The Women of Troy: The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERAfter the success of her celebrated work, The Silence of the Girls, Pat Barker delves deeper into one of history's most enduring myths in her latest novel. Described by the Sunday Times as a "Myth for a MeToo age," Barker revisits Homer's epic with a novel that's as bloody as it is unexpectedly heartening. With the city of Troy defeated, the Greek forces stand victorious yet stranded, their journey home thwarted by the lack of favorable winds—a punishment from the vengeful gods. Amidst the crumbled ruins of the city they conquered, the Greek warriors pass their days alongside the women they have taken as spoils of war. These are the women of Troy: Helen, whose legendary beauty became a mere relic fought over by savage men; Cassandra, resigned to the fact that her prophetic insights go unheeded unless uttered by a man; Amina, resolute and vengeance-driven, her gaze never wavering from Troy's demolished towers; Hecuba, who mournfully rakes at her skin on the coastline, her cries as futile as attempts to stir the deceased from Hades; and Briseis, who bears in her womb the future—a child sired by the deceased hero Achilles—facing yet another moment to alter the course of history amid the feuding males.Remarkably powerful and profoundly resonant, The Women of Troy builds upon Barker's acclaimed narrative of ancient myth, continuing the poignant exploration begun in The Silence of the Girls. Praised for the unvarnished truths and perceptive insights into humanity's foundational stories, Barker’s work is said to possess a striking blend of somber clarity and illuminating wisdom, as noted by the Sunday Times. Metro commends The Women of Troy for its immediate appeal and Barker's deft, eloquent prose.