Customer Reviews
wow - By: Jamie fan, 04 Nov 2007 
wow! This book was truly great. It was funny, sad, romantic, & I loved the way that the Greek Gods & Goddesses were worked into the plot. I would recomend this to teenage girls who love reading historical fiction like me!
I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEE THIS BOOK! - By: Ellie Dawson, 19 Nov 2006 this is a fantastic book. My mum bought it for me, & i got straight into it. The characters are realistic, & i could reallly relate to Klymene as she was growing up.
The book is about Penelope, living in Ithaka while Odysseus is fighting in Troy. It also tells the story of her young maid, Klymene, & the effects of love, secrets & revenge.
The plot was snappy & reallly interesting, the description was realistic, & i felt like i was there.
One of the best books i have ever read-Five Stars *****!
Courtesy of Teens Read Too - By: TeensReadToo.com, 14 Oct 2006 
If you've ever read the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, you know that the author focuses on the thrilling journey of Odysseus. After the Trojan War has ended, Odysseus must battle witches, supernatural monsters, & even gods to gain back his lands & his faithful wife from the thieves that have kidnapped her. In the story of ITHAKA, the focus isn't on Odysseus, but on those that were left behind--first when he went off to war, & then when he fails to return home after the war ends.
The book is narrated by Klymene, a teenage girl who serves as handmaiden to Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. It's been two years since the Trojan War ended, & still her husband has not returned home to rule their land. There is a steady, never-ending stream of suitors vying for Penelope's hand in marriage, hoping that the (mostly) faithful wife will soon realize that her husband is gone forever. Penelope is not sought after because of love, but because of her wealth & the lands she will soon possess if she gives her husband up for dead.
For Klymene, it's difficult to fathom why Penelope is so determined to stay faithful to a husband who is most likely never to return. She soon learns about love & the matters of the heart, however, when she becomes infatuated with Odysseus's troublesome son, Telemachus. Matters are complicated even further when Klymene realizes that she, a lowly handmaiden, is not the apple of Telemachus's eye. That privilege belongs to another young woman who has come to serve in the household, Melantho.
One of the most interesting parts of ITHAKA is the paranormal aspect of Klymene, who is able to see the gods. She is also a keeper of secrets, & since she deals every day with individuals who would do anything to keep those secrets safe, it's a somewhat demanding job.
This is not a retelling of The Odyssey. This is a completely different story, full of magic & heartbreak, joy & sadness, & the trial & error of growing up. There's something for everyone here, with mystery, romance, & action-adventure. If you love historical stories, or those based on myths, you won't go wrong with ITHAKA.
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Sumptuous storytelling! - By: , 05 Jan 2006 I loved this book which brings to life the characters left behind on the island of Ithaka when those black ships sailed off to Troy. Mostly it's the story of Odysseus's family, his son Telemachus & his faithful wife, Penelope - seen though the eyes of Klymene, first Telemachus's playmate, then Penelope's handmaiden. But it's her story too. We see her growing from girl to young woman facing moral dilemnas, rapacious men, & heartbreak. Klymene is Geras's brilliant invention, a character who fits into the ancient story & makes it accessible to modern readers. It's bleak but not depressing. Read on! Emotionallly involving, the story carries the reader to another world,which can be experienced through alll the senses. You see hear & smell the Greek island. You see, hear & smell the characters including those capricious gods who play havoc with human lives. Sumptuous storytelling!
Ithaka revisited - By: , 30 Oct 2005 One of the best books for mature young readers written in the last twelve months. This refreshing & refreshed classic story is told by a consummate contemporary storyteller. The gripping story of Odysseus's journey home is seen through the eyes of those left behind, Penelope & her young handmaiden, Klymene. Weariness, boredom, longing & yearning are skilfully depicted by Adele Geras, who has a compassionate eye for the delights & turmoil of love. Even though experienced readers know the outcome of Penelope's patience, this version brings a fresh understanding & insight to what it means to be placed in sentient stasis. The earlier companion novel, 'Troy' represented a high water mark in this novelist's career but 'Ithaka' has achieved a higher standard yet.Adele Geras employs alll of her sensitive emotional intellegience & provides a fresh perspective, which will appeal to those who enjoy retellings of the Greek legends, such as, 'The King must die' by Mary Renault. A truly five star novel
