Greek myths with their myriad of gods, goddess and mystical creatures have long intrigued, captured and inspired people around the world. With Homer’s Odyssey about to hit the big screens in a new film adaptation, starring Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron, For Reading Addicts recommends a collection of books that reimagine the Greek myths, offering news takes on tales of power, vengeance, and fate.
Lead image: The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “Venus seated on a swan and accompanied by Eros.” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1844 – 1861.
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Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
We’ve long been told that Medusa is a villain of Greek mythology but it was her disembodied head that was used as a weapon that gave her this reputation, after her untimely death at the hands of Perseus. Natalie Haynes’ Stone Blind retells the story of Medusa, the gorgon, reclaiming the narrative for a feminist age.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Stories of the Trojan war don’t always remember the love Patroclus had from Achilles but Miller’s retelling centres their connection. As of 2022, it had sold over 2 million copies across various formats, and has become a BookTok sensation.
The Odyssey by Stephen Fry
Homer’s Odyssey is retold with humour and wit by Stephen Fry who previously penned the bestselling mythology books: Mythos, Heroes and Troy in his Greek Myths series.
Hekate by Nikita Gill
Bestselling poet Nikita Gill, takes on the powerful Greek goddess of witchcraft, Hekate in this retelling which is the first of the Greek myths tackled by this writer. The next book in the series, Styx: The River, is also now available to pre-order.
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Left on a mountainside as an infant, Atalanta is raised by a mother bear, under the protective eeys of the goddess Artemis. As an adult, she joins Jason and the Argonauts, trying to carve out a space as a woman in a world made for men. This retelling by Saint brings the heroic tale of the only Argonaut to life.
Sweetbitter Song by Rosie Hewett
from the bestselling author of Medea, this Sapphic tale promises to be ‘the greatest love story never told’. Sweetbitter Song is the story of Penelope, one of Ancient Greece’s most famous heroines and Melantho who is sent to serve the princess and her husband Odysseus. When the Ithacan men are called away, a woman will rule and love can bloom. What happens when the men return though, and what lengths will these women go to protect what they hold dear?
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