Book Club: The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

Jocasta in Greek mythology is the mother, and later the wife, of Oedipus. While married to Oedipus, unknown to her as her son, she has four further children: Antigone, Eteocles, Polynices and Ismene. The curse which brings tragedy to each member of the family is re-told by the ancient Greek playwrights Sophocles and Euripides.

In The Children of Jocasta, Natalie Haynes takes a fresh perspective on this ancient and well-known cycle of myths. The female characters take centre-stage. Jocasta herself is just a young teenager when she is told that she must marry her first husband, The King of Thebes. Later, Ismene, her youngest daughter by her second husband, is the same age when she is attacked in the palace she calls home. A tragedy is set in motion: but not the tragedy that you might know from the ancient myths.

Natalie Haynes is a classicist who has worked as a journalist, comedian and a panellist on BBC programmes such as The Review Show and The Last Word. She has written four novels, including two which also relate to classical mythology: A Thousand Ships (about the Trojan War) and Stone Blind (about Medusa). She has also published a children’s novel.

This novel was kindly suggested to us by Gillian.