Tomlinson, a Carnegie Medal–finalist, offers the story of Myrina, a young girl who joins a band of warrior wise women known as the Moon Riders. She meets the princess seer Cassandra of Troy, who joins these nomadic women to escape the restrictions of court life. Characters from Homer’s well-known tale come to life as background details to the story of Myrina and Cassandra, swept up in events beyond their control or understanding. As Myrina becomes a warrior, a wife and a leader, Cassandra returns to Troy under siege to become a mentor, a caretaker and a survivor. Readers see the Trojan War from the surrounding countryside, as well as within the doomed city itself. While not an epic comparable to Homer’s works, the tale of Amazon women and the Trojan War is fast-paced and well-constructed and will have a sequel. (Fiction. 12+)
