Elyse John’s Orphia and Eurydicius is a sumptuous, gender-bending retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice. It celebrates the queer magic of storytelling and also women’s voices in an epic adventure across ancient Greece. Having previously published a collection of poetry, John now brings her skill as a poet to this novel and brings the character of Orpheus to life as Orphia, a poet who defies her father Apollo’s wishes in order to give voice to the voiceless women of Greece.

For anyone looking for a retelling of Greek mythology that whole-heartedly embraces its queer possibilities while also giving weight to the often horrifying treatment of women, this hits the mark. I enjoyed how John re-imagines many of the familiar characters in Greek mythology, such as Apollo, Jason and the Argonauts, and the Muses. In particular, I loved John’s depiction of Hera as a figure equal to Zeus in power and ability, as
a complex and interesting deity in her own right, and as the protector of women, rather than a figure sidelined as merely the wife of Zeus. While at times I found that Orphia’s passion for giving voice to the voiceless tipped over from thrilling to slightly didactic, I appreciated Orphia’s intense drive as a character, as well as her unapologetic love of bold women and gentle men like Eurydicius.

Orphia and Eurydicius was a lot of fun to read and stands out among the recent wave of feminist retellings of Greek mythology. I highly recommend it for Madeline Miller readers looking for an epic read.