Claire Heywood – författare

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 AvenueFor 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

''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 HARPERMyth remembers Perseus as one of its greatest heroes. A slayer of monsters. A rescuer of damsels.

But the women who knew him best have a different story to tell. His mother, Danae.His trophy, Medusa.His wife, Andromeda.

As Perseus becomes obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women''s lives.

It takes strength to survive a legend.

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.

Readers LOVE The Shadow of Perseus:

''I absolutely adored this book, I devoured it.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''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 retelling, I absolutely loved reading this book'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐