After the fall of Troy, all male Trojans (men, children and babies alike) have been slaughtered by the Greeks and the women divided among the great victors. In the meantime, Briseis has married Alcimus after the death of Achilles – by whom she is pregnant – and thus enjoys a little more freedom in the Greek camp. She uses this newly gained freedom to help the women. Queen Hecuba whose husband Priamus lies unburied on the beach, princess Cassandra who predicts that her marriage to Agamemnon will be his death – and hers, Hector’s widow Andromache whose baby is murdered by Pyrrhus, Achilles’ son and, of course, Helen who is back with her husband Menelaus.
The women of Troy is a sequel to The silence of the girls. The book covers the period immediately after the fall of Troy when the Greeks are waiting for a favourable wind to leave. It’s again Briseis who tells the story with some chapters from Pyrrhus and the seer Calchas as well.
This story is even more about women than The silence of the girls, especially since Achilles and Patroclus are both no longer there. Though Achilles is still there, as Briseis and Pyrrhus are ravaged by his legacy.
Barker writes aptly and beautifully about a cruel world for women. Women who are also not all nice to each other in the aftermath of the war. Is this book better than the silence of the girls? I don’t think so, but it’s fitting as a sequel. It ripples on at a pace that makes you want to read on. I also enjoyed reading about lesser-known Greek women like Helle and Amina.
There’s a third book about Cassandra coming up, I’m definitely looking forward to that. Although that means that we’re leaving Briseis behind.
Have you read this series? Did you like it?
The women of Troy is a Greek myth retelling, I’ve listed all retellings that I’ve read here.
In Another Era 
I’ve got this book – hoping to read it later this month.
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