Young Helen

Sometimes, there are advantages to waiting in line. I had to wait in line at the library the other day - I had a couple of holds to pick up, and then had to check my books out at the checkout counter in order to take advantage of the "Food for Fines" program at my local library - donate food, get your fines waived. Well worth it! (Usually I just use the automated checkout machines because there is no one at the checkout desk or the line is too long.)

At any rate, standing in line, I had nothing else to look at but books (of course, being in a library and all). In front of me was a cart of books waiting to be put away. The top one, Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner, with the photo of a young lady with a sword on it, caught my eye. Even though I already had enough books at home waiting for me to read, I grabbed it anyway. I am glad I did!

Nobody's Princess is the story of Helen of Troy before she came Helen of Troy: back when she was still Helen of Sparta, a young tomboy thirsting for adventure and desperate to break against the typical roles for women of her time. Helen longs to be more than just a pretty face, and so takes up sword fighting, being trained with her elder twin brothers. Her impetuous nature leads her to many adventures, including an exciting boar hunt in the woods of Calydon, and an encounter in the crowded streets of Delphi with the legendary Oracle. The book ends with Helen about to go on her greatest adventure yet - but that will have to wait for the sequel!

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. I didn't realize until after I picked it up that it was meant for teens; that really just meant it was a quicker read than most of my usual fare. In fact, lots of teen fiction is as good as, if not better, than a lot of adult fiction. There are some really exciting and interesting stories being written for teenagers out there - beyond the slightly sappy Twilight series. (Yes, I've tried the first book. No, I did not like it. If you ask really nicely I'll try it again, maybe.) There are good books with exciting plot developments and interesting characters, such as here. Helen is a spirited and sassy heroine with relatable modern-type issues: what's my place in the world? Where do I fit in? Do people like me only for my looks? I liked Helen's friendships with some other famous Greek women: Atalanta, the famous huntress, and Eunike, the Oracle of Delphi.

Frequent readers will know that I am a harsh judge of historical fiction and the historical novelist's tendency to overly modernize characters. However, I have no such criticism here. Firstly, despite a semester's worth of Ancient History during my undergraduate degree, I don't really know that much about Ancient Greece. Secondly, Helen was vaguely mythical anyway, so I don't mind a little modernity in that grey area where myth and reality collide.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, albeit light, read. I will admit, I did have to pull out my ancient "Richard's Topical Encyclopedia" for some brushing up on my myths. My folks have a dictionary of the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece and Rome that I will be flipping through on my next visit home! Nobody's Princess was an enjoyable escape with an engaging heroine: sometimes, that's all you want. I am interested in the character and want to read the next book, so it's a win for the author. And, please, ignore my cat's sleepiness in the photo below - this book is much more exciting than her pose would have you believe.