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A Thousand Ships
- Narrated by: Natalie Haynes
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2020
One of the Guardian's and TLS's 'Best Books of 2019'
In A Thousand Ships, broadcaster and classicist Natalie Haynes retells the story of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective, for fans of Madeline Miller and Pat Barker.
This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of them all....
In the middle of the night, a woman wakes to find her beloved city engulfed in flames. Ten seemingly endless years of conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans are over. Troy has fallen.
From the Trojan women whose fates now lie in the hands of the Greeks, to the Amazon princess who fought Achilles on their behalf, to Penelope awaiting the return of Odysseus, to the three goddesses whose feud started it all, these are the stories of the women embroiled in the legendary war.
Powerfully told from an all-female perspective, in A Thousand Ships Natalie Haynes puts the women, girls and goddesses at the centre of the story.
Critic Reviews
"A gripping feminist masterpiece." (Deborah Frances-White)
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What listeners say about A Thousand Ships
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan
- 03-15-22
Unforgiving and powerful novel
This books shines a bright light on the often disregarded characters of these epic novels we heard, read, and tought about. It shows us a different perspective that is both refreshing, and tragic. I truly hope the ghosts of these women will find some semblence of rest, knowing there is someone who is doing her best giving them the justice and recognition they deserve
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Dr Ann-Maree Nobelius
- 06-25-19
Disappointing
The first thing that struck me about this audiobook was the narrator: flat and lacking the ability to bring the words to life. Then I realised that the book is narrated by the author. Perhaps I might have enjoyed it more if a professional narrator had been employed, and there are many good ones, and it is a specific skill that the author clearly does not possess. The second element to this book was the disappointing embodiment of the events well-know through classical literature. Having listened to 'The Silence of the Girls' this contrast was particularly stark; that book had chosen the narrative flow of the war as retold from one woman's perspective (and secondarily another man's). THIS book jumps around from multiple women's perceptive over time and completely loses the flow. The characters are thin and caricatured feminine stereotypes in their perspectives: Penelope is the worst of these...her nagging retelling or the story of Odysseus to the man himself through letters was nothing short of annoying.
16 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Barbie
- 05-22-19
Good story but poorly narrated
This is very similar in tone and story to ‘The Silence of the Girls, by Pat Barker. It’s not as good as Bsrker’s telling of the fall if Troy. But still interesting. I found the authors narration very flat, toneless. It did nothing to bring the story to life. So, a good book, but should have been spoken by an actor to bring all the different women to life.
13 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Emily D.
- 05-05-19
An interesting retelling of a story we know so well
I had been waiting for this to be released and it was worth the wait!
The chapter format of being from a different perspective for each one took a little to get into but once you do there is no looking back. I wish we could have had a few more the characters tell the story in first person!
I am really enjoying the current trend of retelling Greek myths and this was an interesting take on a story (the fall of Troy) which we know.
Would recommend anyone who was a fan of Circe and The Silence of Girls to give it a read/listen.
12 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs. S. White
- 06-07-19
Ancient Greek Women Brought to Life
I loved the idea behind this book, to bring the women of Greek epic poetry into the light. And I loved the writing. Unfortunately I struggled a bit with the narration and felt there was not enough light and shade and not enough differentiation between the characters. Even so I would recommend this audiobook for the writing and for the breadth of knowledge of antique poetry
9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ms. H. A. Seymour
- 06-25-19
Great story written with knowledge.
I heard this book discussed on Woman's Hour. really glad I gave it a try,
can be listened to story by story or as a long listen.
brings the time and the people to life, even if ancient greece is not your thing.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lizzied
- 06-06-19
I have waited for this book for years
I preface this review by admitting I have a degree in Classics. Whilst I am a Roman person at heart, not a Greek, I absolutely loved this book! It spoke to me in a way that no other book has for years. When it finished I immediately wanted to start it again. The story and the narration were perfect.
If you ever wondered what happened to the women affected by the Trojan War then this is the book for you. I always liked Penelope, now I love her - her voice and increasing annoyance are so modern but also so true, and don’t get me started on the Muse! All of the characters had their own distinct voices and you could understand their view point - even Helen. This is not a sentimental book, but a wonderful honest imagining of how each of the women may have been affected by the war. Thank you Natalie Haynes for writing this book for me!
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ruth E Watkin
- 08-29-19
Absolutely loved it!
It is so refreshing to hear the stories from a women's perspective, both the more well known and the more invented flowed together brilliantly.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C. Cooney
- 06-10-19
Absolutely wonderful
I'm so glad Natalie choose to read this herself because the narration is fabulous. I have enjoyed this every bit as much as I've ever enjoyed anything and as much as I've always enjoyed everything Natalie Haynes has done.
Wonderful work by (in my opinion) an under rated star.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Erzulie
- 08-13-19
Breathtaking and heartbreaking
I wanted to use every free moment that I had listening to this audiobook. A tremendous and courageous recuperation of women’s lives from classical literary history, especially from the works of Homer, Euripides, Aeschylus and others. The book is composed of multiple short stories, each told from the perspective of the women involved in the Trojan War (even remotely and by association). My heart broke to hear the moving imagined testimonies of Iphigenia, Cassandra, Penthesilea, Laodamia and Andromache, among others. Natalie Haynes does brilliant and important work here, that much is doubtless, but she also weaves together a compelling, absorbing, fascinating and inspirational page-turner. That it’s read by Natalie herself adds a little to the magic. Natalie has such a beautiful voice. An all-round phenomenal audiobook.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cathryn
- 06-07-19
Wonderful perspective on classic tales
I loved the subject matter and perspective but I really wish more novel would be read by actors rather than the author as better performance would really enhance the stories.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S. Seeney
- 12-01-20
an excellent story
Glad I bought this as an audio book otherwise I would have read the weekend away. Could not stop listening to it beautifully read with stories I very much wanted to hear.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sunny
- 08-26-21
Informative
I thoroughly enjoyed this offering from Natalie Haynes
Kept me captivated for 2 days. Couldn’t stop listening
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sophie Ellis
- 06-16-21
Wonderful
Loved every minute, particularly the chapter where the 3 goddesses vie for the golden apple. He wouldn’t get my owl either
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Emma
- 04-05-21
Brutally and beautifully written.
Stunning story about the women and goddesses surrounding the Trojan war. Reimagined Greek myths from the female perspective is always going to pique my interest and this did not disappoint. Having the author narrate the book was also a wonderful addition.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-24-20
A most brilliant retelling
From the first chapter, I was shaken by the tenacity of the author’s desire to tell the story of the women whom history has silenced. Every character has depth and beauty and a strength unique to her and her alone. Which is no small feat seeing as almost every chapter is from the perspective of a different woman. Yet you cannot help but notice how they are all bound by the same sort of resilience. I found this book so beautiful and empowering despite the fact that most of the women don’t have a happy ending. I still found comfort in them. In them I saw my grandmother, my mother, my aunties, my sister. I found myself wanting to reach out and comfort them. To hold Andromache, to console Hecuba, to fight alongside Penthesilea. I think I’ve made it quite clear that the characters are brilliantly written. But the prose, oh the prose. If you could see how many times I went back to listen to a certain description again and again. I want to thank you Ms Natalie Haynes, for giving these women a voice, for telling their story, for not relegating them to “collateral damage” in a man’s war. I will treasure this story for years. Thank you
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nicolette
- 08-28-20
To be read by ALL WOMEN!
Natalie Haynes has brought me with her and revealed so much about the classic texts, women in literature , and women in war. I am about to reread this inspiring epic, having just this minute finished it...as I am already longing for these inspiring women, and wish to cement much of my learning into my memory. From a woman of Ithacan and Spartan descent, I thank you Natalie
