Jocasta: The Mother-Wife of Oedipus

By: Victoria Grossack, Alice Underwood

Narrated by: Sally Stewart

Young and beautiful, born to a powerful family, Jocasta is destined to become Queen of Thebes. Trapped in a loveless marriage, she cannot save her firstborn child from her husband's wrath. Left alone on the throne after her husband's death, she must contend with the dangerous Sphinx and contrive a plan to protect her city. Charmed by a foreign prince, she does not know she is falling in love with her own son....

“Authors' portrayal of desperate human struggle against prophecy as spirited as the Queen herself – wonderful follow-up to Oedipus Rex” (Historical Novel Society Online)

“An absorbing, quasi-historical portrait of ancient Greece ... well-balanced update that maintains the original's mythic suspense” (Kirkus Discoveries)

©2011, 2017 Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood (P)2018 Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood

Amazing look at a classic from a fresh perspective

It was wonderful to get this story told from the other side, the mother's side, and the reader was a delight to listen to. I would enjoy hearing more if your works with Sally reading them.

Wonderful re-telling of the ancient story

The idea of writing Oedipus from Jocasta's point of view was a great idea. The story is well known but the point of view changes a lot as does the authors' decision to avoid the religious issues. The performance was superb. Narrating a first person novel must have been difficult but the narrator makes you 'hear' Jocasta not an actor. The narrator may be new to the field but she did a superb job. There was no flat delivery nor any over emoting - the delivery seems natural and, at least in this listener's ears, precisely toned to the authors' intent. The narrator managed to tailor her performance to the character and her maturation from a mid-teenager to a seasoned 50 year old queen.

Worthwhile.

My only criticism is that, while the narrator's voice and inflection was perfect for the 14 y.o. girl whom we meet at the beginning, I kept hoping that she would sound more mature at age 50. It did not wreck the book for me, despite a touch of Valley Girl reading Jocasta's words.

wonderful read

a wonderful insight into Greek lore.
The reader invokes a provocative feeling throughout the story.

phenomenal

Wow! Just wow. This retelling is spell binding. Whether you know the story ready or not, you won't be able to put this one down. The writing is spell binding. I can't get these characters or the very real feeling setting out of my head.

The narration is a little touch and go at first, but she really finds her stride after the first couple chapters. Dynamic and enchanting.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, mythology and epic story telling, you can't pass this book up.