The last song of Penelope

North has been writing the story of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, for two books now (Ithaca, 2022 and House of Odysseus, 2023), and here, she wraps it up in a rich, vivid mythological retelling, a tale that begins when the long-lost king of Ithaca finally washes onto the shore. This volume is narrated by Athena, the steely-eyed goddess with a grudging love for Penelope, who, she's learned, is extremely wise and cautious, much like the goddess herself. In this conclusion to the series, Odysseus has come back, and slow unveilings, careful politicking, and brutal violence ensue. The efforts of Odysseus, Penelope, and their son, Telemachus, to reclaim their kingdom is compelling and pays homage to the original epic. North's writing is poetic and intellectual, and while it sometimes edges into the verbose and repetitive, it's worth it to follow the tale of these famous Greek figures and the gods and goddesses who shift their lives behind the scenes.

North concludes her Ithaca trilogy (after House of Odysseus) with an intelligent revisionist portrayal of Odysseus's return. The story opens with a gloomy assessment of the wayward hero's island kingdom: "Everyone concurs that Ithaca is the pits.... Her inland forests are scraggy, wind-blasted things, her one city little more than a spider's town of twisted paths and leaning houses that seem to buckle and brace against some perpetual storm." Odysseus, who has finally come back, incognito, from the Trojan War, receives a similar scouring; he's depicted here as a "somewhat short man with a remarkably hairy back," who had performed "many vile and bitter deeds." His return sets in motion a violent showdown with the legion of suitors pursuing both his wife, Penelope, and his throne. North adds satisfying depth to the character of Penelope, whose loyalty to her kingdom takes precedence over devotion to her husband, whom she resents for disguising himself to gauge her faithfulness, and for failing to consider the "delicate political balance" she's worked to maintain. North closes out her saga on a high note. (June)