The Wandering Queen

by Claire Heywood

The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom - exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart.

After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, and she is crowned Queen the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon a powerful trading hub, Carthage thrives under Dido's governance. But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago, never to trust or to love another again.

Can Dido overcome her past and open herself - and her city - up to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?

Genres: Mythology, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Retellings, Greek Mythology, Fiction, Historical

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2026

About the author

Claire Heywood is a scholar of the ancient world, with a bachelor's degree in Classical Civilization and a master's degree in Ancient Visual and Material Culture from the University of Warwick. Her first novel, Daughters of Sparta, was a national bestseller.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another mythic figure with contemporary interiority… I should feel devastated by these myth-currents colliding, but this reads like a strong female character™ narrative moodboard with anachronistic dialogue. Half the time, Dido the Queen talks like an entrepreneur in a new…situationship rather than a mythical figure. Heywood didn’t give her a new voice, she gave her a résumé and modern values.

“Perhaps it is not the gods, then, only the way of the world.”

This cultural reflex keeps failing my beloved legendary women.

[Marybeth ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Big thank you to Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC

I wanted to take my time reading this book because I was enjoying it the whole way through.
It is the easiest 5* I have given.

There are a lot of ancient retellings lately, but for me Claire Heywood always writes these in the top tier. You can see in the writing that this is a craft for Claire, and not passing hobby. Claire writes women incredibly well and Dido is no different. Dido loses none of her femininity or strength as she takes a whole city of people to a new place to live a new life, all in the name of escaping her naïve, young brother to regain exactly what was rightfully hers.

This book was a pleasure to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the two perspectives, young Elissa and older Dido. It gave a lovely balance between how it all started with Elissa to how the new life grew and matured with Dido. I felt as though I grew with Elissa, and came to see her perspective and emotions while she was forced to make nightmare choices.

The ending was poignant but I can see how people may not be satisfied with it, however I appreciated the closure and openness of the final chapter. I also believe the Authors note at the end was very informative.

An easy 5*, I always look forward to Claire's books.

[rose ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“there are no safe moves!”

“then you must make a dangerous one. there is no standing still.”

i wanted more rage, more grief, more hunger, more passion, more love from this retelling of the legendary queen dido. we’re told that she feels this emotion or that emotion, but heywood’s writing remains unfortunately flat and unconvincing throughout. i also have mixed feelings about her decision to change dido’s fate.

it’s apparent that a lot of research went into contextualizing and telling this story and merging the two conflicting versions of the dido of legend, and that aspect drew me in, but ultimately both setting and characters felt a little too sanitized. of course there are common threads throughout humanity, tracing back to ancient times, but i want my historical fiction to be cognizant of the differences in customs and mores as well. overall i just wanted to feel more immersed in the late bronze age setting, but too often heywood chooses to tell instead of show.

i received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

rating: 2.5/5.0 stars

[Trivenefica · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance, and I would also like to thank the publisher.

I started The Wandering Queen with high expectations. The writing is beautiful and poetic, and that’s something I can’t criticize at all. I’ve always found Dido’s story deeply tragic, so for most of the book especially the first 80% I was genuinely invested.

But the ending completely ruined the emotional impact for me.

Dido not dying felt unacceptable. Her story has never been only about Aeneas. It’s about a woman who is repeatedly hurt by the men in her life her father, her former husband and Aeneas through loss, betrayal, and abandonment. Her breakdown is not weakness; it is the point of the story.

This retelling seems to suggest that letting Dido live is a way to show her strength. But for me, her power has always been in her tragedy, in her refusal to quietly endure, and ultimately in her death. Changing that ending takes away what made her story so powerful and meaningful for centuries.

I understand the intention behind this choice but it didn’t work for me.

I was so unsatisfied by the ending that I went back and read Virgil’s Aeneid afterward because for me the story didn’t feel finished.

Beautiful writing, strong atmosphere but I can only give 3 stars.

[lookmairead · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should have been called The Insult to Irabas. 😩😩😩 Seriously, we all saw the red flags of Aeneas. Dido, what were you thinking?!

And I’m not saying Dido was played the best hand- but I didn’t love how she played the game.

I tend to want to read mythology when the world, irl, feels insane.
I like to see sparks of hopes even when a “win” feels impossible.

I think what’s tricky is that this category has an extremely high bar of expectations. And this didn’t grab my heart as much as I had hoped it would. But in this case, I’m unsure if it’s the story itself or my mood reading being irrationally irritated at the romance in this. 😩😅 Irabas needed more page time.

TY Netgalley & Dutton Books for this ARC.

[Cortnie]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

I did not know much about the myth of Dido, so I was excited to jump into this story. We start out with Elissa, princess of Tyre as her father is on his deathbed and his wishes are not carried out. Elissa is passed over for the throne in favor of her child brother, who will be used as a pawn by the courtiers. We then alternate between two timelines, the past of Elissa, and current day Queen of Carthage, Dido. Current day Dido has taken a vow of perpetual widowhood, choosing instead to focus on her city. That is, until a ship of Trojan refugees end up shipwrecked on the shore of Carthage. Dido falls in love with Prince Aeneas and his son. Eventually Aeneas expresses his desire to leave in order to find his own kingdom and Dido is beside herself.

I had a hard time with the love story portion of this book, and after I finished researched the myth to see that Dido met an untimely ending because her lover left her. My issues come into how easily Dido casts aside her decade long, fastidiously vow to remain the sole ruler of Carthage, without a king or consort. Aeneas barely seems to LIKE her and is cloaked in red flags so the insta love moment feels like such a juxtaposition. I dislike how hard Dido tries to force this relationship while getting NOTHING in return. She is then stopped from completing her suicide by her friends, and then the book just...ends. It felt like there was very little climax or point to ending things on a happy note. I found parts of this extremely repetitive in nature as well and found it difficult to stay engaged at times.


Ultimately this was a bit of a let down for me, but if you enjoy Greek Mythology retellings, I would encourage you to give it a shot.

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Claire Heywood's mythological novels. I like how she writes about women and their struggles in the world of men, but also how she maintains their beauty and femininity instead of giving into unbridled rage and bitterness. This time, in "The Wandering Queen," I find myself torn between the two halves of the story of Elissa/Dido. The beginning half had me beguiled by and caring for the adventures and plights of our main character, and I loved it; the latter half frustrated me as I watched her make (what I consider to be) some boneheaded decisions which created heartache and tension that could have been avoided had she used her head instead of her emotions and libido. Yes, this creates a more complex figure, adding dimension to a character in mythology who is either eternally untouched or a lovelorn woman. But my emotion regarding her choices made it hard for me to truly enjoy the second half (and the ending!) of this book. But still well-written and a worthy inclusion in the pantheon of modern day mythological retellings. ARC received-read-reviewed, "The Wandering Queen" come out in February 2026.

[Kelsey Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A special thank you to NetGalley and to Dutton for my ARC!

Publishes 2.10!

This was a really decent tragic greek retelling of Dido and Aeneas- but as always these types of retellings lean a bit more into the just feminist POV. I was a bit unfamiliar with Dido's story (I know there is an opera) so I was really happy to get to know her more through this story. I will say that I realized about 42% of the way through that the dual POV is THE SAME PERSON (aka Dido). I somehow missed that by not reading the blurb hahaha! Was that the twist? We get two povs- Elissa who is in Tyre who is forced to leave her home after tyrants take control and she is exiled and becomes Dido. I figured out that they were the same person when their husbands shared a name (lol!).

Overall I felt it was okay. I might have been my deficiency why I rated this 3 stars instead of 4. I liked it- but I didn't really really feel moved or changed by the story.

Content: felt very YA.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I'm of two minds about this book. I enjoyed the political machinations more than anything, and enjoyed watching Elissa/Dido grow into a political figure in her own right. That was probably the coolest and most entertaining parts of this book for me. The rest, with Aeneas, and all the talk of love? Meh. Couldn't have cared less.

Even Elissa's first husband could sometimes grate a bit, for all that he's supposed to be the grand love of her life, the one who understands her. And yet he cannot understand why Elissa continues to hold a grudge against her brother and his advisors for stealing her inheritance? Instead he tells her that she's built something with her own two hands and she should just enjoy that. Would he say the same thing to a man? That he should just be grateful for his good reputation among the people and never mind that his brother's advisors schemed to take away what was rightfully his? Doubtful.

*shrug* Overall, the book was all right, but by the end I was ready to strangle Dido, and I wasn't thrilled with how the book ended. Her story wasn't over, and one felt the abruptness of the ending.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had thoroughly enjoyed Claire Heywood's "The Shadow of Perseus" so immediately jumped at the chance to get an early read of her newest novel. Similar to her earlier works, "The Wandering Queen" is a Greek mythology retelling, this time centered on Dido, the Queen of Carthage.

From a young age, Elissa has grown up watching her father's words and actions as the King of Tyre. Unlike her younger half-brother Pygmalion, she embraced the opportunity to listen to his rulings and judgements, understanding the weight of the responsibility on her father's shoulders. When her father unexpectedly passes away and his royal decree is forged however, she finds herself shunned from her birthright and can only watch as her younger brother is propped up by a group of scheming merchants. Nonetheless, Elissa continues to try and create a life for herself in the home she loves, until her own brother forces her hand...

Interwoven with Elissa's childhood is the perspective of Queen Dido, a female queen who rules the city of Carthage. She's well-respected by her people and holds a promise to never remarry after losing her husband years earlier, until a group of shipwrecked men from Troy arrive on their shores, led by Aeneas, a Trojan Prince. As the two grow closer and Dido spends more time with him and his young son Ascanius, she begins to question her own resolve - but her decisions carry far more weight given her role, and she's forced to acknowledge her own weaknesses and responsibilities.

Heywood has crafted a strong protagonist in "The Wandering Queen", as we follow Elissa's growth and forced awakening out of childhood, the slow and steady love she develops with her husband despite the unconventional beginning of their marriage, and her struggle to balance her obligations as a queen with her desires as a woman. While the initial jumps between timelines and character names was a little confusing at first, they made more sense as the storylines converged and we understand that Elissa and Dido are the same individual. While I had mixed feelings on the ending and what Dido was willing to do to herself, I think the novel as a whole presented a complex character who persevered through numerous struggles but adhered to her values and beliefs.

Very much a recommended read for other fans of Greek mythology retellings when "The Wandering Queen" is published in February 2026!

[deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc.


This book got me out of a reading slump and if I'm being honest I'm not really well versed with the story of Queen Dido or Greek mythology in general but there was something about the description and the beautiful book cover that drew me to this book and I'm glad it did. All in all i thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I'm definitely going to check out more books by Claire Heywood now.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dido, Queen of Carthage, also known as Elissa, is a character who has always interested me. The most famous depiction of Dido is obviously in Virgil’s epic poem, the Aeneid, but in this new retelling, Claire Heywood brings her to the forefront of the story and gives her a voice of her own.

The Wandering Queen begins in Tyre with the young Elissa being summoned by her father, the King of Tyre, who believes he is dying and is composing his will. Elissa has a close relationship with her father, who has instilled in her the qualities he considers important in a future queen – fairness, honesty and a desire to see justice done. His son, Pygmalion, Elissa’s half-brother, is still just a young child, so the king decrees that Elissa and Pygmalion will succeed him as joint rulers. Not everyone at court is pleased about that, however, and when the king dies and the will is read, Elissa is shocked to find that her name is not even mentioned – a new will has been forged and Pygmalion will rule alone.

At first, Elissa tries to guide her brother, but the influence of the men around him is too strong. As the years go by and both Elissa and her husband Zakarbaal find themselves targets of Pygmalion’s cruelty, Elissa decides that the only option left open to her is to flee Tyre altogether and start a new life somewhere else. The story of her time in Tyre alternates throughout the novel with the story of the older Elissa, now known as Dido, as she settles in Carthage and encounters a Trojan called Aeneas whose ship has been blown off course by a storm…

This is the first book I’ve read by Claire Heywood and I was very impressed. It’s well written and Heywood made me really care about the characters and connect with them on a personal level, something that doesn’t always happen when I read mythology retellings. I also liked the way she keeps this a very human story, not introducing supernatural elements or having gods and goddesses intervening and controlling Dido’s fate. It reminded me of Babylonia by Costanza Casati, which is written in a similar way and which I also enjoyed.

I think I would have preferred a chronological format, but having said that, the way the two storylines were intertwined worked well, with the use of Dido’s two names helping to distinguish between the young Elissa and the queen she would become. The portrayal of Aeneas is fair and balanced; he is shown as having some good qualities, which explains why Dido falls in love with him, but there are also signs from the beginning that their romance is probably doomed (such as Aeneas’s account of abandoning his wife, Creusa, during the fall of Troy, his growing sense of pride causing him to become increasingly dissatisfied with taking second place to Dido in the hierarchy of Carthage, and his talk of wanting to visit Italy).

There are two different endings to Dido’s story suggested by the two main sources, Virgil and Justinus, but the way Claire Heywood chooses to end her story here is not quite the same as either of those. I won’t say any more about that as I wouldn’t want to spoil it! In her author’s note, Heywood also explains some of the other choices she made in the book, including using the name Zakarbaal for Elissa’s husband rather than the usual Sychaeus or Acerbus and moving the setting back to the Late Bronze Age to make the timelines work.

I really enjoyed The Wandering Queen and will have to look for Claire Heywood’s previous two books.

[Kamis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I'm not an expert on the story of Dido. I know the basics, but I haven't read the Aeneid so I am missing parts of the story. The writing in this is fantastic for the most part, but where it lacks is in the emotions. We are told about all these different emotions Dido is feeling, but not really shown. It makes for a disconnect in the story.

This is told in a dual timeline format, with some chapters being dedicated to Elissa when she still lived in Tyre, and the rest to when she has fled her home and founded a new city, Carthage, and taken up a new name, Dido. Elissa is dealt a bad hand from the get go, with her father's dying wishes being changed and her brother taking over the kingdom. She carries on the best she can, and eventually marries and falls in love with a priest named Zakarbaal (the placement on those two things occurring is intentional). Her husband's death is the eventual reason that she flees Tyre, but this is where the lack of showing in emotions comes in. We are told how sad she is over it, but we aren't shown. It's really hard to believe she's as upset as she is, when there is such a disconnect.

After fleeing with many of the citizens of Tyre, they eventually land and found a new city, Carthage. Here Dido has sworn to never love or marry, though she has received interest from Iarbas. She rules her city well, but faces the daunting loneliness of ruling alone. I think. Again we are told these things but not shown. Aaaaand then Aeneas shows up and throws everything into turmoil. The promise Dido made to her first husband is gone as she is quickly swept up by Aeneas. As stated above, I haven't read the Aeneid so I can't speak for Aeneas there, but in this I have a hard time understanding why Dido fell for him. He shows himself to be a rather cold and almost cruel person right from the get go, while Iarbas was gracious and kind. I know we can't always help who we fall in love with, but damn, I would have thought she'd gain more wisdom as she grew up, not less. The ending is also completely different than how I know Dido's story originally ended, and I can't decide if I agree with it or not. There's an argument to be made for both. It's something I'll have to think on more.

This is still a good book, and I enjoyed the writing besides the telling vs. showing when it comes to emotion. I think it would have helped to now Dido's story a little better. I'll definitely need to check out the Aeneid soon.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Tara Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire Heywood emerges with another Greek retelling. In the same way Daughters of Sparta expanded on women, The Wandering Queen does as well. There are multiple point of views, but it is cleverly done in a way that is very distinct from DOS. I don’t want to give it away since it is a fun reveal, but if you’re familiar with the mythos it may come to you sooner then the book tells you.

I love how this book would convince you you’re understanding what’s going on, you’re predicting what’s next, and then it would casually reveal a new piece of information that completely changes your perception of the narrative. It’s expertly crafted, and a true testament to Claire Heywoods talent. I will say that I did not have the same investment as I did in DOS, because the stakes were much lower. There’s a lot more focus put on interpersonal differences and culture, which can be a little slower and chiller then bigger stakes. Yet, this book still shined in its own way. I loved a lot of the build up and world building, but found the plot to be mostly lacking. It felt like it was more about men being cruel and selfish, and less about women being clever. A delicate balance to strike in this genre. The ending kind of ruined it for me, with the choice being made seemingly very…. Dated. Like of course a woman would jump to that decision when a man did that… I don’t want to spoil but that moment in the last chapter really wasn’t my favorite. I understand it is somewhat canon, but it was tough to read after the characterization throughout the book.

The author clearly has done their research and has a deep understanding of the classical period. The authors note was very thorough and dripping with respect for classics like The Aeneid. Definitely something to appreciate in this genre. My rating is difficult, because I had a largely good time but didn’t love the ending. But the ending is canonish to the classics, and so it feels very authentic?? I think it falls somewhere in the 3.5-4 range, so I will just round up for my enjoyment. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood is a third person-POV dual-timeline historical reimagining the story of the legendary Queen Dido also known as Elissa. When Elissa was young, she married Zakarbaal and fell in love with him over time. As a widow and the queen of Carthage, she has a romantic relationship with Aeneas and balances her relationship with him and her role as the sovereign.

I was somewhat familiar with the story of Dido but not in full detail nor was I aware that she was also called Elissa. With figures as old as her, it's harder to verify whether or not they existed, but their impact can live on throughout the centuries anyways. Here, we get a deep look into her life before and during her marriage and after her husband disappeared, giving readers unfamiliar with her a broad picture of what we know. As noted by Claire Heywood in the author's note, some aspects were changed for artistic purposes so this is not a reconstruction or entirely accurate adaptation to the time period that Dido lived in.

This is on the slower side and it fits in with a lot of the other women's fiction Greek myth retellings; in other words, it's not full of magic or epic adventure and tons of worldbuilding but is more focused on deep character exploration and themes, with one of the largest themes being power and free will. Dido’s own power often fluctuates, but she does seem to always try to use whatever power she has responsibly.

The part I liked most was how the book talked about sex work when Dido/Elissa meets Anna. It shows the complexity of autonomy as well as when a solution seems good on the surface, but when you really analyze it, either nothing has really changed or the only thing that actually changed is a shift in power.

I would recommend this fans of reimaginings that are character studies and readers of historical fiction looking for more stuff set in the ancient world

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I not only enjoy reading mythology and mythological retellings but absolutely LOVE teaching them and having the chance to share them with my students. Few situations better make the point that mythology is timeless than a solid retelling.

This is my first book by this author, and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the entire flow of the narrative but especially some smart structural elements. I'm always looking for a good balance of ode to the classic texts and tales AND some sort of freshness in the take. Heywood delivers both successfully.

While I liked the pacing and characterization already, reading the author's note made me appreciate this work even more. I kept really connecting with how layered this character is, and that's something Heywood addresses and further highlights with her own commentary.

I'll be back for more from Heywood, and I'll absolutely be introducing this author - likely through this book - to my students in the near future.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Bihter V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Claire Heywood and NetGalley for this beautiful ARC.

I have always loved reading historical and mythological stories, and this retelling was definitely one of them.
Switching between the POVs of a young Elissa and an older, wiser Dido was very impactful, as it allowed me to truly step into her skin. At times, I felt as though I became her while reading. Compared to the original myth, this version offers a different perspective, which I really appreciated.

The only aspect I wished had been explored more was her grief after the death of her first husband. What happened during those days felt somewhat unclear. Although his death triggered her flight from Tyre, I felt slightly disconnected from her at that point. Their love and bond were described very poetically, and while I could clearly feel her devastation over Aeneas at the end of the book, not knowing what was going through her heart and mind when Zakarbaal was killed left me a little sad.

This is, of course, just my personal opinion. Overall, the book was a wonderful read.

Claire Heywood will definitely be on my radar from now on. This was my first time reading her work, and I’m so glad it was The Wandering Queen.

[Carrie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about Claire Heywood’s writing that is so addictive, the words just flow effortlessly off the page and reading one of her books is the most pleasurable and relaxing experience.

Told through two timelines, we get to see Dido’s journey of self discovery and the founding of Carthage, and also her doomed affair with Aeneas.

This was a stunning reimagining and I loved this Dido, who went from an innocent and naive girl being manipulated by the men around her to a survivor, schemer and respected leader in her own right.

A line which stuck with me; ‘the gods will not allow me to have both love and power. I must always lose one for the other.’

I felt frustration and helplessness at the seeming accuracy of this, the injustices she faces and the sickening reality that it is always, always a man’s world. Despite this however, Dido refuses to be a victim.

I adored the author’s note at the end, it’s so fascinating to get behind the writing and I feel I understand Dido better for this insight.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dido's character has always been my favourite in the Aeneid (and compelled me far more than any of Aeneas’ warmongering piety ever did!)

I adore this version of her, and I'm so pleased to see a retelling in which she is given her own voice. Sharing her life before Carthage, and her long fight as a queen without a kingdom, Heywood brings Dido to life. I really enjoyed the level of detail with which her past was explored, particularly her first marriage, and her life as a princess. Multiple time jumps can be difficult to follow, but I thought it worked really well here, and felt almost anecdotal.

What I particularly like is the fact Aeneas is very much secondary to this story. The Aeneid brings in a range of interesting female characters, who are often foils for Aeneas' “heroic” feats. (My disdain for Aeneas is relevant I promise!) Instead, Dido is surrounded by a support network of her peers, including Anna and Piddaya, whose inclusion I found a nice addition.

If I had to criticise this book, I would like more - especially more of Dido as a queen and building her new life, seeing how she navigates the pain first of losing her home in the palace, and later, fleeing her country altogether. But I appreciate how closely her narrative mirrors Aeneas’, and gives her the power Virgils's epic denies.

Books with similar vibes - Babylonia by Costanza Casati, Daughters of Olympus by Claire Heywoood, Hera by Jennifer Saint, Medea by Rosie Hewlett, and Ithaca by Claire North. 

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elissa is born a princess of Tyre and is trained by her father to rule but on his death she is overlooked in favour of her younger brother. Forced to marry, Elissa chooses the High Priest and they are happy together until he is killed by her brother and his council. Elissa chooses to leave Tyre and escapes with a band of loyal followers. Eventually they end up on the shores of Libya and found a city called Carthage. Now known as Dido, the Queen is foresworn of men until a refugee from Troy washes up on her shores.
I really enjoy Heywood's fictional retelling of the Greek stories and this is no exception. Drawing on the classical texts, Heywood also manages to reclaim Dido from the myth of the tragic heroine who dies on a pyre after being abandoned. I liked this version as it allows so form of free will to its heroine. The writing is clear and simple and the story engaging - what's not to love!

[Miss Murder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feeling and rightness were cousins, not twins.

“You are a woman, and I am a common man. They will keep us in our places or stamp us out entirely.”

The swish of his sash made her heart clench with guilt. But as much as she hated that feeling, she hated the burn in her cheeks more. She flushed it away with self-justification, with pride shaped into reason. After all, what crime had she committed?

Beautifully written novel on the legend and mystery of Dido and Aeneas, drawing from Virgil’s classic story The Aeneid. I am loving these contemporary re-tellings of mythology and legends (I.e., Madeline Miller), and Claire Heywood delivers.

Incorporating themes of love, gender, loss, and the struggle for power, Heywood makes Dido into her own 3-D character, with her own personal history.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Than you to Dutton Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and review! I read both Daughters of Sparta and The Shadow of Perseus prior to this book and I enjoyed all three but saw a lot of improvement in Heywood’s prose and writing in this book. She nailed the language and structure which brought Dido’s voice to life in a way that felt very vivid and historic. I’m a big fan of the way the Heywood writes the events of these women’s life in a way that feels equally epic and human. The themes of loss, grief, and the guilt and vulnerability that come with those things are weaved into this story in delicate ways at times and then with such gut wrenching accuracy that I felt very seen, especially as a woman that has experienced these things. This book does not shy away from the ugly and the embarrassing parts of learning who you are and allowing others to perceive you. I loved and I hated these characters.

The pacing toward the end held me back at times, but overall, I enjoyed the author’s use of a split timeline. The marked chapters helped to keep me locked into to where I was at in the story and the jumps were spaced well within the plot until the journey from Tyre to Carthage, which felt somewhat disjointed. I think this story would have benefit from a longer ending - the conclusion felt rushed compared to the time it took to set up Dido’s growth within her role as Queen and as a woman in love. While I do think there’s value in the spiral that comes with the experience of dealing with a man and a situation like that, I felt the most connected to Dido when I had time to sit with her thoughts and movement.

Heywood’s main strength in this book is her poetic writing that so perfectly strung together a multitude of topics and the female experience in such a raw way that I think readers will really connect with. The voice she gives these women makes me rethink the way that history was written. I will continue to read her work and I look forward to meeting the next character she chooses.

[Beth | Bookwyrm.Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook!

Rating: 3 Stars
Format Read: Audio
Narration: Single; Meg Hateley


This was my first book from this author, and as a newer reader of historical retellings, I enjoyed this! I thought the plot was very accessible, and interesting to follow. The world building was a big strength as well; I felt transported into the story at every turn, and the writing was atmospheric. I loved the slow build up of character development, even if some of their choices frustrated me. The pacing was slow, and although I thought this fit the narrative, it was a little too slow for my taste when coupled with the subject matter.

I appreciated the expanded look into Dido’s life, but the duel-timeline structure really sapped a lot of energy from this story. I think this will especially impact those who are unfamiliar with her story, but for me it simply added to the issue I had with pacing. Although this is marketed as a feminist retelling, I didn’t really feel inspired to take on the patriarchy by this story or this character. It just sort of fell in the middle for me.

I think that if you go into this story with the caveat that it is not trying to push an agenda or reinvent the wheel, you will most likely have a good time with it. I look forward to trying other books from this author as I continue my historical fiction journey.

Audio Notes:
Incredible, emotional and layered performance by Meg Hateley! This is my first book with this narrator, and I will definitely be looking out for more. Excellent vocal pacing and direction as well. I highly recommend the audio if you’re interested in this one.

Rating: 3 Stars

[Olivia Mitas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25^ this lost me in the second half however the ending redeemed itself for me, great job of tying in the two interpretations of Dido’s story. However just a little lackluster for me overall.

[Jasminegalsreadinglog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be honest and say that before reading this, I only knew Pygmalion and Dido through passing references. Because of that, this book was a fantastic discovery for me.

​The Wandering Queen is a fictionalized account of Dido who is the daughter of a king, sister of a king, and most importantly, the founder and ruler of Carthage. Writing a character inspired by epics like the Aeneid or the Iliad is a daunting task, but the author succeeds by etching Dido as a multi-layered woman. We see her as a daughter, sister, wife, friend, and leader.

​She is far from perfect. She unapologetically wants to rule and she makes mistakes. That vulnerability is what makes her human. She is a strong woman who defied her circumstances to emerge as a powerful ruler.

​Thank you to Dutton Books for the digital copy of this book.

[Juli Rahel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dido, the famous queen of Carthage, died of a broken heart. I was never very fond of that part of the Aeneid, it felt like a cop out and Aeneas was not worth it. So when I saw Claire Heywood's The Wandering Queen promising to retell Dido's story, I was very intrigued. Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have avoided many adaptations of classical works, in part because I am very fond of many of the "original" works. I am a literary scholar which means I do adore the more formulaic, archaic, lyrical writing of older translations as well. I also have an issue with how some of the adaptations are marketed as providing feminist retellings in which some of the most awe-inspiring female characters of Antiquity become girl-bosses who have never done anything wrong in their lives. (Like, the only version of Medea in which she does not kill her children that I'll accept is Christa Wolf's, because how she reformulated the story spoke directly to Cold War tensions.) Since I haven't read most adaptations, this is purely an impression I get from the marketing and blurbs, but those have been enough to dissuade me from reading many of them. While I loved Circe by Madeline Miller, even that book did not hit me in the way Circe's depiction in the Odyssey does. All this to say that I went into The Wandering Queen a little hesitantly, although if there was ever a Classical female character that needed to be rescued from the clutches of her author, it was Dido. I have to admit that I was never really into Aeneas the way Virgil wrote him. I see why Achilles and Hector are so famous, I think Odysseus is a fascinating figure. Aeneas, however, ain't sh*t and Heywood can't really change that nor the fact that the story has Dido falling in love with him. Heywood does her best to show how and why this would happen, but this love affair still feels like a miscalculation on all fronts. The way Heywood handles it is probably as good as we can get, but I still felt myself sighing at Dido over him. However, despite that sighing, The Wandering Queen does feel like a nice complement to the Aeneid which allows us to expand our understanding of the story.

The Wandering Queen tells the stories of Elissa and Dido, who are the same woman but years apart. Elissa is the daughter of the King of Tyre, promised an equal part in ruling her beloved city, except that palace intrigue prevents her from taking the role she feels destined for. She now has to decide what is best: being of service to her people, regardless of title, or getting her due. Dido, meanwhile, gets to see her new city, Carthage, thriving. When Trojan survivors straggle in, she once again finds herself faced with a choice: stay true to the image of the widowed queen or dare to experience love again. The stories of Elissa and Dido are interwoven in an intriguing way, where the more you learn about young Elissa, the more you come to understand who Dido is now. She gets to be a complex woman with desires and ambitions, who is definitely smart but starts of somewhat naive. Both Elissa and Dido make mistakes and I was happy to see room for that within this story. I also liked that Heywood surrounded her with other female characters, even if sometimes it felt a little anachronistic how they dealt with one another. While Aeneas remains a hurdle to me, I really liked how Heywood resolved that element of Dido's life.

This is my first time reading anything by Claire Heywood and I really enjoyed her writing style. Although, as mentioned above, the writing sometimes feels a little too modern, I also know that this is a a me-thing. The Wandering Queen is a very accessible entryway into the story of Dido and I hope it does function as something of a gateway for readers to explore classical works as well. Heywood's writing is also very descriptive, meaning that Tyre is very vivid, as is Carthage itself. This is all a part of Heywood taking her research and bringing it to life. At the end of The Wandering Queen, Claire Heywood explains the various stories that exist around Dido and her own approach to this story. If Dido and Aeneas were historical people, they would have lived centuries apart, but this did not stop Virgil from making Dido a love-sick woman who was left behind. (I was gratified to find out that people already disliked this by the time to Aeneid was written!) Virgil's text is so famous that it has probably eclipsed any other tales of Dido, so seeing Heywood revive some of them in her book was lovely. I don't know if The Wandering Queen has fully converted me towards reading more adaptations of classical works, but I will definitely check out other books by her!

I did have a good time with The Wandering Queen, as much as I can while remaining an Aeneas hater. Dido is a fascinating figure and I'm very glad to see her receive some attention.

URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/...

[Alexandra Morales · Rating 1 out of 5]

****Many thanks to Netgalley and Dutton for an advanced eArc in exchange for my honest opinion****

I will start off by saying I loved Claire Heywood's Daughters of Sparta, I own a physical copy for my bookshelf and find myself rereading it during any book-slumps I may have. That being said I don't understand what happened with The Wandering Queen.

This was a big let down for me and I hate that I have to type these words out. The cover is beautiful and I have always been interested in the story of Queen Dido. I wanted to learn more about the times, more about her intelligence and the bonds she formed that eventually created Carthage.

Elissa started off already so well matured which can be okay but I was thrown off at instances like were her father's will was read and it wasn't the one she witnessed her father write. Her instant calmness didn't feel like a natural reaction to me. The inner turmoil she experienced lasted maybe a page or two. Her first husbands death I was TOLD about her emotions... I wanted to feel the sorrow wafting off the page. I got all these wonderful passages about their eventual fall into love with one another and really expected more raw emotion to come from Elissa. I felt stuck in her internal stream of thought. Her explaining the sadness she felt, how well they were together, how she can't believe this happened etc. So much TELLING and it got old really fast.

I am not normally a grammar Karen but I was LITERALLY dying with how many nots I saw in this story. So many in fact I started writing down all the times it appeared in the storyline.

Had she NOT been born there? Had she NOT grown here? Had she NOT lived in the palace?

Had they NOT been there before? Or had she NOT seen them?

Were they NOT embarrassed to sit before a King who knew NOT why he was there?

"Should you NOT be the one to speak first?

"Is it NOT curious though?'

"Do we NOT see much wealth entering the temple of Melqart?"

"Should we NOT be guided by him in such matters?"

"Better than what? Is this NOT a good outcome?"

"Is that NOT important?"

Her anxiety at the possibility of seeing Aeneas turned to concern that she had NOT.

And was that NOT all she needed?

"Why should it NOT be?"

"Have you NOT said we should be cautious?"

"Is that NOT what we have done for Egypt?"

"Is there NOT something we could do to assure the King?"

She had NOT had time for a proper meal.

"Will you NOT come and take some food now?"

"Why did you NOT take him to the temple of Eshmun?"

"Would we NOT have seen him?"

"Must she NOT have means to honor Melqart"

"Is it NOT encouraging?"

The amount of times I encountered this word was simply UNGODLY. To the point after finishing this book while talking with my husband those dreaded words "did it not?" slip out.. He looked at me amused because I had been complaining about the number of times NOT appeared in this book. It has INFECTED me. It seemed to me she used it so many times to make her characters appear intelligent? Instead of replacing some of those nots with a "didn't, wouldn't or couldn't" which would have improved the book for me entirely. Every "not" snagged my attention and I didn't freaking like it.

Moving on to the absolute LA CROIX of feeling's in this book. There was a subtle hint of emotions on the surface but the aftertaste fell flat for me.

HOW. COULD. ANYONE. ON. GODS. GREEN. EARTH. FALL. FOR. AENEAS.... This man was a beige character through and through. Such a lack of emotions. The fact she fell for him and not Iarbas made me CRY. Iarbas was one of the more well written characters in this book and she did him dirty. He was kind, playful, made her laugh, protective.. you know qualities of a bloody husband. So after a 10 year span of celibacy she decides this foreign prince from Troy who talks of NOTHING else but saving the Trojan line somehow peaked Dido's attention and she literally gave everything up for it. Had that 10 year span of celibacy because she didn't want a husband but the Trojan was SO good she literally assumed they were married?!? I'm just at a complete loss of words for what logic she is trying to apply here. Aeneas would POUT when Dido went about her queenly duties, you expect me to believe she didn't see the multiple red flags that shot straight in the air. Like when he was super tender and loving when they were in bed but pulled back and would become tense when she cared after Carthage. Ugh. Complete slime ball of a human being. Yes you can try to make his character redeemable by trying to make him a "good" father but that only gets you so far with La Croix Aeneas.

Dido was Ms. Perfect. Always in control of her feeling's until the end of the book when she wanted to throw her life away for a human equivalent of a Krill. Her constantly choosing the high road got exhausting. Give me some GRIT, give me a hard choices she had to make. She left the only home she ever knew and it seemed everything just happened to fall onto her lap and work out perfectly. I don't believe it worked that EASILY for her and again takes me out of the story. I understand we are reading a fictional retelling but don't you want your readers to stay in the storyline? I needed to see more challenges she had to face. Perhaps solving the rift with her head priest or something along those lines.

It was too perfectly smooth of a storyline for a woman of her time to up and leave and start a new city. Were women not held back by social standing? No one tried to wrench the power she had away? All because they loved her father?

The dialogue had me constantly rolling my eyes because the way the characters interacted was someone info dumping and then the other character telling it back in the form of a question.

The characters were all very one dimensional and had just a sprinkle of backstory and personality.

Seems to be the first let down of 2026 for me.

[cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle up friends, this is a long (and positive) review!

“Even wounds long closed were painful to expose.”

The Wandering Queen is a powerful retelling of Queen Dido. Following the King’s death, he puts his daughter (Elissa) and her half brother (Pygmalion) in charge equally. But she gets kicked out in favor of her half brother being “easier to swallow”.

We join her on the journey of self discovery and finding her place in a new land, as a leader. One that she builds all for herself.

“You are a woman, and I am a common man. They will keep us in our places or stamp us out entirely.”

~~~

***Spoiler Free Review:
What a beautiful retelling with a beautiful word and beautiful yet flawed characters. I was completely captivated and invested in the well being of Elissa/Dido and her people.

There’s heartbreak and loss, action and sanctuary. There’s friends made along the way and friends that have been long kept.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had the perfect amount of past vs present, and it was very easy to digest. Sometimes I worry about reading a retelling like this due to now knowing enough about the original story, but this was sooo fascinating from start to finish.

~~~

***Review with Spoilers:
The Court of Tyre was the worsttt I can’t believe they did what they did!! Her own brother too.. such a tragedy.

Elissa & her husband had a loving and healthy relationship. I loved how much he grounded her and helped calm her and support her when she was upset. Yet another tragedy to read their story.

I loved reading about Carthage and the new life she built. I went back and forth a lot on Aeneas, if I could trust his character. Of course when should I ever trust a man? *eye roll* his love really didn’t go beyond convenience. My heart ached for her. She had reached for him time and time again, hoping he would help heal her wounds, as she helped heal his. But alas, men are trash.

“Today, I am whatever they most need me to be.” He really seemed like a broken man with a need to find some place new, haunted by his past decisions. Much like Elissa/Dido. Lots of similarities. “They had wounded each other, in the clash of loss against loss.”

“They were more to each other than two wounded creatures.” This was said, and yet they struggled to find even footing, and Dido even tried not to compare him to her late husband (for which he was waaay better to her).

I felt a little bad for Iarbas, but so glad they kept their friendship (and maybe more by that ambiguous ending???). Was definitely disappointed in the priest Hashmun for trying to pit them against each other. Men love to hate on powerful women.

The entire conversation Dido had with her closest friends / (pretty much) sisters surrounding loving another person was enlightening and real. “Do you think my love is worth less because it is more easily given? That yours is so precious because you lock it away like gold?” “You are afraid to love deeply because you fear being hurt.” My heart ached with them as they talked about their feelings and thoughts. “Take joy. Love lightly.” Navigating love through loss is a heavy thing to bear.

I especially loved Anna and her part in the story. She’s an incredible, strong character. Devoted, kind, loyal. Absolutely one of my favorite additions to the story. “Whoever you are and whoever you will be. I knew my leader when I saw her.” Without Anna, Dido would have died at least twice!

Overall, an amazing, captivating story that I adored from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to ARC read in exchange for an honest review!

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dido's stomach sat uncomfortably for weeks. She told Aeneas that she loved him, that she could not imagine life without him, just so that she could hear those words returned.

There are some interesting ideas behind this as outlined in the afterword, specifically about the attempt to incorporate both the 'chaste Dido' pre-Virgilian tradition as well as the better known retelling in the Aeneid that weaves Dido into the myth of the origins of Rome. However, the writing and execution doesn't succeed, for this reader, in making Dido either as complex or as extraordinary as she is in the sources. Sadly, this Dido (or Elissa) is a bit pedestrian and the writing matches her making the whole thing feel a little bland.

There's little discernable emotion throughout the text and 'big' events are largely reported in the same way as domestic scenes. I also didn't really get a sense of alien cultures: we're supposed to be in Bronze Age Tyre and Carthage but almost everything feels as everyday as C21st Europe in terms of thought structures and language. That said, the religious festival of the Awakening is one difference that is dealt with well, and the final confrontation between Dido and Aeneas finally raises the emotional temperature - I really wished we had had more of that dramatic sense in the rest of the narrative.

Almost inevitably, there is a so-called 'feminist' ending... It is absolutely the case that Dido in the Aeneid is framed in gendered terms where her establishment of the city of Carthage with no consort by her side is undermined by irrational, love-struck Dido - though even then her love is imposed on her by the machinations of Venus and Cupid. Take away the gods, as this novel does, and we're left with some shaky psychological motivations for the mythic beats. Given that Virgil was also thinking about Cleopatra and her recent 'feminisation' of Marcus Antonius (who resisted the authority of Augustus, Virgil's patron) when he fashioned his Dido, there is certainly a politicised framework that underpins the national epic. Nevertheless, what happens in this book is so simplistic and reductive that it doesn't even feel like it's doing more than making a junior-level 'feminist' point.

I can't help comparing this to the Didos of both Virgil and Purcell with their haunting voices - they may not be overtly 'feminist' but even in Virgil's time, Book 4 of the Aeneid that tells Dido's story was regarded as the most magnificent book, and Purcell's plaintive aria 'Dido's Lament (When I am Laid... Remember Me)' continues to wring the heart.

As an 'other voice' in the Aeneid, Dido stands against the imperial mission and the masculinised values of war and colonialism that characterise Aeneas' project to found the city that will become Rome - in that sense, as an obstructer to empire, she was always a complex figure and one which didn't subscribe to the male values epitomised, even if reluctantly, by Aeneas. I wish some of that complexity had been reflected in this book rather than the obvious way in which this inverts Dido's story at the end of the book.

Still, I'm always interested in classical reception and there has been thought that has gone into this re-writing making it interesting to readers both of the Aeneid and new to the story of Dido.

Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC via NetGalley

[Alyson Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book: The Wandering Queen
Author: Claire Heywood
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Dutton, for sending me an ARC. This book did not work out for me. It has nothing to do with the actual book or author; it just wasn’t for me. I am finding that when it comes to ancient history, I prefer nonfiction over historical fiction.

When the King of Tyre dies, he leaves his kingdom to be ruled jointly by his daughter Elissa and her young half-brother, Pygmalion. Elissa is intelligent and determined, yet she is unprepared for the ruthless politics of the court. Powerful merchants quickly push her aside, elevating the more easily controlled Pygmalion and stripping Elissa of her authority and her home. Refusing to disappear, Elissa chooses exile over submission and sets out to claim her future on her own terms. Along the way, she experiences both great victories and devastating losses, growing from a protected princess into a formidable leader. Guiding her followers across the sea in search of a new homeland, she earns a new name and a lasting legend as Dido, the wandering queen. Her hard-won city seems secure until a shipwrecked warrior arrives at its gates. Aeneas, fleeing the ruins of Troy, awakens emotions Dido never expected to feel. As their bond deepens, Dido must confront a painful choice between the love she desires and the power she has fought so fiercely to claim.

First off, I decided to try this book because it is based on Dido, who is the queen of Carthage. Carthage is very interesting to me, and having a historical fiction book about its queen pulled me right away. I feel like Carthage is a civilisation that many times does not get the credit it deserves. It was a powerhouse and almost took down the Roman Empire. Can you imagine how history would be different if Hannibal had actually managed to do so? I guess that what I am getting at is that it was very interesting to read about the early days of Carthage.

The writing and the research were well done. It felt like I was transported back into ancient times. I like that we got the whole story as to how and why things came to be. It was very interesting. However, this was not enough to make me stay engaged. Again, it has nothing to do with either the book or anything like that. The book was not for me. It’s well done, and I can see that it is a good book. I’m just not the right audience for it. I mean, I am, but as I have already stated, I do think that I prefer when it comes to ancient history nonfiction over historical fiction-unless it is a children’s/middle grade book.

Overall, just not for me, but it’s not a bad book.

This book comes out on February 10, 2026.