A Thousand ShipsA Thousand Ships
Score Modern
What it's about
This is the women's war, as much as the men's. Natalie Haynes retells the Trojan War through the women caught up in it, Trojan, Greek and divine, from the queens of Troy to Penelope waiting for Odysseus.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It's a powerful, moving retelling of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
You'll love it if you liked
The Silence of the Girls
Circe
Stone BlindGood to know
Each chapter is told by a different woman, so it's episodic.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz14 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #236 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #864 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1599 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
If you like this, read next
A Deepness in the Sky
Parable of the Sower
Good Omens
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold
Blindness
The Evening and the MorningExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is A Thousand Ships worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It ranks #1,599 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Thousand Ships about?
This is the women's war, as much as the men's. Natalie Haynes retells the Trojan War through the women caught up in it, Trojan, Greek and divine, from the queens of Troy to Penelope waiting for Odysseus.
How long does it take to read A Thousand Ships?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Thousand Ships?
If you liked it, try The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Circe by Madeline Miller or Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes.