Summary of House of Names
“House of Names” is a modern retelling of the ancient Greek myths and tragedies surrounding Agamemnon, Clytemnestra and their children, Orestes and Electra. Set in Mycenae, the story opens with Clytemnestra plotting and executing the murder of her husband Agamemnon upon his return from Troy, taking revenge for his sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia. Told from the perspectives of Clytemnestra, Orestes and Electra, the novel follows the vicious cycle of violence and revenge that engulfs the family, ultimately driving Orestes and Electra to kill their own mother.
Reasons to read House of Names
“House of Names” breathes new life into the ancient Greek myths and the tragedies of the Oresteia. Colm Tóibín transforms a story of vengeance, violence and fate into a compelling and deeply human modern novel, while largely removing the intervention of the gods. Tóibín is one of the most acclaimed contemporary Irish novelists, best known for his books “Brooklyn”, “The Master”, “The Magician”, and “The South”. For similar retellings of ancient Greek myths, see also “Medea” by Christa Wolf, “The Penelopiad” by Margaret Atwood, “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller, “The Silence of the Girls” by Pat Barker, and “The King Must Die” by Mary Renault.
Setting: Ancient Mycenae (Greece)
Original title: House of Names
Year of publication: 2017
Nr of pages: 272
