To Victoria Hobbs, my dream agent, who gave me a chance and changed my life. I still pinch myself that I am lucky enough to be represented by you.
To Jillian Taylor, simply the best editor a writer could ask for. You understood the book and the characters and helped me make them shine. Thank you for being next to me every step of the way.
To everyone at Michael Joseph: Ciara Berry, Sriya Varadharajan, Stephanie Biddle, Courtney Barclay, Beatrix McIntyre, Emily van Blanken, Lee Motley, Becci Livingstone.
To the brilliant rights team: Chantal Noel, Jane Kirby, Lucy Beresford-Knox, Rachael Sharples, Beth Wood, Inês Cortes?o, Maddie Stephenson, Lucie Deacon, Agnes Watters.
To my U.S. editor, MJ Johnston, for your passion and exemplary work, and to everyone at Sourcebooks, especially the wonderful Cristina Arreola.
To my early supporters, who gave me strength and love as I was submitting this novel, especially Erica Bertinotti, Anna Colivicchi, and Annie Garthwaite.
Thank you also to Hazel Orme, Jessica Lee, Andrew Davis, and the wonderful teachers at the University of Warwick, where I started writing Clytemnestra’s story.
Finally to my family, my whole heart:
To my father, who fills my life with books and happiness. There is nothing I love more than the moment we talk about a new chapter I sent you.
To my mother, who read me stories when I was little and taught me I could be anything I wanted. You are the fiercest, most special person on this planet. Thank you, for everything.
About the Author
COSTANZA CASATI was born in Texas in 1995, grew up in a village in northern Italy, and lived in the UK for five years. Before moving to London, she attended a classical Liceo in Italy, where she studied ancient Greek and ancient Greek literature for five years. Costanza is a graduate of the prestigious Warwick Writing MA program where she earned a distinction, and she currently works as a freelance journalist and screenwriter. Clytemnestra is her debut novel.
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Praise for Clytemnestra
“Crackles with vivid fury, passion, and strength. A powerful, thought-provoking portrayal of a fascinating and complicated woman framed in beautiful prose. I loved it.”
—Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne and Elektra “What a pleasure to fall in love with Clytemnestra through the mind of Costanza Casati, who renders a singularly vibrant Greece, populated by familiar characters and absolutely alive with emotion and suspense. Casati reveals a Clytemnestra we’ve never met before: fiercely intelligent, passionate, and loving—and willing to do anything to avenge the ones she loves.”
—Naomi Krupitsky, New York Times bestselling author of The Family “Savage, passionate, and absolutely spellbinding. Costanza Casati’s recreation of Sparta is astonishing—you feel you are with Clytemnestra, completely immersed in the brutal world she inhabits with her siblings, whose complex relationships are drawn with skill and tenderness. Clytemnestra’s rage, her heartbreak, and her determination radiate off the page—I was utterly gripped.”
—Elodie Harper, bestselling author of The Wolf Den “Bold and elegant, Costanza Casati’s debut bursts onto the page in flashes of light. This book deconstructs Clytemnestra’s infamy and then, with tremendous empathy and wisdom, reconstructs her into an enthrallingly complex figure filled with passion and spirit. This fiery tale of revenge and desire really is the stuff of legend—Casati’s unflinching storytelling is irresistible.”
—Sarah Priscus, author of Groupies
“Powerful and sympathetic, Clytemnestra shines a light on Helen of Troy’s overshadowed sister. Crafted with page-turning suspense, Casati spins a mesmerizing story of an ambitious warrior queen who must use all her skill to protect herself and those she loves from men who view women not as equals but as pawns to be sacrificed upon the altars of lust, greed, and fame. An ancient and intriguing tale made fresh for today’s twenty-first century battles.”
—Liz Michalski, author of Darling Girl
“Clytemnestra redefines the retelling genre with a heroine who, instead of enduring suffering, avenges it . . . Casati’s Clytemnestra is a self-determined warrior queen”
—Annie Garthwaite, acclaimed author of Cecily
“Ablaze with transporting moments of deep tenderness and visceral ferocity, Casati’s Clytemnestra gives the phrase ‘fight like a girl’ its rightfully heroic and empowering meaning! Beautifully told in a style that pays nimble homage to classic Greek mythology, Clytemnestra is a rich and compelling read, and even more so for every woman who has ever had to fight in any arena of life to reclaim her power. I thoroughly enjoyed Casati’s Clytemnestra and highly recommend it as a brilliant and exceptional new addition to the pantheon of Greek myth–retelling must-reads!”
—Buki Papillon, author of An Ordinary Wonder