Claire North
The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North is the third and final book in North’s The Songs of Penelope series. Each book is narrated by a different goddess: Ithaca by Hera; House of Odysseus by Aphrodite; The Last Song of Penelope by Athena. As she does in her previous books, North takes some liberties with Homer’s epic poems. But her story is so engaging and so well executed that her departures from the original myth are inspiring.
With Athena as its irreverent narrator, the last book in the trilogy opens with Penelope still struggling to maintain some semblance of order in Ithaca. Along comes Odysseus disguised as a beggar from Crete. North departs from the original myth by making it clear Penelope immediately recognizes him as Odysseus. Penelope goes along with his ruse until she can figure out how best to handle the situation. She strategizes with her council of women and devises a contest to give Odysseus the opportunity to reveal himself and defeat the suitors.
The slaughter of the suitors is described in graphic detail. Odysseus orders the execution of three maids who ostensibly betrayed him. Penelope prevents further executions and rages at him for slaughtering the women whom she relied on to be her accomplices and informants during his twenty-year absence. The household then escapes to Laertes’ farm where they are besieged by the suitors’ fathers and their army, demanding revenge. Thanks to Penelope’s foresight, planning, and her loyal circle of female warriors, they are able to overcome the siege. The novel ends with reconciliation between Odysseus and Penelope.
The narrative moves at a brisk pace. North skillfully weaves stories from Greek mythology throughout. Athena’s critique and running commentary on the characters and events as they unfold contributes in large part to the success of the novel. She is witty, insightful, engaging, and thoroughly entertaining. She moves the narrative along, providing insight into each character’s interiority. Her assessment of her divine siblings and their shortcomings is amusing.
North’s characters are realistically rendered although some bear little resemblance to their Homeric counterparts. Telemachus is the same sniveling child desperate to win daddy’s approval. He falls short every time he tries to assert himself. Penelope is brilliant, resourceful, astute, strategic in her thinking, and highly competent in building alliances. She outsmarts the men, including Odysseus. And she earns Athena’s respect for her intelligence and talents.
North takes the biggest liberty in her portrayal of Odysseus. The battle-hardened, ruthless, cunning, and macho male Homeric Odysseus is transformed into a remorseful, self-critical, and guilt-ridden character. He apologizes to Penelope for slaughtering her women, acknowledges her skills and the invaluable contribution of women, and (shock of all shocks!) takes the advice of a female warrior on preparing for the impending battle. Some of the most delightful scenes in the novel occur in the bantering back and forth between Penelope and Odysseus as they size each other up and as Odysseus slowly realizes how seriously he has underestimated Penelope’s abilities. This new, improved, and humbled Odysseus is a far cry from the Odysseus of Trojan War fame.
Kudos to Claire North for having the gumption to turn Odysseus into a budding feminist; for centering her lens on women marginalized in the original myths; and for illustrating the power of female solidarity.
Although not exactly Homer, this is, nevertheless, a deliciously feminist rendering of the myth.