Book Review: The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

The Children of Jocasta was a 2017 release by Sunday Times bestselling author Natalie Haynes.

I’ve read a couple of Natalie Haynes books recently, including A Thousand Ships and Stone Blind, and I really enjoy the feminist spin she puts on the classic tales.

Some of the Ancient Greece classics I’m really familiar with, such as the Trojan War, but I knew very little about Jocasta. I was therefore excited to read a book where I didn’t already know the ending or have a prejudgement of the characters.

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Genre: Mythology

Author: Natalie Haynes

Buy: Amazon | Waterstones

Published: 2017

Plot

When Jocasta is just fifteen years old, she is told she must marry the King of Thebes, an old man she has never even met. Leaving her family behind, she must try and find her place in the world, as she feels her life has never really been hers.

Years into the future, Ismene is also fifteen when she is attacked in her own home. Since her parents’ tragic and mysterious deaths, Ismene longs to feel safe and loved. However with a single act of violence, she and her family have never been more at risk.

With the turn of these two events, a tragedy is set in motion.

The Children of Jocasta Book Review

I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t know the outcome of this tale and so enjoyed it purely as a good story.

The story of Oedipus, the man who inspired Freud’s Oedipus complex, was vaguely familiar but I knew little of Jocasta.

I enjoyed the afterword, where the author tells us why she chose to focus the story on Jocasta and Ismene rather than the more well known Oedipus and Antigone. Jocasta and Ismene are often overlooked characters and as is so common with Natalie Haynes books, she gives a voice to those seen as more minor characters.

The author admits she took liberties with the traditional story. As I wasn’t familiar with the original, I can’t really comment on how much or little this story deviated from it.

I struggled to connect with the character of Jocasta. I really warmed to her at the beginning and empathised with her situation. However as it skipped so many years I felt like I was viewing the character from a distance. I no longer understood her, but perhaps this was the author’s intention.

I really enjoy Natalie Hayne’s writing style. Her stories are always atmospheric and gripping yet still really accessible. I like how you don’t need to know the original myths to enjoy and appreciate her stories.

I was so engaged in the story, I researched Jocasta and Oedipus after finishing the book. The Greek plays by Sophocles that this novel is based on are so unbelievably tragic. It would be easy to find the events so implausible. However throughout this book, Natalie Haynes offers a touch of realism and pragmatism to the story which make the reader understand how circumstances could lead to such a tragedy.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was another engaging and entertaining retelling of a classic Greek myth. I’m really looking forward to reading more books by Natalie Haynes.