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Blood of Troy

by Claire Andrews
Little, Brown. (­Daughter of Sparta: Bk. 2). Sept. 2022. 480p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780316366748.
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Gr 7 Up–Daphne ended Daughter of Sparta promising the Olympian gods to answer if they called upon her again. When they do, she is directed to become one of Queen Helen’s guards and discovers the conclave King Menelaus is hosting wants nothing more than a reason to go to war with Troy. Headstrong Helen and Daphne flee to warn them and discover a city that values culture over warfare—until the Achaeans arrive with 1,000 ships. Not even Apollo’s wall can protect the city if the gods have turned against them. Andrews’s writing and worldbuilding run closer to the Homeric epic than other retellings, while abandoning the traditional story of Helen’s abduction and giving the women more agency.
VERDICT This myth-infused adventure grounded in historical details is recommended for all YA collections.
Reviewed by Emmy Neal , Feb 01, 2023

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