Nobody's Princess

As I picked up this book, I realized it would be set in the roman times. I started to read the book, as it began with the intro of Helen of Troy as a young girl. You start to get the point of view from the author as to how she grew up. She had very independent views and didn't want to be told what to do. She wanted to make her own life and own decisions without being checked up on. This leads her through troubles of doing what everyone else wants her to do and doing what her heart wants to do.

Her family gives thanks and believes in Gods and Goddesses. The main one her father and mother give thanks to is Aphrodite. In one of the opening passages, there is a ceremony to give thanks to her. Helen says that her mother is as pretty if not prettier than Aphrodite herself. This gets her in trouble, since no human can be prettier than a Goddess like Aphrodite.

She is born as a twin and since she came out of her mother's womb first she is the heir to the throne. She grows up in a life of luxury while her sister, Clytemnestra, despises everything that is given to Helen. She grows up the center of attention and is watched carefully by all, while her sister loathes Helens beauty and future that gets her all the attention and importance. Soon though, Clytemnestra is set up with her own arranged marriage to another kingdom. This brings her to the limelight and all the focus is set on her, and getting her prepared for the life of a Queen in another kingdom.

As Helen grows up, she has a mind of her own. This ends up taking her to do what she wants instead of doing what a girl who is the heir to the throne should do. Since everyone starts to focus on Clytemnestra and her soon to be marriage, it becomes easier for Helen to focus on her wants. She ends up sneaking out and training with her two older brothers, Castor and Polydueces, in fighting. Their training master, Glaucus, challenges Helen several different times. She still pulls through and meets those challenges so she can continue learning how to fight.

Soon Clytemnestra is on her way to the other kingdom and Castor, Polydueces, and Helen go along. Helen convinces her father that Clytemnestra needs someone to be there for her to make the transition in the unknown land. Castor and Polydueces are there for protection also. This arranged marriage is supposed to keep peace between the kingdoms. Soon after arriving though the King tries to get another one of his sons married off to Helen herself. She is afraid of offending him and starting a war, but soon there is trouble in their mothers original homeland that they use as an excuse to get away.

There is a wild boar in their mother's homeland that is destroying land and animals. There is a hunt being organized to try and kill it. Here Helen meets Atalanta. She can't believe she finds a girl who is all she wants to be, and has all the freedom she longs for. Soon she sneaks out to watch Atalanta ride her horse and train, but she is a good warrior and discovers Helens hiding spot in the trees. Helen gets rough training in riding from Atalanta, but it consumes her life. On the wild boar hunt she sneaks in and finds Atalanta. There she helps her spear the boar using her crafty thinking, but it is Helens relative that ends up killing it, therefore getting credit for it. This aggravates Helen, because she knows Atalanta weakened the boar enough, but she didn't finish him off in time.

As Helen struggles with wanting a warriors lifestyle and independence, she tries to cope with the fact that things don't always appear to be the way they are told. She soon plays her brothers and kingdom to go off on a voyage where maybe she can have that adventure to herself, but from a boys point of view, rather than the princess of Sparta.