The Silence of the Girls - Book Club Discussion

For the past month we have been reading
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

• *Historical Fiction*

The ancient city of Troy has withstood a decade under siege of the powerful Greek army, which continues to wage bloody war over a stolen woman—Helen. In the Greek camp, another woman—Briseis—watches and waits for the war's outcome. She was queen of one of Troy's neighboring kingdoms, until Achilles, Greece's greatest warrior, sacked her city and murdered her husband and brothers. Briseis becomes Achilles's concubine, a prize of battle, and must adjust quickly in order to survive a radically different life, as one of the many conquered women who serve the Greek army.

When Agamemnon, the brutal political leader of the Greek forces, demands Briseis for himself, she finds herself caught between the two most powerful of the Greeks. Achilles refuses to fight in protest, and the Greeks begin to lose ground to their Trojan opponents. Keenly observant and coolly unflinching about the daily horrors of war, Briseis finds herself in an unprecedented position, able to observe the two men driving the Greek army in what will become their final confrontation, deciding the fate not only of Briseis's people but also of the ancient world at large.

Time to meet up and see what you all thought of it. We'll also be discussing the selection of the new book.

New members are still welcome to join us, even if you haven't read the book.

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Don't forget to join our Goodreads group (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/181574-feminists-of-dublin---book-club.html).
and check out our other Meetup for more general discussion. (https://www.meetup.com/Feminists-in-Dublin/)