The Silence of the Girls Audiobook By Pat Barker cover art

The Silence of the Girls

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The Silence of the Girls

By: Pat Barker
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton, Michael Fox
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A Washington Post Notable Book

One of the Best Books of the Year: NPR, The Economist, Financial Times

Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award

Finalist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction

Here is the story of the Iliad as we’ve never heard it before: in the words of Briseis, Trojan queen and captive of Achilles. Given only a few words in Homer’s epic and largely erased by history, she is nonetheless a pivotal figure in the Trojan War.

In this audiobook she comes fully to life: wry, watchful, forging connections among her fellow female prisoners even as she is caught between Greece’s two most powerful warriors.

Her story pulls back the veil on the thousands of women who lived behind the scenes of the Greek army camp - concubines, nurses, prostitutes, the women who lay out the dead - as gods and mortals spar, and as a legendary war hurtles toward its inevitable conclusion.

Brilliantly written, filled with moments of terror and beauty, The Silence of the Girls gives voice to an extraordinary woman - and makes an ancient story new again.

©2018 Pat Barker (P)2018 Random House Audio Ancient Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction War & Military Heartfelt Tearjerking Emotionally Gripping

Critic reviews

“Beautiful…It is as if Barker had found an artifact with an as yet undeciphered alphabet among the glittering grave treasures of Homer’s epic."—The New York Review of Books

"Almost Homeric in its brilliance... Refreshingly modern... Ms Barker [switches] nimbly between the daily drudgery of the camp and the horrors of conflict... Venerable scenes and mythic names magically become new... Domestic details are piercingly described, bringing the squalor of the camp to life... A masterful and moving novel."—The Economist

"Beautifully done."—Annalissa Quinn, NPR

Featured Article: Best Authors for Fans of Margaret Atwood


Iconic Canadian author Margaret Atwood is more than a beloved novelist, poet, and essayist. She’s also a feminist, environmental activist, and innovator. Atwood examines important themes across many genres, including nonfiction, poetry, dystopian fiction, science fiction, and retellings of mythology. If you've worked your way through all of her stellar audiobooks and don’t know where to go next, here are some listens by authors similar to Atwood for you to enjoy.

Featured Article Best Authors for Fans of Margaret Atwood

Editor's Pick

An intimate retelling of The Illiad
"Barker focuses on The Illiad as experienced by the captured women, and the perspective shift is a perfect opportunity for audio; Kristin Atherton and Michael Fox’s intimate narration mirrors and reinforces the severely personal nature of this book. As a whole,The Silence of the Girls creates an experience that brings you so much closer emotionally to a story that continues to have profound influence."
—Michael D., Audible Editor

Female Perspective • Beautiful Writing • Excellent Narration • Powerful Storytelling • Historical Authenticity

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After reading and enjoying Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles and loving her sophomore effort Circe more than I can possibly say I was desperate for anything remotely like them. It would be dishonest to say there aren’t similarities between Miller’s works and Barker’s but all three books aim to do something novel and original and all three utterly succeed.
Where Song Of Achilles was a war story with LGBTQ themes and protagonists, and Circe was a feminist retelling of the myth and story of the witch Circe, The Silence Of The Girls is the story of the Trojan War told from the perspective of its most famous captive: Briseis. Through her we see what the sack of a city is really like. We see how the fall of a country effects those who aren’t on the battlefield. Most painfully, we see the fate of the women left behind. There’s no glory here. No beautiful and romantic depictions of war and battle. It’s brutal, cruel, dehumanizing, and visceral. The true and horrible fate of those women and children taken captive is described in honest and unflinching detail. The rape, abuse, and dehumanization these characters endure is equal parts honest and agonizing to listen to. If you’re someone who has a difficult time with stories involving rape and abuse then you might want to give The Silence Of The Girls a pass. That being said I don’t think those subjects are written exploitatively or cheaply, quite the reverse in fact. It’s honest and difficult to listen to at times but it can also be inspiring as we hear the characters find the strength to not just endure but even rise above.
While I don’t find The Silence Of The Girls as beautiful as Song Of Achilles or as profound as Circe there is a powerful, well-written, and superbly narrated story here. Painful and exhausting, beautiful and empowering, Pat Barker has done something really special here and I can honestly say I look forward to more from Barker in the future.

So powerful, so beautiful

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Entertaining
My only complaint was the accents used. I just cant imagine Greek and Trojans sounding just like the guy who sells me a bacon sandwich down the street

Good story

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I consider myself a Greek myth purist, so at first, choosing this seemed unnecessary. After all, isn’t everything about Greek myth already out there for our consumption? But, I’m glad I did, because that long last Briseis— long talked about as an accessory to the mens’ stories of the Trojan War, is given a voice— and the effect is at once startling and powerful. As someone who wrongly took for granted that the women didn’t have exciting arcs in the Trojan War, listening to this made me realize they had tough ones nonetheless: survival.

I loved the story, and I really liked the narrator’s performance. Kristin Atherton’s voice brought Briseis to life— she sounded weary, serious, yet watching her step. Her voice made Briseis relatable and accessible, and even in the tougher turns of the story, I wanted to keep listening to her.

Great retelling, and a wonderful addition to Greek myth “canon.” Who says the guys told the right story in the first place?

Stirring and Startlingly Good

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Kristen Atherton is so expressive and spot on with her portrayal of Briseis. The story itself definitely gets repetitive as far as reiterating Briseis’ grievances over and over again, but still a captivating story.

A little repetitive but excellent

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The consequences of the Trojan War on the noble women of the cities of Troy are amazingly vivid. The characters of the Iliad are brought to life. I loved this book.

Fabulous

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