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This book tells the story of the Trojan War from perspectives that aren't given a lot of attention in The Iliad--mainly women and children, and I appreciated how it addressed the suffering of animals as well. It's somewhat awkward at times, since the big events of the war are often only on the periphery of what's happening in the novel. However, I think Adele Geras made the right decision in creating a new story to run parallel to Homer's; her writing is quite unexceptional, and there would be little point in reading a watered-down version of The Iliad.

What I disliked was its soap-operatic nature. It's all very sensational and sentimental, and was rather too centered on gossip and jealousy and silliness. In addition, the portrayal of the gods became very annoying. It was, in my opinion, not at all in the spirit of the Greek sagas.

Overall: an easy and somewhat addictive read. Less a thoughtful reinvention of The Iliad than a teenage drama set in the ancient world.