Series: A Novel of Troy #2
Published by Dutton on November 26, 2024
Genres: Fiction, Historical
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Song of great sorrow. Even greater love.
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.
Horses of Fire by A.D. Rhine did not receive the highest ratings from me, though as I read it a year ago, I could not begin to tell you why. Based off how long it took me to read it, I suspect I just…couldn’t get into it, for some reason or another. Now that I have consumed Daughters of Bronze by A.D. Rhine, I will probably revisit its prequel because I think my initial review was wrong. Daughters of Bronze, in the words of Mr. Darcy in the Pride & Prejudice screenplay, bewitched me, body and soul. Easily one of my favorite books that I read in 2024.
I have never read anything about Troy or its mythology. I know The Iliad, but I have not read it. We all know the Trojan horse, of course, but Daughters of Bronze demonstrated there is so much more, offered from the viewpoints of characters often neglected in historical accounts: women. Andromache, Rhea, Helen, and Cassandra. All brave women with divergent backgrounds, yet their fates are intertwined as invasion threatens Troy. A.D. Rhine’s newest novel continues the story from Horses of Fire (which I wish I had reread prior to reading Daughters of Bronze), with beautiful, heart-shattering depictions of Troy’s fate. Will the city survive? Will its people survive? Or is everyone doomed to fail, doomed to death?
A.D. Rhine created characters I adored. Andromache, a leader—and finally a mother, who is determined to stand by her husband’s side. Rhea, her servant and spy, who has fallen in love with an opposing warrior. Helen, a healer, who must set aside her grief to save lives. And Cassandra…what to say about Cassandra. People disregard her, underestimate her, because she is occasionally not of her right mind. But she has seen Troy’s fate, if only others will listen to her.
Daughters of Bronze by A.D. Rhine is outstanding. It will tear at your heartstrings with his dynamic, lyrical prose. Rhine offers a beautiful, fresh reimagining of the Trojan War, and I loved every word of it. But please read Horses of Fire before diving into Daughters of Bronze. Can you read it as a standalone? Maybe, but you will not understand the relationships or other context without experiencing Horses of Fire.
