The world of lost, ancient civilizations has always fascinated humanity, and we of the modern day are no different. The genre of fantasy inspired by Greek mythology has only grown as we discover more about their fascinating society and theology.
Here are 10 books that take from Greek myth as their inspiration for some high-quality story-writing.
10. Mythos by Stephen Fry
Ancient history is often seen (and intentionally presented) as epic, inaccessible, with godly and distinguished characters. As Stephen Fry begins in his novel Mythos;
there is absolutely nothing academic or intellectual about Greek mythology; it is addictive, entertaining, approachable and astonishingly human.
In Mythos and its subsequent books Heroes, Troy, and Odyssey, Fry has brought many of the most famous Greek myths to life in relatable and exciting retellings which have a large helping of Stephen Fry’s witty imagination thrown in.
Why we recommend it: This book series marries the best of what makes ancient Greek myths fascinating with something to entertain all, whether you are an aficionado of classical myths or a complete beginner.
9. Circe by Madeline Miller
From the acclaimed writer of the similar Greek fantasy book The Song of Achilles comes this fascinating retelling of the life of the enchantress Circe, who is most famous for her appearance in Homer’s The Odyssey.
From the moment of her birth, Circe is fated not to fit in with those around her. After discovering her powers of witchcraft – a talent known to cause great inconvenience for the gods – she is banished to a deserted island, where she expands her skills of sorcery and encounters many mythological figures, humans and gods alike.
Why we recommend it: This book builds beautifully on the character of Circe. She is strikingly human, the established myth transformed into a fully-fledged and enthralling tale
RelatedWonderful Women: The Popularity of Feminist Mythology Retellings
8. Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
All those familiar with Ursula K. Le Guin feel the palpable influence that feminism had on her various acclaimed works, and her final novel, Lavinia, is no different.
Le Guin takes the final books of Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid and reimagines them through the perspective of King Latinus’ daughter Lavinia, who in the original poem never speaks. Lavinia wants a simple, free life, but is caught up in prophecies of the future and the expectations of her parents and those around her. Navigating grave omens of war and death, Lavinia narrates to us the story of her life and her true love.
Why we recommend it: Rare is it to find a story that takes a mute, overlooked character, barely more than a name, and transforms her into such a strong and well-rounded person. Take the journey with her as she grows from ca arefree child to a level-headed woman who understands the limitations of the world around her and finds power in her own satisfying way.
7. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
If you’re in the market for a broad and varied take on the popular modern exercise of expanding the female perspective in classical stories, A Thousand Ships could be just what you’re looking for. Haynes uses the voice of Calliope as a narrator for many Greek female characters’ perspectives on classical stories, including Cassandra, Creusa, Penelope, Clytemnestra, and even as far as the goddess Athena.
Why we recommend it: This is a great way to engage with a wider range of Greek myths and characters from a broad, feminist perspective.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter6. Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Though most will have heard of or read something by the mighty C.S Lewis, this 1956 novel of his often flies under the radar. Lewis retells the myth of Cupid and Psyche through the eyes of Orual, Psyche’s less beautiful and less loved sister. She loves Psyche to a fault, and it is Cupid’s entrance into the sisters’ lives that takes Orual on a journey of self-exploration as she adjusts to unwelcome changes in her life.
Why we recommend it: Orual’s journey of struggle and self-discovery is such a relatable expansion of this famous myth. Although this book is a reimagining of a Greek myth told through the eyes of a previously unimportant woman, it stands apart from this now popular genre for the humanness of its central character.
5. Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles by Jeanette Winterson
Jeanette Winterson is known as an author who likes to play around with classic tales, weaving them into new ones. She often appears as an active narrator or character within her novels, which dip in and out of the established setting to explore her characterizations and also wider philosophical concepts.
Her novel Weight is not just a retelling of the myth of Atlas and Heracles, it springboards outwards into an exploration of fate versus freedom; of why we make the choices we make, and the influence those choices can have on our lives.
Why we recommend it: Those interested in the more symbolic side of ancient myth will eat up this book. The plot will not greatly surprise those who have read the original telling of Atlas and Heracles, as it is Winterson’s genius dive into the why? which truly shines through.
Related10 Wonderful Mythology Retellings That Aren’t Greek
4. House of Names by Colm Toibin
During the Trojan War, Agamemnon summons his wife Clytemnestra and oldest daughter Iphigenia to Troy under the pretense that she will be married, only to lock away his wife and sacrifice his daughter to ensure victory.
House of Names explores the traumatic aftermath on the rest of his family: his distraught wife who returned home planning to enact revenge, and the two children, who are caught up in the war within their own family and forced to choose between two frightening extremes.
Why we recommend it: This is a beautiful exploration of how the actions of the warring masculine heroes of classical Greek myths would affect those around them. Despite its ancient setting, this novel explores family dynamics in a way that reflects many modern problems.
3. The King Must Die by Mary Renault
Most of us have heard of the famed hero Theseus, who slayed the savage Minotaur within the Labyrinth in Crete, but Renault took it upon herself to really humanize and expand realistically upon him in her book series beginning with The King Must Die.
We are taken by the adult Theseus through his early life: said to be born from the gods, he grows in skills and confidence with a strong thread of prophecy woven throughout. From there we are taken along his extraordinary journey gaining infamy and power, and leads perfectly into the book’s sequel: The Bull from the Sea.
Why we recommend it: This is a book perfect for those who love the world and culture of Ancient Greece. Renault has clearly worked hard to base her story on the knowledge we have about life on Crete in that time and she brings the lifestyle and theology to life in a fascinating way.
RelatedWhat Are the Origins of Mythological Tales?
2. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
This book is most certainly the wildcard of the list as, whilst it is inspired by Greek mythology, it is certainly a departure from the typical structure such as expansions on myths or retellings from new perspectives. Clarke’s Piranesi is metaphorical, descriptive, and unique.
The plot itself is centered around Piranesi and his relationship with his endless labyrinthian house. He moves further and further through it infinitely, often visiting the only other person he sees in the house: The Other. But as he explores deeper into the house and its secrets, he finds more and more of what’s hidden behind the curtain, a view into a world beyond the house he lives in.
Why we recommend it: Readers will be transported within this magical, dreamlike world created by Clarke, which is the true core of this book. The mystery of the character and his setting is certainly intriguing, but this book is truly for those looking for a journey into magical realism and an exploration of identity, the metaphysical, the outside world versus the inners of the mind.
1. Alcestis by Katharine Beutner
The Greeks saw her as the perfect image of a wife: Alcestis, who offered herself to be sent to the Underworld in place of her husband.
In the original Greek myth, she spends three days there before being rescued by Heracles, but it is Katharine Beutner who takes Alcestis’ character and realizes for the first time “what would drive someone to offer something so pivotal for another?” Beutner recounts Alcestis’ past and her short time in the Underworld, exploring her relationship to death and her place in a society so misogynistic as that of the Ancient Greeks.
Why we recommend it: This is a more character-driven take on the re-imagined myth than some of the other explorations. If you’re looking for a book that will allow you to connect on a deeper level with an individual character, Alcestis may well be for you.
Whether it’s a mythological retelling, a delve into ancient society, based wholly in the old world, or also reflecting some of the new, this list certainly offers something to satiate your appetite for the Ancient Greeks! So settle in and let yourself be transported to this foreign and fantastical world of the past.
