Book Review: The Silence of the Girls – Pat Barker
In today’s review post I share my thoughts on The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker. If you enjoy fiction with a feminist angle then it’s definitely one for you to try!
With the conventional narrative of the period turned on its head, we see the human (and often female) cost of war play out.
Let’s find out more!
The Silence of the Girls – Pat Barker
Genre: Historical Fiction / Greek mythology
Pages: 325
Audience: Adult
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 04 Sept 2018
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Goodreads – The Silence of the Girls
‘There was a woman at the heart of the Trojan War whose voice has been silent – until now. Discover the greatest Greek myth of all – retold by the witness that history forgot . . .
Briseis was a queen until her city was destroyed. Now she is a slave to the man who butchered her husband and brothers. Trapped in a world defined by men, can she survive to become the author of her own story?
My Thoughts
Plot
Often, Greek retellings glamourise war as bold and heroic, but neglect to mention the human cost. In The Silence of the Girls, we get a unique perspective that strips away glory and valour. It highlights the upheaval of the female survivors and the fate they are later subjected to.
The main storyteller is Briseis, former Queen and now slave to Achilles. After her husband and family are murdered, she is taken as a sex slave. Over the course of the book we experience what it is like to be a woman, taken from home and imprisoned in a war camp. It’s a much more realistic view of war, and especially as a woman I found Briseis relatable and a good narrator.
Characters
Through Briseis we get a perspective that in the nicest possible way, we wouldn’t from a male, glory-drunk warrior. Women aren’t people with feelings and livelihoods, they’re prisoners and conquests. You can do what you want with them after all. They aren’t in control.
The lives and treatment of women is a big focus of the book. Naturally, with a protagonist subjected to the same atrocities as the rest of the women, even if her oppressor is almost exclusively one of the most prominent men of the myth, is sympathetic.
I even liked how the male characters, depicted as heroes in other tellings of the stories, are emphasised as fathers, brothers and sons. It’s a very human perspective – one we can all relate to.
Setting
The setting of the book is really immersive. Especially when details that normally are glossed over in these books are brought to the fore.
Sacked cities, battlegrounds and war camps are chaotic things. Thousands of men and women living together in close confines, and many in captivity, is a harrowing experience.
However, I found The Silence of the Girls an easy read for being able to put myself in the positions of the characters. Imagine the stink and chaos of unwashed bodies. The oppression and fear. The writing is powerful to be able to put is in the shoes of these women, and we find ourselves angry.
Narrative Style
Although the narrative covers more sensitive or downright difficult subjects, the prose itself is easy to read. I read the book in less than a week as a break from another I was struggling with. It picked me (and my desire to read) back up for sure!
The perspective switches a few times, keeping us interested in the narrative. Personally I enjoy books that do this ans give a more rounded view of events.
Summary
The Silence of the Girls, and the remainder of the Women of Troy series, are great reads for feminist fiction and Greek mythology fans.
I’m yet to read any other books in the series, but I will!
Have you?
I sometimes wonder what disappeared first – among all the things that have vanished from the island. “Long ago, before you were born, there were many more things here, “ my mother used to tell me when I was still a child. “Transparent things, fragrant things… fluttery ones, bright ones… wonderful things you can’t possibly imagine. 
Something will disappear from your life.”
Genre: Magical fantasy
Top 1% in Epic