How can any respectable person like this book? The inaccuracies are numerous and laughable. The author giving Helen four children is sickening. In all respectable versions of this story Helen has one daughter – Hermione. The author said she followed the Iliad. I seriously disagree!

Also, nothing goods happens to Anaxandra! It’s one horrible event after another until you just can’t stand it anymore. The author plays with the characters and makes it a depressing story. Granted the Trojan war isn’t a happy story, but still!

And how she slaughters the characters Andromache and Hector! She describes Hector as ugly and huge. In every version I’ve read Hector is a handsome, tall man, not what Caroline B. Cooney describes. And Andromache and Hector are married before the war begins, not just betrothed! How can she make Andromache fifteen? I’m sorry, things just don’t work that way.

You want some advice? Don’t read this book if you have the least little bit of respect for Greek mythology. And if you want something happy to read, well, forget Goddess of Yesterday.
Rating: 1 / 5

Goddess of Yesterday, by Caroline B. Cooney is a mixture of a historical fiction novel and Mythology set in ancient Greece.

The plot follows Anaxandria as she is taken from her island home to be a companion to Callisto, daughter of King Nicander. She stays there until pirates destroy the island, sacking the cities taking the women as slaves and killing the men. Anaxandria only survive by jumping of a cliff and scaring the pirates into thinking she is Medusa. Nine days later, she is picked up by the legendary King Menelaus, who is under the impression that she is Callisto. Menelaus takes her home to be a companion to his daughter, Hermione. However she has some problems with Helen that lead to her head being shaved, her impersonating Hermione, becoming a makeshift nurse for baby Pleisthenes, having her head shaved again, and being stuck smack in the middle of Troy as the war begins and proceeds. The book is written from Anaxandria/Callisto/Hermione’s point of view.

I would give this book 5 stars because Caroline B. Cooney manages to take the old story of Troy and give it new light. Each character hums with her touch. And, amazingly, she manages to do all of this while still keeping it historically/mythically correct. I would recommend this book for people ages 10-100 (or anyone who loves mythology).

Rating: 5 / 5