The Silence Of The Girls

The ancient city of Troy has withstood a decade under siege by the Greek army, which continues to wage bloody war over a stolen woman: Helen. In the Greek camp, another woman watches and waits for the war's outcome: Briseis. She was queen of one of Troy's neighboring kingdoms until Achilles, Greece's greatest warrior, sacked her city and murdered her husband and brothers. Briseis becomes Achilles's concubine, a prize of battle, and must adjust quickly to survive a radically different life, among the conquered women serving the Greek army.

When Agamemnon demands Briseis for himself, she finds herself caught between the two most powerful Greeks. Achilles refuses to fight in protest, and the Greeks begin to lose ground to their Trojan opponents. Keenly observant and unflinchingly honest about the horrors of war, Briseis observes the actions of Achilles and Agamemnon, which will influence the final outcome of the war.

Briseis is one among many women living behind the scenes in this war—the slaves, prostitutes, nurses, and the women who lay out the dead—many of whom are erased from history. With historical detail and luminous prose, Pat Barker vividly portrays the Greek camp and offers nuanced portraits of mythological characters through Briseis's perspective, revealing new insights. Barker's work, built on her extensive study of war and its impact on individuals, is exceptional.