Ithaca

Claire North’s “Ithaca” is a retelling of the tale of Penelope of Ithaca, the well-known Odyssean wife. The novel examines the decisions made by the women left behind on the island of Ithaca and is set in a world where the whims of gods determine the conflicts that men fight. Penelope and the other women are left to rule the kingdom since all of the men who are old enough to fight—including her husband Odysseus—have gone to war with Troy.

The suitor knocks on Penelope’s door as rumors spread that Odysseus has died. Penelope’s decision could spark a civil war in Ithaca because the balance of power is about to shift.