We’re celebrating the release of Mourned by Men this week, and if you love fantasy mixed with Greek mythology, you are going to want to read it!
Mourned by Men
Publication Date: December 12, 2023
Genre: Historical Fantasy/ Greek Mythology
Her mother told them they were daughters of a god. But can the children of gods hurt? Can they die and fail like any other mortal?
Penthesilea knew her life was different. Growing up on the lush island of the Amazons, she and her sister lived on the cusp of two worlds—the warlike one of men and the soft and mothering one of women. But Amazonian girls learn to fight, to defend their home, to battle their enemies. They are neither soft nor cold, neither fully female nor male in their traditions. However, the outside world breaks their peace, and Pen finds her sister drawn to the men outside in a way she herself cannot understand. When tragedy befalls the sisters, Pen and her warrior women journey to Troy, the site of the legendary war between friend and foe, where the Amazon queen must decide between tradition and a new sort of life that only she can define.
The Trojan War made famous Hector, Achilles, and Aeneas, but there are also Penthesilea and her Amazons and a host of legendary characters, their stories stripped of magic and deus ex machina, bared to the world as simple men and women, struggling against the often-deadly fates foretold in myth.
Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Katie Frendreis grew up in Chicago, reading mythology and illustrating her own fantastical adventures. This is her first published novel. She earned her BA in Classical Civilization from Loyola University and has worked in such diverse places as museums, dance studios, and funeral homes. Collecting hobbies like some people collect stamps, she also draws, paints, teaches tap dancing, and trains as an aerialist. She currently lives just outside Chicago with her husband, an adorable fruit bat/dog, a massive collection of books, and a rather large Lego community in her basement.
My thoughts: Penthisilea (her name means “mourned by men”) is the queen of the Amazons at the time of the Trojan War, and according to Homer, dies on the battlefield. Interestingly her warrior women fight for Troy, honouring a long connection between King Priam and her mother.
Greek mythology is littered with terrible men, and this story has several – Paris spoilt son of Troy who quite frankly should know better than to steal the wife of a belligerent Greek king – Menelaus (another terrible man), then there’s Heracles (wife killer, child killer, reason a lot of people end up dead), Theseus (general shit) who marries her sister Hippolyta, has a son with her (Hippolytus) and then decides he wants a different wife. Hippolyta’s terrible death, defending him, doesn’t stop him from being a terrible person either.
Penthisilea only really likes Priam, his son Hector and Hector’s killer, her enemy the Greek hero Achilles, who treats her with respect. Otherwise she’s not keen on men. Can’t really blame her.
This is a really interesting retelling of the life of another incredible character from Greek mythology to file alongside those of Circe, Penelope, Medea and Ariadne (another of Theseus’ victims).
Book Tour Schedule
December 11th
http://rrbooktours.com Landing Page
https://www.instagram.com/emerald.moon.reads/ – Review
https://justmeandmyblogreviews.blogspot.com/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/fathomsamidstthelines/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookgrlobsessed/ – Review
https://www.ladyhawkeye.com/ – Feature
December 12th
https://www.instagram.com/joyreadingbooks/ – Review
https://instagram.com/redbookreview – Review
https://www.instagram.com/robin.bookish.escape/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/tkeyahreads?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D – Review
December 13th
https://www.instagram.com/_books.in.wonderland_/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/fionaisreading/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookwyrmlayne/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookmarkedbymaddie/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookreviewsbytaylor/ – Review
http://www.ismellsheep.com/ – Feature
December 14th
https://www.instagram.com/calhoun.crew/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/jlreadstoperpetuity – Review
http://ramblingmads.com – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookloversamantha?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/cupcakes_books – Review
https://www.instagram.com/authormariereed/ – Feature
December 15th
https://www.instagram.com/countrymamaswithkids – Review
https://www.instagram.com/emmabeeslibrary/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/excavating.my.tbr/ – Review
https://www.instagram.com/thebookishbrunette20?igshid=MTNiYzNiMzkwZA%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/alibraryforfairies/ – Review
Book Tour Organized By:
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 