Bookseller Reviews
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A slow-burn sapphic romance full of yearning
An exciting new addition to the Greek mythology retelling genre that didn't disappoint.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a slow-burn story. The... READ MORE
Perfectly Tragic and Tragically Perfect
"Eros the melter of limbs (now again) stirs me - sweetbitter unmanageable creature who steals in" Sappho fr. 130Bittersweet is indeed the word for a book l... READ MORE
stunning prose that had me sobbing
Rosie Hewlett really just pulled out my heart and stabbed it repeatedly while I said thank you huh? Sweetbitter Song is a retelling of Penelope & Melantho ... READ MORE
secures her spot as a must read author
Another immaculate feat from Hewlett secures her spot as a must read author. For those of us who devoured Song of Achilles (yet longed for it to be Sapphic... READ MORE
Exceptional.
Hewlett has a way with prose that paints a beautiful picture of the most tragic stories. Her characters are so vivid and real that they jump off the page, ... READ MORE
A Masterpiece!
If I could given this book six stars, I would have! I absolutely devoured this book, it enveloped me to the point where I lost track of time reading it. I ... READ MORE
devastating, but worth it
“This pain, I knew, was the price of loving her as I did, so completely, so irrevocably…”… which is exactly how I feel about this book. Bittersweet Song is... READ MORE
beautiful and tragic
Sweetbitter Song by Rosie Hewlett ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 ..I finished this book a few days ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. The story is both beautiful and deva... READ MORE
Hear their story....
One fateful night in Sparta, when most are slumbering under the veil of Nyx, a young slave girl is taken from her mother without a choice, for it is the wi... READ MORE
Publisher information
- Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
- ISBN: 9781804992449
- Number of pages: 496
- Dimensions: 198 x 127 x 31 mm
- Weight: 338g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA heartbreaking tale of forbidden love
A 5 star read for me.
A story of Penelope, a queen and Melantho, a young slave girl who are drawn to each other and develop a strong friendship - each l... READ MORE
A beautiful love story reviving a Greek myth
I loved Medea by Rosie Hewlett and jumped at the chance to read her latest book. I was not disappointed. Hewlett is such a good storyteller. In Sweetbitter... READ MORE
Another Rosie triumph
Nine is old enough, she reassures her mother. Icarius, the king of Spartas' brother has called for Melantho, who must leave the slave quarters and her moth... READ MORE
Heartfelt and beautiful
I’ve been sitting on this review for a long time, not really knowing where to begin because words seem to fail me so let’s just start at the beginning.
... READ MORE
A Wonderful Journey
Wooooooo, easiest (and the first of 2026!) five stars. I am not joking, this book will absolutely blow your mind!
I fell in love with Penelope and Melanth... READ MORE
Read it in 24 hours
I read it cover to cover in 24 hours, I couldn’t put it down. What an utterly gorgeous book! I loved Medusa and Medea so much (I really didn’t think I coul... READ MORE
Extraordinary
“And the world ceased to exist. It was just her. She was the air, the sky, the ground, the breath in my lungs, the blood in my veins.She was my beginning a... READ MORE
A Wonderful Journey
Wooooooo, easiest (and the first of 2026!) five stars. I am not joking, this book will absolutely blow your mind!
I fell in love with Penelope and Melanth... READ MORE
Reimagining
This is a modern retelling of the tale of Penelope & it’s done beautifully. She has always been a favourite of mine & so I was excited to catch an early co... READ MORE
Beautiful read
Perfect Sapphic book!
Thank you so much to Bantam for the ARC
What a read! I was familiar with some parts of the myth, but not all of it, so this retelling was perfect for me... READ MORE
Outstanding!
This is a beautifully written and refreshing take on the Odyssey, and as someone who loathes Odysseus with a passion, I was thrilled that this original rei... READ MORE
ALL THE STARS!!!!!♾️⭐️
‘Let history have its lies, if it means we can have each other.’ You have done it AGAIN @, what an absolutely incredible sapphic love story. The writing is... READ MORE
Beautifully written
Melantho is a slave in the palace of Sparta, Penelope is a princess and as children they become friends until their different statuses are cruelly exposed.... READ MORE
What if the stories told by men were only what they wanted us to believe?
The Odyssey completely rewritten. Sweetbitter Song is a reimagining of the famous tale from the perspective of Melantho, a long-time enslaved favourite of ... READ MORE
Five stars!
Sweetbitter Song is a beautiful and arresting book that reimagines a story long overlooked by history. Rosie Hewlett brings Penelope and Melantho to the fo... READ MORE
A brilliant novel from Rosie Hewlett
I was overjoyed to receive an eARC of Rosie Hewlett’s latest novel from Bantam and NetGalley. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this novel earl... READ MORE
.
This was an amazing sapphic retelling of the Odyssey. Full of yearning and love, it's a fascinating twist on a classic.
In this retelling Melantho, a y... READ MORE
Amazing!
Thank you so so much to the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read Sweetbitter song in advance!Wow. This was such a great read. The... READ MORE
A fierce, lyrical triumph — tender, devastating, and alive with unstoppable feminine power.
Sweetbitter Song is a masterpiece. Rosie Hewlett has already proven she can craft myth‑rich, emotionally charged stories, but this book feels like her step... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
A beautitul love story !
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for granting me an ARC of this book by one of my favorite authors, Rosie Hewlett. I’ve loved every one of... READ MORE
a new but shining direction for Hewlett
As a huge fan of Hewlett's Medea and Medusa, and a longstanding Odysseus hater (Penelope deserved better), this sapphic reimagining of her story was a high... READ MORE
Masterpiece that challenges everything
‘I had never much cared for our gods, but within the depths of Penelope’s love I had found my religion, and as we worshipped at the alter of our bodies, we... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
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