Maya Deane

I loved this to begin with; less at it went on and became thick with battlefield violence told in orgasmic detail. I enjoyed reading about the people, including all the different trans experiences, and the various different kinds of love between them. I also really loved Meryapi, and the language of dolphins who definitely would, as a matter of scientific fact, be exactly that lewd. But the gods and their intricate war of generations just bored me while Achilles' and Helen's lust for blood repelled me, and as those turned out to be the real focus of the plot, I mostly finished in order to finish.… (meer)

WHOOOO nelly this will not be for everyone.

I have read and considered many reviews for this novel, both positive and negative. I am a white, cis woman who has never been a classics scholar - just someone who has always loved Greek mythology. I found this retelling of the Achilles myth absolutely fascinating. Some parts felt very familiar with just the smallest twist. Some parts felt so different as to be an entirely new story. As a reader I was thoroughly entertained. I am very excited to see what this author does next.… (meer)

Achilles is a trans woman whose body is transformed by her mother Athena beyond what the herbs of Skyros can do; after or because of that, she goes with Odysseus to fight the Trojan War. The gods are active and there’s some modern physics/biology that reminds me of an elaboration of what Marvel tried to do with Thor/Asgardian magic. It wasn’t for me, in part because the human aspects got washed away by the end in an apocalypse of the gods, but it is an interesting entry in the “retellings” category.… (meer)