Jennifer Saint has helped usher in a new golden age of mythological retellings. With bestselling novels like Ariadne, Elektra, and Atalanta, she has become known for reimagining ancient Greek myths through the eyes of the women who have too often been sidelined by history, reports BritPanorama.
These ancient stories have endured for thousands of years for a reason, and Saint shares her favourite books that explore mythology, from the nonfiction that informed her to the novels that inspired her.
Greek myths by Charlotte Higgins
“If anyone new to Greek mythology asks me where to start, I always recommend this. It’s a compendium of ancient stories reimagined as a series of tapestries woven by eight famous women of myth – from the powerful Goddess Athena to the patient wife of Odysseus, Penelope. By turns thrilling, entertaining and heartbreakingly poignant, this is the perfect introduction to the dazzling and dizzying world of mythology.”
Vintage, £9.99
Galatea by Madeline Miller
“Most readers interested in Greek myth will have come across The Song of Achilles and Circe by this author, but not everyone knows about Galatea – a novella short enough to read in a coffee break that will open your eyes to the ancient world with the empowering tale of a statue brought to life who seizes control of her own destiny. Madeline Miller’s prose is always lyrical and exquisite, and she packs a full novel’s worth of feminine rage, grief and strength into this pocket-sized book.”
Bloomsbury, £6.99
Hekate by Nikita Gill
“Nikita Gill is an extraordinary poet, and this is the first installment of her verse trilogy dedicated to goddesses of the Underworld. She reimagines Hekate as a child refugee, fleeing the war between the gods and the Titans, and embarking on a journey to become the legendary Goddess of Witchcraft we know from myth.
“Gill’s poetry cuts right to the heart of what it means to be human even when she’s writing about mythological deities. In this novel, she brings us a timely and achingly resonant reflection on conflict, fear and the unbreakable bonds of family. It overflows with wisdom and compassion, and the evocative verse will bring you to tears, rouse you to anger and comfort you with hope.”
Soltice Books, £9.99
Sweetbitter song by Rosie Hewlett
“Rosie Hewlett’s third and finest novel so far, Sweetbitter Song brings the figure Melantho – a slave-woman who gets a handful of lines in Homer’s Odyssey – out of the shadows and makes her a fierce protagonist at the centre of a poignant and gorgeous romance with the queen of Ithaca, Penelope, that unfolds across the long years of the Trojan War and its aftermath. This is a beautifully crafted and subversive reimagining of the famous epic which gives us a sapphic love story that is utterly captivating.”
Bantam, £16.99
Mythica by Emily Hauser
“In an utterly fascinating blend of myth and nonfiction, Dr Emily Hauser takes us on a journey through the work of female archaeologists and scholars to uncover the real world of the Bronze Age – and the real lives of the women who inhabited it. Through the female characters in The Iliad and the Odyssey, Dr Hauser examines the evidence still coming to light of how queens, women warriors, female slaves, mothers, wives and witches existed in the ancient world and what we know about them today. It’s an illuminating and endlessly interesting insight into the forgotten lives and silenced voices of women that will completely reframe the way you read the myths for ever.”
Penguin, £12.99
This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint is published by Viking, £18.99
