#6 The Silence of the Girls

Finally, I have chosen a book that is brand new and most would never have heard of. The first time I saw this book, was on an Instagram advert. Then after a spontaneous trip to the cinema (to see Incredibles 2- amazing btw) I forced my father to come with me to Waterstones. I saw this book on the charts for the week in the new collections.

When I read the cover, I thought I was about to read a book about a Queen turned slave who fell in love with her capturer Achilles…but I was denied this story.

Most are familiar with the myth of the Trojan War, whether that’s through the film ‘Troy’ or by studying ‘The Iliad’ or generally through good general knowledge. The original telling’s always shine the light on the great heroes; Achilles, Odysseus, Hector or Menelaus. But Pat Barker chose to retell this famous story through the view of the women. In particularly through the eyes of Briseis, the queen of Lyrnessus. After she watches her husband and brothers’ deaths, her town falls to the Greek army. Briseis is given to Achilles as his prize for the great victory. From palace life to a slave girl, her mind and body are put through things she would never dream of. She has to learn how to deal with her grief and constant fear away from prying eyes; she cannot let anyone see her being weak.

As much as I would’ve loved a conflicting romance between the two, I enjoyed the chosen story by Barker immensely. It was well written making it a simple read, meaning it took me under 24 hours to finish. The relationship that develops between Briseis and Achilles is different and complex with hints of beauty streaming through. It took me a while to understand their terms, but soon I admired the way they would be around each other. Her strong mindset helps her to form surprisingly loving friendships in a world of anger and war.

From this review, the word ‘feminist’ may be filtering through the minds of many. All I can really say to that is; this is a story highlighting the hardships women faced, despite of their birth. We know that the Trojan War is a myth, but gang rapes, sacrifices, and spears through the bellies of pregnant women are the thing of a very true history. I think that Pat Barker told this story beautifully and this book has put an entirely new perspective on classic mythology I have come to know and (not so) secretly love.

There is one line in this book that is repeated saying that is the morale that most women were brought up with, and is probably the cause of the book having the title it does:

Silence becomes a woman.

Have a think about what it meant for many.

Hx