EMILY HAUSER

Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War? Now is the time for the women of Troy to tell their story. Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the true story of true for the first time. The story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes. In this novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a tale that has waited millennia to be told. "Brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive." (Manda Scott, author of Boudica).

Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War? Now is the time for the women of Troy to tell their story. Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the true story of true for the first time. The story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes. In this novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a tale that has waited millennia to be told. 'Brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive' Manda Scott, author of Boudica.

Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War? Now is the time for the women of Troy to tell their story. Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the true story of true for the first time. The story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans'' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes. In this novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a tale that has waited millennia to be told. "Brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive." (Manda Scott, author of Boudica).

Offers a fresh and feminist takeMadeline Miller, bestselling author of CirceThousands of years ago, two remarkable women found themselves swept up in one of the greatest legends of all . . . and discovered the price that must be paid for immortality.Desperate to save her dying brother, Admete persuades her father, the king of Tiryns, to allow her to accompany Hercules on one of his celebrated twelve labours. They travel to the land of the Amazons in the hopes of finding a cure but their arrival causes tension with the infamous female warriors. Hippolyta, the revered queen of the tribe, sees their presence as a threat both to her people, but also to the long-guarded secret she has been keeping from them.As battle lines are drawn between the Greeks and the Amazons, Admete and Hippolyta soon learn the inevitable truth that in war, sacrifices must be made; especially if they are to protect the ones they love most . . .PRAISE FOR EMILY HAUSER:Hauser recreates one of the oldest tales in Greek myth with great skill and panache.The TimesOnce in a while something comes along thats so utterly right, so necessary for now, that you wonder why nobody thought of it before. Emily Hausers stunning debut novel . . . brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive. Manda Scott, bestselling author of Boudica and Into the FireA delight from start to finish. Hausers fresh perspective on one of the great archetypal epics, in focusing on the marginalised womens stories, makes for fascinating reading . . . a clever premise and thoroughly enjoyable. Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Sisters of TreasonKept me utterly absorbed. Here is a heroine to cheer for, and a book to cherish. Margot Livesey, author of The House on Fortune StreetBeautifully descriptive . . . drawing the reader into a lost world of gods and heroes. Glyn Iliffe, author of King of Ithaca

Some three thousand years ago, in a time before history, the warriors of Greece journeyed to the ends of the earth in the greatest expedition the world had ever seen.One woman fought alongside them.Abandoned at birth on the slopes of Mount Pelion, Atalanta is determined to prove her worth to the father who cast her aside. Having taught herself to hunt and fight, and disguised as a man, she wins a place on the greatest voyage of that heroic age: with Jason and his band of Argonauts in search of the legendary Golden Fleece. And it is here, in the company of men who will go down in history as heroes, that Atalanta must battle against the odds and the will of the gods to take control of her destiny and change her life forever.With her unrivalled knowledge and captivating storytelling, Emily Hauser brings alive an ancient world where the gods can transform a mortals life on a whim, where warriors carve out names that will echo down the ages . . . and where one woman fights to determine her own fate.

If youve been gripped by Pat Barkers The Women of Troy and The Silence of the Girls, then For the Most Beautiful is a must-read for you . . .Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War?Now is the time for the women of Troy to tell their story.Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the untold story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes.In this novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a tale that has waited millennia to be told.Brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive Manda Scott, author of Boudica

Did you love Madeline Miller s Circe Pat Barker s The Silence of the Girls Jennifer Saint s Elektra Natalie Haynes A Thousand Ships But did you ever wonder who the real women behind the myths of the Trojan War were Now award winning classicist and ancient historian Emily Hauser takes readers on an epic journey to uncover the astonishing true story of the real women behind ancient Greece s greatest legends and the real heroes of those ancient epics Homer s Iliad and Odyssey Because contrary to perceptions built up over three millennia ancient history is not all about men and it s not only men s stories that deserve to be told In Mythica Emily Hauser tells for the first time the extraordinary stories of the real women behind some of the western world s greatest legends Following in their footsteps digging into the history behind Homer s epic poems piecing together evidence from the original texts recent astonishing archaeological finds and the latest DNA studies she reveals who these women queens mothers warriors slaves were how they lived and how history has or has not until now remembered them A riveting new history of the Bronze Age Aegean and a journey through Homer s epics charted entirely by women from Helen of Troy B

THE INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLERAward-winning classicist and historian Emily Hauser takes readers on an epic journey to uncover the astonishing true story of the real women behind ancient Greeces greatest legends, and the real heroes of those ancient epics, Homers Iliad and Odyssey . . . Bold and intellectually thrilling . . . blending history and science, rigorous scholarship and dazzling feats of imagination.TOM HOLLAND, historian and co-host of The Rest is History podcastAbsolutely blew me away . . . rich, evocative and original work . . . this book is quite wonderful.ELODIE HARPER, author of The Wolf DenOffersa dazzling new way of thinking about the ancient world . . . a wonderful, beautifully written and important book.DAN JONES, author of Henry VA book the world has been waiting for . . . I loved it.BETTANY HUGHES, author of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldContrary to perceptions built up over three millennia, ancient history is not all about men and its not only mens stories that deserve to be told.In Mythica Emily Hauser tells, for the first time, the extraordinary stories of the real women behind some of the western worlds greatest legends. Following in their footsteps, digging into the history behind Homers epic poems, piecing together evidence from the original texts, recent astonishing archaeological finds and the latest DNA studies, she reveals who these women queens, mothers, warriors, slaves were, how they lived, and how history has (or has not until now) remembered them.A riveting new history of the Bronze Age Aegean and a journey through Homers epics charted entirely by women from Helen of Troy, Briseis, Cassandra and Aphrodite to Circe, Athena, Hera, Calypso and Penelope Mythica is a ground-breaking reassessment of the reality behind the often-mythologized women of Greeces greatest epics, and of the ancient world itself as we learn ever more about it.