A Thousand Ships

Description

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2020 One of the Guardian's 'Best Books of 2019' 'With her trademark passion, wit, and fierce feminism, Natalie Haynes gives much-needed voice to the silenced women of the Trojan War' - Madeline Miller, author of Circe In A Thousand Ships, broadcaster and classicist Natalie Haynes retells the story of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective, for fans of Madeline Miller and Pat Barker. This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them. . . In the middle of the night, Creusa wakes to find her beloved Troy engulfed in flames. Ten seemingly endless years of brutal conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans are over, and the Greeks are victorious. The devastating consequences of the Trojan War stretch from Mount Olympus to Mount Ida, from the citadel of Troy to the distant Greek islands, and across oceans and sky in between. These are the stories of the women embroiled in that legendary war and its terrible aftermath, as well as the feud and the fatal decisions that started it all. . . Powerfully told from an all-female perspective, in A Thousand Ships Natalie Haynes gives voices to the women, girls and goddesses who, for so long, have been silent.

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of The Amber Fury, which was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize; The Children of Jocasta, a feminist retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories; and a non-fiction book about Ancient History, The Ancient Guide to Modern Life. She has written and presented four series of the BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics. In 2015, she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience. A Thousand Ships is her third novel.

A gripping feminist masterpiece -- Deborah Frances-White, The Guilty Feminist With her trademark passion, wit, and fierce feminism, Haynes gives much-needed voice to the silenced women of the Trojan War. Her thoughtful portraits will linger with you long after the book is finished -- Madeline Miller, author of Circe Natalie Haynes is swiftly becoming this generation's Mary Renault; her retelling of the Trojan war from an all-female perspective, A Thousand Ships, is her best yet. * Observer * Haynes is master of her trade . . . She succeeds in breathing warm life into some of our oldest stories * Telegraph * Absorbing and fiercely feminist * Guardian * The forgotten women are vividly brought to life in this moving, intelligent and witty book -- Martha Kearney, BBC Radio 4 Elegant, intelligent . . . Haynes combines a wide-ranging knowledge of the original myths with a gift for compelling narrative * The Times * A sparkling narrative . . . A Thousand Ships blows the dust off the classics * Washington Post * Haynes is the nation's great muse, and her latest retelling of the story of Troy told from the perspective of Helen and the women of The Iliad is beautiful -- Adam Rutherford * The Week * If you are new to myths, then this is a learned, well-fashioned introduction, with many shining moments of subtle power * Spectator * A joy to read: fast paced, cracking with emotion and tension -- Professor Michael Scott Here, in this treat of a book, the women take centre stage - and how brilliantly . . . Natalie Haynes brings them to witty, lyrical, scintillating life . . . A book to both savour and devour -- Suzannah Lipscomb Breathtaking . . . Her writing isn't merely clever, or elegant, or (at times) extremely funny - though it is all of those things. It's also viscerally vivid. -- Catherine Nixey This subversive reseeing of the classics is a many-layered delight * Guardian * Haynes takes the baton from Renault and runs with it. Her modern take on antiquity is exquisitely informed without ever being research-heavy . . . Glorious! -- Damian Barr Haynes expertly crafts an emotional and vivid historical tale with high stakes and female empowerment at its core * Woman's Own *