Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting On Wednesday hosted at Breaking the Spine.



The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Doubleday Books 

From the Booker Prize-winning author of the Regeneration trilogy comes a monumental new masterpiece, set in the midst of literature's most famous war. Pat Barker turns her attention to the timeless legend of The Iliad , as experienced by the captured women living in the Greek camp in the final weeks of the Trojan War.

The ancient city of Troy has withstood a decade under siege of the powerful Greek army, who continue to wage bloody war over a stolen woman--Helen. In the Greek camp, another woman watches and waits for the war's outcome: Briseis. She was queen of one of Troy's neighboring kingdoms, until Achilles, Greece's greatest warrior, sacked her city and murdered her husband and brothers. Briseis becomes Achilles's concubine, a prize of battle, and must adjust quickly in order to survive a radically different life, as one of the many conquered women who serve the Greek army.
When Agamemnon, the brutal political leader of the Greek forces, demands Briseis for himself, she finds herself caught between the two most powerful of the Greeks. Achilles refuses to fight in protest, and the Greeks begin to lose ground to their Trojan opponents. Keenly observant and cooly unflinching about the daily horrors of war, Briseis finds herself in an unprecedented position to observe the two men driving the Greek forces in what will become their final confrontation, deciding the fate, not only of Briseis's people, but also of the ancient world at large.
Briseis is just one among thousands of women living behind the scenes in this war--the slaves and prostitutes, the nurses, the women who lay out the dead--all of them erased by history. With breathtaking historical detail and luminous prose, Pat Barker brings the teeming world of the Greek camp to vivid life. She offers nuanced, complex portraits of characters and stories familiar from mythology, which, seen from Briseis's perspective, are rife with newfound revelations. Barker's latest builds on her decades-long study of war and its impact on individual lives--and it is nothing short of magnificent.

THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS SOUNDS BEYOND AMAZING! I'm always up for reading retellings of the Trojan war and especially the female perspectives. This particular topic has become really popular in recent years, which just makes me so happy and I hope to see many more stories like it. I'll definitely have to pre-order this book as soon as possible. I think it's going to be wonderful.


I usually don't share a lot of personal stuff but my 8 y/o bunny passed away yesterday and I'm just so sad right now so just wanted to share it with you all. :(



21 comments:

  1. Oooh! A book about the Trojan War! Great pick!

    Here’s my WoW!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  2. How have I not hear of this?!? It sounds like one I'll adore! Thank you 😍 And the cover is beautiful.

    So sorry about your loss. Losing a pet is really hard. Sending good wishes but don't feel bad about feeling bad for a while. ❤

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  3. Glad I could share it with you! :)

    And thank you... ♥

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  4. This is actually a time period and story I would enjoy.

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  5. I'm so sorry about your bunny! Sending best wishes your way, that's so hard...

    This sounds like a fascinating book, I love the time period of the Trojan War!

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  6. Oh no, I'm so sorry Stephanie! (this is a wonderful pick and Briseis AMAZING!)

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  7. It certainly sounds like it will be one amazing read. Great pick!!!

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  8. So many retellings these days and I'm happy about that. I'll watch for this one.

    And, I'm so sorry about your little bunny. It's hard to lose a pet. Big hugs to you!

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  9. Barb(Boxermommyreads)August 1, 2018 at 8:42 PM

    Doesn't sound like something I'd read but I hope you love it. I'm so sorry about your bunny. Sending good thoughts your way!

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  10. I'm SO sorry to hear about your bunny☹ That sucks. I do like the sound of this book, I love Trojan War stories as well. Thanks for sharing!

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  11. That does sound interesting. It reminds me of the Mists of Avalon in that it takes a well known story and turns it to the women's perspective. Hope you love it!
    So sorry about your bunny. My heart goes out to you.

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  12. Oh, Steph..... First of all, I'm so sorry about your bunny.... The closest I ever came to having a pet was a cat my sister and I found when we were kids. Mom wouldn't let us keep him indoors, but we secretly fed him and played with him. Then one day, a lady came by, saw us playing with the cat, and said he was her lost cat that she had been looking for. So she took him away.... We had named the cat "Francis", and this lady said his name was really "Mittens". We felt so sad when she took him away.... Hope you can find comfort through time, and your blogging will help, as well. <3 <3



    As for this book, I'm VERY interested in it!! I got chills as I read the synopsis. Yeah, these women have been erased from history. It's been all about the men and their STUPID war, which was really about WHO got to OWN Helen of Troy.



    This book reminds me of the "The Mists of Avalon", which told the stories of King Arthur from the women's perspective, too. We NEED more such books!!


    Thanks for sharing "The Silence of the Girls"!! Thanks as well for commenting on my own CWW post!! HUGS!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

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  13. I really love a great Greek mythology and this book looks like it's going to be amazing. The cover is beautiful and the synopsis is definitely making me want to add it to my TBR for sure. :)

    If you get the chance, come by my blog and check out my Can't-Wait Wednesday post.
    Suz @ Bookish Revelations

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  14. This book sounds fascinating! I'm so sorry about your bunny! It's so hard losing a pet. Sending you good thoughts!

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  15. Oh, no, I'm so sorry about your bunny!



    This book sounds amazing, though!

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  16. I am sorry to hear about your bunny! Can we please talk about the cover? It is magnificant! I just love the cover. The story sounds amazing! I'm sorry I'm late to the party but I'm glad I stopped by!

    Here is mine: https://mmmbookreviews.wordpress.com/2018/08/01/i-cant-wait-wednesday-1/

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  17. The Silence of the Girls does sound good!

    I'm so sorry to hear about your bunny *hugs*

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  18. I do love the whole Greek mythology aspect of this! Great pick! My CWW

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