The Women of Troy

Praise

“[A] masterly continuation of her fiercely feminist take on Homer’s Iliad. . . In a novel filled with names from legend, Briseis stands tall as a heroine: brave, smart and loyal. . . Barker’s latest is a wonder.”—Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*

“Barker’s blunt, earthy prose strips the romance from Greek mythology, revealing its foundations in murder and oppression, yet she also understands—and conveys—the stark appeal of these ancient stories as she asks us to reconsider them through the eyes of their victims. As with her masterful Regeneration trilogy, the inconclusive close of this volume leaves readers hungry to know what happens next to a host of complex and engaging characters. Vintage Barker: challenging, stimulating, and profoundly satisfying.”—Kirkus Reviews *Starred Review*

“[Barker’s] insight and compassion are on full display. As is her outrage.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Now the publication of The Women of Troy (Doubleday) brings the author back to the bloodied plains where the Greeks and the Trojans fought—here, once again, a staging ground for the battle between the sexes.”—The New Yorker

“. . . This continuation of the Trojan woman’s story feels like another victory for every person who was silenced by history, their story stolen from them.”—Refinery29

“Barker’s prose has a plain force more powerful than fancy wordsmithing; she makes these long-ago events immediate … More work from one of contemporary literature’s most thoughtful and compelling writers is always welcome.”—The Washington Post

“…Immersive and textured: full of smoke from the fires, and sand whipped up by the wind that’s keeping the Greek army pinned to the shore.”—NPR

“[T]he narrative is at its most absorbing when Briseis is on the page and observing the scheming and infighting among the Greek men and the resilience and bravery of the Trojan women. She is a wonderful creation. With luck, Barker is already planning her next move.”—The Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Like its predecessor, The Women of Troy returns voice and agency to characters who were silenced in the original epic… Barker’s writing is swift, detailed, and immersive… [The Women of Troy] succeeds at making us understand that what they felt—the grief of the Trojan women—cannot have been much different than our own.”—Chicago Review of Books

“Barker’s sequel to The Silence of the Girls (2018) continues the story of Queen Briseis, given as a war prize to Achilles… Through Briseis’ eyes, readers experience the aftermath of the fall of Troy… Briseis is an engaging character, both pragmatic and perceptive, providing keen insight into monsters such as Pyrrhus, as well as the women of Troy.”—Booklist

“Once again, Barker uses blunt prose to tell human stories that strip the romance from one of literature’s enduring epics.”—The Millions