Hypsipyle is one of those mythical characters from ancient Greek literature who was well known at the time of Apollonius, Ovid and Statius, but is largely unknown today. From her life as the daughter of King Thoas and Queen Myrina on the northern Aegean island of Limnos, through her short reign as a monarch who was eventually sold into slavery, Tony Whitefield recreates her story using the existing literature and a fair degree of imagination. We are introduced to her life through the eyes of Peter, an ageing story teller from Limnos, who has made his living re-telling her story to any group who will employ him. This is to be his last time as a storyteller, as he is old and wants to retire to a quiet life on the remote island of Chryse with his goats and sheep for his remaining years.
