mythology – Imogen L. Smiley

Book Review: Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood ‘Gentlest of Wild Things’ by Sarah Underwood was released in 2024. It is her second novel and happens during the same universe as her debut, ‘Lies We Sing To The Sea’, which is set on Ithaca, Odysseus’ homeland, generations after his passing, where the Isle isContinueContinue reading

Book Review: Medea by Rosie Hewlett ‘Medea’ by Rosie Hewlett was released in 2024. It tells the story of Medea, the tragic heroine who married Jason of the Argonauts, killed her brother and then subsequently murdered both of the sons she had with Jason to punish him for leaving her. She is often seen asContinueContinue reading

Book Review: Once A Monster by Robert Dinsdale ‘Once A Monster’ by Robert Dinsdale was released in 2023. It was his seventh release. It retells the story of the mythic monster, the minotaur, supposedly slain by Theseus, with the help of Ariadne, as he walks the line between man and monster. I felt that thisContinueContinue reading

‘Medusa’ is a novella by Jessie Burton that was published by Bloomsbury in 2021. It follows the story of mythological figure, Medusa, and offers a take on her encounter with Perseus, one of the demigod sons of Zeus.

‘The Women of Troy’ by Pat Barker was released in 2021. Although it can be read as a standalone novel, the events of the story follow almost directly from her book ‘The Silence Of The Girls’, which I’ve reviewed previously.

‘Kaikeyi’ was Vaishnavi Patel’s debut novel and was published in 2022. It was recommended to me whilst browsing online for other mythology related books. Despite knowing nothing about the original source material, Ramayana, I was excited to read it.

‘Circe’ is Madeline Miller’s second novel, and was released in 2019, it follows the immortal life of the nymph, Circe, daughter of Helios, one of the few Titans who sided with Zeus in wartimes. The book begins in her childhood, lingering significantly on a meeting with Prometheus upon the declaration of his punishment for giving mortals fire to wield as their own. While Helios and his people observe the spectacle of the fury, Alecto, whipping Prometheus, the event eventually loses its gravitas, and thus the interest of the people. All Helios’ courts, except Circe, leave him.

Ariadne’ is a novel by Jennifer Saint and was published in 2021. It follows the Cretian sisters, Ariadne and Phaedra during their youth, growing up above the lair of the Minotaur, and their fates after Ariadne’s coil of thread aids Theseus in his escape from the labyrinth.

‘Six Crimson Cranes’, and ‘The Dragon’s Promise’ are a duology by author, Elizabeth Lim, with the first book coming out in 2021, and its sequel being released in 2022. Now a prequel novel, ‘Her Radiant Curse’, is due to be released later this year.

‘Good Omens’ was written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, and was published in 1990. Due to its age some of the humour in this novel is outdated, such as the use of the f-slur.

‘The Silence of the Girls’ by Pat Barker was published in 2018 and retells events that take place during the siege of Troy from the perspective of Briseis, one of Achilles’ war prizes and former Queen of Lyrnessus. Breisis tells the story of her enslavement throughout the years of war on her land.

I have a reasonable amount of knowledge of Greek Mythology from watching my copy of Disney’s ‘Hercules’ on VHS, to a fleeting ‘Percy Jackson’ phase, to attending university, where we dedicated several weeks to studying myths like Eros and Psyche, Apollo and Daphne, Oedipus Wrecked, and other tales from the Iliad. I even played ‘Hades’, which was how I knew vaguely of the characters in The Song of Achilles.