Clytemnestra

"Fans of Circe and Elektra should pick up this powerful Greek myth retelling." —Cosmopolitan

For fans of Madeline Miller, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.

As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best…

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods’ hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn’t given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Sourcebooks.

Book club questions for Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

At the start of the novel, Clytemnestra intervenes in a fight involving her sister, Helen. When told that she must let people win their own battles, she thinks to herself, “What if the loser is your loved one?” How does this mentality guide Clytemnestra throughout her life?

Clytemnestra and the rest of the girls in Sparta are trained to fight as children. How does this warrior mentality guide her throughout the novel? How does this set her apart from other heroines you have read before?

The murder of Clytemnestra’s first husband, Tantalus, and her baby is not told from the perspective of Clytemnestra herself. How did you read this change in perspective? What did it add to the narrative?

Clytemnestra and Helen’s relationship is tested many times, yet there is always love between them. How might you describe the evolution of their relationship? How does the theme of forgiveness play a role between the two?

Describe Clytemnestra’s relationship with her father. How did his betrayal make you feel, and how does it shape Clytemnestra?

The story of Clytemnestra and her family is foreshadowed by an inescapable prophecy. Did the priestess’s vision play out the way you though it would? What roles did prophecies and religion have in this world?

This story does not have obvious good characters and bad characters; all of them make decisions that are morally questionable. Were there specific moments that made you think differently about any of the characters? Were there some you found unforgivable?

Why do you think Odysseus allowed for Clytemnestra’s daughter to be sacrificed?

How did you feel about Clytemnestra’s final act against Agamemnon? In the end, were her actions warranted? Who do you believe is ultimately to blame?

Vengeance is a common theme that courses throughout the story. How does vengeance play a role in all the characters’ lives, especially Clytemnestra’s?

Clytemnestra has been portrayed by history as an evil queen. How does the author question that role? Do you think Clytemnestra is truly evil?

Are you familiar with any of the myths that are presented in this novel? Were they told differently than you remember?

Clytemnestra Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the Clytemnestra discussion questions

"Crackles with vivid fury, passion and strength. A powerful, thought-provoking portrayal of a fascinating and complicated woman framed in beautiful prose. I loved it." — Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne and Elektra

"What a pleasure to fall in love with Clytemnestra through the mind of Costanza Casati, who renders a singularly vibrant Greece, populated by familiar characters and absolutely alive with emotion and suspense. Casati reveals a Clytemnestra we’ve never met before: fiercely intelligent, passionate, and loving – and willing to do anything to avenge the ones she loves." — Naomi Krupitsky, New York Times bestselling author of The Family

"Ablaze with transporting moments of deep tenderness and visceral ferocity, Casati's Clytemnestra gives the phrase 'fight like a girl' its rightfully heroic and empowering meaning!" — Buki Papillon, author of An Ordinary Wonder

"Savage, passionate, and absolutely spellbinding. Costanza Casati’s recreation of Sparta is astonishing—you feel you are with Clytemnestra, completely immersed in the brutal world she inhabits with her siblings, whose complex relationships are drawn with skill and tenderness. Clytemnestra’s rage, her heartbreak, and her determination radiate off the page—I was utterly gripped." — Elodie Harper, bestselling author of The Wolf Den