The Silence of the Girls

By: Pat Barker

Narrated by: Kristin Atherton, Michael Fox

A Washington Post Notable Book

One of the Best Books of the Year: NPR, The Economist, Financial Times

Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award

Finalist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction

Here is the story of the Iliad as we’ve never heard it before: in the words of Briseis, Trojan queen and captive of Achilles. Given only a few words in Homer’s epic and largely erased by history, she is nonetheless a pivotal figure in the Trojan War.

In this audiobook she comes fully to life: wry, watchful, forging connections among her fellow female prisoners even as she is caught between Greece’s two most powerful warriors.

Her story pulls back the veil on the thousands of women who lived behind the scenes of the Greek army camp - concubines, nurses, prostitutes, the women who lay out the dead - as gods and mortals spar, and as a legendary war hurtles toward its inevitable conclusion.

Brilliantly written, filled with moments of terror and beauty, The Silence of the Girls gives voice to an extraordinary woman - and makes an ancient story new again.

©2018 Pat Barker (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Beautiful…It is as if Barker had found an artifact with an as yet undeciphered alphabet among the glittering grave treasures of Homer’s epic."—The New York Review of Books

"Almost Homeric in its brilliance... Refreshingly modern... Ms Barker [switches] nimbly between the daily drudgery of the camp and the horrors of conflict... Venerable scenes and mythic names magically become new... Domestic details are piercingly described, bringing the squalor of the camp to life... A masterful and moving novel."—The Economist

"Beautifully done."—Annalissa Quinn, NPR

Brilliant

Loved it. The narrators were wonderful to listen to, painted the vivid story very well.

A Different Perspective

Having already listened to "The Song of Achilles", by Madeline Miller and " Helen of Troy", by Margaret George, this was a wonderful addition from a different perspective. A view of the women who become the slaves to the men who killed their husbands, brothers and sons .Yes this is again the story of the Trojan War, and the main events are the same, yet each story has its differences. If you enjoyed either or both of the titles I mentioned above than this will be a wonderful addition and I believe you'll be captivated by this story as I was. And if this is your first venture into this history, I still feel it's well worth your time and money.
Narration was superb (which can truly make or break an audio book) and this narration brought the story to life.
High praise all around

A clever perspective on a well-known story

I don't remember how this ended on my wish list but glad it did. I really enjoyed the storytelling and the choices the author made for which parts of the story to focus on.

Loved it!

I loved Pat Barker's spare, descriptive writing, and Kristen Atherton's English accented recitation. I guessed that Atherton was a woman but wasn't really sure. Her descriptions of female slavery in a war camp, smells of breastfeeding and menstrual blood, early pregnancy, motherly things are the kind of things older women know. But her writing is not feminine, but strong, not willowy, almost masculine. The use of this ancient classic to tell a story that is rather universal and ageless, except to those of us who have lived far from wars and perhaps in between wars, give a voice that is quite moving. I didn't know much about the story but I loved reading the back--story on wiki and learning more about these ancient characters. Justice is well done to them by Pat and Kristen!

A Great Read

This story was very impressive! Unlike all other retellings of the Illiad, The Silence of the Girls really emphasised the true ugliness of the Trojan war. All of the great heroes, Achilles, Hector, Ajax, are stripped of their heroism and shown in a new light, a more pragmatic light.

From the very beginning, you are swept away into an ancient world, a world under attack. The narrator of this book did an excellent job capturing the mood of Briseis and telling her muffled tale.

Stunning! Gripping!

Best listen ever! Gripping, suspenseful story with compelling narration. I very nearly started over again. Highly recommended!

Lovely, Powerful, Heartbreaking

This isn't a genre I'm usually drawn to, but I liked the title so I thought I'd give it a try. I was hooked from the first sentence and didn't want it to end. This is a bold feminist retelling of the Iliad and it breaks your heart while it also captivating you. the characters are well-rounded and well-defined, the action - a nice mix of brutality, sex, and unexpected moments of grace, and the story arc all serve Pat Barker well, who clearly knows and understands her Greek and Trojan history. Of special note, the narration, particularly the work of Kristin Atherton, was spellbinding. I could listen to her read a laundry list and be held in thrall. This was a truly great book.

a iliac substory

great story. grate deliveruone two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve

Powerful & Enthralling

Every line is carefully crafted, giving a voice to the thousands of women who history and literature mercilessly forgot. A true masterpiece of writing.

A Woman's View of War

The story of the Trojan War from the viewpoint of a woman, a queen who watched a man murder her husband and brothers and then became a slave to this man. The narration was good and the story flows. I became enmeshed in the story, shedding the occasional tear. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys different points of view.