Goddess of Yesterday: A Tale of Troy

The characters of the Iliad come vividly alive in this action-filled novel: the shallow and amoral Paris, the wailing prophetess Cassandra in her tower prison, and especially Hector, a big, straight-talking sweetheart. Fans of Cooney's contemporary novels like The Face on the Milk Carton will find this story of ancient Greece every bit as irresistible. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

Product Description
Anaxandra is taken from her birth island at age 6 by King Nicander to be a companion to his crippled daughter, Princess Callisto. Six years later, her new island is sacked by pirates and she is the sole survivor. Alone with only her Medusa figurine, she reinvents herself as Princess Callisto when Menelaus, great king of Sparta, lands with his men. He takes her back to Sparta with him where Helen, his beautiful wife, does not believe that the red-headed child is Princess Callisto. Although fearful of the half-mortal, half-goddess Helen, Anaxandra is able to stay out of harm’s way—until the Trojan princes Paris and Aeneas arrive. Paris and Helen’s fascination with each other soon turns to passion and plunges Sparta and Troy into war. Can Anaxandra find the courage to reinvent herself once again, appease the gods, and save herself?

In Caroline B. Cooney’s epic tale of one girl’s courage and will to survive, Anaxandra learns that home is where you make it and identity goes deeper than just your name.


From the Hardcover edition.

So it is refreshing to find now and again a book that deals with this subject, and is actually *interesting*, suspenseful and surprisingly good. Such is Caroline B. Cooney's "Goddess of Yesterday". Although all of the mythological details and events of the War are correct (at least as far as I could see), the author brings new personalities to well-known characters, thoughtful insights on blasphemy and the nature of gods, and a likeable young heroine that blends so easily into the events leading up to the War that one might be surprised not to find her mentioned in ancient sources!

Anaxandra is the beloved daughter of a chieftain father in a small rocky isle, taken away from her home and family as a tribute/hostage of King Nicander, who places her in his own household as a companion to his own crippled daughter Princess Callisto. Despite homesickness, Anaxandra adjust to her new life, only to have it shattered once more by pirates who plunder Siphnos. Thanks to an ingenious disguise, Anaxandra is the sole survivor, and when the ship bearing King Menelaus pulls in to investigate, she lies to ensure her future: telling the King of Sparta that she is the Princess Callisto.

Under this new identity, she is taken to Sparta where she mingles with the family of the king: his beautiful but dangerous wife Helen, his cheerful daughter Hermione, his two elder sons, and baby Pleisthenes. It is there of course, that the inevitable happens: Prince Paris of Troy arrives in Sparta, and when Menelaus is called away to his grandfather's funeral, Paris and Helen set sail once more for Troy...taking baby Pleisthenes and Anaxandra (again under a false identity in a bid to save Hermione's life) with them...

When retelling such a well-known story, it is impossible to change important events in the tale (scholars would get too stroppy), but the personalities of the people involved are always up for grabs. Cooney creates an interesting version of Helen, as a painfully beautiful demi-goddess, utterly cruel, cold, manipulating, and revelling in the blood of the soldiers who die for her sake. It's a shocking change from the usual somewhat reluctant follower of Paris, who would walk the walls in agony over the deaths below her. Hector and Andromache's characterisations I am less fond of: he's too heavy-set and gruff, and she's too frivolous and giggly. Cassandra, however is captured perfectly as the hysterical, but beloved princess in the tower, and Cooney instigates a very clever plot-twist in the details of her curse (that her prophesies are never believed), that caught me completely off-guard!

There are a few details that bothered me: Anaxandra often beseeches the deity that gives name to the book: 'the goddess of yesterday', but who this figure actually is and how she fits into the pantheon of Greek gods remains unknown. The same complaint lies with the use of Medusa as a "good-luck charm", and did anyone else think that Anaxandra's romance with Euneas was a little abrupt? One horse ride and she's in love?

Furthermore, there are alot of plot threads left hanging - does Anaxandra meet up with Euneas again? Cassandra hints that her parents are still looking for her - so does she ever meet them again? Does she have her revenge on the pirates of the twisted fish? And for someone who knows absolutely nothing about the Trojan War, they will be left dangling with absolutely no information on what happens to any of the characters - Cooney ends the book, so to speak, just when it seems like it's beginning. An epilogue fills in these blanks, but I would have liked to hear it from Anaxandra's point of view (plus Cooney forgets to mentions that Aretha is eventually rescued by her grandsons after the sack of Troy).

But all in all, Caroline B. Cooney has written a clear, beautifully descriptive story of an engaging young woman caught up in events much larger than herself, as well as a reworking of the traditional myths, and a reasonably accurate depiction of ancient Greek life. In terms of novel based on this "Trojan genre", this one is one of the best.


Wonderful novel that brings the Trojan War to life.   August 22, 2004
Rebecca Herman (USA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Anaxandra is the only daughter of the chieftain of a small, unnamed island in the Aegean Sea. When she is just six years old, she is taken as a hostage by Nicander, king of Siphnos. She ends up being companion and friend to his crippled daughter Callisto. Six years later, Siphnos is raided by pirates, and Anaxandra is the only survivor. When Menelaus, king of Sparta, stops his fleet of ships at Siphnos to investigate, Anaxandra lies to save herself. She takes on the identity of the dead princess Callisto. Menelaus takes her home with him to his palace, where she befriends his children, in particular his daughter Hermoine and his baby son Pleis. But she is also terrified by his wife Helen, who knows the truth, that Anaxandra is not Callisto. When Helen runs off with her lover, Prince Paris of Troy, and determines to bring her two younger children along, Anaxandra disguises herself and goes in Hermoine's place, to save her friend, and protect Pleis. She manages to get herself and the baby safely to Troy -- where a great war is about to begin, and they are in more danger then ever before.

I absolutely loved this book, and I highly recommend it book to young adult readers with an interest in the Trojan War, or Greek mythology in general. Anaxandra is a wonderful character, and her narrative brings the world of Ancient Greece and Troy to life.



Am I the only one?   May 21, 2003
9 out of 20 found this review helpful

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.


Goddess of Yesterday   December 10, 2004
Nightsky (Finland)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

This is a beautifully written story about mythological Greece. The style is very compelling, written from a young girl's perspective.

Anaxandra lives happily on a small, unknown island, the favorite child of her father, a pirate. One day, King Nicander of Siphnos comes to take her away to be a companion to his crippled daughter, Callisto. Six years later, Siphnos is attacked by pirates, and Anaxandra is the sole survivor. When King Menelaus' ships land on the island to investigate what happened, Anaxandra is mistaken for Callisto-she does not correct the King of the mainland. Menelaus takes her back to Sparta, where the god-touched Helen knows she is not really Callisto. Before Helen can do anything, though, Prince Paris arrives from Troy. Struck by love, Helen helps Paris sack her own city while Menelaus is elsewhere. They sail off to Troy, and at the last minute Helen decides to take her daughter, Hermione, and her baby son, Pleis. When Hermione's nurse asks Anaxandra to step in as Hermione, Anaxandra once again has to change her identity. In Troy, they prepare for war, while Anaxandra discovers the delights of this god-swept land--riding horses and falling in love, among others. But the gods punish those who steal birthrights...will Anaxandra be able to please the gods and save herself?

This is a very uplifting story-I was actually in tears at the end from the sheer beauty of it. Anaxandra experiences so much pain, and through it all she keeps herself whole. Amazing.