ITHACA The Songs of Penelope, Book 1

This is a lengthy feminist retelling of what happened in Odysseus's kingdom of Ithaca while he was struggling to return home after the fall of Troy. Listeners are introduced to Penelope, wife of the hero, who must rule a kingdom beset with pirates and scores of suitors who long to wed her and claim kingship of this western Greek island. The poised, steady voice of narrator Catrin Walker-Booth channels the words of the omniscient narrator, Hera, queen of the gods, the favored deity of queens, mothers, and women. Walker-Booth displays great versatility in her depiction of the many citizens, guests, and raiders who interact with Penelope, including her murderous cousin, Clytemnestra. There are suspenseful sequences in this story, and it is well crafted and filled with many elegant passages. Two more volumes will follow in this series. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2022]