THE END CROWNS ALL

A Sapphic retelling of Greek mythology that centers on Cassandra, a princess of Troy, and Helen, the queen of Sparta, as they carve out a new narrative.

A prophecy foretells that Paris, Cassandra’s brother, will cause the downfall of Troy. In order to help protect their city, Cassandra enters a bargain with Apollo: She agrees to lie with him, and in exchange, he will make her his oracle and grant her the gift of foresight. Complicating matters, Cassandra, who’s cued asexual, enters this arrangement knowing that she’s romantically drawn to women. When Helen and Paris arrive in Troy, the path toward ruin begins to take shape. Cassandra’s visions are relentless, and when she refuses Apollo’s sexual advances, he curses her, ensuring that her warnings are dismissed as hysteria. Helen, too, is trapped; her reputation defines her long before she can speak for herself. The story that unfolds is less about war and more about inevitability, as both young women are forced into roles shaped by men and gods. Still, something sparks between them. The pacing is deliberate, mirroring a storyline that cannot escape its foretold ending. Fitzgerald’s prose is lyrical without losing clarity, prioritizing feelings over action, and the length and leisurely pace allow readers to become fully immersed in the atmosphere. The cast of Greek characters is diverse in appearance.

A slowly unfolding tragedy rewoven into a beautifully hopeful queer story.