In this lush, compelling novel of passion and loss, Helen of Troy, a true survivor, tells the truth about her life, her lovers, and the Trojan War. This is the memoir that she has written?her legendary beauty still undimmed by age. — Gossips began whispering about Princess Helen from the moment of her birth. A daughter of the royal house of Spart... more »a, she was not truly the progeny of King Tyndareus, they murmured, but of Zeus, king of the gods. Her mother, Queen Leda, a powerful priestess, was branded an adulteress, with tragic consequences. To complicate matters, as Helen grew to adulthood her beauty was so breathtaking that it overshadowed even that of her jealous sister, Clytemnestra, making her even more of an outcast within her own family. So it came as something of a relief to her when she was kidnapped by Theseus, king of Athens, in a gambit to replenish his kingdom?s coffers.

But Helen fell in love with the much older Theseus, and to his surprise, he found himself enamored of her as well. On her forced return to Sparta, Helen was hastily married off to the tepid Menelaus for the sake of an advantageous political alliance. Yet even after years of marriage, the spirited, passionate Helen never became the docile wife King Menelaus desired, and when she fell in love with another man?Paris Alexandros, the prodigal son of King Priam of Troy?Helen unwittingly set the stage for the ultimate conflict: a war that would destroy nearly all she held dear.

I learned that I was different when I was a very small girl: when the golden curls, which barely reached my shoulders at the time, began to turn the color of burnished vermeil. Your grandmother Leda, whom you never knew, told me that I was a child of Zeus. Since I thought my father?s name was Tyndareus, her words upset me. Seeing my pink cheeks marred by tears of confusion, my mother handed me a mirror of polished bronze and asked me to study my reflection.

?Do you look like me?? she asked.

I nodded, noting in my own skin the exquisite fairness of her complexion, and her hair the same shade as mine that tumbled like flowing honey past the hollow of her back.

?And do you resemble my husband Tyndareus?? she said to me.

I looked in the mirror and then looked again. For several minutes I remember expecting the mirror to show me my father?s face, but Tyndareus was olive complected where I was not, his nose like the beak of a falcon where my own was straight and fine-boned, and his cheekbones were hollow and slack where, even then, beneath a child?s rosy plumpness, mine were high and prominent.

?It?s time for me to tell you everything,? my mother said . . .

?From The Memoirs of Helen of Troy

ISBN-13: 9780307209986
ISBN-10: 0307209989
Publication Date: 11/8/2005
Pages: 320
Rating:

Currently 3.9/5 Stars.

3.9 stars, based on 15 ratings

Publisher: Crown
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Similar books to this author and title:

To the Tower Born : A Novel of the Lost Princes

Members who requested this book also requested:

$All the World\'s a Grave: A New Play by William Shakespeare$

Blackbeard: A Tale of Villainy and Murder in Colonial America

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

Currently 4/5 Stars.

Maria M. reviewed The Memoirs of Helen of Troy on 11/23/2011 + 18 more book reviews

This is a great book. It gives you a different view of Helen of Troy, one of a strong woman that was able to overcome terrible events in her life. Very interesting to compare the story in this book to what we all learn during our college years regarding the battle of Troy.

Currently 5/5 Stars.

Vicki L. (vicki) reviewed The Memoirs of Helen of Troy on 8/21/2006 + 623 more book reviews

Amanda Elyot makes history come alive! Loved this book!

Read All Book Reviews of "The Memoirs of Helen of Troy"

Genres:

Literature & Fiction >> General

My Account
Post Books
Wish List
Bookshelf
Member Tools
Under the Hood
Newsletter Archive

Search for a Book
Browse My Favorite Genres
Advanced Book Search
Book Browser
Club Tag Cloud
NYT Best Sellers
Newbery Medal Winners
Pulitzer Prize Winners
Books Posted Today
Award Winning Books
Mobile / PDAs

Help Center
How to Swap Books
Ask the Librarian
Live Help
Browser Test
Feature List

Community
Spread the Word
Widgets & APIs
Feeds RSS/XML
Box-O-Books
Discussion Forums
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Company
Press & Media
Pulse of PBS
Contact Us
Careers
Privacy & Security

Sister Sites
SwapaDVD.com
SwapaCD.com

Back to the Top ↑

Tell a friend about this book...

Search - The Memoirs of Helen of Troy

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews