Editor Emma Clarendon loves Greek mythology and even more so books inspired by these fascinating tales. Here’s five books that she wants to read…
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint: set to be published on the 29th April, this debut novel is one that I’m really excited to read as it brings to life another Greek myth that doesn’t have many (if any) retellings. Ariadne follows the story of the Cretan Princess who betrays her family to save Theseus from the Minotaur who is her brother. I have a feeling it is going to be intriguing to see how the story unfolds and what conclusions the author comes to from a modern perspective.
Wings of Fury by Emily R.King: out now and taking readers further back to the time of Cronus, this is another female perspective concentrating on the story of Althea Lambros – a strong willed character who controls her own fate and wants to uphold her dying mother’s plea to look after her two sisters – no matter the cost. From reading the plot it seems like there is a real war at its centre, ensuring that there is going to be plenty of Greek drama that will make for exciting reading.
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips: this satire was released quite a few years ago now, and I’m not quite sure how it has passed me by! Flinging the Greek Gods into modern life is a recipe for disaster right? Particularly when they are given modern jobs such as: Artemis (goddess of hunting, professional dog walker), Aphrodite (goddess of beauty, telephone sex operator) and Apollo (god of the sun, TV psychic). I think it will be hilarious to discover just how the Gods could be adapted to modern life and what chaos they will cause along the way.
Great Goddesses: Life Lessons from Myths and Monsters by Nikita Gill: it will be fascinating to re-explore the stories of the likes of Medusa, Circe and Athena and what we can learn from them with regards to modern life. This book is also illustrated, so that will add extra depth in examining these powerful character’s lives.
Heroines of Olympus: The Women of Greek Mythology by Ellie Mackin Roberts: having been completely eclipsed by the male characters in these stories, as with the work of Natalie Haynes it will be interesting to see how the women actually helped to shape the foundations of Ancient Greece. Apparently featuring 50 tales, I can’t wait to delve in and lose myself in these stories once again.