Greek mythology retellings have seen a resurgence of popularity thanks to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. But often missing from these lists are books by Greek authors. As Greek author and poet Avra Margariti puts it,
My theory is thatU.S.-born writers seek Greek mythology as an open source that belongs to no one (therefore, it belongs to everyone). So they claim this mythology as the shared creative world they crave.
For more, check out Lyndsie Manusos’s essay about how Greek authors have been erased during a wave of Greek mythology retellings.
Here are a few Greek mythology retellings by Greek authors to get you started.
The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel by Nikos Kazantzakis: Kazantzakis is the most-translated Greek author in the world, and he was nominated for the Nobel in nine different years. This epic poem sequel to The Odyssey was written over 14 years and was the work he was most proud of.
Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou: Io is a descendant of the Fates, and she uses her powers as a private investigator. Her latest case? In the half-sunken city of Alante, someone is sabotaging women’s life threads, turning them into murderous wraiths.
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Winter Harvest by Ioanna Papadopoulou: When Demeter’s daughter, Kore, goes missing, she searches the Earth for her. Demeter will draw on all her power as a goddess of Mount Olympus to bring her daughter back, even if it means destroying humanity.
Vile Lady Villains by Danai Christopoulou: In this gothic romantasy novel, Lady Macbeth, trying to outrun her fate, is transported into another realm and runs into Klytemnestra. They have to work together to survive. Along the way, their undeniable attraction has them rewriting their stories.
As well as books by Greek authors, recommendations of Greek mythology retellings are often missing titles by authors of color, so here are a few to add to your TBR:
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