The Silence of the Girls: A Novel (The Women of Troy Series Book 1)

Pat Barker, author of the Booker Prize-winning Regeneration trilogy, retells The Iliad from the perspective of the captured women in the Greek camp during the final weeks of the Trojan War. The novel centers on Briseis, a Trojan queen held captive by Achilles. Though given minimal presence in Homer's epic, she emerges as a pivotal figure in the conflict. Through her voice, the story explores her life as a prisoner, her relationships with other captive women, and her position between two of Greece's most powerful warriors. The narrative reveals the experiences of thousands of women behind the scenes of the Greek army camp—concubines, nurses, prostitutes, and those who prepared the dead—as the legendary war moves toward its conclusion. The novel was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It was named one of the best books of the year by NPR, The Washington Post, The Economist, and Financial Times.