Welcome to Litsy!

I don't quite understand how I missed this one, this is one of my favorite authors. At any rate, it is so serendipitous that this book came up on my Audible because I am seeing Antigone staged in a week! I'm looking forward to understanding the story by learning it with Natalie Haynes, she's my all time favorite reteller of myths. 💜

Natalie Haynes‘s retells the story of Jocasta and her family by synthesising several Greek myths. Borrowed from Libby for the 2nd time, I knew what was coming but I was still surprised. It was how the tension is built as the story switches between two timelines, one telling Jocasta‘s story, and the other tells the story of her daughter Ismene, but what stands out is how Jocasta, the wife of Oedipus, is put back into centre stage of her own story.

5 joys from my weeks, and a wonderful quote from my current read, The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes, so true 🙂

I love a retelling of a Greek myth, so really enjoyed this! I thought Haynes‘ take on the story was interesting, and I enjoyed hearing from characters with less of a voice in other works.

#wintergames #snowangels #snowedin #promptmaze

Beautifully framed retelling of one of psychology‘s favorite Greek mythologies. 👍🏼👍🏼

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
This is day 75
#BooksToRead #TBRPile #TBRMountain

He has never owned an olive grove, but he said he enjoys imagining how he would tend to the trees he doesn't have.

I‘m glad I finally got a chance to pick up this book. I didn‘t remember what it was about and didn‘t realize it was a retelling of Greek mythology. I really enjoyed this book and because I didn‘t know anything about the original works I was along for the ride and enjoyed it. There is a plague in this book FYI. Great pick Rachel!

#BookSpinBingo - Got a second bingo!
#ReadingEurope2020 - Greece
#LMPBC - Round 8

I got your package yesterday @UnidragonFrag ! Thanks for sending them both.

@mrsmarch I‘m still planning to read your pick. I‘m not sure when I‘ll get to it, but I‘ll try to get it back to you in July. (Sounds so far away but it‘s really not 🤪)

#LMPBC #Round8

Rain? In San Diego? In June? So weird.
Anyway, this book was okay. It kind of plods, and I considered DNFing but wanted to see how Haynes handled the ending. The parts about the plague stuck out, of course, but I wonder if Greek tragedies are maybe too extreme for me. People act very erratically and with weird jumps in logic. Not sure how much of that's Haynes and how much is Sophocles.
From May's #bookspinbonanza. Almost ready to start June!

"The man looked across the room at his son, who lay shivering on the hard couch."

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

While not exactly like the original myth, still an interesting read. However, I will echo the thoughts of the other reviews: it took a very eerie turn. The plague that struck Thebes again and again is very similar to what we are facing at present. Other than two characters, the others fell flat for me. Am I glad I read it? Yes. Is it a favorite ? No. Would I recommend it? Yes.

In the mail to @UnidragonFrag !! #lmpbc #round8 #groupC

#solidarity

This book has taken a swift and eerie turn. The plague has come to Thebes — and it sounds eerily like the present day. #lmpbc #round8 #groupC

IT‘S ME 👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻📚🌙😴

1. First grader home from school 2 wks. DAR state conference cancelled. Friend‘s baby shower cancelled. Lord knows what April will look like.
2. I think so. I buy it when ever I get a coupon for it at BJ‘s because I believe it doesn‘t expire if I keep it in the basement a few months 😂
3. I didn‘t have any to start with! LoL.
4. Tagged, and a book of logic puzzles.
5. Frozen 2!! Highly recommend.

#randosurvey

Thank you for all the #LitsyLove birthday wishes...a couple cards pictured with the stuffed highlander cow I got myself as a present. It‘s a weird time to be having a birthday...my birthday gift to myself, a two night hotel stay at the DAR state conference, has been cancelled. My friend‘s baby shower on the 29th is cancelled. 👇🏻

🌑🌘🌗🌖🌕🌔🌓🌒🌑
- I need to water my healthy habits: Regular housecleaning. Maybe get some kind of unkillable houseplant.
- I am struggling a lot with despair. That needs to shrivel up & die.
- When I need to self-care I read the mashed potatoes of the book world, The Belgariad by David Eddings.

#LMPBC #round8 #GroupC collage!

Ready Freddy! #lmpbc #Round8 #GroupC Green pen is ready for service.

#7days7covers #covercrush

I can't keep track of who's been tagged yet, so no tags today, just the cover.

I wavered between pick and soso for this. I went with pick because I think it was a very good book, I don‘t wanna hold it responsible for it not being just what I was in the mood for right now. The ending, definitely, was subtly beautifully written and emotionally affecting in a way I wasn‘t expecting. The afterword was amazing too - maybe Natalie Haynes‘ voice just glitters more when she writes non fiction? I definitely want to read some by her

Reading in Stockholm is everything I was hoping it would be... it‘s hard to concentrate it‘s so beautiful!

I loved hearing Natalie Haynes at a literary festival so I‘m excited to read a book by her! I‘ve read a few books about Ancient Greek myths from other perspectives recently - both of Madeline Miller‘s and Pat Barker‘s The Silence Of The Girls so im excited to add another and see how it approaches a different myth

A marvellous retelling of the Oedipus story from the women‘s point of view. Utterly gripping, and written with great empathy and understanding. Read my Goodreads review at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36524694-the-children-of-jocasta. #nataliehaynes #thechildrenofjocasta #classics #oedipus #greekdrama #legend #myth #thebes #classicalliterature #sophocles #jocasta #history #literature

Powerfully moved by this marvellous retelling of the Oedipus legend. #nataliehaynes #thechildrenofjocasta #book #books #bookstagram #currentlyreading #booksandcoffee #coffeeandbooks #caffeine #coffee #verocaffè #friernbarnet #coffee #classics #oedipus #greekmyths #antigone

Well I don't even know where to begin with how perfect this book was. I loved the retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories from the perspectives of the women often overlooked, Jocasta and Ismene. Such a beautiful, tragic and heartfelt retelling. I couldn't put it down! 5/5 ⭐

It's here and it's even more beautiful than I expected 😍
Can't tell very well from the photo but the cover is embossed and some of the leaves are gold as is the sun. Going to find it hard not starting this tonight...
#tbr #nataliehaynes #childrenofjocasta

When your partner sees how dog tired and hormonal you are being 7 months pregnant and gives you licence to buy yourself a treat...and you sign in relief as you have a reason to explain away all the books you have coming yet you still buy one more 😂
This has been high on my #tbr list for ages, so it had to be done.