[Women Book club members from Williamtown, MA] What a profound impact your book had on me. I began to see all sorts of situations where, if one looked through another lens, another ethic, another set of values, then the conclusions changed markedly. Your initial premise of looking at the Trojan story through the eyes of Helen and then further underscoring the difference in world view presented through gods and goddesses was fascinating and elucidating. Making Iphigenia Helen's daughter was a real stroke of genius. It explains the otherwise baffling choice of Menelaus from among the suitors. It left me wanting more, what good books always do. The wealth of learning, delightful characterization, and extremely convincing interpretation added to the deep philosophical enjoyment of ideas. So many wonderful new or newly realized friends in my life, and the realities of a goddess-oriented world view to think about.
[Male Readers] Once I started According to Helen, I read right straight through, and I must say, I was delighted with it. I thoroughly liked the first person. It got me into the story quickly and I never lost interest. The pacing was excellent. Let's face it - ancient history isn't really my bag: I brought very little to it and yet I got a lot out of it all the way. It has a consistent literary quality without being too teachy. I could feel every perilous shock in the shipwreck and even Helen's birth pains! I like your premise linking the historic myth to the male sky gods revolution. Your characters are very real and sympathetic both as human beings and as classic personae.. I finished According to Helen a week or so ago just before guests arrived for a week, but I doubt if I could have written you the day I finished in any case. The impact of your book on me was overpowering...The amount of research involved was massive. Your documentation in 'Chapter Notes' is an outline but only you know the time and concentration involved.Your choice of the exact words to translate the atmosphere and thinking of this long ago period is very impressive. My continuing reaction is one of awe.
[12 year old girl] When I told my friends how much I liked According to Helen they said I was just saying that because it was my grandmother who wrote it. I convinced them, though, that that definitely was not why! I was so into it that I forgot that the person who wrote it was somebody I knew and not some amazing author I have never met. I really liked Helen's character. I thought it was amazing how you made it seem that she was a real person who was thinking all those thoughts and doing all those things.
