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Sweetbitter Song: A Novel
by Rosie Hewlett
About this book
In the shadow of the legendary Trojan War, a profound connection defies the rigid hierarchies of ancient Greece. Melantho, a young slave, and Penelope, a Spartan princess, first collide as children, forging a bond that is violently dismantled by royal decree. Their paths diverge, leaving behind a fracture of lost trust and lingering questions, until fate reunites them years later on the rugged, isolated shores of Ithaca.
Now serving in the household of Penelope and her husband, the cunning Odysseus, Melantho is hardened by years of servitude and wary of the princess she once loved. Yet, as the men of Ithaca depart for distant battlefields, the palace transforms into a sanctuary where the traditional boundaries of their lives begin to dissolve. In the absence of the patriarchy, the two women are forced to confront the echoes of their shared past and the intensity of a forbidden desire that neither dares to name.
Set against a backdrop of myth and shifting power, *Sweetbitter Song* explores the reclamation of identity and the resilience of a love that history sought to erase. It is a story of defiance, sisterhood, and the dangerous, transformative courage required to choose one another in a world built for their separation.
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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
Jessica PriscoA Beautiful Re-telling- even if don't know the original
"I read many sapphic books a year. It is a challenge to find well-written sapphic books that tell a good story. THIS is it! I have been telling others I have no words to describe this aside from it being beautiful literature. What a ride. Captivated me from the start. Well developed characters and the writing style flows nicely. ["
May 11, 2026 Verified Purchase
CoraSo so so beautiful!!!
"This is quite literally one of the most beautiful books I’ve read this year! And has left a permanent mark on me. Cannot wait to read it again and urge people enough to read this book! You won’t regret it! ( But, do be forewarned, this book contains some heavy elements such as assault so please read with caution) ["
April 29, 2026 Verified Purchase