Read more
''A beautifully woven tale with brilliant, confident writing, [Heywood] has illuminated the stories of ladies too often relegated to the role of villain or damsel'' CLAIRE M ANDREWS The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son, Pygmalion, comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom - exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart. After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, and she is crowned Queen Dido: the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon a trading empire, Carthage thrives under Dido''s governance. But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago, never to trust or to love another again. Can Dido overcome her past and open herself - and her city - up to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?
About the author
Claire Heywood is a scholar of the ancient world, having gained a 1st Class BA in Classical Civilisation and an MA with Distinction in Ancient Visual and Material Culture, both from the University of Warwick. Her deep understanding of the ancient world, coupled with her fascination with women's forgotten voices, inspired her to retell the legend of the Trojan War from the perspective of two key female characters. She is a former professional tour guide at the Roman Baths museum in Bath and now writes full-time.
Daughters of Sparta is her first novel. She is currently doing research for her second novel, which will also be set in the ancient world and feature different female perspectives.
