Reading Journal - The Song of Troy (Colleen McCullough) chapters 1 and 2

Begun reading "The Song of Troy", by Colleen McCullough, after just finishing the Iliad. I have some passing knowledge of the other texts of the Epic Cycle (besides the Odyssey, which is one of my favourites), so I know most of the events in the before-and-after of the Iliad. I've been looking at adaptations and other writings related to it — books like this, plays by the great playwrights, movies and articles — and creating a spider's web around it. I attempted to read the Song of Achilles before, but it was... boring, to be honest. Maybe another day. Without further ado, first chapter notes:

The book talks quite a bit about politics, pointing here and there about possible reason a war might break out: they talk about trade routes from minor Asia to the Trojan coast, and how Greeks are barred from entering this space; they talk about taxation on commodities, gold, and treasure. They talk about the relations between kings. It is very likely one of the reasons the "real" Trojan war could have happened was, indeed, trade wars, so it is very interesting to see it being touched upon this early. I commend the author tremendously for it. Other myths and legends get constant mention, both from the Epic Cycle and from unrelated myths (like Heracles, for example).

The narration is in first person which I am not used to, and I think it'll be difficult to differentiate character voices. Each chapter is narrated by a different character: the first chapter is told by Priam, the Trojan prince at the time, and the second is told by Peleus. Priam is not particularly regal in his narration, so I imagine it'll be much of the same throughout the rest of the book, and I shall have to jump back and fort between the chapter headings to see who I am reading at this time. Regardless, the style is pleasant. It's not difficult to read, and it doesn't drag. 

Something that has me puzzled (in a good way) is a deliberate vagueness on the very existence of the gods. In the first chapter, Priam tells us the story of how Troy's walls were constructed, but he tells it as a story. Peleus constantly dismisses the thought of Thetis being a goddess. On the other hand, Heracles seems to have gotten a vision from his father, the lion haunting Troy has Poseidon's mark, and Thetis seems to turn vaguely snake-like during her birth. I'm curious to see how McCullough will handle Athena's influence in Diomedes and Ulysses, or Aphrodite's intervention for Paris and Helen, or even Artemis' demands of Iphigenia. 

I am worried about the treatment of women in this book though. It's... messy. Thetis is called crazy over and over, and although she does act strangely and even maliciously, she deserves more grace from the author. Hesione, as well, who was a war-spoil of Telamon, was written instead to be in love with him. General treatment of the women seems... poor. I do hope, when we get to nHelen and Briseis.