BOOOOOM. That was Zeus’ lightning bolt striking you down for not reading my companion article on ‘Why Greek Mythology is Still Relevant.”
Anyways, now that you have read the other article, you can continue on to this one that gives some truly divine–get it ;)– Greek Mythology book recommendations!
“The Silence of the Girls” by Pat Barker
One sentence summary: Iliad retelling from the perspective of Briseis, Achilles’concubine, that gives the Trojan War a feminist perspective.
Quote that shows style: “ We are going to survive— our songs, our stories. They’ll never be able to forget us. Decades after the last man who fought at Troy is dead, their sons will remember the songs their Trojan mothers sang to them. We will be in their dreams— and in their worst nightmares too.”
Vibes and themes: Feminine Rage and frustration; discovering and claiming womanhood; reflection on the untold travesties of wartime (especially the unnecessary ones propagated by men!).
“The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller
One sentence summary: A lyrical retelling of Greek hero Achilles’ life, loss, and love from childhood to the Trojan War, all through the perspective of his lover and partner, Patroclus.
Quote that shows style: “I stopped watching for ridicule, the scorpion’s tail hidden in his words. He said what he meant; he was puzzled if you did not. Some people might have mistaken this for simplicity. But is it not a sort of genius to cut always to the heart?”
Vibes and themes: Greek hero story retelling; LGBTQ+ romance; poetic writing style; sacrifice and loss; unrequited love and devotion; madness and grief; finding humanity even in the darkest places; dazzling yet gruesome.
“Circe” by Madeline Miller
One sentence summary: Lonely, but Girl Boss Sorceress reveals the untold history of her life, one that while largely left out of Homer’s Odyssey, contains many of its characters.
Quote that shows style: “All my life had been murk and depths, but I was not a part of that dark water. I was a creature within it”
Vibes and themes: Female Empowerment; discovering the difference between being alone and being lonely; coming of age and finding identity; power abuse and struggle; family/generational trauma and backstabbing; love and loss.
“Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan
One sentence summary: 12 year-old Greek god half-blood befriends mythological creatures and gods to complete an epic adventure to the underworld… and hopefully back again.
Quote that shows style: “ ‘Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her.’(Annabeth) ‘They must really like olives’(Percy) ‘Oh, forgot it.’(Annabeth) ‘Now, if she invented pizza–that I could understand.’(Percy)”
Vibes and themes: Quirky and hilarious middle schoolers; finding identity and finally ‘fitting in’; outdoorsy summer camp; ‘family’ road-trip; entertaining side characters.
“Ariadne” by Jennifer Saint
One sentence summary: Cretan princess Ariadne leaves a life of luxury behind after a crucial decision and must now live with the consequences, which are dictated by the men surrounding and guiding her.
Quote that shows style: “ No longer was my world one of brave heroes; I was learning all too swiftly that women’s pain that throbbed unspoken through the tales of their feats.”
Vibes and themes: Girlhood and innocence; learning from naivety; tales of the Minotaur; men betraying trust; family rivalry.
Here are some other honorable mentions in case those above didn’t quench your mythological curiosity: The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes and Elektra by Jennifer Saint!
