Clytemnestra author Costanza Casati wins Goldsboro Books’ eighth Glass Bell Award

On the eve of the celebration of its 25th birthday, Goldsboro Books has crowned Costanza Casati the winner of the eighth Glass Bell Award for her debut novel Clytemnestra (Penguin Michael Joseph).

Casati’s book is described as a “vivid Greek retelling”, which the judging panel hailed as “totally unforgettable”. Founded in 2017 by David Headley, the co-founder and m.d. of the signed-first-edition specialist Goldsboro Books, the Glass Bell is awarded annually to a novel of any genre with “brilliant characterisation” and a “distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised”.

The winner was announced at Goldsboro’s 25th birthday party held at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone, London, which was attended by authors, publishing professionals and some longstanding customers of the shop.

A “thrilling tale of an indomitable queen”, Clytemnestra beat a host of other shortlisted books, comprising The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Mantle), In Memoriam by Alice Winn (Viking), The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin (Simon & Schuster), Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler (Bloomsbury Raven) and Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (Sandycove).

“At a time when women’s voices are more important than ever, both past and present, this book pays homage to that in the best way possible, by giving us a story about one of the most interesting women in Greek mythology – often simply referred to as ‘Agamemnon’s wife’,” the judges said of Clytemnestra. “This book gives her a voice, and what a voice it is! Totally unforgettable.”

Last year, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo was the award’s recipient for When We Were Birds (Hamish Hamilton), with the judging panel praising the book as “radiant and powerful”.