'A page-turning retelling . . . so interesting and thought-provoking' JENNIFER SAINT 'A fresh and original take on the myth of Perseus . . . I was gripped by the human drama at the novel's heart' ELODIE HARPER ***** Perfect for fans of Jennifer Saint, Elodie Harper and Natalie Haynes, author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative reinterpretation of the myth of the great hero Perseus, bringing to life the voices of three women who are side-lined in the traditional version, and whose stories reveal a man who might not, in fact, be a hero at all. His mother Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone. Forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she's ever done. His trophy As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest. His wife When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe's way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda's life is set on an entirely new path. As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women's lives. But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future. ***** Readers LOVE The Shadow of Perseus: 'I absolutely adored this book, I devoured it.' ***** 'I think it's absolutely brilliant! It's bold and brave, and beautiful in parts . . . and also a little bit gut-wrenching in others.' ***** 'I loved the more human take on the Greek myth. The book is a real page turner.' ***** 'This was such a compelling and wonderful read! I genuinely loved every minute of this book and cannot recommend it highly enough!' ***** 'A beautifully written, unique, approach to the myth of Perseus. Just gripping' ***** 'A masterful voice in the popular new wave of feminist reworkings of Greek mythology . . . A must-read for fans of Madeline Miller and Natalie Haynes' ***** 'As someone who loves Greek Mythology retellings i absolutely loved reading this book' ***** 'The story of each woman is empowering, courageous and such a delight to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will be going back to read the authors other works as well as any future reads' *****

Two sisters parted. Two women blamed. Two stories reclaimed. 'Required reading for fans of Circe . . . a remarkable, thrilling debut' - Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue For millennia, two women have been blamed for the fall of a mighty civilisation - but now it's time to hear their side of the story . . . As princesses of Sparta, Helen and Klytemnestra have known nothing but luxury and plenty. With their high birth and unrivalled beauty, they are the envy of all of Greece. Such privilege comes at a high price, though, and their destinies are not theirs to command. While still only girls they are separated and married off to legendary foreign kings Agamemnon and Menelaos, never to meet again. Their duty is now to give birth to the heirs society demands and be the meek, submissive queens their men expect. But when the weight of their husbands' neglect, cruelty and ambition becomes too heavy to bear, they must push against the constraints of their sex to carve new lives for themselves - and in doing so make waves that will ripple throughout the next three thousand years. Perfect for readers of Circe and Ariadne, Daughters of Sparta is a vivid and illuminating retelling of the Siege of Troy that tells the story of mythology's most vilified women from their own mouths at long last. Helen of Troy and her sister Klytemnestra are reimagined in this gorgeous retelling of the classic Greek myth - not as women defined by their husbands and lovers but as battle-weary survivors of a patriarchal society who take control of their own destiny. Absolutely riveting!' - Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist

Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone. Forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she's ever done.

As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest.

When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe's way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda's life is set on an entirely new path. As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women's lives.

But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future.

Two sisters parted. Two women blamed. Two stories reclaimed. 'Required reading for fans of Circe . . . a remarkable, thrilling debut' - Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue 'Fluent and persuasive. I admire the ambition with which Heywood tackles the subject, to which she brings freshness and verve. I enjoyed it very much' - Elizabeth Buchan, bestselling author of The Museum of Broken Promises For millennia, two women have been blamed for the fall of a mighty civilisation - but now it's time to hear their side of the story . . . As princesses of Sparta, Helen and Klytemnestra have known nothing but luxury and plenty. With their high birth and unrivalled beauty, they are the envy of all of Greece. Such privilege comes at a high price, though, and their destinies are not theirs to command. While still only girls they are separated and married off to legendary foreign kings Agamemnon and Menelaos, never to meet again. Their duty is now to give birth to the heirs society demands and be the meek, submissive queens their men expect. But when the weight of their husbands' neglect, cruelty and ambition becomes too heavy to bear, they must push against the constraints of their sex to carve new lives for themselves - and in doing so make waves that will ripple throughout the next three thousand years. Perfect for readers of Circe and Ariadne, Daughters of Sparta is a vivid and illuminating retelling of the Siege of Troy that tells the story of mythology's most vilified women from their own mouths at long last. Helen of Troy and her sister Klytemnestra are reimagined in this gorgeous retelling of the classic Greek myth - not as women defined by their husbands and lovers but as battle-weary survivors of a patriarchal society who take control of their own destiny. Absolutely riveting!' - Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist