Helen of Troy Audiobook By Margaret George cover art

Helen of Troy

A Novel

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Helen of Troy

By: Margaret George
Narrated by: Justine Eyre
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Daughter of a god, wife of a king, prize of antiquity's bloodiest war, Helen of Troy has inspired artists for millennia. Now Margaret George, the highly acclaimed best-selling historical novelist, has turned her intelligent, perceptive eye to the myth that is Helen of Troy.

Margaret George breathes new life into the great Homeric tale by having Helen narrate her own story. Through her eyes and in her voice, we experience the young Helen's discovery of her divine origin and her terrifying beauty. While hardly more than a girl, Helen married the remote Spartan king Menelaus and bore him a daughter. By the age of 20, the world's most beautiful woman was resigned to a passionless marriage until she encountered the handsome Trojan prince Paris. And once the lovers flee to Troy, war, murder, and tragedy become inevitable.

©2006 Margaret George (P)2006 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., and Books on Tape Biographical Fiction Fairy Tales Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction War & Military Biography Royalty Marriage Magic War Heartfelt

Critic reviews

"An absorbing retelling of the classic Trojan War myth, and a sobering look at the utter futility of trying to change one's fate." (Booklist)

"George's extraordinary storytelling abilities shine in her portrayal of Helen as both a conflicted woman who abandoned her homeland and child for true love, and as a legendary figure whose beauty and personal choices had epic consequences." (Publishers Weekly)
Captivating Retelling • Rich Historical Detail • Wonderful Pacing • Fascinating Character Development • Beautiful Imagery
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I found long stretches dull. The performance was excruciating; consistently, the inflection on the wrong words made it almost unbearable, making it seem as if the novel was poorly written. The narration choices constantly pulled the listener’s focus toward less important words/information rather than the words and passages relevant to the context and point in the story.

Not my cup of tea.

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I have read two other Margret George books and loved every word. This was not as good although the information is correct on much of history. The people were very self absorbed and annoying. I gave it 3 stars because Margret George does get the information right.

Not as good as her other work

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A fair and ambitious effort. The story could have used another round of edits, it wore on by the end.

A fair and ambitious effort.

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The only thing I would say is the narrator’s cadence could sometimes be very robotic sounding and it got annoying at times. Other than that, it was a beautiful telling of this timeless tale.

Beautiful rendition of the story

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Any additional comments?

Just once I'd like to read a version of Helen where she's actually portrayed as a Spartan queen, and all that implies. While this take is more traditional in portraying her as the lovestruck tool of the gods, Helen proves she's made of sterner stuff than most versions would portray her. I was a bit put-off at first by how slowly the book starts, but the build-up is worth it as a fully three-dimensional character study of some of Homer's most enduring characters. As a romance novel, this is a solid read, but it's so much more. While it's not quite what Homer had in mind, perhaps, there is history, mythology, and warfare to be had in abundance once the story gets going. Margaret George describes the city of Troy in amazing detail, and her citizens comes to life. The mythology involved does add a different feel to Ms. George's story, so it doesn't quite feel like some of her other works. Don't let that put you off. If you like the subject and the author, there's no reason you shouldn't enjoy this book.

A Very Different Take Than Homer

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Not a terrible read or listen - certainly somewhat entertaining but the characters are not super engaging. Not true to well-known versions of myth by its nature as it is an embellished telling from Helen’s perspective - on that point, it feels like Helen’s characterisation is picking up but drops off before she can become relatable and interesting. Narration is a little wonky as all the “common” folk have a weird Eastern European accent that makes no sense and is super distracting - pretty much the reason I wrote this review.

Good until it wasn’t...

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good story, and good narrator. you just might want to put it on 1.5 speed or something cuz the lady readying reads reeeeeeeeeally slow. even at 1.5 speed it's still understandable to listen too and she even sounds like she's talking at a normal speed. if you don't want to alter the speed then this is a good book to listen too when you need to fall asleep cuz oh God she speaks gruelingly slow

good but slow

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The book was amazing, narration was perfection, and I felt the entire book. Just excellent.

Delightful!

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I was a little intimidated when I saw it say 30hrs, but the story moves so fluently that it is hard to believe it’s only 30 hours. Truly takes you on a journey to Troy and back.

Beautiful writing style

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes!

If you could rename Helen of Troy, what would you call it?

Scrolls of the Cygnet?

Any additional comments?

M. George's historical details and research are always stunning - I have all (I think) of her books. You can feel safe in the knowledge of the writer.The narrator Justine Eyre was utterly FANTASTIC! It was almost a meditative experience - what a lovely voice!And, her pacing is wonderful - I could actually feel my hectic mind slowing down to her cadence; that allowed for a very deep immersion into the story. Ms. Eyre gave an incredible performance. What a gift she gives by capturing your attention completely.This book is very well written and the narrator fantastic.

a very lovely book!

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