Product Description

In order to survive, Anaxandra pretends to be a princess. She manages to stay safe until the war between Troy and Sparta. She journeys to Troy, but is followed and is soon caught up in both the fighting and a struggle with herself over where her loyalties lie.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1125698 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

Worth a read!
"On the seas to Troy" is undeniably a well researched book. Much of its storyline is involved with the happenings of Troy and ancient Greece, all seen through the eyes of a twelve year old girl. This girl is Anaxandra, taken hostage at six years old.
Her captor, King Nicander, takes her in and treats her as one of his own, but when his island falls victim to a bloody pirate raid, Anaxandra is the only survivor. After being mistaken for Nicander's daughter, the Princess Callisto, by King Menelaus, Anaxandra asumes her identity and is taken in by Menelaus. His wife, the deadly Helen, is not happy.
The storyline is a good one and has much potential, but in some areas I think it lacks the heart that could complete the story and there are a couple of unanswered questions towards the end.
I think that this book is well worth a read. Though it does not have the "something" that normally keeps me hooked "On the seas to Troy" is an easy read. 3 stars!

Great read.
Anaxandra is the only daughter of the chieftain of a small, unnamed island in the Aegean Sea. When she is just six years old, she is taken as a hostage by Nicander, king of Siphnos. She ends up being companion and friend to his crippled daughter Callisto. Six years later, Siphnos is raided by pirates, and Anaxandra is the only survivor. When Menelaus, king of Sparta, stops his fleet of ships at Siphnos to investigate, Anaxandra lies to save herself. She takes on the identity of the dead princess Callisto. Menelaus takes her home with him to his palace, where she befriends his children, in particular his daughter Hermoine and his baby son Pleis. But she is also terrified by his wife Helen, who knows the truth, that Anaxandra is not Callisto. When Helen runs off with her lover, Prince Paris of Troy, and determines to bring her two younger children along, Anaxandra disguises herself and goes in Hermoine's place, to save her friend, and protect Pleis. She manages to get herself and the baby safely to Troy -- where a great war is about to begin, and they are in more danger then ever before.

I absolutely loved this book, and I highly recommend it book to young adult readers with an interest in the Trojan War, or Greek mythology in general. Anaxandra is a wonderful character, and her narrative brings the world of Ancient Greece and Troy to life.

On the seas to Troy
i first read on the seas to Troy when i was twelve (i am now fourteen) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is now one of my very favourite books - in with the top three (Pirates!, Celia Rees, and the Bartimaeus Trilogy, Jonathon Stroud). it got me really interested in ancient greek mythology and the trojan era and i think Anaxandra is a wonderful heroine. by far it is one of the best books i have read(and i have read a lot of books)Caroline cooney deserves applause for On the seas to Troy. if you enjoyed it, try "Troy" by Adele Geras - though i warn you, it is very wierd as it displays Troy, the greeks and (especially) Helen in a totally different light.