Books to Read if you Like Greek Mythology
- Mar 28, 2021
- 4 min read
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am very passionate about Greek Mythology. I have always found those stories fascinating, and I still spend a lot of time reading about it – and looking for new content! If you’re like me, then I hope that with this article you will find some inspiration, hidden gems, or that it will make you want to give Greek Mythology a try!
1) Mythology, Edith Hamilton
If you feel like your knowledge in Greek Mythology could use a bit of a dust off, Mythology is a great way to start. In this anthology, you will find the most famous stories of those gods and heroes that we all love so much. This book covers a vast majority of the main wars, achievements and disputes. It also comes in handy if, like me, you always find yourself confused by all of those intertwined bloodlines and family trees. It also has a great chapter on Norse Mythology if that is something you might enjoy. The 75th anniversary edition also comes with beautiful illustrations, and is an overall magnificent book, one that every book lover would want to have on their bookshelf!
2) Mythos, Heroes, and Troy, Stephen Fry
Another great series if you want to learn more about the stories themselves are the books by Stephen Fry. Each of them focuses on a specific thing; the first one, Mythos, recounts the many myths and stories of the gods, from the creation of Olympus, to the muses and fates; the second, Heroes, on the great heroes of Greek Mythology, retraces the steps of those heroes, or demi-gods, and their great triumphs; the third one, Troy, is all about the Trojan War, its players and the significance of the war in Greek Mythology. While those books are heavy in content and information, they are still very enjoyable, and Stephen Fry manages to bring dry and witty humour to myths that have been told over and over again throughout the centuries. They are a great in-between if you want something more academic than a novel but enjoyable and easy to read.
3) Circe and The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller
In the past few years, Madeline Miller has really made a name for herself in the literary world with her two retellings of Greek myths, and in my opinion, is the best author in that genre. She manages to capture the poetry of a Greek myth while also bringing a new and wonderful glimpse into it. Circe tells the story of the powerful witch who bears that name, known for turning men into pigs. If you want to learn more about this novel and Madeline Miller’s wonderful writing, you can find my review of Circe here.
The Song of Achilles recounts the story of Patroclus and Achilles, told from Patroclus’s perspective. It begins with their first encounter, and follows them as they fall in love, and Achilles faces his destiny as a great hero and demi-god in the Trojan War. This novel is absolutely wonderful, and I would give anything to be able to read it for the first time again.
In my opinion these two novels are the best Greek retellings I have read, and they will always be the first ones that come to mind when I recommend books about Greek Mythology.
4) Pandora’s Jar, Natalie Haynes
In this collection of stories, Natalie Haynes talks about many of the famous women in Greek Mythology, their stories, and how they have been forgotten or shunned by male writers throughout the centuries. With this book, she gives a balanced and nuanced account of those women, from Pandora to Penelope, giving them the voice that they never got before. After all, shouldn’t they be known for more than their mistakes or their lovers? Is Pandora truly a villain, who purposefully released evil unto the world? Is Medusa more than a scorned woman who took her anger out on others?
5) The Silence of the Girls, Pat Barker and A Thousand Ships, Natalie Haynes
Both of these novels are retellings of the Trojan war, but with one particularity: they are both written from women’s perspectives. The Silence of the Girls follows Briseis, Trojan princess, who becomes Achilles’s slave after her city is taken by the Greeks. She learns to live in this new reality of hers in the Greek camp, and must deal with her own trauma, while surviving Achilles and Agamemnon. This novel gives a compelling account of women’s treatment during the war, and the solidarity that must be formed between them as they stay prisoners to the Greek.
A Thousand Ships focuses more broadly on many women’s perspective, without whom the war would not have been the same. From the three goddesses whose dispute started it all, to the Amazons and their role in the war, all these women’s voices are used for the first time.
I could have mentioned many more novels in this list, a lot of them I have not read yet but plan to do so soon. And of course, if you like Greek Mythology but want something easy to read, or want to introduce someone younger to your favourite Greek myths, the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is always a safe bet. While I am not including it to this list, as it is a middle grade series and all of the other ones are more adult, Rick Riordan does a wonderful job at mixing adventurous 21st century characters with accurate Greek Mythology. It is a series that I truly love, and I recommend it if you want something light-hearted and funny, while also compelling.
If you love Greek Mythology like me, and know more great books about it, please do let me know, I would love to hear what you have to say! And if you want more bookish content and recommendation, you can subscribe to my blog to know when I post a new article, and follow me on Instagram.
Greek Mythology 🙌🙌