"A divine biography. . . . Sizzling. . . . [Hughes], a young British historian, explores not only the Bronze Age babe but also what she has meant throughout history and the cultural significance of being both desired and despised." -USA Today

"[Hughes'] multi-faceted, multi-hued, and multi-period portrait of la Belle Helene will capture the imagination of professional scholars and general readers alike. I cannot recommend it too strongly." -Professor Paul Cartledge, Cambridge University

"Hughes brings a passion for ancient history and archaeology crossed with a strain of feminism to the figure of Helen." -The Washington Post Book World

"The book triumphantly reclaims Helen from some of her traducers. Hughes's portrait is as close to a real, living Helen as we are likely to get."
-Financial Times

"When Helen launched her "thousand ships," was she a "shameless hussy?" Or, like her mother, was she a rape victim? . . . The answers have always depended on who you speak to and when. Hughes has them all."
-The Times

"Hughes skillfully brings this period back to life. A fascinating window onto the power politics of an age . . . a genuinely exciting historical narrative."
-Sunday Telegraph.