Recent literary adaptations of Greek myths
It's a good time to be a fan of literary retellings of Greek mythology. Which is to say, it's a good time to be me. Over the past couple of years, writers have been delving into the classic stories of the Trojan War, the Odyessey and the gods of Mount Olympus to produce some truly excellent works of fiction, and I have been hoovering them up as fast as they can be released. Here are just some of the more recent offerings on our shelves.
The Songs of Penelope series by Claire North
In the Songs of Penelope series, Odysseus's ever-faithful wife is given her due. Barely warranting a footnote in Homer's Odyssey, this series by the award-winning writer Claire North sees Penelope reimagined as a strong and capable leader, who must keep the kingdom and citizens of Ithaca safe from civil war while her husband spends two decades galivanting about the Peloponnese. The final book in this trilogy – The Last Song of Penelope – has just been released, so it's the perfect time to dive into this compellingly feminist retelling.
Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon
Rachel Lyon's debut novel, Self-Portrait with Boy, was an electric novel about female friendship. In Fruit of the Dead she turns her attention to the complexities of mother-daughter relationships with a contemporary reimagining of the myth of Persephone. Eighteen-year-old Cory (Kore, get it?) accepts a job from the reclusive CEO of a pharmaceutical company, Rolo Picazo. While Cory loses herself to the luxuries (and opiates) that Picazo plies her with on his private island, Cory's mother Emer will stop at nothing to rescue her daughter from his predatory attentions. Fruit of the Dead makes for uncomfortable reading at times, but it's an immersive and lushly-written book with plenty of nods to the original myth that readers will enjoy decoding.
Medea by Rosie Hewlett
Medea is one of the more controversial female figures in Greek mythology, and let's be honest: it's difficult to make someone who murders their own children sympathetic. In Medea, Rosie Hewlett tackles the story of Jason's witch-queen; the daughter of the king of Colchis, who enables the theft of the Golden Fleece then is betrayed by her husband after ten years of marriage. Hewlett is no stranger to anti-heroines – her debut novel was a literary retelling of the myth of Medusa – and she is well-practised in giving context to some of the more misogynistic myths.
Hera by Jennifer Saint
Hera is Jennifer Saint's fourth foray into Greek mythology, following on from Elektra, Ariadne and Atalanta. Often portrayed as the jealous wife or the wicked stepmother, Saint's retelling captures the many sides of Hera, vengeful when she needs to be but also compassionate and most importantly, an all-powerful queen to the gods.
Psykhe by Kate Forsyth
Kate Forsyth is an Australian author who writes for both children and adults. You may be familiar with her series of historically-based interpretations of classic fairytales: The Beast's Garden, which transports Beauty and the Beast to Nazi Germany; Bitter Greens, which portrays Rapunzel in the court of Versailles; and Beauty in Thorns which reimagines the tale of Sleeping Beauty against the backdrop of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Psykhe sits comfortably alongside the others, with Forsyth making the two-and-a-half-thousand year-old love story between Psyche and Eros a life-affirming celebration of female strength, sexual desire, and empowerment.
Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John
Elyse John's queer, gender-bending adaptation of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is an enthralling story about unconventional love, the power of creativity and the courage of women who struggle to make their voices heard. Daughter of the sun god Apollo, Orphia dreams of something more than the warrior crafts she's been forced to learn. A chance meeting with a young shield-maker, Eurydicius, gives her the courage to use her voice.
Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson
Men don't really get much of a look-in with contemporary retellings of Greek myths (fair, to be honest. The originals are usually quite male-dominated), so I was interested to read Phoenicia Rogerson's novel about Hercules, arguably the manniest man of Greek mythology. Told with both humour and heart, Herc is actually less the story of the great hero, and more the story of the supporting characters around him: his friends, enemies, wives, children, lovers, rivals and victims. Like all good adaptations, it offers a fresh interpretation, and gives voice to the voiceless.
The Lore Olympus series by Rachel Smythe
For something completely different, you might like to check out the Lore Olympus series of graphic novels from Rachel Smythe. This Eisner Award-winning webcomic brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age, in a series of sharply perceptive and beautifully presented graphic novels.
There are six volumes out now, so you can dive in to the romance, drama and humour of Smythe's retelling.
