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Polyxena is a princess of Troy, and her city is locked in a deadly war against Agamemnon and his men. After the death of her brother Hector at the hands of Achilles, Polyxena’s father, King Priam, sends her on a mission to recruit the help of the Amazons. Polyxena makes her case to Queen Penthesileia and is soon recruited as part of their camp as they go to assist Troy. But when the Amazons fall, Polyxena finds herself captive to Achilles and his men, an enemy’s escort back to Troy. Trouble continues as the two find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other—star-crossed lovers over enemy lines. Will Polyxena risk her duty to Troy for this seemingly immortal man, or are their fates predetermined to end in disaster?
Readers familiar with the legends of Troy will enjoy this new take on the famous Greek myth. Weaving various aspects of the stories together, the author presents an alternate look at what befell the city of Troy and its royal inhabitants. Filled with romance, political intrigue, and the violence of war, this is a fleshed-out tale that brings the myth to life. The protagonist, Polyxena, is an intelligent and empathetic girl whose only wish is to do right by her family as well as survive the war. However, as she spends time with both the Amazons and Achilles, she realizes that there can be more to her life than what destiny has ascribed to her, or at least that’s what she hopes for. Pre-ordained fate is always a strong element in any Greek myth retelling, and it is interesting to see how exactly a character’s path unfolds when we know there is a certain outcome. The author does a great job of keeping this suspense going until the very end.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review