Author: Claire Heywood
Pages: 322 – Hardcover
Geemiz Rating: 3.7/5
Hi friends, it’s been a year since I last published here. Let me take a deep bow and apologize. I was still reading and even wrote two book review drafts (The Full Moon Cafe and The Lantern of Lost Memories), but I wasn’t able to edit and publish them. They will be scheduled for publication, I promise.
Long-time readers and friends of Geemiz, you all know that I mostly read books about books and East Asian literature, such as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese literature. You also know that historical fiction is my first comfort genre, but I haven’t been reading much of it lately.
The Wandering Queen is my way of reigniting my love for historical fiction and returning to my affection for ancient mythology.
Things to Consider Before Reading The Wandering Queen
The Wandering Queen should be taken as an attempt to reimagine the legendary figure Dido within a historical and cultural setting, rather than as a reconstruction of the historical figure of Dido or her role in the true political history of Tyre and Carthage. (Note from the author)
- Carthage is now known as Tunisia, while Tyre is in Lebanon.
- Queen Dido is only part of Roman mythology because of The Aeneid by Virgil. Historically and culturally, she is Phoenician and Carthaginian.
The Wandering Queen Book Review
This book is my first ancient mythology retelling. I have more on my TBR list, and I am glad that I started this journey.
I love that the author does not just focus on Dido and Aeneas’ love story but also gives us the pre-Virgil version of Dido, who is Princess Elissa — Princess of Tyre, trained by King Mattan himself to become queen and ruler of Tyre alongside her younger stepbrother, Pygmalion.
I appreciate the dual-period perspective, which makes the story flow beautifully and keeps it from becoming boring. We begin with Queen Dido in Carthage and gradually learn more about her as the story unfolds.
I commend Claire Heywood’s balance in presenting both Princess Elissa and Queen Dido. I was expecting a highly feminist portrayal of a woman ruler, but instead, I saw moments of weakness, vulnerability, and even questionable decisions that made me ask myself if this is really how a queen would think.
What I like about this retelling is its ending deviation from The Aeneid. I believe that a true leader will not let emotions lead them astray. A strong, wise, strategic, and even trickster-like leader will not let her guard down. Love will not be her demise but instead something that helps her agenda for her nation. Carthage would not become one of the most powerful civilizations in the Mediterranean without a solid foundation, and that foundation is Queen Dido.
My frustration is that I was hoping Dido would have a happy ending with Iarbas. What would the future have looked like if Dido had ended up with someone who truly loved and understood her the most? What changes would there have been historically and culturally?
Favorite Quotes from The Wandering Queen
“Know when to guard yourself, and when to act boldly.” — King Mattan
“Words could be sweet or stale, but truth was truth and fair was fair.” — Princess Elissa
“The gods granted all that should be, in time.” — Zakarbaal
“Do you think my love is worth less because it’s more easily given? That yours is so precious because you locked it away like gold?” — Anna
“There was no comfort like the warmth of her husband’s hands, the feel of his touch on her skin. If all the world were to dissolve, she thought, let her only keep this.” — Princess Elissa
“Power was rarely taken without blood.” — Princess Elissa
“Trickery was not a firm bed for growing trust.” — Princess Elissa
“Stories have their own history. They change over time — in form, in proportion, in detail. They invite new characters, new episodes, new endings.” — Claire Heywood
About the Book The Wandering Queen
The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom — exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart.
After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, where she is crowned queen — the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon becoming a powerful trading hub, Carthage thrives under Dido’s governance. But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago: never to trust or love another again.
Can Dido overcome her past and open herself — and her city — to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?
Do I recommend it? Of course — especially if you are into ancient mythology, history, and stories about women in power.
Have you read The Wandering Queen? How did you find it? Write what you think in the comments below. I would love to read more ancient mythology retellings, so send your recommendations.
I originally wrote these notes as a journal for my personal consumption. Over time, I realized that my thoughts are better shared with the outside world and with readers like you. I would appreciate it if you could leave your comments and do the same.
Together, let’s make the world a little better by reading one book at a time. 
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