Friday, May 14, 2021

Ten essential books inspired by Greek myth

Jennifer Saint grew up reading Greek mythology and was always drawn to the untold stories hidden within the myths. After thirteen years as a high school English teacher, she wrote Ariadne which tells the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur from the perspective of Ariadne - the woman who made it happen.

Saint is now a full-time author, living in Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two children.

At Publishers Weekly she tagged ten of her "favorite books about Greek mythology that breathe new life into old legends," including:
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

The Iliad retold through the eyes of women, this novel has a vast ensemble of narrators. Creusa, the wife left behind by Aeneas, awakens to the sack of Troy–her city on fire, her husband and son gone, her world reduced to ashes. While the men are slaughtered, the women are lined up on the beach to be chosen by the conquering Greek warriors. At home in Mycenae, Clytemnestra plots an unforgettable homecoming for Agamemnon. The goddesses that preside over the devastation have their say, too. There is humor alongside the tragedy and brutality in this brilliant retelling.
Read about another entry on the list.

A Thousand Ships is among Deanna Raybourn's six top novels based on historical scandals and Alyssa Vaughn's forty-two books to help you get through the rest of quarantine.

The Page 69 Test: A Thousand Ships.

--Marshal Zeringue