Book of the month competition: Clytemnestra's Bind
We are delighted to be able to offer five limited edition signed hardback copies of Clytemnestra's Bind by Susan C. Wilson, courtesy of our friends at Neem Tree Press.
Fans of Circe and The Song of Achilles will be primed for this first instalment of the new The House of Atreus trilogy, inspired by Greek Myth – Wilson's novel was longlisted, pre-publication, for the 2019 Mslexia Novel Competition.
To be in with a chance of winning a copy of this mythic treat, all you need to do is answer the question at the bottom of the page. Entries close on Saturday 30 September at midnight. All entrants must reside in the UK and full terms and conditions apply.
Check out our competitions page for other giveaways.
About Clytemnestra's Bind
The House of Atreus is spiralling into self-destruction – a woman must find a way to break the family curse.
Queen Clytemnestra's world shatters when Agamemnon, a rival to the throne of Mycenae, storms her palace, destroys her family, and claims not only the throne but Clytemnestra herself. Tormented by her loss, she vows to do all she can to protect the children born from her unhappy marriage to Agamemnon. But when her husband casts his ruthless gaze towards the wealthy citadel of Troy, his ambitions threaten to destroy the family Clytemnestra loves once more.
Interview with Susan C. Wilson
Tell us more about yourself and what readers can expect from your novel
I’m a working-class Scottish writer with a passion for ancient Greece, particularly the Late Bronze Age. At nine years old, I discovered Greek mythology while searching for rude words in the dictionary and instead becoming distracted by alluring tales of gods and heroes. Keen to trace the links between these stories and characters, I created my own lavishly illustrated encyclopaedia of mythology, unaware that such an innovation already existed.
My debut novel, Clytemnestra's Bind, is the first in The House of Atreus trilogy. The title character is one of mythology's most reviled women, one who dared to challenge the absolute power of men. I'm currently editing the second novel in the trilogy, which tells the interconnected stories of Helen (Clytemnestra's sister) and the warrior Achilles. Its main themes are the fear of being forgotten after death, along with the conflict between personal ambition and duty to family.
The third novel will examine the fraught relationships that Clytemnestra's daughter Electra and Helen's daughter, Hermione, have with their mothers. It will begin at the end of the Trojan War and will return to the first novel's themes of personal culpability, the unbreakable nature of retribution, and the effects of family favouritism.
I've worked in various dream environments for learning about human nature. Currently, I'm an administrator in the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. I've also created information resources for the Scottish Parliament, where the Garden Lobby at lunchtimes is a fascinating spot for people-watching – although my characters are, of course, fictional!