The Heroines by Laura Shepperson (Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere)

Power abuse and an indication of Me too movement in Ancient Greece. 

This book is for anyone who enjoys reading Greek mythology, this time done differently and from a woman's perspective. 

If there are heroes, do women become heroines? Women keep going, persevere, ask for nothing, and get even less. Where are their stories?

Phaedra, daughter of the Minoan king and sister of the Labyrinth monster, leaves Crete after tragedy as the wife of Theseus, king of Athens. Unaccustomed to the dark palace, solitude, neglect, and aggression of the men who apparently dominate this court, she experiences even worse abuse: rape. When Phaedra accuses Hippolytus, who is her husband's son, she is put on trial in an all-male court.

As befits a true Greek tragedy, the ending is known, yet the author managed to show the story through a woman's eyes, bring the protagonists to life, and give them a modern voice.

A good read that prompts self-examination and demonstrates that monsters can hide behind good looks, kind words, and high power.

4/5