Rachael
asked:
How does this book compare to Pat Barker's THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS? Is this going to be an ongoing literary trend now--re-telling wars/conflicts through women's perspective(s)? I don't want another "GONE GIRL" kind of thing where one book launches a thousand wannabes, so to speak, and that's all we see for a while. Not to say that this trend/these books are bad, I just get tired of the same thing over and over.
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Josh Hedgepeth
I disagree with Natalie. I felt Haynes' narrative gave a broader look at the war that still told a complete narrative. The Silence of the Girls is more zooming in on one area of it which is a narrative unto itself. Haynes' work is a unique approach that may feel somewhat disjointed, but it all comes together to tell a cohesive story if in a non traditional manner.
I don't think its just some trend. Both of these stories are telling a different story than what it's based on. The point is that these are parts of the stories that have never been told. Perhaps it will start a wave, but is that a bad thing? If there are stories untold, I would love to see them written.
I don't think its just some trend. Both of these stories are telling a different story than what it's based on. The point is that these are parts of the stories that have never been told. Perhaps it will start a wave, but is that a bad thing? If there are stories untold, I would love to see them written.
Rori Raquib
I liked this much better than The Silence of the Girls. This book explores the narrative over more female perspectives, including goddesses, and gives a much richer understanding of the war, its impacts, and what the world was like.
The Silence of the Girls is really just Briseis's perspective, which isn't a particularly interesting one - just another view of Achilles. A Thousand Ships feels more epic in scope.
The Silence of the Girls is really just Briseis's perspective, which isn't a particularly interesting one - just another view of Achilles. A Thousand Ships feels more epic in scope.
Megan Cledwyn
I completely understand Rachael's concern - retelling a popular well known story from a different character's perspective is a really engaging narrative tool but you don't want too much of a good thing.
This isn't a new idea though; for example, 'Ophelia' by Lisa M Klein came out in 2006.
What is interesting is the amount of specifically Greek mythology stories being retold with female characters in the spotlight - and personally I am loving it! History (and ancient mythology) sometimes feels quite male-hero heavy so this movement of swinging the narrative lens around to the women is a wave I'm going to happily ride for a while. 'The Penelopiad' by Margaret Atwood is next on my list.
This isn't a new idea though; for example, 'Ophelia' by Lisa M Klein came out in 2006.
What is interesting is the amount of specifically Greek mythology stories being retold with female characters in the spotlight - and personally I am loving it! History (and ancient mythology) sometimes feels quite male-hero heavy so this movement of swinging the narrative lens around to the women is a wave I'm going to happily ride for a while. 'The Penelopiad' by Margaret Atwood is next on my list.
Courtney
It's the viewpoint of one vs. the view point of many. Silence of the Girls was told from the point of Briseis as she retold the tale of Achilles. A Thousand Ships spans the entire Trojan war plus another decade after it's done from the perspectives of many female characters, including goddesses. It gives you a broader understanding of the event while still telling a cohesive story. I thoroughly enjoyed both. However, if you don't care for rotating perspectives or multiple writing styles (one of the females chapters are told in the format of letters) you might want to pass up on this one.
l
it's written very poorly. otoh pat barker is a great novelist.
Natalie Leonard
Honestly I liked Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls so much better than A Thousand Ships. Barker’s story is more of a cohesive story whereas Haynes illustrates several brief snapshots of all of the women involved in the war.
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