Sweetbitter Song: A Novel
by Rosie HewlettCategory
About this book
"An exquisitely heart-rending novel, lyrically told and utterly addictive."―Jennifer Saint, #1 internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera Perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and from the award-winning author of The Witch of Colchis comes a profoundly moving story of two women on the shores of Ithaca, in the shadows of a legendary war, who must face their own battle―one of sisterhood, survival, and a forbidden love that could destroy them both. One summer night, within the palace of Sparta, a young slave girl stumbles across a grey-eyed princess. Despite living worlds apart, Melantho and Penelope are instantly drawn to one another, and a powerful friendship blossoms. But the Spartan royals do not approve of this bond, and soon Melantho and Penelope find themselves viciously torn apart, their trust irreparably shattered. Years later, their paths cross once again upon the rocky shores of Ithaca, where Melantho is sent to serve Princess Penelope and her new husband, Prince Odysseus. Embittered by life as a slave, Melantho is determined to keep her distance. But, once again, the two women find themselves drawn to one other, pulled by the echo of their friendship, and something far stronger they are too afraid to name. When war blazes across Greece, Odysseus and the men of Ithaca are driven to foreign lands. In their absence, Melantho finds a new world opening up before her – one where women rule, where family can be found, and where a forbidden love is finally given the space to bloom. A profound tale of love, identity and defiance, Sweetbitter Song tells a story forgotten by history. One of bravery and hope, celebrating two women who fought to protect their love from a world that tried to deny its very existence.
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What readers are saying
EJ SlickThis is Rosie Hewlett's Best Mythic Retelling
"This is an excellent book! I have read Rosie Hewlett’s two other novels set in the world of ancient Greek mythology (Medusa and The Witch of Colchis) and this one is even better than the other two – a triumph and a masterpiece! Sweetbitter Song imagines a relationship between Penelope from the Odyssey and her maid, Melantho, and weaves the two characters together as if their story had been left out of history. Meeting in Sparta as children, Penelope and Melantho at once form an unbreakable bond that survives many challenges and twists of fate and then progresses to something more romantic as they age and their lives move to Odysseus’s island kingdom of Ithaca. The adventure of the Odyssey serves as a distant backdrop for this tale, and tragically the relationship is doomed from the start because Penelope and Melantho were born into different stations in life: Penelope is a queen and Melantho is a slave. But while Odysseus is away fighting the Trojan War, Penelope and Melantho thrive and set up a perfect and just queendom that abolishes the degradation of slavery in Ithaca. But, as everyone knows, Odysseus eventually returns home! This quote from Melantho at the height of their relationship says it all about how they felt about each other, and about how the romance plays out: “Perhaps that was what it meant to truly love someone — not fighting to hold them together but making them feel safe enough to fall apart. And that is what I would do for Penelope. I would let her lie, broken, in my arms for as long as she needed, keeping every sacred piece of her safe until she felt ready to put them back together again.” The scene of Penelope and Melantho sneaking away to swim in the river Eurotas when they were children in Sparta is not to be missed and will remind you of young love. The pacing of the story was excellent – every time the action started to slow, it would take a new turn and everything would become exciting again. The characters were extremely well developed, and I felt like I knew and was invested in them all. There is a cast of supporting characters who were all compelling and fleshed out. I especially liked Thratta, the Thracian handmaiden who was captured and sold into slavery, who then ended up in Penelope’s palace and performs a vital service during the novel’s climax; and I also liked Melantho’s foolish but achingly endearing brother, Melanthius. I am a stickler for detail, and this story fits so well with the existing stories and mythology. Rosie Hewlett clearly spent a lot of time researching this book, and it has paid off! Even the smallest details fit with the stories I am familiar with, but previous knowledge of mythology is by no means a requirement to enjoy this novel. There is however, one important difference, understandable and meaningful, that was left out of the history books… I’ll leave that for you to find out! I look forward to reading more of Rosie Hewlett’s novels, as she is sure to be just starting a brilliant career! ["
March 21, 2026 Verified Purchase
JSFine retelling of the Odyssey
"This is a retelling of the Odyssey but seen through the eyes of a servant girl, Melantho. It’s a bittersweet story of love, sacrifice and acceptance. While the ending was what I wanted, it almost fulfilled a promise of a sequel but only if the ancient world would have written one. Melantho, a slave, and Penelope, a princess, meet as children in Sparta. They are separated by the forces that be but years later Melantho is sent to Ithaca to Penelope now married to Odysseus. Their initial attraction is rekindled and with the men off fighting a ridiculous war, the two can fulfill their desires and be open about their love. Melantho is then awash with happiness as the world is now female-driven and families can bond more happily. However, with the return of the men, things change and difficult decisions must be made. The book is well plotted and the characters nicely done. I loved the lyrical moments like “the moon carved her smile into sky, a gleaming white-boned slash.” While I’ve never been crazy about the Odyssey, I did enjoy this retelling from a female perspective. ["
March 18, 2026