Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner

From the Publisher

She is beautiful, she is a princess, and Aphrodite is her favorite goddess, but something in Helen of Sparta just itches for more out of life. Not one to count on the gods—or her looks—to take care of her, Helen sets out to get what she wants with steely determination and a sassy attitude. That same attitude makes Helen a few enemies—such as the self-proclaimed "son of Zeus" Theseus—but it also intrigues, charms, and amuses those who become her friends, from the famed huntress Atalanta to the young priestess who is the Oracle of Delphi.

In Nobody's Princess, author Esther Friesner deftly weaves together history and myth as she takes a new look at the girl who will become Helen of Troy. The resulting story offers up adventure, humor, and a fresh and engaging heroine you cannot help but root for.


From the Hardcover edition.

Children's Literature

The face that would launch 1000 ships—what was Helen of Troy like as a child growing up in Sparta? The author of this engaging novel paints her as an headstrong girl who bucks tradition and longs to be trained as a warrior. Helen, the darling of her father, King Tyndareus of Sparta, is not content to do women's work like her sister. She goes from being a curious, spoiled girl to a brave adolescent in this adventure tale, which brings ancient Greece alive for young readers. Children who accompany Helen on this journey will travel to Bronze Age Greece, a fascinating place with royal palaces, grand feasts, slavery, the Oracle of Delphi, and a bloody boar hunt. Readers learn about the Spartans and the gods they worship. Helen sees quite a bit of the world while she is still young. She accompanies her sister to Mykenae for her marriage. From there it is on to Calydon, with her brothers to attend the wild boar hunt. Then it is on to Delphi, where Helen uses her brains to outsmart guards and an unwanted suitor. Children, especially girls, will identify with Helen and her desire for independence as she grows up. As she learns from her siblings, parents, servants, and her own observations of the world around her, Helen becomes more confident of her choices. Helen is coming of age, and she is not looking back. Readers certainly will be entertained, but they will also learn quite a bit about the culture, history, and myths of Ancient Greece. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati, J.D.

VOYA

Helen of Sparta's mesmerizing beauty is said to have "launched a thousand ships." But surely there must be more to her story than that. In this fascinating rendition by Nebula Award-winner Friesner, Helen is indeed a beautiful princess, but more important, she is also feisty and fiercely independent. As a child, Helen realizes that she will never accept a life filled with needlework, patiently waiting for a husband to be chosen for her. Helen prefers learning other skills, such as swordplay, something that would prepare her for the kind of adventures that her brothers, Castor and Polydeuces, seem destined to pursue. Helen's wish is fulfilled when she accompanies her sister, Clytemnestra, to the land of Mykanae, where Clytemnestra is to marry Prince Tantalus. There she meets the powerful woman warrior, Atalanta, who inspires Helen with the possibility of living life on her own terms. Other characters that legend promises will become key figures in Helen's future are introduced throughout the story, such as the handsome Theseus and his sidekick, Pirithous. Although this tale of Helen's earliest years is told well enough to captivate readers, the hint of grand tales to come will make the book a must-read for fans of fantasy and mythology. Friesner is an intelligent storyteller, writing confidently about an ancient time filled with a cast of gods and heroes. The seductive cover, which depicts a sassy girl with a dagger carelessly slung about her waist, will go a long way toward selling this excellent book.

KLIATT

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, May 2007: Who was Helen before she was Helen of Troy? Friesner tells about Helen's childhood and ends the story just as Helen is entering adulthood—in Bronze Age Greece, this is at puberty. Friesner tells of Atalanta, Theseus, Castor and Polydeuces, Clytemnestra. She writes of the importance of the gods in the lives of these people—of Artemis and Aphrodite, of Zeus. She reminds readers in her note at the end that the events in this story were meant to happen nearly 1000 years before the Parthenon, the dramatists, and the war between Athens and Sparta—what we identify as Classical Greece. Helen's story is from the ancient oral traditions recorded by Homer centuries before the Parthenon was built. Friesner even begins before Homer's recounting of the story of Helen in The Iliad—a story that portrays Helen as a beautiful pawn in the more "important" story of war and heroes. Friesner makes Helen a strong young woman, savvy to the political tensions, eager to learn physical skills such as hunting and riding. She is beloved by her older brothers, who include her in their adventures. Friesner points out that the traditions of Sparta some years later included training young women for war and promoting physical endurance. This story will please readers interested in ancient Greek legends. Reviewer: Claire Rosser

Cheri DobbsCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal

Gr 6-9
Before she was Helen of Troy and her face launched a thousand ships, she was Helen of Sparta, tomboyish teen and future queen, at least according to this novel. Not much was written about her in classical literature before she became embroiled with Paris and Menelaus, so this is Friesner's backstory. Helen, not interested in the typical princess duties and responsibilities, would rather learn the ways of a warrior with her brothers. She trains secretly, growing stronger and more accomplished than anyone expects. When her sister, Clytemnestra, goes to Mykenae for her marriage, Helen, longing to see the world, begs to accompany her and her brothers. She makes her first official royal visit and nearly gets trapped there by the scheming king. However, a beast devastating the countryside causes all of the warriors gathered in Mykenae to create a hunting party headed for Calydon, and Helen manages to include herself. There, she meets Atalanta, a fascinating female warrior and a role model. After killing the giant boar, Helen and her brothers, Castor and Polydeuces, head for home. They stop to visit the Oracle at Delphi, where their journey takes a new direction as they join Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece. No prior knowledge of the Iliad and the Odyssey is required to appreciate this story. The plot flows well, and readers will find this Helen interesting, if somewhat predictable. Fans of mythology or historical fiction will enjoy this lively tale.

Kirkus Reviews

Nebula Award-winner and Hugo-finalist Friesner disappointingly offers humdrum fare based on Greek mythology. Meet Helen of Sparta, not yet of Troy. True to Spartan history, she's a strong female (literally), and prepped by her mother to one day be queen. Though it's true that the real Helen was probably a legitimate wrestler, Friesner has her spunky, stubborn and contrarian heroine dressing as a boy to be trained in sword-fighting beside her brothers Castor and Polydeceus. She then sneaks off with them to participate in the historic hunt of the Calydonian Boar . . . and at the end of the volume, prepares readers for a sequel by tagging along with Jason's Argonauts. Friesner uses these legends as a backdrop for a Xena Warrior Princess-type of character of 21st-century sensibilities-with entertaining and popular results, but not uniquely or distinctively, and without much respect for or elucidation of the actual mythology. Some may enjoy the romp. (Fiction. 11-14)

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