The Wandering Queen. Claire Heywood

Claire Heywood's novel reinterprets the myth and tells the story of Ellissa, the daughter of the king of Tyre, who is to inherit the throne along with her younger brother Pygmalion. But court intrigues take this right away from her. After being betrayed by her closest friends, she goes to North Africa. There Ellissa builds Carthage and becomes its queen, calling herself Dido. The woman swears not to trust anyone and forbids herself feelings, but the unexpected appearance of Aeneas forces her to reconsider this oath.
This is the story of a woman who lost her home, power and a secure future, but did not allow others to decide her fate. Dido here is not just part of the legend of Aeneas. She makes her own decisions, leads people, makes mistakes and learns to think like a ruler. Her path shows that strength can grow from loss, fear and the desire to start all over again.

The author tells the story in two timelines: between Tyre, where Ellissa loses her place, and Carthage, where she is already building a new state. The past gradually explains her distrust, caution, and desire to control everything. The gods here do not take much part in the fates of mortals - everything is decided by people themselves, their alliances, fears, and ambitions.