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Daughter of Sparta #2
Blood of Troy
The Sparta you know will be gone forevermore on the bloody fields of Troy.
A year after saving the powers of Olympus by defeating Nyx, the Goddess of darkness, Daphne is haunted by still-looming threats, her complicated feelings for the god Apollo, and the promise she made to the Olympian gods that she would help them again when they called upon her. When their command comes, it is deceptively simple: secure herself a spot as one of Queen Helen’s guards.
A war is coming, and all of Sparta must be prepared.
In the midst of a treaty summit among the monarchs of Greece, Daphne and Helen uncover a plot of betrayal—and soon, a battle begins. As the kingdoms of Greece clash on the shores of Troy and the gods choose sides, Daphne must use her wits, her training, and her precarious relationship with Apollo to find a way to keep her queen safe, stop the war, and uncover the true reason the gods led her to Troy. But the gods are keeping more than one secret, and Daphne will be forced to decide how far she is willing to go to save those she loves—and whose side she's on in a war that is prophesized to be the downfall of her people.
A year after saving the powers of Olympus by defeating Nyx, the Goddess of darkness, Daphne is haunted by still-looming threats, her complicated feelings for the god Apollo, and the promise she made to the Olympian gods that she would help them again when they called upon her. When their command comes, it is deceptively simple: secure herself a spot as one of Queen Helen’s guards.
A war is coming, and all of Sparta must be prepared.
In the midst of a treaty summit among the monarchs of Greece, Daphne and Helen uncover a plot of betrayal—and soon, a battle begins. As the kingdoms of Greece clash on the shores of Troy and the gods choose sides, Daphne must use her wits, her training, and her precarious relationship with Apollo to find a way to keep her queen safe, stop the war, and uncover the true reason the gods led her to Troy. But the gods are keeping more than one secret, and Daphne will be forced to decide how far she is willing to go to save those she loves—and whose side she's on in a war that is prophesized to be the downfall of her people.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2022
190 people are currently reading
8153 people want to read
About the author
Claire M. Andrews
5 books659 followersClaire was raised in both Alaska and Scotland, but currently lives in Vermont; when not writing, she can usually be found outside swimming, skiing or hiking across the state’s famous green mountains.
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If you want to learn more about Claire, you can find her here -
https://www.instagram.com/cmandrewslit/
https://www.twitter.com/cmandrewslit
https://www.pinterest.com/cmandrewslit/
https://www.clairemandrewsbooks.wordp...
Feel free to ask her questions! She would love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
May 15, 2022
okay. heres the thing. when it comes to the trojan war, ive always sided with the greeks. patroclus deserved better, achilles is tragedy personified, and odysseus is my favourite wily character. i will root for them every step of the way.
but this book… this book actually has me supporting the trojans? i never thought this would happened. but wow. the way the origins of the war are presented, the reason for why helen actually went to troy in the first place, and the fact that apollo helped build the cities walls - everything had me wishing for troys success. and i love that. i love how a new, inventive twist on the story has influenced me so much! what great storytelling!
my only teeny tiny, complaint would be the relationship between daphne and apollo. theres just not enough of it for me, especially with the massive length of this installment. theres sooo much pent up tension and angst but no consistent follow through. i understand why, theres a reason for it, but im dying here! cant they just be together already??! lol.
overall, this is a great series. its actioned-packed, gives a new and different perspective to old myths, and always leaves the reader wanting more! i have a feeling the next book will be inspired by ‘the odyssey’ and i cant wait!
a massive, eternal thanks to claire andrews, herself, as well as the team at little brown books for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
but this book… this book actually has me supporting the trojans? i never thought this would happened. but wow. the way the origins of the war are presented, the reason for why helen actually went to troy in the first place, and the fact that apollo helped build the cities walls - everything had me wishing for troys success. and i love that. i love how a new, inventive twist on the story has influenced me so much! what great storytelling!
my only teeny tiny, complaint would be the relationship between daphne and apollo. theres just not enough of it for me, especially with the massive length of this installment. theres sooo much pent up tension and angst but no consistent follow through. i understand why, theres a reason for it, but im dying here! cant they just be together already??! lol.
overall, this is a great series. its actioned-packed, gives a new and different perspective to old myths, and always leaves the reader wanting more! i have a feeling the next book will be inspired by ‘the odyssey’ and i cant wait!
a massive, eternal thanks to claire andrews, herself, as well as the team at little brown books for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
March 30, 2021
I've been wanting to write this book since even before I finished DAUGHTER OF SPARTA. I can't wait to share this continuation of Daphne and Apollo's story with you, and to flip what you think you know of the Trojan War upside down!
August 30, 2025
✅ Gods
✅ Action and war
✅ Last 20%
🆗 Romance
🆗 Pace
🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Daphne
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: death and blood
It’s been a year or so since Daphne returned from her quest to retrieve the Muses, and she is once again asked to help the Gods. This time, she is ordered to become Helen’s shield and to do anything to prevent the war that is looming between Troy and Sparta.
Honestly, I was expecting, and hoping for more when it came to the famous Trojan War. Sure, there was action and fighting, but still, this book felt long and boring for most of it. It seems as if half of the characters’ purpose was to appear, to interact with Daphne, and to disappear and be forgotten until they were needed again. The secondary characters in general had no personality and depth.
The plot does not make much sense to me. There is politics and action, and I enjoyed it overall. But the fact remains that the all-powerful gods asked Daphne to protect Helene and prevent a war. Why did they put everything on her shoulders? If it’s that important to them, why not intervene and do it themselves? So while the story was good, I kept asking myself why it had to be Daphne, and only her. The Gods motivations make no sense either. First, they order Daphne to protect Helen and prevent a war with Troy, then, when they see that war is inevitable, they pick sides and they work against each other. Why? Why pick sides when they apparently all wanted the same thing at first?
Daphne is the main reason I struggled with this book. She annoyed me in this sequel. She had no healthy respect for the Gods, and after she angered them with her disrespect and arrogance, she got scared of what they could do in their anger. She felt overall insolent whenever she interacted with them, and while I understand her hatred and disgust for them because they are fickle and cruel, it would be much wiser to be meek and more respectful when she speaks with them. Daphne also feels like she does not know where to focus her energy. Is she driven by pride, revenge, desire to protect her family, and Sparta, duty? It seemed to change with each chapter.
Daphne also tends to be stubborn simply because she feels like it. She is tasked with a dangerous mission, yet refuses the help of the gods because she wants to prove that she can do it herself, or because she feels so confident in her abilities that she thinks she does not need their help. She is already roped into the gods’ schemes, she could just accept their help if it makes her life easier. Why argue and refuse their help, when it does not come with any more ties since she is already stuck helping them? She is angry because they wouldn’t tell her who her father is. Girl, just take the gifts and go back to your brooding after.
After being named Helen’s shield, Daphne developed an insta-friendship with Helen. I do not enjoy insta-relationships in general. I would not have minded if they were both equal, but considering that Helen is the Queen, Daphne is a mothakes, and what little we saw from Helen in the first book did not show us a kind and bubbly Queen, but rather a reserved and mysterious one, I would have expected Daphne to be more on her guards at first. She just decided to become best buddies with Helen because Helen asked her. I love the idea of them getting close friends, but those things take time, not just one conversation.
“Mind your own business, Daphne.”
I stopped counting how many times I had this thought while reading this book. She had one mission, and couldn’t stick to it. She was always trying to interfere with things that were either none of her business, or that would get her into too much trouble for what it was worth. She saw herself as a righteous savior, maybe, but she came off as an arrogant girl getting involved in things that were too much for her status as a mothakes guard. I also do get why she was fighting on the front lines when her mission and role was to guard Helen. Shouldn’t she have stayed with Helen then? As her shield and personal guard?
Hermes was probably the most interesting character in the book. He was still a little mischievous and mysterious, but we have no reason as to why he would decide to help Daphne. He has his agenda, but we have no clue what it is, so it seems that he is just helping her because he’s a nice guy after all, and because the author wanted to try to add some sexual tension between Daphne and him at one point. About that, why the need to add some maybe-maybe-not-conflicted feelings between Daphne and Hermes? She is already struggling with her feelings for Apollo, and now there are some intense moments with Hermes, when he was and might still be her enemy, and she never showed an ounce of interest in him before?! It felt so forced and pointless.
The romance is not the focus of this book at all, but what little there is falls flat. Poor Lykou has been in love with Daphne for years, and he deserves better than pining after her while she pines after Apollo, but does not do anything about it. She says she wants something that will make her feel more than what she does with Lykou, but when she is given a chance at that “more epic” romance, she always finds excuses to push Apollo away. Even worse, whenever someone tells her something bad about Apollo, she automatically believes them before even giving him the chance to explain himself. I think Apollo and Lykou both deserve better than Daphne.
Daphne’s brothers turned on her so quickly, it was very disappointing. After showing in the first book how much they loved each other, what she was willing to do to help Pyrrhus, and even at the beginning of this book, they seemed to be a strong unit, yet as soon as the shit hits the fan, they believed what everyone else said and turned their back on Daphne. Not only did they turn their back on her, but they were okay with watching her get beaten and even killed on the battlefield. It was just disappointing to see how little faith they had in her, and how easily they would believe the worst of her and stop caring about her.
While this sequel was not bad exactly, I can't say that it was good either. It felt long and fell flat for me, and I think Daphne annoyed me too much for me to even give the last book a try. Especially considering that many reviews of the third book say how annoying Daphne is and how bland the writing is. I think I will pick something else to read instead, and hope to enjoy it more than I did this series.
1. Daughter of Sparta ⭐⭐⭐.5
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✅ Action and war
✅ Last 20%
🆗 Romance
🆗 Pace
🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Daphne
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: death and blood
It’s been a year or so since Daphne returned from her quest to retrieve the Muses, and she is once again asked to help the Gods. This time, she is ordered to become Helen’s shield and to do anything to prevent the war that is looming between Troy and Sparta.
Honestly, I was expecting, and hoping for more when it came to the famous Trojan War. Sure, there was action and fighting, but still, this book felt long and boring for most of it. It seems as if half of the characters’ purpose was to appear, to interact with Daphne, and to disappear and be forgotten until they were needed again. The secondary characters in general had no personality and depth.
The plot does not make much sense to me. There is politics and action, and I enjoyed it overall. But the fact remains that the all-powerful gods asked Daphne to protect Helene and prevent a war. Why did they put everything on her shoulders? If it’s that important to them, why not intervene and do it themselves? So while the story was good, I kept asking myself why it had to be Daphne, and only her. The Gods motivations make no sense either. First, they order Daphne to protect Helen and prevent a war with Troy, then, when they see that war is inevitable, they pick sides and they work against each other. Why? Why pick sides when they apparently all wanted the same thing at first?
Daphne is the main reason I struggled with this book. She annoyed me in this sequel. She had no healthy respect for the Gods, and after she angered them with her disrespect and arrogance, she got scared of what they could do in their anger. She felt overall insolent whenever she interacted with them, and while I understand her hatred and disgust for them because they are fickle and cruel, it would be much wiser to be meek and more respectful when she speaks with them. Daphne also feels like she does not know where to focus her energy. Is she driven by pride, revenge, desire to protect her family, and Sparta, duty? It seemed to change with each chapter.
Daphne also tends to be stubborn simply because she feels like it. She is tasked with a dangerous mission, yet refuses the help of the gods because she wants to prove that she can do it herself, or because she feels so confident in her abilities that she thinks she does not need their help. She is already roped into the gods’ schemes, she could just accept their help if it makes her life easier. Why argue and refuse their help, when it does not come with any more ties since she is already stuck helping them? She is angry because they wouldn’t tell her who her father is. Girl, just take the gifts and go back to your brooding after.
After being named Helen’s shield, Daphne developed an insta-friendship with Helen. I do not enjoy insta-relationships in general. I would not have minded if they were both equal, but considering that Helen is the Queen, Daphne is a mothakes, and what little we saw from Helen in the first book did not show us a kind and bubbly Queen, but rather a reserved and mysterious one, I would have expected Daphne to be more on her guards at first. She just decided to become best buddies with Helen because Helen asked her. I love the idea of them getting close friends, but those things take time, not just one conversation.
“Mind your own business, Daphne.”
I stopped counting how many times I had this thought while reading this book. She had one mission, and couldn’t stick to it. She was always trying to interfere with things that were either none of her business, or that would get her into too much trouble for what it was worth. She saw herself as a righteous savior, maybe, but she came off as an arrogant girl getting involved in things that were too much for her status as a mothakes guard. I also do get why she was fighting on the front lines when her mission and role was to guard Helen. Shouldn’t she have stayed with Helen then? As her shield and personal guard?
Hermes was probably the most interesting character in the book. He was still a little mischievous and mysterious, but we have no reason as to why he would decide to help Daphne. He has his agenda, but we have no clue what it is, so it seems that he is just helping her because he’s a nice guy after all, and because the author wanted to try to add some sexual tension between Daphne and him at one point. About that, why the need to add some maybe-maybe-not-conflicted feelings between Daphne and Hermes? She is already struggling with her feelings for Apollo, and now there are some intense moments with Hermes, when he was and might still be her enemy, and she never showed an ounce of interest in him before?! It felt so forced and pointless.
The romance is not the focus of this book at all, but what little there is falls flat. Poor Lykou has been in love with Daphne for years, and he deserves better than pining after her while she pines after Apollo, but does not do anything about it. She says she wants something that will make her feel more than what she does with Lykou, but when she is given a chance at that “more epic” romance, she always finds excuses to push Apollo away. Even worse, whenever someone tells her something bad about Apollo, she automatically believes them before even giving him the chance to explain himself. I think Apollo and Lykou both deserve better than Daphne.
Daphne’s brothers turned on her so quickly, it was very disappointing. After showing in the first book how much they loved each other, what she was willing to do to help Pyrrhus, and even at the beginning of this book, they seemed to be a strong unit, yet as soon as the shit hits the fan, they believed what everyone else said and turned their back on Daphne. Not only did they turn their back on her, but they were okay with watching her get beaten and even killed on the battlefield. It was just disappointing to see how little faith they had in her, and how easily they would believe the worst of her and stop caring about her.
While this sequel was not bad exactly, I can't say that it was good either. It felt long and fell flat for me, and I think Daphne annoyed me too much for me to even give the last book a try. Especially considering that many reviews of the third book say how annoying Daphne is and how bland the writing is. I think I will pick something else to read instead, and hope to enjoy it more than I did this series.
1. Daughter of Sparta ⭐⭐⭐.5
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January 19, 2023
* Spoiler alert! *
This is what happens when I get really into a new book series: I finish the first two books in quick succession and then have to wait for the third book that isn't coming out until later this year! (And of course there was quite the cliffhanger after the latest one, and I have to sit here and stew about what might happen next in the concluding volume.)
Why am I like this?!
I found Blood of Troy, the second entry in Claire M. Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" series, to be better than the first (and I thought the first book was good).
In Daughter of Sparta, we see Daphne go on a quest to save Olympus itself and narrowly succeed. A year later, she continues to build a hero's reputation for herself (despite being a non-Spartan-born citizen, a mothakes) through her fighting prowess, overcoming opponents twice her size on a regular basis.
Although, Daphne remains haunted by the trauma of her quest a year ago, so she's a bit off, and the people who care about her are concerned and try to help in their own ways.
Of course, we know that the gods aren't done with Daphne. Early on in Blood of Troy, they command her to become personal guard to Queen Helen of Sparta, a seemingly innocuous errand. (Yes, that Helen, "the face that launches a thousand ships," etc. We'll get to her in a bit.)
Before I get ahead of myself, Daphne must prove herself worthy in a contest of athleticism and wits, retrieving a prize before anyone else in order to gain herself the job of Shield of Helen. (Spoiler alert, she does!) That title secured, to the detriment of her brothers' pride, she finds that things aren't what they seem between King Menelaus and Queen Helen from day one. (Fun fact, King Menelaus is a foreign-born king. Helen is the one that's a born Spartan.)
Andrews is very sympathetic to the character of Helen (rightly so), who seems to be remembered primarily as a pretty prize to be fought over and won by men. I have this bone to pick not only with the story about Helen, but most other classical Greek mythology as well in how girls and women are frequently treated.
So, in Blood of Troy, we see a very unhappy, abusive marriage, with Helen on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse.
Spoiler alert: Menelaus is an awful person, not treating Helen with the respect she deserves. I think Helen might've left the marriage if not for the daughter they have together, Hermione. As a result, Helen frequently finds ways to assert herself and enjoy life when she feels that the palace she lives in is her prison.
I loved the friendship that develops between Queen Helen and Daphne, both strong women in their own right. Daphne becomes very protective of Helen, both inside and outside her capacity as Shield.
Anyways, a big meeting between King Menelaus and other Grecian monarchs goes predictably sour, and Daphne finds herself fleeing with Queen Helen and the Trojan envoy after one faction tries to kill them.
So, the city of Troy becomes Helen's and Daphne's new home, just as the war drums start to beat. Ostensibly, it's about punishing troy for "kidnapping" Helen, but there are various dark forces at work here. (See book one for more details.)
As war comes to Troy, Daphne is recast as "Traitor of Sparta" as she fights to protect her queen in the midst of a war that is more than it seems. The gods are always playing games, and there's a price to be paid.
I won't say anymore, because I don't want to ruin the cinematic reading experience that is Blood of Troy, and its predecessor, Daughter of Sparta!
Greek mythology nerds and general readers alike will enjoy this series. Just give it a try!
Happy reading!
-Cora
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
This is what happens when I get really into a new book series: I finish the first two books in quick succession and then have to wait for the third book that isn't coming out until later this year! (And of course there was quite the cliffhanger after the latest one, and I have to sit here and stew about what might happen next in the concluding volume.)
Why am I like this?!
I found Blood of Troy, the second entry in Claire M. Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" series, to be better than the first (and I thought the first book was good).
In Daughter of Sparta, we see Daphne go on a quest to save Olympus itself and narrowly succeed. A year later, she continues to build a hero's reputation for herself (despite being a non-Spartan-born citizen, a mothakes) through her fighting prowess, overcoming opponents twice her size on a regular basis.
Although, Daphne remains haunted by the trauma of her quest a year ago, so she's a bit off, and the people who care about her are concerned and try to help in their own ways.
Of course, we know that the gods aren't done with Daphne. Early on in Blood of Troy, they command her to become personal guard to Queen Helen of Sparta, a seemingly innocuous errand. (Yes, that Helen, "the face that launches a thousand ships," etc. We'll get to her in a bit.)
Before I get ahead of myself, Daphne must prove herself worthy in a contest of athleticism and wits, retrieving a prize before anyone else in order to gain herself the job of Shield of Helen. (Spoiler alert, she does!) That title secured, to the detriment of her brothers' pride, she finds that things aren't what they seem between King Menelaus and Queen Helen from day one. (Fun fact, King Menelaus is a foreign-born king. Helen is the one that's a born Spartan.)
Andrews is very sympathetic to the character of Helen (rightly so), who seems to be remembered primarily as a pretty prize to be fought over and won by men. I have this bone to pick not only with the story about Helen, but most other classical Greek mythology as well in how girls and women are frequently treated.
So, in Blood of Troy, we see a very unhappy, abusive marriage, with Helen on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse.
Spoiler alert: Menelaus is an awful person, not treating Helen with the respect she deserves. I think Helen might've left the marriage if not for the daughter they have together, Hermione. As a result, Helen frequently finds ways to assert herself and enjoy life when she feels that the palace she lives in is her prison.
I loved the friendship that develops between Queen Helen and Daphne, both strong women in their own right. Daphne becomes very protective of Helen, both inside and outside her capacity as Shield.
Anyways, a big meeting between King Menelaus and other Grecian monarchs goes predictably sour, and Daphne finds herself fleeing with Queen Helen and the Trojan envoy after one faction tries to kill them.
So, the city of Troy becomes Helen's and Daphne's new home, just as the war drums start to beat. Ostensibly, it's about punishing troy for "kidnapping" Helen, but there are various dark forces at work here. (See book one for more details.)
As war comes to Troy, Daphne is recast as "Traitor of Sparta" as she fights to protect her queen in the midst of a war that is more than it seems. The gods are always playing games, and there's a price to be paid.
I won't say anymore, because I don't want to ruin the cinematic reading experience that is Blood of Troy, and its predecessor, Daughter of Sparta!
Greek mythology nerds and general readers alike will enjoy this series. Just give it a try!
Happy reading!
-Cora
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
April 5, 2022
*HEAVY BREATHING* fall of 2022 can’t come soon enough!! Pls just give us more Daphne and Apollo 😌😌😌
Update: 4/4/22 just finished this masterpiece!!! Review to come ⚔️🏹
Update: 4/4/22 just finished this masterpiece!!! Review to come ⚔️🏹
February 21, 2023
(4,5 stars)
"Spartans are made of metal and fire."
This is a one POV book, told by the POV of Daphne.
I simply love Daphne as a FMC, already loved her in the first book and loved her even more in this. She is the most badass, relentless spartan warrior and she just never gives up. I love how she messed up, made mistakes but did the best she could to make up for said mistakes. It made her feel so human and "close" if that makes sense. I loved her always getting back up attitude, even after being punshed down to the ground several times.
Loved the side characters in here, especially Helen who takes on a bigger role than Paris in this retelling which I absolutely loved. We even have amazons in here, so if you want a book with true badass boss women, you have it with this one.
Plotwise I truly loved this retelling of the Trojan War. Many details are altered to the "original tale" but that is what made the story new and refreshing to me. I loved it being told not from Helens or Paris perspective but rather a "side character" in the war, having become main character with this book. I loved the action in this book, and like I already mentioned the absolute girlpower that is presented here. I loved the slight undertone of romance (we have a deliciously slow slowburn) that doesn´t overtake the main plot of the book. I loved the Found Family vibes and the sisterhoods and relationships that were formed in this book. The pacing was great, the book never felt too slow or too fast paced for me. The only thing that threw me off slightly was the mention of a character named "Hermione" which made me instantly think about Harry Potter, but maybe that is just me.
Overall it was a fast paced, entertaining read that I truly enjoyed and I can´t wait for the next book in the series.
trigger warnings: war, death/murder, loss of loved ones, trauma
"Spartans are made of metal and fire."
This is a one POV book, told by the POV of Daphne.
I simply love Daphne as a FMC, already loved her in the first book and loved her even more in this. She is the most badass, relentless spartan warrior and she just never gives up. I love how she messed up, made mistakes but did the best she could to make up for said mistakes. It made her feel so human and "close" if that makes sense. I loved her always getting back up attitude, even after being punshed down to the ground several times.
Loved the side characters in here, especially Helen who takes on a bigger role than Paris in this retelling which I absolutely loved. We even have amazons in here, so if you want a book with true badass boss women, you have it with this one.
Plotwise I truly loved this retelling of the Trojan War. Many details are altered to the "original tale" but that is what made the story new and refreshing to me. I loved it being told not from Helens or Paris perspective but rather a "side character" in the war, having become main character with this book. I loved the action in this book, and like I already mentioned the absolute girlpower that is presented here. I loved the slight undertone of romance (we have a deliciously slow slowburn) that doesn´t overtake the main plot of the book. I loved the Found Family vibes and the sisterhoods and relationships that were formed in this book. The pacing was great, the book never felt too slow or too fast paced for me. The only thing that threw me off slightly was the mention of a character named "Hermione" which made me instantly think about Harry Potter, but maybe that is just me.
Overall it was a fast paced, entertaining read that I truly enjoyed and I can´t wait for the next book in the series.
trigger warnings: war, death/murder, loss of loved ones, trauma
February 22, 2024
~4.5 stars~
So here's the thing. when it comes to the trojan war, I have always sided with the greeks. patroclus deserved better, achilles is tragedy personified, and odysseus is my favourite greek character. Like Give this man a break! he just wants to go back to his son and wife and home, as he said this multiple time in this book too 😭🤣. I will root for them every step of the way.
However, I didn't lie that this book actually has me supporting the trojans? 😶🌫️ but wow. the way the origins of the war are presented, the reason for why helen actually went to troy in the first place, and the fact that apollo helped build the
cities walls - I love that. I love how a new
twist on the story has influenced me so much! what great storytelling!
My only complaint would be the relationship between daphne and apollo. there's just not enough of it for me.cant they just be together already??! Or not, I don't care, just not this whatever it is between them right now.
I loved that by the end we met circe in the Aeaea island and I have a feeling the next book will be inspired by 'the odyssey and i cant wait!😃
So here's the thing. when it comes to the trojan war, I have always sided with the greeks. patroclus deserved better, achilles is tragedy personified, and odysseus is my favourite greek character. Like Give this man a break! he just wants to go back to his son and wife and home, as he said this multiple time in this book too 😭🤣. I will root for them every step of the way.
However, I didn't lie that this book actually has me supporting the trojans? 😶🌫️ but wow. the way the origins of the war are presented, the reason for why helen actually went to troy in the first place, and the fact that apollo helped build the
cities walls - I love that. I love how a new
twist on the story has influenced me so much! what great storytelling!
My only complaint would be the relationship between daphne and apollo. there's just not enough of it for me.cant they just be together already??! Or not, I don't care, just not this whatever it is between them right now.
I loved that by the end we met circe in the Aeaea island and I have a feeling the next book will be inspired by 'the odyssey and i cant wait!😃
December 22, 2022
tws: death, violence, sexism, war
representation: poc side characters, lgbt+ side characters
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Hello, everyone! I am pleased to let all know that I have finished my first book in three months! *cheers in background*
now, am i going to finish my reading goal? judging by how i cannot read fifty books in two weeks, probably not. but at least i read a book, front to back, all the way through before 2023!!
and ofc, it was a good one. claire m. andrews where is the third book I NEED IT RIGHT NOW.
this book was better than daughter of sparta #1, mostly because i love books that are set during wars. they're just so exciting and it never feels boring. prime examples: the last olympian, a reaper at the gates, etc. etc. need i go on? both are among my favorite books of all time.
i loved the romance in blood of troy: the TENSION between apollo and daphne, the possible (SPOILERS) (i really hope so) romance between daphne and ******??? claire. you can't do this to me. i need the third book. stop leaving us on cliffhangers 😭
i am convinced that i have my favorite subgenres but when i read other genres, i forget how much i love them. one example is my love for greek mythology. nothing can beat it. and this book makes me want to read the iliad SO BAD. i also really liked it because it felt like andrews made the infinity war of greek mythology: we saw practically everyone who was significant to greek mythology in this one. another reason why books set in war are SUPERIOR.
my favorite character was literally just apollo, daphne, and hermes, though. everyone else was so annoying at times. daphne can do no wrong, i am convinced. i will forever defend this girl, she deserves the world 😫
i couldn't put this book down - i was so enmeshed in the world. i also liked the twists on the original stories with this one. one thing: i want a retelling where hera ISN'T a jealous wife and not a nice person at all. she deserves a redemption book! i want hera to be given more potential!
the plot (especially the WILD ones at the end- insane, i tell you, insane), the world building, the characters, just everything about this book i loved. PLEASE read this series! it's so criminally underrated!
5 stars!
representation: poc side characters, lgbt+ side characters
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Hello, everyone! I am pleased to let all know that I have finished my first book in three months! *cheers in background*
now, am i going to finish my reading goal? judging by how i cannot read fifty books in two weeks, probably not. but at least i read a book, front to back, all the way through before 2023!!
and ofc, it was a good one. claire m. andrews where is the third book I NEED IT RIGHT NOW.
this book was better than daughter of sparta #1, mostly because i love books that are set during wars. they're just so exciting and it never feels boring. prime examples: the last olympian, a reaper at the gates, etc. etc. need i go on? both are among my favorite books of all time.
i loved the romance in blood of troy: the TENSION between apollo and daphne, the possible (SPOILERS) (i really hope so) romance between daphne and ******??? claire. you can't do this to me. i need the third book. stop leaving us on cliffhangers 😭
i am convinced that i have my favorite subgenres but when i read other genres, i forget how much i love them. one example is my love for greek mythology. nothing can beat it. and this book makes me want to read the iliad SO BAD. i also really liked it because it felt like andrews made the infinity war of greek mythology: we saw practically everyone who was significant to greek mythology in this one. another reason why books set in war are SUPERIOR.
my favorite character was literally just apollo, daphne, and hermes, though. everyone else was so annoying at times. daphne can do no wrong, i am convinced. i will forever defend this girl, she deserves the world 😫
i couldn't put this book down - i was so enmeshed in the world. i also liked the twists on the original stories with this one. one thing: i want a retelling where hera ISN'T a jealous wife and not a nice person at all. she deserves a redemption book! i want hera to be given more potential!
the plot (especially the WILD ones at the end- insane, i tell you, insane), the world building, the characters, just everything about this book i loved. PLEASE read this series! it's so criminally underrated!
5 stars!
July 31, 2022
Spectacular storytelling! BLOOD OF TROY is an action-packed sequel that brings a new twist to a classic tale. Daphne, Helen, and Apollo provide surprises at every turn. Don’t miss this series!!! The sequel is even better than the first book!
March 30, 2024
I honestly wasn't going to read this book. I read the first one and I loved it, but at the same time I didn't feel a need to read the next book...I AM SO FREAKING GLAD I DID THOUGH!!!!!! It was even better than the first one and I can't wait to read the next book! Daphne is utterly amazing, and she just gets better chapter by chapter! I love all the characters so much (even the bad guys, only because they help the story be amazing!!!)!
There were a few parts that made me a little uncomfortable, but it never crossed the line.
There were a few parts that made me a little uncomfortable, but it never crossed the line.
June 20, 2022
It is hard to imagine a more compulsively readable book than DAUGHTER OF SPARTA... but Andrews has outdone herself with BLOOD OF TROY. Daphne is a stubborn, ambitious gem in a myth-spun tale full of glittering royalty, shining gods, and secrets that threaten to topple them all. The burning question I am left with? How will I—I mean readers—manage to wait for the trilogy's final installment?
April 3, 2023
A fantastic instalment in what is turning out to be one of the most addictive and action-packed trilogies I've read in a long time. An exciting take on the classic Greek myths, Blood of Troy give its readers a fresh perspective on the Battle of Troy, with all the drama, scheming, heartbreak and action of the original myth.
Want to read
January 9, 2023dnf at 38%
I'll definitely pick this back up sometime, but not in the mood right now lol
I'll definitely pick this back up sometime, but not in the mood right now lol
February 19, 2023
The 456 pages of Blood of Troy sped by in the blink of an eye. It’s full of intense action, cunning gods, and divine battles. So much happens in this installment that my brain is still processing everything that went down. It also doesn’t help that Andrews has crafted an extremely hot god named Apollo who is taking up 99.999% of my brain. But yeah. Back to the review.
Daphne, our main character, is still her fiery self in this one—though some of her bite has been tempered by her lingering memories of the previous events that occurred in Daughter of Sparta. Her character undergoes much change in this book and leaves us with an ending that has me expecting even more growth in the next sequel.
The plot was fast-paced, but I did find that some of the battle scenes became a bit repetitive in the story, and I also wasn’t the biggest fan of a certain trope that was used in the plot.
But what really had me squealing in equal parts glee and pain was all of the relational angst between Daphne and Apollo. If you like slowburn and complicated relationships, then Claire M. Andrews is your girl. There’s so much push and pull in this one, and I’m still not over that last scene between Daphne and Apollo (and I don’t think I’ll ever be).
All this aside, this series contains a lot of elements that I think many readers will love. Claire M. Andrews has crafted an incredibly imaginative Greek retelling that is action-packed and offers a brilliant continuation to the Daughter of Sparta series. And after that whirlwind of an ending, I eagerly look forward to what the next installment holds.
➳ 4.5 stars
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Language: Some infrequent usage of sh—t, a—s, b—tch, f—ck, and d—mn.
Violence: The story’s events center around the Trojan War and thus includes many battle/war scenes involving death, blood, and fighting; murder.
Alcohol/Addictive Substances: Mentions of drunk characters and characters drinking wine.
Sexual content: Characters are frequently nude while bathing, changing, etc; a couple descriptive kissing scenes; one fade-to-black scene where the characters get undressed; the main characters are hiding in a tent where a group of male lovers walk in and begin kissing, but nothing further ensues; mentions of catcalling; mentions of affairs.
Trigger Warnings: Blood, death, murder, war, sexism.
Daphne, our main character, is still her fiery self in this one—though some of her bite has been tempered by her lingering memories of the previous events that occurred in Daughter of Sparta. Her character undergoes much change in this book and leaves us with an ending that has me expecting even more growth in the next sequel.
The plot was fast-paced, but I did find that some of the battle scenes became a bit repetitive in the story, and I also wasn’t the biggest fan of a certain trope that was used in the plot.
But what really had me squealing in equal parts glee and pain was all of the relational angst between Daphne and Apollo. If you like slowburn and complicated relationships, then Claire M. Andrews is your girl. There’s so much push and pull in this one, and I’m still not over that last scene between Daphne and Apollo (and I don’t think I’ll ever be).
All this aside, this series contains a lot of elements that I think many readers will love. Claire M. Andrews has crafted an incredibly imaginative Greek retelling that is action-packed and offers a brilliant continuation to the Daughter of Sparta series. And after that whirlwind of an ending, I eagerly look forward to what the next installment holds.
➳ 4.5 stars
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Language: Some infrequent usage of sh—t, a—s, b—tch, f—ck, and d—mn.
Violence: The story’s events center around the Trojan War and thus includes many battle/war scenes involving death, blood, and fighting; murder.
Alcohol/Addictive Substances: Mentions of drunk characters and characters drinking wine.
Sexual content: Characters are frequently nude while bathing, changing, etc; a couple descriptive kissing scenes; one fade-to-black scene where the characters get undressed; the main characters are hiding in a tent where a group of male lovers walk in and begin kissing, but nothing further ensues; mentions of catcalling; mentions of affairs.
Trigger Warnings: Blood, death, murder, war, sexism.
April 16, 2022
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book for free and am writing this review of my own volition and not at the request of the author or the publisher.
When I read Daughter of Sparta, I knew immediately it needed a sequel. Way too many unanswered questions, and hell, I just needed more Daphne + Apollo! Little did I know I also apparently needed more Daphne + Hermes, Daphne + Helen, Kassandra, Lykou, Paris, Artemis and oh all the rest!
Blood of Troy definitely has a darker feel than Daughter of Sparta. The story covers the Trojan war, this time overshadowed by the evil yet unclear machinations of the Titan Nyx. As in Daughter of Sparta, the imagery is vivid, and Andrews' first person present writing style really make the reader feel like they are in the story. The plot itself was an absolute page turner and when I got to the end I was ravenous for more. One thing I really enjoy about Andrews' work is she's not afraid to take the traditional myth and upend it. Definitely some myth twists! Andrews' writing has only gotten better in Blood of Troy and I'm excited to see what else she comes up with. In the meantime, really looking forward to the rest of Daphne's story in Storm of Olympus!
When I read Daughter of Sparta, I knew immediately it needed a sequel. Way too many unanswered questions, and hell, I just needed more Daphne + Apollo! Little did I know I also apparently needed more Daphne + Hermes, Daphne + Helen, Kassandra, Lykou, Paris, Artemis and oh all the rest!
Blood of Troy definitely has a darker feel than Daughter of Sparta. The story covers the Trojan war, this time overshadowed by the evil yet unclear machinations of the Titan Nyx. As in Daughter of Sparta, the imagery is vivid, and Andrews' first person present writing style really make the reader feel like they are in the story. The plot itself was an absolute page turner and when I got to the end I was ravenous for more. One thing I really enjoy about Andrews' work is she's not afraid to take the traditional myth and upend it. Definitely some myth twists! Andrews' writing has only gotten better in Blood of Troy and I'm excited to see what else she comes up with. In the meantime, really looking forward to the rest of Daphne's story in Storm of Olympus!
April 19, 2023
These books are so fun. They read like missions from ACO. Stories we all know and love with a twist. I have thoroughly enjoyed these books.
Full review to come in my YouTube channel.
Full review to come in my YouTube channel.
January 30, 2025
The Blood of Troy by Claire M. Andrew’s
2 / 5 ⭐️’s
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The second book the the Storm of Olympus series, Blood of Troy picks up at the start of the Trojan War. Daphne has returned to Sparta after her journey with Apollo while trying to save Mount Olympus and rescue the muses. With Nyx still on her tail, the gods of olympus have become entangled in their pride and will and are taking it out on the humans. Hence the Trojan War. Daphne must protect Queen Hellen while also fighting off Nyx. Not to mention the lives and cultures she is forced to abandoned to do so.
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SPOILERS
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This book was so boring. There was nothing happening. And why did all of the characters have a distinct smell? I mean we’re talking about the Trojan War. One of the most iconic wars ever fought. And this was the WORST retelling of it i’ve ever read. The only redeeming characteristic of it was that it was fast paced.
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#books #bookstagram #book #readmorebooks #booktok #booksbooksbooks #read #reading #alwaysreading #bookstagram #greek #trojanwar #greekretelling #greekbooks
2 / 5 ⭐️’s
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The second book the the Storm of Olympus series, Blood of Troy picks up at the start of the Trojan War. Daphne has returned to Sparta after her journey with Apollo while trying to save Mount Olympus and rescue the muses. With Nyx still on her tail, the gods of olympus have become entangled in their pride and will and are taking it out on the humans. Hence the Trojan War. Daphne must protect Queen Hellen while also fighting off Nyx. Not to mention the lives and cultures she is forced to abandoned to do so.
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SPOILERS
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This book was so boring. There was nothing happening. And why did all of the characters have a distinct smell? I mean we’re talking about the Trojan War. One of the most iconic wars ever fought. And this was the WORST retelling of it i’ve ever read. The only redeeming characteristic of it was that it was fast paced.
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#books #bookstagram #book #readmorebooks #booktok #booksbooksbooks #read #reading #alwaysreading #bookstagram #greek #trojanwar #greekretelling #greekbooks
October 11, 2022
Sequels are hard to follow up after the first book.
******* SPOILER ALERT AHEAD*******
We get a year after Daphne's first adventure. She trains to become the Shield of Helen. We find out shes a Titan, who her father is and toward the end she eats a seed that has her become a god.
Here's why I gave it three stars:
1. Achilles mentioned alot in the book, then disappears at the end.
2. Very little interaction with Apollo throughout the book until very end where Daphne kept saying no and then randomly said yes after she was given something by Hermes, that we as the readers STILL don't know what it was. So her and Apollo sleep together, now its back to... "Can't forgive your past transgressions. Blah, blah, blah."
3. Very little interaction with Nyx, for someone who was up against her from the very beginning.
4. Anticlimactic fight with Ares and how Daphne was able to kill the god of war so easily seemed lame.
5. Entire book was pretty much a repeat of constant battles. It got old pretty fast and had to force myself to continue reading.
6. Hector, Helen disappeared as well toward the end.
I plan to read the third final installment. But have to say I prefer the first book compared to this one. Not only that, but another reason i had a harder time reading it was how similar it was to The Iliad. I had an awful time reading that book when I knew so little of greek mythology in college, so The Iliad was definitely a struggle and so was this book.
******* SPOILER ALERT AHEAD*******
We get a year after Daphne's first adventure. She trains to become the Shield of Helen. We find out shes a Titan, who her father is and toward the end she eats a seed that has her become a god.
Here's why I gave it three stars:
1. Achilles mentioned alot in the book, then disappears at the end.
2. Very little interaction with Apollo throughout the book until very end where Daphne kept saying no and then randomly said yes after she was given something by Hermes, that we as the readers STILL don't know what it was. So her and Apollo sleep together, now its back to... "Can't forgive your past transgressions. Blah, blah, blah."
3. Very little interaction with Nyx, for someone who was up against her from the very beginning.
4. Anticlimactic fight with Ares and how Daphne was able to kill the god of war so easily seemed lame.
5. Entire book was pretty much a repeat of constant battles. It got old pretty fast and had to force myself to continue reading.
6. Hector, Helen disappeared as well toward the end.
I plan to read the third final installment. But have to say I prefer the first book compared to this one. Not only that, but another reason i had a harder time reading it was how similar it was to The Iliad. I had an awful time reading that book when I knew so little of greek mythology in college, so The Iliad was definitely a struggle and so was this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2022
above all, i am a circe stan
October 3, 2022
Once again, it was bad. I went into this knowing I wasn't going to like it, but with Blood of Troy not only being a continuation of the bad Apollo and Daphne retelling- which I still refuse to accept it as no matter what since it's not at all retelling the story of the original myth- but also a retelling of the Iliad and the Trojan War, how could I not read it? All that to say, I literally hated every second of this book.
Now, Daughter of Sparta I hated because it was, in my opinion, a poor depiction of the Greek gods and was a sorry excuse for a retelling. I do still feel that way about Blood of Troy, but I also just thought the book sucked. There were events that I can tell were meant to be serious moments of the story- Daphne killing Ares or Nyx revealing who Daphne's real father was, for example- but they were so incredibly anticlimactic that I thought nothing of them, especially the reveal of Daphne's father, which has been built up since the first book (if I remember correctly, at least). The writing was bad and the story itself- looking past the inaccuracies and the parts I hated because of the author's depictions- was incredibly boring.
Going back to the parts that I hated solely because of the author's depictions and the story telling- Boy do I have a lot of complaints! Once again, the timeline was skewed for no actual reason, this time being with the length of the Trojan War itself and the way certain pivotal events from the war itself were written. Some of these changes were made to seemingly support the story itself, although they were pointless changes. Having Achilles appear at the meeting between Troy and Sparta (and the other kingdoms that appeared as well) was a pointless addition, not only was he never the king of Phthia (which the author stated he was), but going off of a mythological timeline, Achilles would have either been with Chiron on Mount Pelion or on the island of Skyros, where he was hidden by his mother to avoid being sent to war in the first place. Having him there as the king was pointless and added absolutely nothing except to seemingly introduce him to the story- another pointless addition seeing as though it's a "retelling" of the Iliad and Achilles is well known to be a figure in the Trojan War. Having the Trojan Horse introduced and caught on fire with the Achaeans in it was also, in my opinion, a pointless change to the story and it could have been kept exactly the same as the original myth behind it and achieved the same point.
At certain points in the story, the author seems to introduce characters or objects simply to show off that she knows who they are. Having Chiron appear with the centaurs, only to leave with all of the centaurs, was pointless and could have been left out of the story completely but no, we have to show off the fact that we know who Chiron is! I feel the same about the objects within Hermes' cave (why does he have a cave? no idea.), vaguely alluding to items from Norse mythology- specifically Brísingamen (or Brosinga necklace, if you've read Beowulf) and Gjöll- or the directly referring to the Ring of Gyges just makes it seem as though the author is showing off what knowledge she has and has no impact on the story for the most part. Although the Ring of Gyges is barely important later on, Brísingamen and Gjöll are never mentioned again in any form and are pointless inclusions.
The romance between Daphne and Apollo gets messier and more annoying in this book, making them even more insufferable as a pair! Once again, Daphne learns about one of his past relationships (this time with the prophetess, Cassandra) and gets pissed off at him for "lying to her" and once again the book ends with her hating him while simultaneously being in love with him. Their relationship is annoying and I can't stand it. That's all. I just think they're poorly written as a couple and it makes it incredibly annoying.
Also? Where did Achilles go? After he kills Hector, he just disappears. His death never comes up in the story, but he also isn't with the rest of the Achaeans when they're in the Trojan horse. Unless I just missed it (which could entirely be possible seeing as though I just wanted to be done with this by that point), he genuinely just disappears. I know what happens to him in actual mythology, but the author has clearly shown she doesn't actually care about mythology, so assuming she would follow it in any capacity is foolish.
The only thing I sort of liked was the fact that she gave Achilles and Patroclus a romantic relationship and made Daphne's brother part of it as well, which is definitely a change from writing Achilles and Patroclus as friends. Unfortunately, the brother she chose was Pyrrhus, which is weird because that's also the name (or nickname) of Achilles' son with the princess of Skyros- Deidamia- so that's all I could think about whenever their relationship was shown in the one scene. If she would've picked the other brother- or given her character Pyrrhus a different name- then it would have been completely fine, but unfortunately that's the connection my brain makes. That isn't entirely the author's fault though.
Once again I am of the belief that non-pagans should be banned from writing books with pagan deities because they somehow manage to fuck it up every single time.
I fear the day book 3 comes out but at the same time? I cannot wait for this series to be over. It should have ended with the first book instead of getting two more.
Now, Daughter of Sparta I hated because it was, in my opinion, a poor depiction of the Greek gods and was a sorry excuse for a retelling. I do still feel that way about Blood of Troy, but I also just thought the book sucked. There were events that I can tell were meant to be serious moments of the story- Daphne killing Ares or Nyx revealing who Daphne's real father was, for example- but they were so incredibly anticlimactic that I thought nothing of them, especially the reveal of Daphne's father, which has been built up since the first book (if I remember correctly, at least). The writing was bad and the story itself- looking past the inaccuracies and the parts I hated because of the author's depictions- was incredibly boring.
Going back to the parts that I hated solely because of the author's depictions and the story telling- Boy do I have a lot of complaints! Once again, the timeline was skewed for no actual reason, this time being with the length of the Trojan War itself and the way certain pivotal events from the war itself were written. Some of these changes were made to seemingly support the story itself, although they were pointless changes. Having Achilles appear at the meeting between Troy and Sparta (and the other kingdoms that appeared as well) was a pointless addition, not only was he never the king of Phthia (which the author stated he was), but going off of a mythological timeline, Achilles would have either been with Chiron on Mount Pelion or on the island of Skyros, where he was hidden by his mother to avoid being sent to war in the first place. Having him there as the king was pointless and added absolutely nothing except to seemingly introduce him to the story- another pointless addition seeing as though it's a "retelling" of the Iliad and Achilles is well known to be a figure in the Trojan War. Having the Trojan Horse introduced and caught on fire with the Achaeans in it was also, in my opinion, a pointless change to the story and it could have been kept exactly the same as the original myth behind it and achieved the same point.
At certain points in the story, the author seems to introduce characters or objects simply to show off that she knows who they are. Having Chiron appear with the centaurs, only to leave with all of the centaurs, was pointless and could have been left out of the story completely but no, we have to show off the fact that we know who Chiron is! I feel the same about the objects within Hermes' cave (why does he have a cave? no idea.), vaguely alluding to items from Norse mythology- specifically Brísingamen (or Brosinga necklace, if you've read Beowulf) and Gjöll- or the directly referring to the Ring of Gyges just makes it seem as though the author is showing off what knowledge she has and has no impact on the story for the most part. Although the Ring of Gyges is barely important later on, Brísingamen and Gjöll are never mentioned again in any form and are pointless inclusions.
The romance between Daphne and Apollo gets messier and more annoying in this book, making them even more insufferable as a pair! Once again, Daphne learns about one of his past relationships (this time with the prophetess, Cassandra) and gets pissed off at him for "lying to her" and once again the book ends with her hating him while simultaneously being in love with him. Their relationship is annoying and I can't stand it. That's all. I just think they're poorly written as a couple and it makes it incredibly annoying.
Also? Where did Achilles go? After he kills Hector, he just disappears. His death never comes up in the story, but he also isn't with the rest of the Achaeans when they're in the Trojan horse. Unless I just missed it (which could entirely be possible seeing as though I just wanted to be done with this by that point), he genuinely just disappears. I know what happens to him in actual mythology, but the author has clearly shown she doesn't actually care about mythology, so assuming she would follow it in any capacity is foolish.
The only thing I sort of liked was the fact that she gave Achilles and Patroclus a romantic relationship and made Daphne's brother part of it as well, which is definitely a change from writing Achilles and Patroclus as friends. Unfortunately, the brother she chose was Pyrrhus, which is weird because that's also the name (or nickname) of Achilles' son with the princess of Skyros- Deidamia- so that's all I could think about whenever their relationship was shown in the one scene. If she would've picked the other brother- or given her character Pyrrhus a different name- then it would have been completely fine, but unfortunately that's the connection my brain makes. That isn't entirely the author's fault though.
Once again I am of the belief that non-pagans should be banned from writing books with pagan deities because they somehow manage to fuck it up every single time.
I fear the day book 3 comes out but at the same time? I cannot wait for this series to be over. It should have ended with the first book instead of getting two more.
January 17, 2023
* Spoiler alert! *
This is what happens when I get really into a new book series: I finish the first two books in quick succession and then have to wait for the third book that isn't coming out until later this year! (And of course there was quite the cliffhanger after the latest one, and I have to sit here and stew about what might happen next in the concluding volume.) Why am I like this?!
I found Blood of Troy, the second entry in Claire M. Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" series, to be better than the first (and I thought the first book was good).
In Daughter of Sparta, we see Daphne go on a quest to save Olympus itself and narrowly succeed. A year later, she continues to build a hero's reputation for herself (despite being a non-Spartan-born citizen, a mothakes) through her fighting prowess, overcoming opponents twice her size on a regular basis.
Although, Daphne remains haunted by the trauma of her quest a year ago, so she's a bit off, and the people who care about her are concerned and try to help in their own ways.
Of course, we know that the gods aren't done with Daphne. Early on in Blood of Troy, they command her to become personal guard to Queen Helen of Sparta, a seemingly innocuous errand. (Yes, that Helen, "the face that launches a thousand ships," etc. We'll get to her in a bit.)
Before I get ahead of myself, Daphne must prove herself worthy in a contest of athleticism and wits, retrieving a prize before anyone else in order to gain herself the job of Shield of Helen. (Spoiler alert, she does!) That title secured, to the detriment of her brothers' pride, she finds that things aren't what they seem between King Menelaus and Queen Helen from day one. (Fun fact, King Menelaus is a foreign-born king. Helen is the one that's a born Spartan.)
Andrews is very sympathetic to the character of Helen (rightly so), who seems to be remembered primarily as a pretty prize to be fought over and won by men. I have this bone to pick not only with the story about Helen, but most other classical Greek mythology as well in how girls and women are frequently treated.
So, in Blood of Troy, we see a very unhappy, abusive marriage, with Helen on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse.
Spoiler alert: Menelaus is an awful person, not treating Helen with the respect she deserves. I think Helen might've left the marriage if not for the daughter they have together, Hermione. As a result, Helen frequently finds ways to assert herself and enjoy life when she feels that the palace she lives in is her prison.
I loved the friendship that develops between Queen Helen and Daphne, both strong women in their own right. Daphne becomes very protective of Helen, both inside and outside her capacity as Shield.
Anyways, a big meeting between King Menelaus and other Grecian monarchs goes predictably sour, and Daphne finds herself fleeing with Queen Helen and the Trojan envoy after one faction tries to kill them.
So, the city of Troy becomes Helen's and Daphne's new home, just as the war drums start to beat. Ostensibly, it's about punishing troy for "kidnapping" Helen, but there are various dark forces at work here. (See book one for more details.)
As war comes to Troy, Daphne is recast as "Traitor of Sparta" as she fights to protect her queen in the midst of a war that is more than it seems. The gods are always playing games, and there's a price to be paid.
I won't say anymore, because I don't want to ruin the cinematic reading experience that is Blood of Troy, and its predecessor, Daughter of Sparta!
Greek mythology nerds and general readers alike will enjoy this series. Just give it a try!
Happy reading!
--BookOwl
This is what happens when I get really into a new book series: I finish the first two books in quick succession and then have to wait for the third book that isn't coming out until later this year! (And of course there was quite the cliffhanger after the latest one, and I have to sit here and stew about what might happen next in the concluding volume.) Why am I like this?!
I found Blood of Troy, the second entry in Claire M. Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" series, to be better than the first (and I thought the first book was good).
In Daughter of Sparta, we see Daphne go on a quest to save Olympus itself and narrowly succeed. A year later, she continues to build a hero's reputation for herself (despite being a non-Spartan-born citizen, a mothakes) through her fighting prowess, overcoming opponents twice her size on a regular basis.
Although, Daphne remains haunted by the trauma of her quest a year ago, so she's a bit off, and the people who care about her are concerned and try to help in their own ways.
Of course, we know that the gods aren't done with Daphne. Early on in Blood of Troy, they command her to become personal guard to Queen Helen of Sparta, a seemingly innocuous errand. (Yes, that Helen, "the face that launches a thousand ships," etc. We'll get to her in a bit.)
Before I get ahead of myself, Daphne must prove herself worthy in a contest of athleticism and wits, retrieving a prize before anyone else in order to gain herself the job of Shield of Helen. (Spoiler alert, she does!) That title secured, to the detriment of her brothers' pride, she finds that things aren't what they seem between King Menelaus and Queen Helen from day one. (Fun fact, King Menelaus is a foreign-born king. Helen is the one that's a born Spartan.)
Andrews is very sympathetic to the character of Helen (rightly so), who seems to be remembered primarily as a pretty prize to be fought over and won by men. I have this bone to pick not only with the story about Helen, but most other classical Greek mythology as well in how girls and women are frequently treated.
So, in Blood of Troy, we see a very unhappy, abusive marriage, with Helen on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse.
Spoiler alert: Menelaus is an awful person, not treating Helen with the respect she deserves. I think Helen might've left the marriage if not for the daughter they have together, Hermione. As a result, Helen frequently finds ways to assert herself and enjoy life when she feels that the palace she lives in is her prison.
I loved the friendship that develops between Queen Helen and Daphne, both strong women in their own right. Daphne becomes very protective of Helen, both inside and outside her capacity as Shield.
Anyways, a big meeting between King Menelaus and other Grecian monarchs goes predictably sour, and Daphne finds herself fleeing with Queen Helen and the Trojan envoy after one faction tries to kill them.
So, the city of Troy becomes Helen's and Daphne's new home, just as the war drums start to beat. Ostensibly, it's about punishing troy for "kidnapping" Helen, but there are various dark forces at work here. (See book one for more details.)
As war comes to Troy, Daphne is recast as "Traitor of Sparta" as she fights to protect her queen in the midst of a war that is more than it seems. The gods are always playing games, and there's a price to be paid.
I won't say anymore, because I don't want to ruin the cinematic reading experience that is Blood of Troy, and its predecessor, Daughter of Sparta!
Greek mythology nerds and general readers alike will enjoy this series. Just give it a try!
Happy reading!
--BookOwl
August 21, 2022
Blood of Troy once again follows Daphne as she is manipulated into service to the gods of Olympus. As the title suggests, this book follows the events of the Trojan War, though it doesn’t stick very closely to the myth at all. I personally enjoyed that aspect because it brought something different to an oft told story. I also just really love Daphne as a character. Given that this is the second book in the series, I can’t say very much without getting into spoiler territory, but I found this to be just as enjoyable as the first book. There were a lot more battle scenes, which didn’t hit my emotions as hard as I would have expected them to. This made them a bit of a slog to get through, though ultimately didn’t throw off the pacing of the book much. There is also a situation with Daphne that confused me until the very end when it was more or less spelled out. This could have been me though because, looking back, all the signs were there. Overall, I recommend this series in general and this book in particular.
August 6, 2024
CIRCE MENTIONED 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
September 18, 2022
Brilliant!!! Claire M. Andrews can have my heart for her brilliant storytelling! This speaks to my young child heart of when I was a little girl watching for the first time Helen of Troy(2003) and Troy(2004) , I loved the Trojans so much then, and Helen had been one of my favourite characters, also I loved Orlando Bloom as Paris. Reading this book, gave me the chills of excitement as we saw each event unfold with Daphne doing her best to be the shield for Helen. I have always hated Menelaus, and this book just fueled that hatred to the depths of my core.
We are met with so many twists and turns, moments I just wanted to jump into the book and beat the Gods to a pulp, but also moments I just wanted to grab Daphne and shake her so she could wake up from her stubbornness and accept the help she needs. Each of the portrayals of the characters was fantastic, and I love the interactions between those from before and those that were added on. I love the slow burn between Apollo and Daphne, as she fights to not let her self be consumed for her feelings for him as he is a God, and she doesn't want to be hurt in the end.
This book was perfection for me! I couldn't stop turning each page, as I wanted to know more and more of the story. And yes I am so happy to have my Trojans back again in a better light! I really can't wait for the third book, as that ending was insane!
We are met with so many twists and turns, moments I just wanted to jump into the book and beat the Gods to a pulp, but also moments I just wanted to grab Daphne and shake her so she could wake up from her stubbornness and accept the help she needs. Each of the portrayals of the characters was fantastic, and I love the interactions between those from before and those that were added on. I love the slow burn between Apollo and Daphne, as she fights to not let her self be consumed for her feelings for him as he is a God, and she doesn't want to be hurt in the end.
This book was perfection for me! I couldn't stop turning each page, as I wanted to know more and more of the story. And yes I am so happy to have my Trojans back again in a better light! I really can't wait for the third book, as that ending was insane!
August 25, 2022
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy / Mythology
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Blood of Troy is the second installment in author Claire Andrews Daughter of Sparta series. I do recommend that interested readers first read the first installment to get a better understanding of not only the world the author has created, but the key characters who are involved in the series. Summary: Spartan Mothakes Daphne Diodorus earned the respect of her people, and brought her Kingdom a year of wonderful harvests and fortuitous alliances thanks to what she did to help the missing Muses. But not everyone is a fan of Daphne or her desire to become a full fledged Spartan warrior.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy / Mythology
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Blood of Troy is the second installment in author Claire Andrews Daughter of Sparta series. I do recommend that interested readers first read the first installment to get a better understanding of not only the world the author has created, but the key characters who are involved in the series. Summary: Spartan Mothakes Daphne Diodorus earned the respect of her people, and brought her Kingdom a year of wonderful harvests and fortuitous alliances thanks to what she did to help the missing Muses. But not everyone is a fan of Daphne or her desire to become a full fledged Spartan warrior.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
June 17, 2024
I’m actually dead. This book definitely doesn’t top the first one but still had me up all night reading. I love the characters and I think the story is so interesting. The last 5 chapters literally built me up to tear me down on a repeated cycle until I finished. There were some tears shed along the way. I did struggle with how the author manipulated what I already knew about the Trojan war to fit the story and it was hard to adjust after just reading song of Achilles but I didn’t let that stop me. I am so ready for this final book. It better give me the satisfaction I need after finishing this rollercoaster of a book. I did ver much enjoy the ride it took me on though.
September 7, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved Daughter of Sparta and couldn't wait to read Blood of Troy. The sequel did not disappoint as we follow Daphne on a mythological adventure into the city of Troy. As she becomes The Shield of Helen and is chased out of her city, Sparta, Daphne questions everything and everyone and is still haunted by the goddess Nyx. Her loyalty to Helen is unwavering. Helen of Troy is one of my favorite stories and this twist on The Trojan War was fascinating.
I loved Daughter of Sparta and couldn't wait to read Blood of Troy. The sequel did not disappoint as we follow Daphne on a mythological adventure into the city of Troy. As she becomes The Shield of Helen and is chased out of her city, Sparta, Daphne questions everything and everyone and is still haunted by the goddess Nyx. Her loyalty to Helen is unwavering. Helen of Troy is one of my favorite stories and this twist on The Trojan War was fascinating.
June 25, 2023
Rating: 4.5 stars
Nothing baffles me more than how criminally underrated these books are. Daughter of Sparta was an entertaining, fast-paced, action-packed opening with dynamic characters and a tension-filled romance. The sequel delivers all that and more.
The plot: the story revolves around Helen, Troy and a prophesized war. The way Claire M. Andrews takes a story we know and delivers it with a refreshing spin that still manages to surprise you is applaud worthy. I was so happy with the journey we went on.
There's so much that goes on - in the best way possible. It is filled to the brim with action, war, conniving and meddling gods and stress. So much stress.
Daphne's such a great character. Loved her in the first book and love her in this one. She's fierce, loyal and just as frustrated as everyone else with the gods. All of the characters you meet are so well-written, they have their own lives and stories and aren't just there to move the plot. Helen and Lyta!!! Love my strong queens.
Daphne and Apollo. The tension, the angst! It was so good in this one. The yearning. The slow-burn. It was so frustrating but in the best way.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. OMG.
Nothing baffles me more than how criminally underrated these books are. Daughter of Sparta was an entertaining, fast-paced, action-packed opening with dynamic characters and a tension-filled romance. The sequel delivers all that and more.
The plot: the story revolves around Helen, Troy and a prophesized war. The way Claire M. Andrews takes a story we know and delivers it with a refreshing spin that still manages to surprise you is applaud worthy. I was so happy with the journey we went on.
There's so much that goes on - in the best way possible. It is filled to the brim with action, war, conniving and meddling gods and stress. So much stress.
Daphne's such a great character. Loved her in the first book and love her in this one. She's fierce, loyal and just as frustrated as everyone else with the gods. All of the characters you meet are so well-written, they have their own lives and stories and aren't just there to move the plot. Helen and Lyta!!! Love my strong queens.
Daphne and Apollo. The tension, the angst! It was so good in this one. The yearning. The slow-burn. It was so frustrating but in the best way.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. OMG.
July 5, 2023
Let me start off by saying I did not read the first book in this trilogy. Though I was missing part of the backstory regarding why many of the gods in Olympus despised Daphne, it did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book— the author did a great job of filling in the gaps if needed.
The story starts off in Sparta, with Daphne training alongside her fellow Spartan warriors. After being taken to Olympus, the gods demand that Daphne win the upcoming competition so she can become Queen Helen’s Shield in order to protect her.
After earning the title, things begin to go downhill. During a peace treaty meeting of the surrounding kings, Helen and Daphne overhear a plot to murder the Princes of Troy. Daphne, with the help of her adopted parents, escape with Helen, the Trojan Princes, and the Trojan warriors with barely a moment to spare. Daphne soon finds herself trying to earn the trust of the Trojans, and soon fights alongside of them (and the Amazonian) against much of Greece.
This book is full of Greek mythology, Greek history (Helen of Troy, Trojan horse, etc), and love and betrayal. Daphne often struggles with hurting her friends/family by being true to her duties, and often abstains from telling the truth in an attempt to protect those she cares about. Family ties and friendships are broken, new allies are forged and old allegiances are tested, and then there is her complicated feelings for Apollo, the gods who want to see Daphne fail, and the matter of who her father is.
I’m a massive Greek mythology and Greek retelling fan, so this book was right up my alley. I now plan to read book one and three, and already have the entire series in my Amazon cart. This book is the perfect blend of love, angst, mythology, and history. I can’t wait to see Daphne come into her own in book three!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The story starts off in Sparta, with Daphne training alongside her fellow Spartan warriors. After being taken to Olympus, the gods demand that Daphne win the upcoming competition so she can become Queen Helen’s Shield in order to protect her.
After earning the title, things begin to go downhill. During a peace treaty meeting of the surrounding kings, Helen and Daphne overhear a plot to murder the Princes of Troy. Daphne, with the help of her adopted parents, escape with Helen, the Trojan Princes, and the Trojan warriors with barely a moment to spare. Daphne soon finds herself trying to earn the trust of the Trojans, and soon fights alongside of them (and the Amazonian) against much of Greece.
This book is full of Greek mythology, Greek history (Helen of Troy, Trojan horse, etc), and love and betrayal. Daphne often struggles with hurting her friends/family by being true to her duties, and often abstains from telling the truth in an attempt to protect those she cares about. Family ties and friendships are broken, new allies are forged and old allegiances are tested, and then there is her complicated feelings for Apollo, the gods who want to see Daphne fail, and the matter of who her father is.
I’m a massive Greek mythology and Greek retelling fan, so this book was right up my alley. I now plan to read book one and three, and already have the entire series in my Amazon cart. This book is the perfect blend of love, angst, mythology, and history. I can’t wait to see Daphne come into her own in book three!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
March 29, 2023
““Now that is the last thing I expected to see.” Hermes’s voice is filled with awe.
Towering above the western gate of Troy, with the sun shining high above our heads and on the wood-paneled surface, stands a great horse.”
This was pure fun and I know I said that about the first book but it rings true for this one too! Sometimes Iliad retellings can be so honk-shoo honk-shoo (that’s snoring, if you couldn’t tell) but this one was just such a good time with the added bonus of adding more depth to Helen (who deserves better) and giving the men of mythology no redeeming qualities (except for Odysseus which, like, fine. I’ll accept that).
The intertwining of so many aspects of mythology, so many stories and interactions, and the changes made to keep things fresh (bye bye horsey) made me feel continuously excited to see what happens next. It even made me root for a love story between a god and a mortal (are we calling Daphne a mortal??? I really don’t know)… which, listen, I also mentioned before that the twins are my favourite Olympians however, Apollo (and Artemis, but mostly Apollo) is typically the personification of leaving a flaming bag of dog poo on someone’s doorstep and the fact that this book has me rooting for him feels wrong, but right, but wrong. I’m a sucker for this love story and I feel a not-happy ending brewing in the next book. Sigh.
Anywayyyyy this is such a good-time escapism series so far, I need to find out when the next one comes out. I don’t care about any “inaccuracies”, this is just pure mythological mix-and-match-and-change-it-up-if-you-want fun
4/5
Towering above the western gate of Troy, with the sun shining high above our heads and on the wood-paneled surface, stands a great horse.”
This was pure fun and I know I said that about the first book but it rings true for this one too! Sometimes Iliad retellings can be so honk-shoo honk-shoo (that’s snoring, if you couldn’t tell) but this one was just such a good time with the added bonus of adding more depth to Helen (who deserves better) and giving the men of mythology no redeeming qualities (except for Odysseus which, like, fine. I’ll accept that).
The intertwining of so many aspects of mythology, so many stories and interactions, and the changes made to keep things fresh (bye bye horsey) made me feel continuously excited to see what happens next. It even made me root for a love story between a god and a mortal (are we calling Daphne a mortal??? I really don’t know)… which, listen, I also mentioned before that the twins are my favourite Olympians however, Apollo (and Artemis, but mostly Apollo) is typically the personification of leaving a flaming bag of dog poo on someone’s doorstep and the fact that this book has me rooting for him feels wrong, but right, but wrong. I’m a sucker for this love story and I feel a not-happy ending brewing in the next book. Sigh.
Anywayyyyy this is such a good-time escapism series so far, I need to find out when the next one comes out. I don’t care about any “inaccuracies”, this is just pure mythological mix-and-match-and-change-it-up-if-you-want fun
4/5
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