A THOUSAND SHIPS

This audiobook retells the events of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective. "How much epic poetry does the world really need?" the muse Calliope wonders in the opening chapter. She is exasperated by the endless barrage of male poets and their tales of glorious battles. What follows is a collection of wonderfully creative feminist stories, written and narrated by classicist Natalie Haynes. Haynes's performance is restrained to the point that some listeners may wish for more dramatic flair and differentiation between characters. However, she still imbues these underrepresented female characters with humanity, wit, and strength. She has a good range, too. Some stories--especially those of the Trojan women--are emotionally wrenching. Others, like Penelope's increasingly frustrated letters to Odysseus, have a distinct comedic touch. A.T.N. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2021]