleeps with the suitors!!! Now I know you don’t need to be lore accurate but it feels icky to me that she is aged up in this story.
And normally I would be like “ok whatever” but it’s the fact that MELANTHO HERSELF is disgusted by the fact that Odysseus is TWICE Penelope’s age!!!!!
Further more, this felt very Stockholm Syndrome to me. Penelope gets Melantho whipped, gets her best friend branded, splits her brother and his pregnant wife apart, and then asks her to stay with her in Ithaca?? And all the justification is “well it’s hard to be a woman :((((“. I just in no way shape or form felt like this was necessary, realistic, or like made any sense! I just was very annoyed with their relationship.
The dialogue also did not feel realistic to me. Melantho, with every right, is angry at Penelope and her own circumstances. But I never fully understood her character and her morals. One minute she is shy and demure, the next she is all “WOMAN STRONG” and ugh idk.
Also just the assassination of ALL the other characters in this story. ESPECIALLY PENELOPE. A woman who had to ENDURE SO MUCH! Like I just want a retelling from HER perspective. This just wasn’t it unfortunately.
March 7, 2026
Heated Rivalry, but sapphic, and instead of losing a hockey match, the stakes are evisceration and having your existence forgotten to history.
November 18, 2025
4⭐️
This was a good read but also deeply sad. I do enjoy reading a mythical retelling like this but sometimes I feel like I need recovery time after- like I need to go read a happy rom-com where everyone lives happily ever after and nothing bad happens
This story is centered around Penelope, a princess of Sparta and Melantho, a slave girl serving in the palace. The two strike up a deep friendship as girls that follows them through the tribulations of their lives, from Sparta all the way to the shores of Ithica. Their love and connection only grows, continually drawing them back together.
This story looks to give a different view than the one typically told about these two women- Penelope of course is always remembered as the faithful wife of Odysseus, waiting 20 long years in Ithica for her King's return. Here we have a different story of those years- how Penelope and her handmaidens changed Ithica and kept the throne safe from enemies outside and in.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Let history have its lies if it means we can have each other."
This was a good read but also deeply sad. I do enjoy reading a mythical retelling like this but sometimes I feel like I need recovery time after- like I need to go read a happy rom-com where everyone lives happily ever after and nothing bad happens
This story is centered around Penelope, a princess of Sparta and Melantho, a slave girl serving in the palace. The two strike up a deep friendship as girls that follows them through the tribulations of their lives, from Sparta all the way to the shores of Ithica. Their love and connection only grows, continually drawing them back together.
This story looks to give a different view than the one typically told about these two women- Penelope of course is always remembered as the faithful wife of Odysseus, waiting 20 long years in Ithica for her King's return. Here we have a different story of those years- how Penelope and her handmaidens changed Ithica and kept the throne safe from enemies outside and in.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
April 14, 2026I was so excited to read this but I had to DNF at 14%. I do not want to read explicit on page descriptions of . I wish that had been included in the content warnings. I wouldn't have started reading it if I'd known.
March 26, 2026
The publisher's description says this book "tells a story forgotten by history." Um, no: it's fanfiction shipping an aged-up minor character from The Odyssey and Penelope.
I have my doubts that the author did much research into Bronze Age Mediterranean civilizations because everything reads like a 21st century author phoning in the setting and imposing their mindset on the past.
Skip this and read one of the many translations of The Odyssey instead.
Received via NetGalley.
I have my doubts that the author did much research into Bronze Age Mediterranean civilizations because everything reads like a 21st century author phoning in the setting and imposing their mindset on the past.
Skip this and read one of the many translations of The Odyssey instead.
Received via NetGalley.
March 31, 2026
dude what the fuck
June 2, 2026
Oh my god
December 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This books was such a good greek retelling and it was from a perspective I have never read from before. Melantho is a character that i wasn’t super familiar with but this story was heartbreaking and empowering all at the same time. This being advertised as a sapphic song of achilles is honestly very accurate and I hope it receives the same hype. With the odyssesy movie releasing soon i implore you to pick this up when you get the change.
November 14, 2025
“Let history have its lies if it means we can have each other.”
Okay so I think it was an absolute fluke that I managed to read this via NetGalley BUT I have been yearning for this book since I discovered its existence and I’m taking it as a sign from the gods. I didn’t think Rosie’s work could get any better but this right here is my favourite 🥹😭
Sweetbitter Song is reclamation and re-imagining of the life’s of the women who’s names may feature in the odyssey, but who’s stories are recorded only as orbiting a man’s legend. It’s a love letter to the intelligent, courageous, kind women whose actions, thoughts and lives were not thought worthy of legends. It’s profoundly moving, painful and hopeful.
The prose is lyrical and poetic, it’s a harsh juxtaposition between the stunning writing and horrifying subject matter that works beautifully to highlight the horror in sharp clarity. It also shines a light on the moments of peace and solace. There’s a rich sense of location and culture, interspersed with traditions and mythological lore
The Penelope we know, is the dutiful wife, living in the shadow of a legendary war and waiting faithfully for 20 years for her husband to return. Melantho is the traitorous handmaiden who betrayed her, siding with the vicious suitors vying for her marriage and throne.
But the history we know was told by men looking to carve their name into legend.
This re-imagining breathes life into the women of the story. Sweetbitter Song is a feminine focused retelling that shows the strength, kindness and innovation of women despite everything stacked against them. It’s a tender, devastating sapphic romance and a story of sisterhood and family.
“We were women forced to play in a game only men could win.”
Melantho and Penelope’s lives have been intertwined since they were children. A tangled, golden thread of girlhood, friendship and love spanning decades.
Women’s lives are pulled with the tides of men’s whims and actions. The women in this story endure a grinding down of their souls and spirit. It’s a tender, tragic, hopeful story. Of seeing the worst in the world and still reaching for something better. This will break your heart, but heal it too.
Melantho meets Penelope as a child. In secret, they become fast friends. Penelope is a princess and Melantho a slave serving her family. This power dynamic doesn’t allow for fraternisation or friendship. As a child Melantho doesn’t fully comprehend her place in the world, but childhood innocent and wonder cannot survive in a world so cruel. Pain and suffering will rip the shroud from her eyes. Given a glimpse of the life others lead, a summer of friendship, no work or fear of punishment. She recognises the cage she calls home now. One violent, life threatening night dashes any illusions she may have had.
The part of the story that explores their childhood is particularly painful. The childlike naivety of the narrator, overlaid with our own understanding is devastating.
Slaves have no control over their lives or bodies. They cannot protect themselves or their family. They are seen as possessions, not people.
“For slaves were not permitted to mourn. There was no space for our pain.”
Melantho is violently forced to recognise that “Slave” is not a family name, it’s an ownership. A denial of life and human experience. You can’t don naivety after it’s been so violently shed. It breeds bitterness.
“Penelope’s betrayal cut me far deeper, opening wounds my body did not recognise, did not know how to heal.”
As a child Melantho resents Penelope, for abandoning her and denying their bond.
When fate brings them together again years later, she tries to hold onto this anger and keep her distance, but they can’t extricate themselves from each other. Even when their efforts to protect each other cause more harm.
Penelope brings Melantho to her marital home of Ithica. Unable to relinquish their bond, but forbidden from acting on it. As they grow together Melantho realises that though Penelope’s station is higher than her own, all this affords her is a more gilded cage. Too much pain changes the lens in which you view the world and Melantho struggles feel anything when it could all be taken away.
“Silent truths will always find a way of being heard”
Penelope and her fellow handmaidens help coax Melantho into finding joy where she can. Choosing happiness a form of rebellion. Together, with their chosen family they navigate a perilous world. Left to carve what little peace and solace can be found from the scraps of a man’s table. But there is joy and love and they work to share this with as many women as they can. Building their own haven.
Their lives are intertwined by chance or fate, but the choices they make keep their futures woven together. Sweetbitter Song is reclamation and re-imagining of the life’s of the women who’s names may feature in the odyssey, but who’s stories are recorded only as orbiting a man’s legend. It’s a love letter to the intelligent, courageous, kind women whose actions, thoughts and lives were not thought worthy of legends. It’s profoundly moving, painful and hopeful.
“Perhaps this too was what it meant to love someone—a willingness to leap into the dark, ready to fly or fall, so long as you did so by their side.”
Okay so I think it was an absolute fluke that I managed to read this via NetGalley BUT I have been yearning for this book since I discovered its existence and I’m taking it as a sign from the gods. I didn’t think Rosie’s work could get any better but this right here is my favourite 🥹😭
Sweetbitter Song is reclamation and re-imagining of the life’s of the women who’s names may feature in the odyssey, but who’s stories are recorded only as orbiting a man’s legend. It’s a love letter to the intelligent, courageous, kind women whose actions, thoughts and lives were not thought worthy of legends. It’s profoundly moving, painful and hopeful.
The prose is lyrical and poetic, it’s a harsh juxtaposition between the stunning writing and horrifying subject matter that works beautifully to highlight the horror in sharp clarity. It also shines a light on the moments of peace and solace. There’s a rich sense of location and culture, interspersed with traditions and mythological lore
The Penelope we know, is the dutiful wife, living in the shadow of a legendary war and waiting faithfully for 20 years for her husband to return. Melantho is the traitorous handmaiden who betrayed her, siding with the vicious suitors vying for her marriage and throne.
But the history we know was told by men looking to carve their name into legend.
This re-imagining breathes life into the women of the story. Sweetbitter Song is a feminine focused retelling that shows the strength, kindness and innovation of women despite everything stacked against them. It’s a tender, devastating sapphic romance and a story of sisterhood and family.
“We were women forced to play in a game only men could win.”
Melantho and Penelope’s lives have been intertwined since they were children. A tangled, golden thread of girlhood, friendship and love spanning decades.
Women’s lives are pulled with the tides of men’s whims and actions. The women in this story endure a grinding down of their souls and spirit. It’s a tender, tragic, hopeful story. Of seeing the worst in the world and still reaching for something better. This will break your heart, but heal it too.
Melantho meets Penelope as a child. In secret, they become fast friends. Penelope is a princess and Melantho a slave serving her family. This power dynamic doesn’t allow for fraternisation or friendship. As a child Melantho doesn’t fully comprehend her place in the world, but childhood innocent and wonder cannot survive in a world so cruel. Pain and suffering will rip the shroud from her eyes. Given a glimpse of the life others lead, a summer of friendship, no work or fear of punishment. She recognises the cage she calls home now. One violent, life threatening night dashes any illusions she may have had.
The part of the story that explores their childhood is particularly painful. The childlike naivety of the narrator, overlaid with our own understanding is devastating.
Slaves have no control over their lives or bodies. They cannot protect themselves or their family. They are seen as possessions, not people.
“For slaves were not permitted to mourn. There was no space for our pain.”
Melantho is violently forced to recognise that “Slave” is not a family name, it’s an ownership. A denial of life and human experience. You can’t don naivety after it’s been so violently shed. It breeds bitterness.
“Penelope’s betrayal cut me far deeper, opening wounds my body did not recognise, did not know how to heal.”
As a child Melantho resents Penelope, for abandoning her and denying their bond.
When fate brings them together again years later, she tries to hold onto this anger and keep her distance, but they can’t extricate themselves from each other. Even when their efforts to protect each other cause more harm.
Penelope brings Melantho to her marital home of Ithica. Unable to relinquish their bond, but forbidden from acting on it. As they grow together Melantho realises that though Penelope’s station is higher than her own, all this affords her is a more gilded cage. Too much pain changes the lens in which you view the world and Melantho struggles feel anything when it could all be taken away.
“Silent truths will always find a way of being heard”
Penelope and her fellow handmaidens help coax Melantho into finding joy where she can. Choosing happiness a form of rebellion. Together, with their chosen family they navigate a perilous world. Left to carve what little peace and solace can be found from the scraps of a man’s table. But there is joy and love and they work to share this with as many women as they can. Building their own haven.
Their lives are intertwined by chance or fate, but the choices they make keep their futures woven together. Sweetbitter Song is reclamation and re-imagining of the life’s of the women who’s names may feature in the odyssey, but who’s stories are recorded only as orbiting a man’s legend. It’s a love letter to the intelligent, courageous, kind women whose actions, thoughts and lives were not thought worthy of legends. It’s profoundly moving, painful and hopeful.
“Perhaps this too was what it meant to love someone—a willingness to leap into the dark, ready to fly or fall, so long as you did so by their side.”
April 6, 2026
THIS is the Greek Mythology sapphic retelling I’ve been waiting for. This was everything I needed it to be and more. It was beautiful and tragic and the YEARNING. I can’t even write a cohesive review because I’m still reeling from all the feelings this book left me with.
March 20, 2026
— “I will come for you. Her voice echoed through the starless night. A promise, a vow.
Wait for me.” —
Wait for me.” —
June 9, 2026
This is such a beautifully written book.
I think of it is beautiful thorny roses growing in the wild - unkempt but fragrant.
Odysseus have never been anywhere close to being one of my favourites 'heroes' and what he did to the maids made me detest him immensely. I'm glad that this book carved out a softer ending for me. It healed something inside inside me
I think of it is beautiful thorny roses growing in the wild - unkempt but fragrant.
Odysseus have never been anywhere close to being one of my favourites 'heroes' and what he did to the maids made me detest him immensely. I'm glad that this book carved out a softer ending for me. It healed something inside inside me
March 26, 2026
What a mess, although I suppose I'm partially to blame for trusting something I discovered on Instagram that's this poorly titled. The only marginally redeemable qualities are the readable (if regularly purple) prose and the heartfelt romance. Aside from that, it's clear Hewlett is painfully incapable of handling everything else she attempts, especially the commentary on feminism and enslavement. About as much agility and nuance there as a baby with a hammer. Heap on the incessantly repetitive emotional beats, haphazard, opportunistic pacing, and a wide suite of character inconsistencies and plot holes and by Jove ladies and gentlemen we're left with some proper literary sludge! To say this in the same breath as Circe or Song of Achilles is downright insulting to Madeline Miller. Don't fall for the propaganda. I fucking hate BookTok.
April 3, 2026
me and who
March 23, 2026
🤍 Greek Mythology
🏹 Sapphic Love
🤍 Forbidden Romance
🏹 Brutal and Bloodthirsty
🤍 The Odyssey Reimagined
Okay, well, I am going to start this review by saying I am not very well-versed in Greek Mythology. I am not someone who needs new works to be accurate or consistent with the original tales. I do not care about honouring men of the past with their heroic stories and phallus measurements. That said, I feel like the author definitely takes a lot of liberties with this feminist reimagining of "The Odyssey", and personally? I am totally okay with that.
This story is told through the perspective of the slave and handmaiden, Melantho. It chronicles her treacherous upbringing as a slave and her blossoming friendship with Penelope, future queen of Ithaca and wife of Odysseus.
This book is sometimes hard to read, the treatment of women and children is horrific. The treatment of the slaves is terrible. This story isn't just about a friendship or romance, but about class struggles and the abhorrent ownership of women of every class. I appreciated the poignant feminine rage in this story. I loved the sapphic romance spin. The prose itself is beautiful and the story is immensely detailed, despite the sometimes grim subject matter. I love the idea that a lot of the great feats accomplished by men were orchestrated through careful plotting by women.
I did find this a little bit long-winded. It seems like parts of the story were so detailed and then we would skip 5-7 years at a time. For this reason, it took me longer to read than I had anticipated because the overarching conflict isn't apparent until well into the book. I did find some of the character decisions and plot developments frustrating, and in some cases, I would have liked to see more emotional complexity and connection between characters, especially within the romance plotline.
Overall this was a stunning read. It is definitely a must-read for anyone who loves Greek Mythology reimaginings and isn't going to fuss about a story straying from the source material.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
🏹 Sapphic Love
🤍 Forbidden Romance
🏹 Brutal and Bloodthirsty
🤍 The Odyssey Reimagined
Okay, well, I am going to start this review by saying I am not very well-versed in Greek Mythology. I am not someone who needs new works to be accurate or consistent with the original tales. I do not care about honouring men of the past with their heroic stories and phallus measurements. That said, I feel like the author definitely takes a lot of liberties with this feminist reimagining of "The Odyssey", and personally? I am totally okay with that.
This story is told through the perspective of the slave and handmaiden, Melantho. It chronicles her treacherous upbringing as a slave and her blossoming friendship with Penelope, future queen of Ithaca and wife of Odysseus.
This book is sometimes hard to read, the treatment of women and children is horrific. The treatment of the slaves is terrible. This story isn't just about a friendship or romance, but about class struggles and the abhorrent ownership of women of every class. I appreciated the poignant feminine rage in this story. I loved the sapphic romance spin. The prose itself is beautiful and the story is immensely detailed, despite the sometimes grim subject matter. I love the idea that a lot of the great feats accomplished by men were orchestrated through careful plotting by women.
I did find this a little bit long-winded. It seems like parts of the story were so detailed and then we would skip 5-7 years at a time. For this reason, it took me longer to read than I had anticipated because the overarching conflict isn't apparent until well into the book. I did find some of the character decisions and plot developments frustrating, and in some cases, I would have liked to see more emotional complexity and connection between characters, especially within the romance plotline.
Overall this was a stunning read. It is definitely a must-read for anyone who loves Greek Mythology reimaginings and isn't going to fuss about a story straying from the source material.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
March 25, 2026
Truly one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Rosie Hewlett is an artist. The way she writes her female characters is second to none. Penelope and Melantho had me blushing and giggling, two brilliantly written and complex main characters. Hippodamia is an inspiration. Skaris instantly reminded me of Volga from Red Rising therefore love at first sight. Rosie perfectly managed to blend the horror and ugliness of slavery with the hope and love of found family and friendship. God damn it I love women. The y e a r n i n g. Eurymachus can burn in hell. Many tears happened. I think I believe in love again. I cannot wait to see what this incredible writer does next.
I cannot fathom how humanity has sunk so low that slavery has e v e r been a thing deemed acceptable and “normal” by society. In any capacity. At any point in time. Sickening.
“Being underestimated is a woman’s greatest power.”
“As I continued watching my friends, I felt their joy filling me to the brim with a delicious kind of warmth.”
I cannot fathom how humanity has sunk so low that slavery has e v e r been a thing deemed acceptable and “normal” by society. In any capacity. At any point in time. Sickening.
“Being underestimated is a woman’s greatest power.”
“As I continued watching my friends, I felt their joy filling me to the brim with a delicious kind of warmth.”
June 15, 2026
tw: doomed yuri
Don’t read this book unless you’re prepared to be shattered. Over. And over. And over again.
Every moment would built you up just to crush you in the next. Repeatedly. Not a single moment to breathe. The second you thought things were good you’d get slapped right in the face and dragged back to reality. Just in this constant tug of war of relief and doom. You could never bask in it for too long. It was emotionally exhausting in the best way. It had me invested from beginning to end. The whole spectrum of emotion was felt. It was truly a full on experience.
Melantho and Penelope. Heartbreaking in the most beautiful way.
- The way they can so easily read each other without saying a word
- The “always”
- The feeling of their names on the others lips
Every moment they had was just filled with dread purely because of how devastating it was to read. Knowing that their future together was uncertain. knowing that it can end at any time. Knowing the world they’re in and how they viewed them. And yet they can’t help but be brought back to each other by some invisible all consuming bond. Even if it made their lives so much harder. Even if it destroyed everything around them. It was doomed from the start but you can’t help but have some hope. Knowing it’s useless but holding onto it regardless. To then not be surprised when everything gets torn apart but it taking it anyways bc it was worth the hurt. Had me bawling and left me broken. And I’d do it again.
Every moment with them was sacred. It’s so fiercely powerful yet soft and delicate. And the writing really brought that feeling to life. Obviously the way the entire thing is written is incredible. the way the prose flows so beautifully, how the world is built up, but especially the way she conveys melanthos thought process. Its simply beautiful the way she captures the yearning. The way they speak, think, look at each other. You can feel how intense it is. how all consuming it is. How inevitable and unavoidable it is. And it makes it even worse every time it’s ripped from them
I’m not one for historical romances or Greek mythology, and yet it had me entranced the entire way through. The conversation around power, sexism, male ego, war, the quiet power of women, how wlw love is viewed differently from every other kind. Even though it’s set in this world so removed from us it reflects so relevantly to today. While worded in that historical tone the content reads so contemporary. It’s really heavy in a lot of different ways and I really appreciated the nuance of it all.
With historical romances the ending always hits just a little bit harder, especially when they’re queer. It’s different from contemporary books because while still fictional, there’s a chance it can be true. That it is possible. in someone’s life. But these are a little more heartbreaking knowing that canonically, historically, physically, it is not true and will never will be true. So sometimes they overcompensate by being so idealistic in their happy ending that it ends up too unrealistic, or it’s too realistic to the point where it just bums you out. I think the ending of this one was done just right. They’re not completely separated for the rest of their lives left unknowing, they get to come back years later, with some of their life still left to live together. We don’t know if or how they figure it out, but we know they find their way back to each other eventually and that’s all the validation I need. the perfect balance of solace and sorrow.
This book is marketed as the greatest love story never told. And how grateful I am to live in the same time where it gets to be.
4.25/5
Don’t read this book unless you’re prepared to be shattered. Over. And over. And over again.
Every moment would built you up just to crush you in the next. Repeatedly. Not a single moment to breathe. The second you thought things were good you’d get slapped right in the face and dragged back to reality. Just in this constant tug of war of relief and doom. You could never bask in it for too long. It was emotionally exhausting in the best way. It had me invested from beginning to end. The whole spectrum of emotion was felt. It was truly a full on experience.
Melantho and Penelope. Heartbreaking in the most beautiful way.
- The way they can so easily read each other without saying a word
- The “always”
- The feeling of their names on the others lips
Every moment they had was just filled with dread purely because of how devastating it was to read. Knowing that their future together was uncertain. knowing that it can end at any time. Knowing the world they’re in and how they viewed them. And yet they can’t help but be brought back to each other by some invisible all consuming bond. Even if it made their lives so much harder. Even if it destroyed everything around them. It was doomed from the start but you can’t help but have some hope. Knowing it’s useless but holding onto it regardless. To then not be surprised when everything gets torn apart but it taking it anyways bc it was worth the hurt. Had me bawling and left me broken. And I’d do it again.
Every moment with them was sacred. It’s so fiercely powerful yet soft and delicate. And the writing really brought that feeling to life. Obviously the way the entire thing is written is incredible. the way the prose flows so beautifully, how the world is built up, but especially the way she conveys melanthos thought process. Its simply beautiful the way she captures the yearning. The way they speak, think, look at each other. You can feel how intense it is. how all consuming it is. How inevitable and unavoidable it is. And it makes it even worse every time it’s ripped from them
I’m not one for historical romances or Greek mythology, and yet it had me entranced the entire way through. The conversation around power, sexism, male ego, war, the quiet power of women, how wlw love is viewed differently from every other kind. Even though it’s set in this world so removed from us it reflects so relevantly to today. While worded in that historical tone the content reads so contemporary. It’s really heavy in a lot of different ways and I really appreciated the nuance of it all.
With historical romances the ending always hits just a little bit harder, especially when they’re queer. It’s different from contemporary books because while still fictional, there’s a chance it can be true. That it is possible. in someone’s life. But these are a little more heartbreaking knowing that canonically, historically, physically, it is not true and will never will be true. So sometimes they overcompensate by being so idealistic in their happy ending that it ends up too unrealistic, or it’s too realistic to the point where it just bums you out. I think the ending of this one was done just right. They’re not completely separated for the rest of their lives left unknowing, they get to come back years later, with some of their life still left to live together. We don’t know if or how they figure it out, but we know they find their way back to each other eventually and that’s all the validation I need. the perfect balance of solace and sorrow.
This book is marketed as the greatest love story never told. And how grateful I am to live in the same time where it gets to be.
4.25/5
November 21, 2025
“i was like icarus and she the sun, her radiance drawing me closer even when i knew how far i had to fall. that was what it felt like to want penelope—a sweet, assured self-destruction.”
the most beautifully devastating book, and by far my favorite read of the year.
sweetbitter song is an exquisite love story that transcends class, power, and time. the novel showcases the beauty of friendship and the curse of loving someone incomprehensively beyond reach. melantho and penelope first meet as children from wildly different backgrounds—penelope, a young princess, and melantho, a slave. but these differences are powerless against the girls’ friendship and feelings that blossom over time.
this story is told from melantho’s perspective. born into slavery and forced to endure a challenging life, melantho's temper refuses to be extinguished, and she perseveres through it all. over the course of her life, penelope’s presence comes and goes like the tide. their relationship evolves and shifts over decades, ranging from enemies to indifference, and so much more.
this review took me a long time to write because it was nearly impossible to articulate my feelings in a precise way. i will never forget this retelling, or the relationship between melantho and penelope illustrated in this gorgeous book. i cannot recommend sweetbitter song enough <3
advanced reader’s copy review - thank you netgalley for the arc!
⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑
themes: forbidden love, agency, identity, misogyny, sisterhood, and survival.
content warnings: child abuse, abuse, s*xual ass*ult, r*pe, murder, violence, sexism, character death, torture, misogyny, and slavery.
the most beautifully devastating book, and by far my favorite read of the year.
sweetbitter song is an exquisite love story that transcends class, power, and time. the novel showcases the beauty of friendship and the curse of loving someone incomprehensively beyond reach. melantho and penelope first meet as children from wildly different backgrounds—penelope, a young princess, and melantho, a slave. but these differences are powerless against the girls’ friendship and feelings that blossom over time.
this story is told from melantho’s perspective. born into slavery and forced to endure a challenging life, melantho's temper refuses to be extinguished, and she perseveres through it all. over the course of her life, penelope’s presence comes and goes like the tide. their relationship evolves and shifts over decades, ranging from enemies to indifference, and so much more.
this review took me a long time to write because it was nearly impossible to articulate my feelings in a precise way. i will never forget this retelling, or the relationship between melantho and penelope illustrated in this gorgeous book. i cannot recommend sweetbitter song enough <3
advanced reader’s copy review - thank you netgalley for the arc!
⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑
themes: forbidden love, agency, identity, misogyny, sisterhood, and survival.
content warnings: child abuse, abuse, s*xual ass*ult, r*pe, murder, violence, sexism, character death, torture, misogyny, and slavery.
April 2, 2026
(rounded down from 4.25)
I'll be super up front about not knowing much about the Odyssey (it is simply not my jam), so I don't give a fig about accuracy to the original story or characters. What I do enjoy is an interesting story and sapphic pining, so this was right up my alley. The language is VERY anachronistic, so I'll go out on a limb and say if you're at all bothered by period-incorrect language or not being faithful to the original story, you'll likely not enjoy this.
I, however, did have a good time once I got over the language being fairly modern. The characters behave accurately to their social status and ages and the development of their relationship as a princess (and later queen) and slave girl was believable and engaging. I had a good time and had many feels for these women trying to survive in a time when even a free woman is a possession of her husband and has limited to no power to wield.
A solid read and an engaging primary relationship with the backdrop of the events portrayed in the Odyssey.
I'll be super up front about not knowing much about the Odyssey (it is simply not my jam), so I don't give a fig about accuracy to the original story or characters. What I do enjoy is an interesting story and sapphic pining, so this was right up my alley. The language is VERY anachronistic, so I'll go out on a limb and say if you're at all bothered by period-incorrect language or not being faithful to the original story, you'll likely not enjoy this.
I, however, did have a good time once I got over the language being fairly modern. The characters behave accurately to their social status and ages and the development of their relationship as a princess (and later queen) and slave girl was believable and engaging. I had a good time and had many feels for these women trying to survive in a time when even a free woman is a possession of her husband and has limited to no power to wield.
A solid read and an engaging primary relationship with the backdrop of the events portrayed in the Odyssey.
March 18, 2026
I will fall for you over and over again.
I don’t care how, where or when.
No matter how long it’s been, you’re mine. but the sapphic version.
from the moment these two women met each other on page, I knew this story was going to wreck me. how I hate being right.
so much about women, men, class and queerness has evolved yet remained the same from Greek Mythology to today.
Hewlett describes lesbian yearning and love so perfectly, it made my ears ring, my cheeks blush and my feet kick.
if the thought of reading a greek myth retelling intimidates you, please know the language and writing is very accessible. easier to gut you with. :)
Big thank you to Sourcebooks via NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
I don’t care how, where or when.
No matter how long it’s been, you’re mine. but the sapphic version.
from the moment these two women met each other on page, I knew this story was going to wreck me. how I hate being right.
so much about women, men, class and queerness has evolved yet remained the same from Greek Mythology to today.
Hewlett describes lesbian yearning and love so perfectly, it made my ears ring, my cheeks blush and my feet kick.
if the thought of reading a greek myth retelling intimidates you, please know the language and writing is very accessible. easier to gut you with. :)
Big thank you to Sourcebooks via NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
March 19, 2026
The tension, the yearning, oh my god.
This was such a beautiful book, it was written amazingly well and I couldn't get enough of this. I ate it up and had such an amazing time with it.
My heart ached reading through this and at points I could barely stand to find out what happened. This was incredible and exactly what I hoped it would be
This was such a beautiful book, it was written amazingly well and I couldn't get enough of this. I ate it up and had such an amazing time with it.
My heart ached reading through this and at points I could barely stand to find out what happened. This was incredible and exactly what I hoped it would be
April 22, 2026
Ever since the success of Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles and Circe, many authors tried to ride off the trend of feminist retelling with clone after another. This is just one of the many mediocre books in the genre. The only difference is that this book is a sapphic romance of Melantho and Penelope, drawing loose adaptation from Homer's The Odyssey where Melentho was...Penelope's slave and surrogate daughter.
The first thing provoke an obvious question of why the author would read the epic poem where in the story Melantho betrayed Penelope, resulting her to be sentenced to death by her son, and then the author decided, “hey, I want to write a romance between a slave and her master.”.
Now I can see the typical justifications and reasons for the changes are to reclaim women's voices and give them a new perspective from the patriarchal Homeric story (because apparently Melantho being Penelope’s young slave is a male patriarchal bias, I guess). But this ignores the fact that they are fictional characters, so you can’t reclaim their voice.
But hey, an adaptation has to stand on its own merits. Surely Hewlett addresses these problems of slavery and class struggle, right?
Well, I have to say on that part, no.
If Hewlett wanted to give Melantho and the slave new perspective and “voices”, she should have follow the Odyssey, but primarily from Melantho POV. Homer and the ancient Greek audiences of his were largely unsympathetic toward slaves as Emily Wilson explained in her introduction for the Odyssey translation. Wilson raised good questions about whether the handmaid slaves, previously categorized as servants, deserved such treatment for their betrayal and presumed sexual activities by Odysseus and Telemachus.
In some parts Hewlett does, but on a very surface level and shockingly tone-deaf. At first, Melantho pointed out to Penelope that buying her does not solve slavery. That’s great. But later, when Melantho helped Penelope give birth to Telemachus, and one of the female slaves told her she should focus more on their similarity (ie. they are women) instead of the differences, all of Melantho's integrity goes out of the window. From these moments on, Melantho have intelligence of a 14 years old despite being in her 20s within the time gap of the Trojan War. Even more so in the last act, with Penelope’s suitors, Melantho and Melanthius were 36 years old and presumably older respectively, but they act like teenagers, more dumb down than before.
When Melantho brought female slaves to save them, Melanthius rebuked her, and Melantho felt confused even though she acted the same way toward Penelope several chapters earlier.
Speaking of Penelope, she has the personality of a dry towel. We are told that she is smart and kind, a better ruler than Odysseus and the male council, but the book rarely shows this. Melantho said Penelope wanted to make the slave’s life better by giving them better homes and treatment, but we only see that with her handmaidens. What about the other female slaves? The men who worked outside? What about the commoners?
Ignoring the reality that wealthy women historically do in fact can own slaves, especially widows in Ancient Greece and in the Antebellum South where freedom for slaves does happened, Penelope’s level of rights is inconsistencies. There are so many things where stuff happened all because of her, but the author refused to acknowledge this because we are told Penelope has limited power as a woman. She can buy slaves, negotiate with pirates, and make life great(?), send her slaves to safety, but apparently she can’t grant them freedom despite Odysseus being absent for 20 years. Specifically, Melantho and the other handmaids rejected her offer to go elsewhere because there won’t be a better life than what Penelope granted when the suitors were harassing them. They stayed, and the suitors continued to harass the handmaids and especially the other female slaves.
Jeez whose fault is that?
There are also these parts that Melantho heard and accepted uncritically.
I really hope I don’t need to explain what’s wrong with these faux-feminist wisdom. A bit concerning given Hewlett is British.
Listen, I don’t expect people who read the book to be familiar with Homer’s Odyssey, but I’m more curious as to the readers who give this book a raving review thought about these parts. Maybe they are blinded by the glittering sapphic romance concealing the harsh reality.
Like most bad writers trying to write a feminist story, the author has to resort to showing the patriarchy by writing sexual violence as a plot device. Somehow this book has more SA scenes than Ava Reid’s Lady Macbeth which I never thought it’s possible. Literally, the book opens up with Icarius trying to have sex with the 9 years old Melantho. Four chapters later, Castor ordered Melantho to have sex with her, and a chapter later Agamemnon attempted to rape her. All of this happened within the first 100 pages. It’s ridiculous.
The marketing presented the book as sapphic Song of Achilles. I don’t even like TSOA, but this book is not even close to that quality.
The first thing provoke an obvious question of why the author would read the epic poem where in the story Melantho betrayed Penelope, resulting her to be sentenced to death by her son, and then the author decided, “hey, I want to write a romance between a slave and her master.”.
Now I can see the typical justifications and reasons for the changes are to reclaim women's voices and give them a new perspective from the patriarchal Homeric story (because apparently Melantho being Penelope’s young slave is a male patriarchal bias, I guess). But this ignores the fact that they are fictional characters, so you can’t reclaim their voice.
But hey, an adaptation has to stand on its own merits. Surely Hewlett addresses these problems of slavery and class struggle, right?
Well, I have to say on that part, no.
If Hewlett wanted to give Melantho and the slave new perspective and “voices”, she should have follow the Odyssey, but primarily from Melantho POV. Homer and the ancient Greek audiences of his were largely unsympathetic toward slaves as Emily Wilson explained in her introduction for the Odyssey translation. Wilson raised good questions about whether the handmaid slaves, previously categorized as servants, deserved such treatment for their betrayal and presumed sexual activities by Odysseus and Telemachus.
In some parts Hewlett does, but on a very surface level and shockingly tone-deaf. At first, Melantho pointed out to Penelope that buying her does not solve slavery. That’s great. But later, when Melantho helped Penelope give birth to Telemachus, and one of the female slaves told her she should focus more on their similarity (ie. they are women) instead of the differences, all of Melantho's integrity goes out of the window. From these moments on, Melantho have intelligence of a 14 years old despite being in her 20s within the time gap of the Trojan War. Even more so in the last act, with Penelope’s suitors, Melantho and Melanthius were 36 years old and presumably older respectively, but they act like teenagers, more dumb down than before.
When Melantho brought female slaves to save them, Melanthius rebuked her, and Melantho felt confused even though she acted the same way toward Penelope several chapters earlier.
“I rescued two women from the slave market today,” I said.
“How?”
“Laertes gave Penelope silver to purchase more handmaids and I—”
“So you didn’t rescue them. You bought them.” Disgust dried out Melanthius’s voice. “You paid a slaver.”
“I bought them their lives back,” I snapped. “I bought them another chance.”
“That how Penelope justifies it, is it?”
“It was my decision. I chose to save them—”
“That’s not saving them, Melantho! Not if they’re still slaves.”
Speaking of Penelope, she has the personality of a dry towel. We are told that she is smart and kind, a better ruler than Odysseus and the male council, but the book rarely shows this. Melantho said Penelope wanted to make the slave’s life better by giving them better homes and treatment, but we only see that with her handmaidens. What about the other female slaves? The men who worked outside? What about the commoners?
Ignoring the reality that wealthy women historically do in fact can own slaves, especially widows in Ancient Greece and in the Antebellum South where freedom for slaves does happened, Penelope’s level of rights is inconsistencies. There are so many things where stuff happened all because of her, but the author refused to acknowledge this because we are told Penelope has limited power as a woman. She can buy slaves, negotiate with pirates, and make life great(?), send her slaves to safety, but apparently she can’t grant them freedom despite Odysseus being absent for 20 years. Specifically, Melantho and the other handmaids rejected her offer to go elsewhere because there won’t be a better life than what Penelope granted when the suitors were harassing them. They stayed, and the suitors continued to harass the handmaids and especially the other female slaves.
Jeez whose fault is that?
There are also these parts that Melantho heard and accepted uncritically.
“And yet…” Hippodamia took another slow drink. “Even when she sits upon Ithaca’s throne, Penelope will still be a possession. She will still belong to a man. That is the curse all women carry. A curse that unites us.”
“So what? You think we should see Penelope as one of us, merely because she’s a woman?”
Hippodamia smiled, setting her cup down gently. “What I think, Melantho, is that we should see people in our own light rather than the light the world tries to force upon us. If Penelope does not treat me as a slave, then why should I treat her as a master?
I sat down beside her on the wall. “There’s nothing beautiful about labor."
For a slave, no, you are right,” she agreed. “But for women like that, work means independence. It means freedom. That is the gift this war has given Ithaca…space for the women to grow.”
I really hope I don’t need to explain what’s wrong with these faux-feminist wisdom. A bit concerning given Hewlett is British.
Listen, I don’t expect people who read the book to be familiar with Homer’s Odyssey, but I’m more curious as to the readers who give this book a raving review thought about these parts. Maybe they are blinded by the glittering sapphic romance concealing the harsh reality.
Like most bad writers trying to write a feminist story, the author has to resort to showing the patriarchy by writing sexual violence as a plot device. Somehow this book has more SA scenes than Ava Reid’s Lady Macbeth which I never thought it’s possible. Literally, the book opens up with Icarius trying to have sex with the 9 years old Melantho. Four chapters later, Castor ordered Melantho to have sex with her, and a chapter later Agamemnon attempted to rape her. All of this happened within the first 100 pages. It’s ridiculous.
The marketing presented the book as sapphic Song of Achilles. I don’t even like TSOA, but this book is not even close to that quality.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2026
Ms. Hewlett, you will be hearing from my lawyer.
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