Among the most famous Bronze Age legends is the Siege of Troy. We know all about the men – Paris, who eloped with Helen, Menelaus, Helen’s enraged husband, Hector, stalwart prince of Troy, and Ajax and Achilles in the Greek army facing the city. But what of the women? Let’s read about the DAUGHTERS OF BRONZE.
Helen should get a chance to give her side of the story. And Cassandra, who foretold ruin but was not believed by those in the wealthy trading city… until it was too late. Andromache married Hector, who came here from a land that valued warrior queens. Not to forget, women in those days had to manage a lot of staff in the household. One such is Rhea.
Of all of them, I suspect Rhea will make the most friends. The first installment of the decade-long Trojan War was covered by Horses of Fire, which introduced the characters. Rhea is a servant, and her stalwart loyalty, quick wits and small stature make her ideal as a spy. She spends time in the attacking camp, doing menial servant and healer work, gathering crucial information. Tragically, she can’t help falling in love with Ajax, a handsome nobleman who treats her kindly. To save her people she will clearly be forced to betray him.
Helen tells us that Paris actually abducted her, so she has been the spoil of war not once but twice. Her Spartan heritage keeps her strong, but at the start of this book, people think she perished in a fire. That doesn’t last long, despite jealous Paris locking her up with just a weaver’s loom.
Cassandra sees disturbing visions, which we might call schizophrenia nowadays. They are never believed, because everyone thinks she is touched. She’s hard to like as a personality. Andromache reminds us that women everywhere get on with life, which includes giving birth. The Trojan men may perish in battle but she desperately wishes to protect her son. She comes across as a woman of power and influence listened to as a general but still ignored if that’s what the soldiers want to do.
A.D. Rhine concentrates on the women’s experiences – face it, we have read plenty about the battles, so this aspect is long overdue for telling. A day-long labour is just as much a battle, with, in that era, every chance of dying. And in times of war, love means heartbreak. Not too much credit is given to godly intervention, though a meteor is interpreted as a sign. Rather, the duo behind this account have worked to describe how events might have occurred at the time, and been inflated in status over the centuries. Although the sack of the city is already known to us, the end of this story was not, and I held my breath several times as the DAUGHTERS OF BRONZE rode towards its conclusion. We end on hope. This is a lengthy story with many characters to follow. War for greed seems unchanging through the centuries, but A.D. Rhine encourages us to believe that women and hope can prevail. The authors have created fine weaving.
Lost between the timeless lines of Homer’s epic, the women of Troy finally stand to be counted. Their story is one you’ve never encountered, and it will change the fate of Troy forever.
Andromache has proven herself a capable leader, but can she maintain that hard-won status now that she is the mother to the city’s long-awaited heir? With enemies closing in, Andromache must bring together a divided city in time to make a final stand.
Rhea is a Trojan spy, but she never expected to find love in the enemy camp. When the final battle lines are drawn, Rhea must decide where her loyalties lie and how much she is willing to lose.
Helen is no longer the same broken woman first brought to Troy as a captive. Given a second chance at life, she must cast off her shroud of grief and use her healing gifts to save Troy’s greatest hope.
Cassandra has seen Troy’s fate. But she knows the truth is only as valuable as the person who tells it . . . and few in Troy value her. All that is about to change. One hero will rise, another will fall . . . and this time, Cassandra will have her say.
From the highest tower to the most humble alley, the bloody beaches to the dusty plain, Daughters of Bronze is the thrilling conclusion to the duology that began with Horses of Fire, and breathes life into the Troy of myth and history. It is an epic of a thousand invisible actions leading to a single moment, adding a refrain of unexpected light to the legend of Troy.
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