Queens of Themiscyra
From the bare bones of recorded mythology, Hannah Lynn conjures up the Amazon warriors in a multi-sensory feast of a novel. Hippolyte has been made Queen, above the claim of her eldest sister, Penthesilea, by their father Ares, the god of war. The sisters and their fellow Amazon women live on the shores of the Black Sea, act as mercenaries to nearby kings, and are singularly dedicated to warfare and their sisterhood. There are no men in Themiscyra, as the women travel annually to the all-male tribe of Gargareans, and any resulting offspring live either with their fathers, if the child is male, or with their mothers, if they are female.
But everything changes when Heracles comes to Themiscyra. He’s seeking Hippolyte’s zoster (a belt) as part of his labors, and with him comes Theseus of Athens. Theseus, brash, confident, and handsome, is determined Hippolyte will be his queen. The consequences for Hippolyte, Penthesilea, and the women they command, form the substance of this sweeping story of loyalty, love, obsession, and revenge.
The world building here is impressive. Themiscyra, Athens, and later Troy are vividly described. The relationship that develops between Theseus and Hippolyte is complex and intriguing, as are the tensions between these famous sister queens. At times detailed descriptions of everyday life or scenery slow the pace of events – at 464 pages it’s a lengthy read – but overall this is an emotional, turbulent and dramatic novel that sits well in the recent trend of mythical retellings that focus on the women of the ancient world.
