Read this in an old magazine called "Cavalcade" while trying to find the article "I Walked With a Zombie" by Inez Wallace. Here are some things I'd thought I'd highlight.
Flocked to Athens? What? Did James Holledge only know Helen was the queen of Sparta and presume she had been born elsewhere? He portrays Menelaus as King of Sparta already, so I presume that is the case, but that is very much not the case originally: Helen was Spartan born and Menelaus Mycenean born, he was King of Sparta by marriage.
To his credit, Holledge does not villainize Menelaus... He just goes ahead and villainizes Helen instead.
Holledge romanticizes Paris like so many do and he describes Menelaus' absence as him going on campaign in Crete. What? No! He went to his uncle's funeral in Crete! Unless there was a civil war going on with his cousin having to defend his throne from a usurper following the funeral that I never heard about, I don't think that is correct.
Agamemnon is mentioned, but besides being identified as Menelaus' brother, there is no reason stated for why he is the leader of the Achaean army. Holledge doesn't mention the fact that as basically the high king, Agamemnon was essentially the supreme leader or the number of ships that he brought. He doesn't even specify that Agamemnon is the elder, so for all we know he could be Menelaus' younger brother in this.
Yeah, sure. That is exactly it, it's not like Helen could have been forced into the marriage against her will or anything.
I will admit I like this bit so the sons are of a rival of Helen. That is a good way to reimagine the son of a slave thing and gives the mother more agency. I don't know, maybe. I personally prefer the version where Nicostratus is Helen's son, but for some reason Holledge does not mention any of Helen's children.