Graphic Novel Review - 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' by Felicia Day (Writer), Rowan MacColl (Artist)

'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' is a monumental and phenomenal powerhouse of a feminist Greek mythology graphic novel.

It explores the story of Philonoe, the youngest and forgotten sister of Helen of Troy. She's a woman who's been lost to time. Even the mists of myth no longer acknowledge her existence.

Until now.

Considered cursed because of a facial birthmark, Princess Philonoe was sent away as a baby to live as a poor goatherd. Quite appropriate, seeing as she is one of her family's female scapegoats - has been since birth. Her life is that of abandonment issues, and starvation of love, value, worthiness, and belonging. When she comes of age, she is finally allowed back into the presence of her parents, who she hopes to "earn" their love, and make them see her, by behaving exactly as she is supposed to; meaning: by becoming the perfect wife to a prince from an allying Greek city. And by hiding her face with a veil at all times.

Youthful, naïve, and desperate, Philonoe believes she has to conform to a patriarchal system of total submissiveness, faithfulness and loyalty to men in order to fit in and be loved, regardless of what is true and what is right for her.

But on her Twelve Labours-style quest to break her curse - and another curse placed on her and her older sisters, that causes them to inevitably "betray their husbands" - all initiated by Aphrodite - Philonoe, guided by Artemis, learns that the misogynistic patriarchy by its very concept will never love and accept her, and it will never make her happy. It will never allow her to be happy, to belong, to be free as she is. People living in and benefitting from that hierarchy will always hate and judge her, no matter what she does. A "perfect wife and mother" is a lie and a trap.

Philonoe will find the strength and resolve to love herself, to put herself and her needs first, no matter what anyone thinks. She will realise that she deserves love and respect too.

She will love other women, including her sisters, who she only knew by their "traitorous, treacherous, scandalous and destructive" reputations, and "monster" women. Like her, they are in fact victims of the machinations of insecure and power-mad male gods and heroes, and kings.

Perhaps she will also find love in a certain goddess who has her eye on her...

I'm so glad that, even with my knowledge of Greek mythology, I've finally gotten to know Philonoe, and other female figures - such as Clytemnestra, Timandra, Echidna, and including the genderfluid Caenis/Caeneus - who are more than worthy of having their stories told, and remembered.

Philonoe is a real immortal heroine in 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta'! She is so human, vulnerable, lost, naïve, scruffy, scrappy, relatable, and imperfect, and her development throughout her journey is a beautiful thing to witness. She is loved and seen, and respected, as herself - %$*^! any "curses", and how she looks.

I love this interpretation of my girl Artemis, as well. She's a stubborn, hard-arse warrior woman with a heart of gold - and a crescent moon on her forehead! - and she's a feminist LBGTQ+ icon who is forever exploring her sexuality and horizons. Artemis's design in the graphic novel resembles that of Pearl from 'Steven Universe', so much so that I suspect it was intentional.

How happy I am that stories like 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' are still being told; are continuing to exist in the mainstream public eye. And how happy I am that I decided to buy it on a whim upon seeing it for the first time in my local bookshop, despite having reservations about the rough, cartoony black and white and red artwork, and having never read anything by Felicia Day before.

'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' - just read this feminist graphic novel mistress-work, that respects, understands and celebrates forgotten women in history, myth and legend. Independent, LBGTQ+ women, that is. It is an epic tale matching (and marching!) that of 'Odysseus'. For fans of 'The One Hundred Nights of Hero', 'Young Hag', 'The Fox Maidens', 'Heathen', and 'The Girl, the Priest, and the Devil', it is definitely a must-hunt-down-and-devour.

Also recommended are 'Goddess of The Hunt', 'Great Goddesses', and 'Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology's Fiercest Females'.

(In my opinion, 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' is much better than any of the modern bestselling novels that retell Greek myths with a "feminist twist", that are being churned out ad nauseum.)

Final Score: 4.5/5 (five Artemis's crescent moons!)