✨book review✨ I finished Babylonia nearly a week ago now, and it has taken me that long to formulate my thoughts about this wonder of a book. I’m still at a loss for words. @costanzacasati ‘s writing reads like a classic. And by that, I mean this reads like a novel that is beyond well-established in the literary sphere, the kind of novel everyone claims they’ve read and insists you should do the same. I’m insisting you should read Babylonia. I went into this novel knowing *nothing* about ancient Assyria. I knew nothing about Semiramis. I knew nothing about the infamous love triangle that led to her becoming the only female ruler of the ancient Assyrian empire. I have been transported. Casati’s writing is lustrous. Her characters are real and authentic and devastating. Every single one of them is a world of their own. I can’t do this book justice. It is bewitching and beyond anything you hope for from historical fiction, and you must read it. And now I’m going to go and read Gilgamesh, because I don’t want this story to end. (Ps, for anyone who has read #Babylonia - I’m a big fan of Sasi???? But I feel like he might divide opinion…Let me know! Pps. Huge, huge thanks to @michaeljbooks for sending me an ARC of this glorious piece of magic)
📚Book Review📚 Hera by Jennifer Saint Hera has often been portrayed as the jealous wife, nothing but a vindictive Queen rather than a Goddess in her own right. Jennifer Saint seeks to redress this, elevate her from the status of Zeus’s wife and show her for what she truly is; daughter of a Titan and a powerful being in her own right. After overthrowing the Titans and embarking upon the age of the Olympians, Hera envisions a world where there is peace, where she and Zeus will rule together. Zeus has other ideas however and instead of offering a partnership, he bestows upon her the domain of marriage and childbirth, insisting she become his wife. This is the first of Saint’s books about a Goddess rather than a mortal and I think it suffered slightly for that. It’s hard to empathise with Hera the same way and I struggled to feel a connection with her. There are moments when her humanity shone through; the scene with Zeus on the beach is particularly powerful and seeing her with Typhon gave us glimpses into a more compassionate and caring side. What I found hard to forgive or understand was her treatment of the women who bore sons with Zeus; it just seemed so petty and cruel to punish these women who most of the time were, quite frankly, rape victims. To be fair to her, we can see that her journey was greatly influenced by the men in her life being incredibly toxic. Zeus treats her with such contempt and cruelty and her sons are no better so it’s hardly surprising she’s slightly bitter and twisted. Its written beautifully though and even if Hera wasn’t the Goddess for me it’s still a captivating read. Thank you to @netgalley for a copy of this book #ad #prproduct #hera #jennifersaint #bookreview #newbooks #greekmyth #mythretelling #bookstagram #bookstagrammers #bookbloggersuk #bookishpost #booksbooksbooks #morebooksplease #bookishstuff #lovebooks #alwaysreading #noseinabook #bookishcommunity #bookworm #endlesstbr
Reads for my journey up north for wedding #2 of the year (i have a suspicion the bride to be @ellen.dunbavin will approve of at least one of these!) 📚 . . . . #read #reads #reading #tbr #book #bookstagram #booktube #books #currentlyreading #tbr #tbrpile #fiction #fictionbooks #greekmythology #mythretelling #historicalfiction #magical
A magical and mesmerising night at the @kate_forsyth_ launch of ‘Psykhe’. 🖤🦋🖤🦋 Kate had me (and her audience) enthralled with the history of the Psykhe myth, her love for words and storytelling, and tips and tricks about writing woven in. I particularly loved her revelation about how magic in stories is, actually, hope. ✨✨✨ I was too engrossed to take any other pics, also thanks to @vanessamccausland whose beautiful voice is like a cloud of silk. ☁️🤍 Always fun to catch up with my gorgeous writer buddies @raejblairwriter and @writebykate who reminded me about the wear black theme otherwise I would have stuck out like a stop sign 😅🖤
REVIEW: HERA 👑🦚🏛️ 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Is women crush Wednesday still a thing? If so then today’s WCW goes to Hera, the queen of the gods! She was the goddess of marriage, family, childbirth, and women. Hera was also the wife, and sister, of Zeus. A lot of the myths involving Hera centre around her jealous retributions against Zeus’ infidelity and the way Jennifer Saint’s retelling moves the narrative along does this very well. As well as being Hera’s story and her perspective, we get to meet a whole cast of Greek gods and goddesses, getting a taster of all the well known myths from Jason and the argonauts to Heracles (Hercules) who kills the hydra to the Trojan war… This is a great read for anyone who is new to Greek mythology as it maps all the great Greek myths that many flow from the actions of Hera in response to Zeus’s actions. Even I didn’t know how many stories connected with Hera and found this to be fascinating! I would have liked to have more of a deep dive in some of the myths but it would make this book a very long one if it did so! Hera’s jealousy is obviously clear in this book but it’s for good reason given Zeus’ antics and we get to see how powerful she is in changing the fates of mortals and immortals alike. We also see her compassion and her kindness towards others. I found the relationships with Hydra, her son Typhon and to her grandchildren to be really touching. Anyone who loves greek mythology and Jennifer Saint’s books will be happy with this next retelling! Let me know if you’ll be reading this one 🫶 Ad pr copy: @caitlinraynor @headlinebooks #bookreview #greekmythretelling #jennifersaint #mythretelling #feministretelling #greekmythologybooks #fantasybookstagram
There's a great article in the NYT today about myth retellings that have become popular since Madeline Miller's Song Of Achilles came out 10 years ago. Many of these give voice or a back story to female characters who until now, haven't had one. Several more are slated to publish this summer, but here are three to check out. And all with fantastic cover art #whiteriverbooks #mythretelling #greekmyths #indiebookshop
Behold, a book jacket of mythical beauty. It's not quite finished yet but it's too good not to share. Heads off to illustrator @flaviasorr, cover designer Steve Wells and the mythic publishing team @chickenhousebooks #AuntieMedusaAndMe published 1st August 24 I’m Silvia, an ordinary kid just like you. At least, I was ordinary until I wound up in Ancient Rome and found out I’m a demi-goddess. But travelling back in time is nothing compared to what’s happening now . . . Medusa the Gorgon wants her head back – and she’s chosen me to find it! #medusa #readingforpleasure #mythretelling #mythology #ancientrome #greekmyth #romanmyth #middlegrade #bookstagram
This was such a fun and unique modern myth retelling! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5. WHAT IT IS ABOUT: Rhea has lived most of her life with two secrets: she killed her family and she has unexplainable powers. Now an adult, on her birthday her whole world is turned upside down when she is kidnapped and tortured by werewolves. She is thrown into an on-going war between evil Ares and the rest of the gods. While under the protection of Hermes, Athena, Atlas, Calypso, and Achilles, Rhea begins to unravel her past and the answers it holds for all of their futures. WHAT I THINK: This was a fun and unexpected read. I had many theories while reading and most of them were wrong in the end (yay for being unpredictable!). This is a very unique modern myth retelling which made me love it even more. I also enjoyed that there was technology and magic side by side in this world. The human realm doesn’t seem to have the same technology and was left “normal”. My only negative is that the author ignored the genealogy of the original Greek gods and goddesses. This threw me off since the love interests are Rhea and Hermes who are technically related: grandma and grandson.... #forgottengoddess #rebekahsinclair #theforgottengoddess #bookreview #review #mythretelling #myth #mythology #greekmythology #rhea #hermes #foundfamily #fantasybooks #romancebooks #bookstagram #booktok #indieauthor
Excellent bank holiday reading this weekend in the form of The Heir of Venus, the second novel from @laurashepperson This is an immensely stylish and compelling retelling of the Aeneid from the point of view of Aeneas’s three wives (or not wives…), Creusa, the largely forgotten princess of Troy, Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Lavinia, princess of Laurentum. Just like her fantastic debut, The Heroines, this is an unflinching and poignant reexamination of the ancient world, told in elegant prose. It’s out in August, and since my proof has fallen apart because my toddler and his grabby hands clearly thought the cover was so beautiful, I may need to treat myself to a finished copy 😂 Very grateful to @rosanna.forte at @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for my copy! #mythretelling #historicalfiction #histfic #bookstagram
Just finished reading @kate_forsyth_'s brand new novel PSYKHE, which is officially out today. I absolutely adored this one. I knew very little about the myth before reading it and was enchanted by Kate's rich and sensitive retelling from the very first pages. Unreservedly recommending this one for fans of myth and stories in general. Huge congratulations to you Kate on bringing another beautiful book into our world! Thanks to @penguinbooksaus for sending me an early copy 💙🦋 * Image: a copy of Psykhe lies on blue bed linen next to a cup of black coffee. * * #BookishBron #AussieReaders #AusLit #KateForsyth #Psykhe #MythRetelling #PsycheAndEros
📚Atalanta by Jennifer Saint📚 1)This Greek mythology retelling tells the tale of Atalanta, the only woman who sailed on the Argo as one of Greece's heroes. 2)I love how Jennifer Saint always chooses to write about the obscure women in Greek mythology. I've always felt that Atalanta deserved more recognition. 3)Jennifer Saint has sets a slow pace. Normally I don't mind but I really did not need the tedium of the day in and day out on the Argo. 4)I loved how hard Atalanta's resolve was. She would accomplish whatever she set out to do. It made the rare moments she would soften all the more meaningful. 5)I think it's safe to say Jennifer Saint is an auto buy author for me. #atalanta #jennifersaint #greekmythology #mythretelling #greekmythretelling #mythology #argonauts #book #books #bookreading #bookreader #bookreview #hardcoverbook #hardbackbooks #hardcover #booksta #bookstagram #bookcover #igbooks #igreaders #bookstagram #igreaders #booksofig #bibliophile #readingchallenge2024 #readersofinsta #instaread #instabooks #bookworm #bookblog #readers #booknerd #booksofig
I’m such a sucker for a mythological retelling and I honestly don’t even know why. I think I love the idea of them more than I love them. More often than not I’ll be in the middle of a retelling and realize that I don’t actually know the original myth, I’m not familiar with the gods, and I’ll start questioning if prior knowledge would have helped with my comprehension. I will still gravitate toward them because the idea of a modern retelling just seems so cool. So yeah. If you’re into them too, here are 42 you might enjoy.
Last week I went to see Jennifer Saint in conversation with Elodie Harper about Saint's new book, Hera. I first picked up Ariadne by Saint which I thoroughly enjoyed a couple of years ago and have been collecting (albeit I've not read them all yet...) her books since then and I think they look so beautiful together. Hera I'm particularly intrigued about as so many greek / mythology retellings focus on the humans or demi-gods and very few touch on the gods and goddesses themselves (particularly Hera). She's an individual who has been notably slated over the years for her cruelty and branded as a "nagging wife". It was interesting to hear Saint's take on Hera and the multifaceted sides of her and why she chose to tackle somebody who is seen as so unlikeable and controversial. I really appreciate how much knowledge Saint has about the myths, the original texts and how faithful she's stayed to the myths in her retellings. Her love and knowledge of Greek mythology really shines through when listening to her. This was the second time I'd been to listen to Saint and Harper and their friendship is so clear and evident and made for a funny and joyful evening. Especially as Elodie Harper spoke about her love (and crush) on Dionysus, who I hear returns in Hera in a very different light. It was interesting to hear about the differences across the books for Saint in writing her characters, getting into their mindsets and the process as well as all the details about the actual myths. It definitely made me more excited to pick up Hera soon. [Id; four Jennifer Saint books stood on walnut coffee table]
Another long weekend, another bout of copyedits – so I thought it was only right to share another 👀SNEAK PEEK FROM MY UPCOMING BOOK!!👀 Looking forward to hearing your guesses as to who this might be in the comments🤔👇 I'm really hoping that I'll be able to share more with you very soon – let's just say that there's LOTS of very exciting news coming!! Stay tuned for more!👀🏺🤩🏛️ #newbook #feminist #classics #ancient #history #ancientgreece #greekmyth #mythretelling #nonfiction #ancient #amreading #readwithme #books #booksbooksbooks #bookstagrammer
This was so worth the 3 hour hour drive to Austin! Kaikeyi became an instant favorite book when I read it. Im already loving this new book! ❤️ #mythretelling #GoddesstheRiver #Kaikeyi
I don’t love the cover of this book and so it (unfairly) languished on my TBR for far too long. This is such an emotional feminist retelling of Helen and Klytemnestra. I loved how the chapters move back and forth between the sisters - their lives were interwoven, even though they were separated as children and never saw each other again. Leda is often left out of Helen’s story, but she is a key part of this retelling. Leda’s ongoing trauma from her rape by Zeus and Helen’s resulting birth alienates her from her daughter. Helen spends the entire book so lonely, just trying to trying to find somewhere and someone to belong to. She’s a complicated figure and this was a very human version of her. While Helen is uncertain of her place, Klytemnestra knows exactly who she is supposed to be. Duty guides her through her entire life and seeing how she moves from that guiding principle to the murder of her husband that she’s famous for was fascinating. We had a brief glimpse of Kassandra - I would have loved more of her. These were such vital, memorable characters and I can’t wait to read more by this author. Who is your favorite Greek heroine? #daughtersofsparta #claireheywood #helenoftroy #clytemnestra #ledaandtheswan #cassandra #trojanwar #agamemnon #menelaus #greekmythology #mythology #mythretelling #booksta #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #feminist #marriage #theseus #iphigenia #war #sisters #strongfemalecharacters
BOOK REVIEW "Memorial", Alice Oswald My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 Goodreads Average Rating: 4.23 My feelings about this extended poem changed a great deal over the course of reading it. I came to it with high expectations, as I love poetry in general, and Homeric adaptations in particular. Nevertheless, while I love the concept of rewriting the events of “The Iliad” as a chronological collection of elegies for those who died in the war, I found the first section rather boring. Then, I started to appreciate the impact of the way in which Oswald employs devices like repetition to evoke the sense of a Greek chorus of mourners, and her rather beautiful reworking of Homeric epithets and similes. Oswald’s poetry is graceful and lovely, even as it deals with themes of war, violence, and death. Such lines as ““Like fire with its loose hair flying rushes through a city/The look of unmasked light shocks everything to rubble/And flames howl through the gaps” and “Like on a long beach the rustle of the sea/Opening its multiple folds unfurling waves” affirm her prodigious poetic gifts. Nevertheless, the text as a whole doesn’t quite connect emotionally in the way I’d hoped it would - in the way, for instance, that single scene of Priam kneeling at Achilles’ feet in Book XIV the original text still gives me goosebumps. I’m interested in trying more of Oswald’s work, and I’d recommend “Memorial” to fans of Homer who’ve exhausted the better-known re-imaginings of his work. The spare elegance of her poetry makes an interesting contrast with “War Music”, Christopher Logue’s interpretation of the same text, for anyone nerdy enough to appreciate a paired reading of these works. #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookrecommendation #booksrecs #springreads #springreading #mayreads #mayreading #justread #poetryreaders #memorial #aliceoswald #warmusic #theiliad #achilles #homer #greekmyths #christopherlogue #bookstagramuk #poetrycorner #myreadinglife #bookcollector #faberpoetry #mythretelling #goodreadsreadingchallenge #readingchallenge2024 #quickreads #beingbookish #bookhoarder
♢ BOOK REVIEW ♢ Immediately upon stumbling on to Icarus’ synopsis I had a feeling it was gonna be a really good story. Icarus was a teenage art thief, and despite going to a normal school was a loner because of his hazardous occupation. He was already tired of the thieving life, but meeting Helios in the house he always broken into increased the urgency of his escape plan. I loved this book a lot, it captured this weighty teenage melancholy, directionlessness, and indiscriminate horniness perfectly. I also really liked that Icarus’ school life and his friendships (which were somewhat ambiguously crush-y) were very well-written and did not feel like an afterthought. The writing was poetic, the conversations were always vulnerable and tender but still natural. It was medium-paced but felt much faster because of how short the chapters were. There were a lot of parallels and things mirroring each other in the story that was very satisfying. I genuinely recommend this book to everyone, it’s just such a beautiful story with a universal appeal. Do check the TWs though! #icarus #kancrum #youngadultbooks #mythretelling #bookstagramindonesia #bookstagrammer #readersofig #bookishlove #bookishpost #booksta #bookaccount #bookaddict #bookish #bookworm #bibliophile #instareads #readersofinstagram #bookreview
Jennifer Saint and Elodie Harper Event 🦇 Last night I did something very exciting. I went to an event at @waterstonesleeds Leeds Waterstones, which was the publication day launch event for Jennifer Saint's @jennifer.saint.author new book Hera, in which Saint was interviewed by Elodie Harper @elodielharper author of The Wolf Den trilogy, one of my favourite ever book series 🦇 I had such a fun time at this event. It was a joy to hear Saint talk about Hera and her experience of writing this book about the queen of the Greek Gods. I've enjoyed the two of Saint's books I've read so far and this event has made me really excited to read Hera now that it's out. Saint's books are always really fun to read and always look at mythological women in really interesting ways and this one does sound like her best yet so I'm excited for that. I've reaslied from this event that there's a lot about Hera I don't know so I'm looking forward to reading more about her 🦇 I also loved that at this event she was interviewed by Elodie Harper, author of the Wolf Den trilogy. There were some really interesting discussions about toxic masculinity through characters such as Zeus and Felix in The Wolf Den and it's made me more enthusiastic about going back to my own work in progress novel, which is a Roman myth retelling 🦇 I also got to get my copies of the Wolf Den trilogy signed and briefly speak to Harper, although I'd left my water bottle at home so my voice was somewhat croaky. But Harper left a lovely note in my copy of The Temple of Fortuna wishing me luck with my writing which made me grinning like an idiot on the train home when I saw it 🦇 In conclusion, I had a lovely night and I really need to get back on it with the novel editing because it ain't going to edit itself. Thanks to Waterstones Leeds, Jennifer Saint and Elodie Harper for this event 🦇 #books #bookstagram #bookreview #waterstonesleeds #bookevent #mythretelling #greekmythology #greekmythretelling
👑 THE QUEEN IS HERE 👑 I am a day late. But I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate one of our Queens of mythology retellings, @jennifer.saint.author on the publication of #hera . I cannot wait to read it and love it like I’ve loved your other work 😍🤩 (Picture borrowed from @headlinebooks ‘s Instagram account) #jennifersaint #jennifersaintauthor #jennifersaintbooks #heraqueenofthegods #godesshera #greekmythology #greekmythologyretelling #greekmythretelling #mythologyretelling #mythology #mythretelling #publication #bookpublication
@kate_forsyth_ was so wonderfully generous with her time having a lovely chat with people getting their books signed. Looking forward to this retelling. #sydneywritersfestival #aussiebookstagrammer #aussiebookstagram #mythretelling #mythretellings #feministmythretelling
𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘺. 💈🐍 Spicy, Dark Sweeney Todd Mafia Retelling Book is Dreadful by Greer Rivers, an original Sweeney Todd retelling. Think a dark and twisty HEA for Sweeney Todd x Hamlet x Medusa 😈 📖 Comment “NEED DREADFUL” below 👇🏻 and you’ll receive an auto dm with the link! Make sure to check tw before you begin! graphic by @bookedwithrae #darkromance #SweeneyToddRetelling #MedusaRetelling #MythRetelling #steamybooks #romancenovels #romancereader #darkretelling #DreadfulByGreerRivers #GreerRivers #GreerRiversBooks #RomanceBooks #RomanceReads #RomanceBookstagram #RomanceNovel #SpicyBooks #RomanceReadersOfInstagram #TatteredCurtain #TatteredCurtainSeries #stalkerromance
Happy release day to this beauty I cannot wait to read ! 🎉 You might know by now that I absolutely loved Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel. It is one of my favourite myth retellings and I shall never shut up about it. So, naturally, I was so excited to read Goddess of the River. Here is the synopsis: A mother and a son. A goddess and a prince. A curse and an oath. A river whose course will change the fate of the world. Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse. Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind. Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war. As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son. Have you read Kaikeyi? Will you be reading this one? [gifted] Thanks @orbitbooks_uk ✨
This is such a deep dive into Greek mythology! I recommend reading up before hand or keeping a Greek gods family tree handy. Often, retellings will focus closely on the main character, simplifying the chaos and sheer number of characters in the pantheon. This book goes all in on the origins of Medusa and the Gorgons. I’m always excited for a women/ monstrosity retelling, but I loved that this focused on the Gorgons, who are often brushed past quickly, to look at the family relationships that underlie Medusa’s story. It’s not just ‘before she was a monster, she was a girl.’ It’s that even as a monster, she was a sister. She was part of a family. I have such a stack of myth retellings that I’m excited to dive into. What are your favorites? #medusassisters #laurenjabear #medusa #sisters #greekmythology #mythretelling #monsters #monstrosity #curse #family #feministbooks #booksta #bookstagram #bookreview #gorgons #greekgoddesses #perseus
“Well, I am no man.” Clytemnestra to Aegisthus, page 315. It’s long past time for a reread of this one, and a deep dive. ⚔️🏛️
Seriously, look me in the eye & tell me that's not the most adorable chapter header you've ever seen! The wonderful @flaviasorr excels again! And for just £7.99 you can have a whole book of amazing chapter headers along with some rather funny and entertaining words by me. Pre-order links in bio. #AuntieMedusaAndMe #mythretelling #mythology #medusa #ancientrome #classics #middlegradebookstagram #funny #funnybooks #childrensbooks #mariebasting
Désirs Immortels ⭐️⭐️⭐️,75 🖋️Autrice: @thechloegong 📖 @sabran_editions ✨Mon Avis : 📚Dans ce royaume de Talin, les jeux annuels du palais attirent des compétiteurs prêts à tout pour remporter des richesses inimaginables. Mais pour la princesse Calla Tuoleimi, ces jeux représentent bien plus que de simples divertissements... 💔 Animé par son désir de révolte, Calla se lance dans une quête de vengeance contre le souverain des villes jumelles afin de mettre fin au régime autoritaire ayant cours. Sa rencontre avec Anton Makusa, un aristocrate exilé déterminé à sauver l'amour de sa vie, donne naissance à une alliance improbable et passionnante. Ensemble, ils naviguent dans les eaux troubles de la politique et des intrigues des jeux , tout en jonglant avec leurs propres désirs et motivations. ✨ Ce que j'ai particulièrement apprécié dans ce livre, c'est la manière dont l'autrice mélange habilement la réécriture d’Antoine et cleopatre avec les éléments propres à son wordbuilding. Les rebondissements sont pour certains inattendus et les dilemmes moraux des personnages m'ont plutôt convaincu (notamment le plot twist final mais pas de spoil !). De plus, la dynamique entre Calla et Anton est à la fois captivante et émouvante, ajoutant une profondeur supplémentaire à l'histoire. Toute fois j’ai eu un peu de mal à rentrer dans l’univers et à me sentir impliquer avec les personnages lors du début du récit, le rythme était un peu lent c’est seulement arrivée à un peu plus du tiers que j’ai commencé à apprécier ma lecture. Le wordbuilding est intéressant mais il est un peu “balancé” ce qui rend flou la compréhension de certains enjeux. Également quelques personnage auraient clairement mérité plus de développement mais je vois difficilement comment cela aurait pu être fait sans encore détériorer le rythme. #fantasy #enemiestolovers #mythretelling #immortallongings #desirsimmortels #chloegong #sabraneditions #bookstagram #booksofig
Goddess of the River by @vaishnawrites is out this week!! Thank you to @redhookbooks @orbitbooks_us for the finished copy I haven’t quite been able to start this yet but I loved this authors last book (Kaikeyi) so am excited to dive into this one soon! ❓What book are you excited to read soon? Here’s the blurb: Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse. Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind. Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war. As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son. #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #mythretelling #bookish #bookworm #orbitbooks #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #bibliophile #bookaholic #booklover
✨what’s in my bag - average #workweek edit✨ In case any of you are new here, I work full-time as a Classics Editor. Pretty much all my work happens on a laptop, but I think what we really learn from this is that I’m a creature of habit, there’s no wonder that my shoulder aches so much, and I should invest in more bags. I’m hoping to get back into more ‘proper’ classics content soon, but this trend is cute, and it’s a fab week for books. ( #Hera publishes!! And a proof copy of #Babylonia ??? *Does* it get any better??*) Is there anything you *can’t* leave the house without? (For me, as you can probs tell, it’s my notebooks🥲) Ps. Unpictured: blue-light glasses to deter headaches, unaesthetic biscuit wrappers and countless more coffees. *no, it does not
"Jason thought the world was built for heroes. I knew we had to build it ourselves" 🦇 Atalanta by Jennifer Saint (2023) 🦇 Once again I read a Greek myth retelling but unlike previous myth retellings I've read recently, I knew nothing about the original myth or the central character of the novel. This novel follows Atalanta, who in Greek mythology was raised first by a bear, and then by the goddess Artemis, in the forest of Arcadia, and grows up to be a formidable archer and huntress. She later joins hero Jason and the crew of the ship The Argo (known collectively as the Argonauts) on their quest to find and retrieve a golden fleece, said to be an impossible task. Atalanta was the only female member of the Argonauts and doesn't always feature in versions of the story. Saint's novel, told from the first person, tells her story and gives her back her voice 🦇 I didn't know much about the myth of the Argonauts and Jason and the golden fleece before going into it, and what I did know mainly came from an information board inside a pub I used to go in called the golden fleece. I knew even less about Atalanta. So it was great to finally read a myth retelling and not know how the plot was going to go, what was going to happen, and how it was going to end 🦇 This was a fun, quick read. It's very pacey and the myth is quite episodic so it's easy to read quickly. There were a few points where I had to look up the original myth to work out what had actually happened and what that meant (specifically the bit towards the end with the apples) but that was more because I was unfamiliar with the original myth 🦇 I'm seeing Jennifer Saint at a book event soon so I'm glad I've finally read another one of her books as I'd only read her first novel, Ariadne (which I loved) before this one. I still need to get to her other two novels at some point as well 🦇 Have you read Atalanta before? What did you think? 🦇 #books #bookstagram #bookreview #atalanta #mythretelling #greekmythology #ancientgreece #jasonandtheargonauts
Happy publication week to my current read, Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel! Thank you to @orbitbooks_us for a free digital copy of this book. Goddess of the River is available tomorrow, 5/21! I’m just 10% in to this one, but I’m already having feelings. As many of you know, I don’t read books that dive deep into my feels very often. But for Vaishnavi Patel I will. Goddess of the River follows Ganga, goddess of the River Ganga, through her time cursed to mortality. There is strong exploration of duty vs righteousness, and what it means to blindly follow someone because of promises made. I’ll be crying at some point I’m sure. But I’m ready to be hurt again by Patel’s prose. I loved her debut, Kaikeyi, so I have good feelings about Goddess of the River. What are you reading this week? Any new books out soon I need to check out? #pubday #publicationday #newbook #newbooks #goddessoftheriver #vaishnavipatel #hindumythology #ganga #mythretelling #retelling #retellings
Happy #mythologymonday Do you cry over a book? My answer is yes! The worst I have ever been was Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb. I went to bed in tears in the early hours of the morning and spent the following day having a little cry whenever I thought about the characters, which was often. Yesterday, I finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It is the best book I have read so far this year, and I broke my heart at the end. A full review will be posted once I have sorted through my many emotions 🥹💔 #mythologymonday #greekmythology #mythretelling #madelinemiller #thesongofachilles #achillesandpatroclus #lgbtqbooks #lgbtqromance #readingupdate
"War will change most men. The gods use the lesser men, manipulate them, to ensure that their favourites are protected. But in the end we are all just their playthings.” ▪️Laura Shepperson, Heir of Venus Heir of Venus follows three women left in the wake of Aeneas, the human son of Aphrodite, in the time after the Trojan War when Aeneas fled to the Latins--all as told in Virgil's Aeneid. It's well written, and though at times it was challenging to keep all the names straight, that wasn't a bad thing. It was so neat reading yet another retelling of a popular myth from the women's pov. I loved the mix of Greek and Roman influences. Give👏🏻me👏🏻more👏🏻 I disliked her previous myth retelling, Phaedra, but I loved this one! I'm glad I gave her another chance. 🍷And how perfect is this wine for #Maythology with @loyaltoliterature?!?!! Heir of Venus is full of prophesies, so obviously I'm drinking this. Not to mention, you can hardly go wrong with a red blend! Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an e-arc to read and review voluntarily. This publishes August 6, 2024 🪽 ▪️▪️▪️ #mythologymay #netgalleyreviewer #alcovepress #virgilsaeneid #prophecywines #booksandwine #mythretelling #heirofvenus #bookreview
The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for longer than anyone can remember. Every year in an attempt to find the “true bride” a young woman is sacrificed to the ocean to appease the Sea God. She is normally chosen for her grace and beauty, but Mina takes fate into her own hands to save her brother’s beloved. Arriving in the Sea God’s realm, Mina is parted from her soul by Shin, the Sea God’s protector, and has to fight the forces conspiring against her world and that of the Sea God’s to return peace to the land. This reminded me of those wonderful YA novels I used to fall into as a teen. Immediately I was transported to Mina’s world with this wonderful cast of characters and beautiful love story all tied up in a retelling of a myth. Mina was a force to be reckoned with, and I loved her stubbornness and strong will. Oh’s description is artful, and every detail is a clue to the mystery behind the Sea God. She crafts a stunning coming of age tale and I cried at the end. Like full on, happy sobs at how the story wrapped up. Everything about this story was wonderful and I didn’t want to say goodbye at the end. Highly recommend! @axieoh #feiwelandfriends #youngadult #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #springreads #fivestarbook #mythretelling #booksforaapimonth
My next few weeks are gloriously action-packed! I’m on the road talking about all my favourite things - art, books, creativity, history, myths, storytelling, witchy stuff, women’s wisdom, writing. Join me for a night of dark enchantment and the story behind the story of Psykhe. #psykhe #psykheparty #mythretelling #witchylit #darkacademia #fairytalequeen
A quote I loved from one of my favourite reads of 2024 so far ❤️ Psyche and Eros by @luna_mcnamara_writer was a beautiful retelling of the myth and Psyche's growth made me feel so proud of her! 👏🏻 It was also a little bittersweet because I think all girls have that loss of innocence at some point, when you realize that the world is not very kind to women. It was moving to see how Psyche started to question her beliefs but didn't lose her faith in herself. ➡️ Who was the last character you truly connected with? #psycheanderos #mythretelling #mythologyretelling #mythretellings #mythologicalnovels #mythologicalfantasy
So excited to be on the ARC team for this one! More to come! #booklover #bookstagram #arcreader #yafantasy #enemiestolovers #mythretelling #romancereader #bookrecommendations
QOTD: Do you attend any author events? I’m seeing Jennifer Saint next week and can’t wait to get my proof signed! 🦚✨ This was such a unique novel and unlike any myth retelling I have read before. Saint takes on the ambitious task of telling the story of a figure who has been demonised throughout mythology as merely the jealous and spiteful wife of Zeus. Hera is thrown into an existence she never desired as the ever-faithful wife while her husband abuses his authority and makes a mockery of everything she stands for. We see Hera’s constant struggle for power as she gains and loses it throughout the course of the book. I particularly enjoyed the latter part of the novel which explores the relationship/codependency between the Gods and mortal worship. I think it is important to remember during reading that the Gods aren’t likeable characters. I think Saint does an excellent job of emotionally separating the reader from the characters as while we can empathise with the mistreatment of Hera we also see the terrible atrocities she commits. Saint’s beautiful prose breathes life into a figure who’s story has never fully been told and creates a hopeful story of resilience and enduring change. Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy to review. #hera #jennifersaint #greekmythology #headlinepublishing #mythretelling #gods #goddess #books # #bookstagram #book #booklover #reading #bookworm #bookstagrammer #read #bookish #booknerd #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bibliophile #instabook #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookaholic #reader #bookphotography #booklove #literature #instabooks
Thank you for reading A Poisoner’s Tale @cjcooke_author - I’m thrilled you liked it! ✨ I’ve wanted to tell Giulia Tofana’s story for so long - she’s such a divisive, powerful figure in history and one whose story was itching to be told! Was she a murderer or saviour? This feminist retelling gives you the power to decide 💪🏼 Pre-order via the link in my bio! A Poisoner’s Tale is published in the U.K. on July 11th, just in time for holiday reading. Not long to go … ☠️ @bantambooksuk #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #giuliatofana #APoisonersTale #feminist #retelling #mythretelling #booklover #booksbooksbooks #booknerd #bookaddict #histfic #historicalfiction #17thcentury #poison #murder #truecrime
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In the Midst of Omens by Nicole Bailey (@authornicolebailey) Out June 4th!! Read and reviewed ARC May 2024 THIS BOOK IS MADE FOR ME 😭 Okay, maybe not literally...but I distinctly remember the first time I read the Epic of Gilgamesh in high school. I wasn't out as gay or trans, hadn't even figured that out for myself yet...but something about Gilgamesh and Enkidu resonated with me. I was ecstatic to see this book suggested on BookSirens. After all these years, here it is! In the Midst of Omens did not disappoint. Bailey takes time to build a fascinating world and explore each character in a way I didn't even know I needed. This makes the slow-burn romance all the more wonderful. While I initially went into this book for the gay romance, I am in love with how Bailey writes other kinds of complex relationships. For instance, Gilgamesh and Shamhat are a platonic power couple. Love is not a one-size-fits-all concept in this book. This concept feels so refreshing and makes me even more excited for the next book. Thank you so so much to Bailey and @booksirens for the chance to read this ARC for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord. . . . . . #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #indieauthors #arc #arcreader #arcreadersofinstagram #queerauthors #lgbtqfiction #queerreaders #queer #inthemidstofomens #epicofgilgamesh #gilgamesh #retelling #lgbtqfantasy #mmromance #fantasy #gayfantasy #mythology #mythretelling #booksirens #platoniclove #gayromance
What’s your favourite myth retelling? How many of these have you read? With the release of ‘Hera’ by Jennifer Saint coming up, I couldn’t resist having a look back through some of my favourite myth stories. ‘Song of Achilles’ and ‘Circe’ are two of the best. #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstack #myth #mythretelling #mythbook #hera #jennifersaint #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #books
☀️ 54321 challenge ☀️ I got tagged in this a million years ago and here I am, finally doing it 🙌🏻 📚 5 books I love: it was hard to choose but I picked The Iliad, Six of Crows, The Secret History, Hidden Warrior and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue 📚 4 auto-buy authors: @jennifer.saint.author @lbardugo @nataliehaynesauthor and the newest one @kdayshauthor 📚 3 genres I love: myth retellings, historical fiction, dark academia (in the original challenge this was 3 tropes but I absolutely don't care about tropes, I can like anything if done right, I can hate anything if done wrong, and I don't love that books get promoted mostly by tropes nowadays so 🤷🏻♀️) 📚 2 places I love to read: in the countryside and at the beach! 📚 1 book I'm excited for: I've heard a lot of great things about The Will of the Many and I'm equal parts excited and terrified to get to it 😂 ➡️ As always I'm tagging some friends but anyone's welcome to take part (or not) 🩵 #54321challenge #readingchallenge #bookchallenge #darkacademia #mythretelling #historicalfiction #favouritebooks #bookishchallenge
💜🖤 Happy #minimalistmonday #medea #rosiehewlett #mythologymonday #minimalistmonday #bookstagramuk #mythretelling #greekmythology #womeninmythology
Thank you to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for the ARC. I literally screamed when I got the email that my request had been approved. The Mahabharata is my favorite epic. I have been obsessed with reading all the different versions and retellings of the Mahabharata so of course I was excited for this. I loved Kaikeyi's story by Vaishnavi Patel and I think Vaishnavi Patel has done such an amazing job at telling us the story of the Mahabharata through Ganga's and Bhishma's perspectives. I loved both of their characterizations, as well as Shiva and Krishna's characters. I think Goddess of the River is a truly valuable addition to the Mahabharata retellings, it makes you ask new questions and truly adds more perspective and understanding of what dharma is. I also think Ganga's emotional journey was written so masterfully, I was literally in tears reading this, it just made be feel so much. Her experience with mortality and understanding humans was such a delight to read. And even though I know the trajectory of this story, there never was a boring moment, In fact it was quite refreshing just like Ganga is. While Goddess of the River might not be faithful to the letter, I really like the changes and I think the addition of magic has actually helped it be faithful to the spirit of the Mahabharata. I like the changes and I think they really add something to the story. I also loved how Vaishnavi Patel shows us the complexities of both sides, because even when I was reading the Mahabharata, both sides were complicated and made me question what dharma truly means. I think Goddess of the River has a good answer to my question. This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. Vaishnavi Patel has improved so much as a writer, Kaikeyi was amazing so I can't even believe that it is possible to improve so much, but this is definitely one of those books that you'll love forever and keep thinking about, and rereading. There is so much love and feeling in this book. I love it so much!!! . . . #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #netgalley #arcreview #fantasybooks #mythretelling #bookreview #bookrecommendations #southasianfantasy #mahabharat #asianbooks
With Maythology being in full swing this month I’ve been thinking about what books constitute mythologies. Each of these I’d consider to be myth adjacent in the sense that they’re not full retellings, but they each have mythological elements and references. #eclecticreader #fantasyreader #mythretelling #inspiredbymythology
Who doesn’t love a good myth retelling? Clytemnestra has always been vilified, but there is so much more depth to her story. I liked how the author didn’t celebrate Clytemnestra or make her a hero, it was very much that she lived in a brutal male dominated world, and she acted as men would, but was seen as vile because she was a woman. A lot about double standards. And a woman who suffered deep loss and betrayal multiple times. She’s imperfect, for that she feels completely human. #clytemnestra #costanzacasati #constanzacasatiauthor #mythretelling #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
“Let him come back so that I can see his eyes as the light drains from them. Let him come back and die at the hands of his bitterest enemy. Let him come back so that I can watch him suffer. And let me make it slow.” - Elektra by Jennifer Saint Full review and thoughts here on the blog! https://thegrimmlibrarian.wordpress.com/2024/05/09/elektra-by-jennifer-saint-review/ @jennifer.saint.author #elektra #jennifersaint #greekmythology #mythology #classicalmythology #mythretelling #mythologyretelling #myth #houseofatreus #clytaemnestra #fantasy #fantasybook #books #bookreview #bookstagram #booklover #librarian #thegrimmlibrarian
I have to preface this post by saying I’m typically not a fan of modern day references in ancient literary retellings, but @therealmargaretatwood knocked it out of the park with her usual seamless blend of creativity. My partner and I read this book together, and we both found humor and revitalization in Atwood’s original character portrayal of Penelope and her twelve maids. Exceptionally well written! #margaretatwood #thepenelopiad #penelope #odysseus #theodyssey #homer #homeric #myths #classics #ancientgreece #ancientgreek #antiquity #greece #greek #knopfcanada #bookstagram #mythretelling #randomhouse
BLURB REVEAL ❤️ This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! *Amelia Davies and Her Five Monsters* will be going live for preorder in a couple of days, and you will finally get to meet my FMC, Amelia, and the mysterious MMC very, very soon! The feedback from my beta readers has blown me away, and I CAN'T WAIT to reveal more! What to expect from my fantasy romance book: ✨️ Closed-door romance 🔐 ✨️ High fantasy 🏰 ✨️ Enemies-to-lovers trope ⚔️ ✨️ Myth retelling and charming Greek gods 🏛️ ✨️ LGBTQ+ representation 🏳️🌈 ✨️ No third-act breakup 🙅♀️ ✨️ Age gap ⌛ #blurbreveal #fantasybooks #greekgods #mythretelling #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstack #booksta #indieauthor #magicpowers
If you had told me last May that I would not only write an entire novel but also have literary representation, I would have called you delusional. But I did, and I do!!! I am so so thrilled to announce that I am now represented by @siyahijaipur. I cannot wait to get Kannagi out on the shelves 📚 A feminist Silappadhikaaram? 16-year-old Bhargavi would have killed for this stuff 🤭🩷 #bookstorebound #mythretelling
I've just finished a re-read of Swansong one of my all time favourites, if you like Daisy Johnson's Everything Under or Zoe Gilbert's Folk give this a try it draws from an old myth it's eerie and dreamlike yet vividly real and raw, a troubled young woman runs away from her life and escapes to the wilds of Scotland, where she is forced to see things differently. I happily discovered from @mercysmusings that she released a new book and I quickly reserved it from the library. I'm excited to see what I think of this, it's filed under thriller, not my usual genre but I'm happy to try, it's also blurbed by Sarah Waters and Zoe Gilbert (I've just noticed) making my comparison more relevant🤣 *Pictured in front of some of my all time favourites shelf, I definitely have a favourite vibe* #bookstagram #re-reading #swansongkerryandrew #favouritereads #mythretelling
📖 morgan is my name by sophie keetch 💫 an arthurian legend retelling with morgan le fey as a main character. the first book in a trilogy, this follow morgan through childhood and early adulthood as she finds her place in a man's world and masters the magic running through her veins ✒️ i gave this book 4 stars! the writing was really beautiful and lyrical. i enjoy many greek myth retellings and this felt very similar to books like Circe or Clytemnestra as a feminist historical fantasy. with Greek retellings, I have a pretty big knowledge on greco-roman myths so i usually have at least a vague idea of what's going to happen, but with this i was going in blind and that made the book very fun and different experience for me. i would definitely love to branch into myths and folklore i know less about! I first found this on the audible plus catalogue so if you already have an audible subscription, check it out if it interests you! (though I don't like the audible cover art very much haha)
🐺 Read T.K. Hall's latest newsletter entry! 😍 💭 T. K. Hall has created a must-read newsletter all about the joys and challenges of writing fiction. This week he's got a fascinating chat with publishing pioneer Simon K Jones 📝 They discuss the new wave of serialized novels, as well as the role of tech and social media in a writer's life. Give it a read here! https://tkhallauthor.substack.com/p/brave-new-world #fantasy #yafantasy #romantasy #robinhood #robinhoodretelling #mythretelling #schoollibirary #schoollibrarian #secondarylibrary #secondarylibrarian
A glimpse at my collection of Homer-related works, nonfiction version 🌼 This is my longest-running obsession. I started learning about the Iliad at about 10 years old and it's never left me in the 20 years since. It's actually a full part of my identity by now! Over time the passion grew to encompass the Odyssey as well 🌊 There's a new exhibition in Nîmes about Achilles and the Trojan War and I simply have to go. I'm so excited about it! 😍 ➡️ Is there something you've been passionate about for a long time? #iliad #odyssey #trojanwar #homerbooks #homericbooks #mythretelling #mythologyretelling #mythretellings #mythology
Last month I read Herc as the April @lostinplotbookclub pick. I had an interesting experience with this one, mainly because I like to go into a book blind. This can sometimes be fantastic as I don’t get any spoilers from the blurb, but in other cases my expectations can be incorrect. In the case of Herc, I was expecting a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Hercules. Herc is that, but what I didn’t expect was the satire. Initially, listening to the full cast audio, I was actually hating it. The stories about Hercules made him sound like a complete buffoon and there was far too much talk, not enough action. However, this was one of those rare books where my initial feelings are completely turned on their head because by the second half I was really enjoying it. Once I realised that it was Hercules’ story from the observations of those around him I could not get enough! The humour was very Monty Python-esque and there were several scenes that made me chuckle. If you plan to read this one I recommend you listen to the audio as each character is played by a different actor which enhanced the experience. Thanks to all of these lovelies who I read the book with: @bookshelfadventurer @tehbookqueen @bookishbron @itsprobablyonmytbr @chips_and_things @booksweread @sarahsbookchat @dearheron11 @hinda.sherwood @reading_is_my_yoga @lizzies.little.library @popsciguy Thanks also to @harlequinaus and @harpercollinsaustralia for the #gifted book. ❓ Do you have a favourite myth or legend? OR What was your last read? #herc #hercbook #bookclubread #hercules #bookstagram #mythretelling #greekmythology #audiobooklover #bookthatsurprisedme #books #bookcommunity #readingbuddies #bookreview #auskiwibooksta #booklovers #shelfiesunday #booksbooksbooks
📖 Review of Ithaca by Claire North TL;DR Excellent reimagining of Penelope’s struggles and cunning while her husband Odysseus is “stuck” on an island. The plots and subplots are done well, and women consistently subvert expectations and mens’ evil plotting. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel given the somewhat mixed reviews, but I honestly really enjoyed this read. I listened on audio, and I think that made it a little harder for me to keep track of all the names of suitors/maids/etc., as there were so many, but I obviously was able to figure out who the main plot drivers were along with the names of those driving the subplots. I’ll be purchasing a hard copy of this book to keep and revisit. The goddess Hera is the novel’s narrator, and I really think this was a great move by North. There seem to be two “main” plots in this novel: pirates, driven by one of the suitors, who attack and plunder Ithaca at every full moon, and Electra and Orestes’s search for Clytemnestra. Subplots include Penelope’s relationship with her son Telemachus and Hera’s relationships with other gods and goddesses. More than anything else, the character and cunning of Penelope is the subject of this book. The plot is driven by Penelope’s decisions, none of which are easy made given her precarious position as a woman as head of her household in a male-dominated society with no traditional army to protect the island (since all men of fighting age were sent to Troy and died either there or on the way home with Odysseus). Easily made or no, Penelope is the master of subversion. Speaking of subversion, this novel definitely has a feminist bent, but it’s not like there’s any preaching about the superiority of women, etc. From the gods to the suitors to Telemachus demanding respect as the head of the house (when it is obvious he is not) to even Orestes’s search for his mother—nothing is as it seems. Women are depicted both as limited and victimized by men, and also as masters of cunning and subversion. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What better way to do #flatlayfriday than with a flatlay of myth and fairytale retellings. What's your favourite story to get retellings of? Books mentioned: ♡ The Lunar Chronicles Series by @marissameyerauthor Sci-fi retelling of Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel Snow White ♡ Heartless by @marissameyerauthor Retelling of The Queen of Hearts story in Alice in Wonderland ♡ A Thousand Nights by @ek_johnston Retelling of One Thousand and One Nights ♡ The Wrath and the Dawn by @reneeahdieh Another retelling of One Thousand and One Nights First book of a duology ♡ A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair Modern(ish) retellinf of the story of Hades and Persephone ♡ Ariadne by @jennifer.saint.author Retelling the the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur by Ariadne's perspective ♡ Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust Persian retelling of Sleeping Beauty with LGBTQ Representation ♡ To Kill a Kingdom by @alexandrachristowrites Retelling of the Little Mermaid with Enemies to Lovers ♡ Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber Retelling of Goose Girl #bookcommunity #bookish #flatlaybooks #flatlayfriday #retellingbooks #fairytaleretelling #mythretelling #fantasybooks #booklover
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 A feminist retelling of Troy, from the Trojan perspective. This was such a fresh take on the story of Troy. It tells the story of inside the walls while the war is still going on outside. The story is told through the eyes of Andromache, Helen, Rhea and Cassandra. Andromache's character was unexpected, she was not the soft, gentle wife we tend to see in other retellings and while I wasn't sure what ro make of her at the start I loved her character by the end. My heart broke for Helen in this version of her story, which felt believable and raw. Rhea was an interesting character and I'm excited to see where her story goes. The book ends in such an exciting place I can't wait for the second book later in the year! #review #bookreview #bookrecommendations #Troy #hector #theiliad #greek #ancientgreece #mythretelling #mythology #ancienthistory #historybooks #historical #fiction #fictionfriday
✨ Finished Reading ✨ 📖 Stone Blind 🖋️ Natalie Haynes Haynes is goooood at writing multiple POVs - and there are a lot of characters here. Gods, goddesses, 'monsters', mortals and more guide us through the story of Medusa, from beginning to end. It took me a moment to get over the disappointment that this isn't *just* Medusa's story - as the book is marketed - to realise that all the other tangents are just as important to how her myth unfolded. Athena herself would be envious of Haynes' ability to weave these stories together. 📚 11/25 books of 2024 📚 ... #FinishedReading #Reading #Goodreads #StoneBlind #Medusa #MedusasStory #GreekMythology #MythRetelling #books #ebooks #library #bookstagram #bookstagramuk #instabooks #bibliophile #booklover #booknerd #bookworm #Bookish #BookObsessed #BookReview #ILoveBooks ... Date: 30/4/24
@nerinarayne made a post about the top ten books on her tbr she’d save if there was a fire, so of course I had to join in 🔥so in no particular order at all, here are the top ten—on my tbr ONLY—that I would grab if I had to book it (ha) feat. The Familiar Your Blood, My Bones Ghost Station The Warm Hands of Ghosts (ignoring that I’m currently reading it) Bitterthorn Floating Hotel Where the Dark Stands Still A Taste of Gold and Iron Winter Harvest Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries 🧚 if you had to read one of these that wasn’t already on your tbr, which would you pick? #booksbooksbooks #beautifulbooks #booklover #booksta #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #bookloversofinstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #fantasy #scifi #fantasybooks #scifibooks #mythretelling #thewarmhandsofghosts #thefamiliar #bitterthorn #floatinghotel #ghoststation #emilywildesencyclopaediaoffaeries #atasteofgoldandiron #wherethedarkstandsstill #yourbloodmybones #winterharvest
❔Are you reading any myths, fairytales, or folklore this month?? It's #MAYthology y'all!!!! Hosted by @loyaltoliterature 💕 Here are 4 mythic arcs I've gotten on NetGalley that you can look forward to later this year: 🏞️ Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel - CURRENTLY READING! ▪️May 21, 2024 from Redhook Books "A powerful reimagining of the story of Ganga, goddess of the river, and her doomed mortal son." ♉ Heir of Venus by Laura Shepperson ▪️Aug 6, 2024 from Alcove Press "This feminist retelling of Greek mythology reimagines the story of Aeneas and the women once left at the fringes of his story." 🪨 The Garden of Monsters by Crystal King ▪️Sep 24, 2024 from Harlequin Trade Publishing "...A fascinating twist on the story of Hades and Persephone." 🌋 The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera ▪️Aug 20, 2024 from Pantheon "A new history and mythology of El Salvador, fiercely bringing forth voices that have been calling out for generations." 🎵 A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang ▪️Oct 1, 2024 from St Martin's Press "Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China." Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for e-arcs to read and review voluntarily and honestly! Reviews to come as I finish each 🙏🏻 ▪️▪️▪️ #mythology #mythologymay #mythretelling #folklore #mythandlegend #newreleases #netgalleyreviewer #netgalley #stmartinspress #harlequintradepublishing #hadesandpersephone #gangariver #mythsaroundtheworld #globalstories #readaroundtheworld #alcovepress #redhook #mythic #bookstababe
Happy May Day… or MAYTHOLOGY month (thanks to @loyaltoliterature’s challenge!) 🏛️🐍🏺 sooo excited to participate in this challenge where we read a variety of mythological retellings – obviously kicking it off with Greek myths🏛️, tales told from a woman’s perspective👸🏽, stories featuring beings & creatures from folklore 🧚(witches, sirens, fairies, etc!), & myths from around the world 🌍! here are some of my MAYbe’s, but be sure to check out @loyaltoliterature’s profile to learn more about this challenge! if you’ve never read any mythological retellings and are curious, swipe to see some of my previous FAVS! 🫶🏼 #maythology #mayday #mythology #greekmythology #mythologicalretelling #mythretelling #bookish #bookworm #bookchallenge #readingchallenge #alwaysreading #circe #songofachilles #stoneblind #medusa #kaikeyi #ithaca #clairenorth #madelinemiller
'Each spring creation blooms, the brids sing, and I have migraines. No one was ever meant to travel this way, climbing against the gradient of ground and spirit.' Persephone spends six months under the ground with her husband, king of the dead, and six months on earth with her mother, goddess of the harvest. It has been this way for nine thousand years. But when she emerges this spring, something is different. - Praised by David Almond as 'precise, poetic, hard-edged, rhythmical', NO SEASON BUT THE SUMMER by @thematildaleyser is out in paperback this week 🍂 - #noseasonbutthesummer #nsbts #matildaleyser #paperback #fiction #greekmyth #persephone #mythretelling
📚"Galatea"📚 Hello booklovers and happy Tuesday! 💬Have you read anything by Madeline Miller or do you want to? Read this if you love: myths Genre: literary fiction Age group: adult My rating: 5/5 "Galatea" is a short story by Madeline Miller. A marble sculptor was granted a blessing by a goddess. This brought his masterpiece to life, and turned into the most beautiful woman, Galatea. The sculptor married her and they had a child. Galatea shattered the sculptors anticipations of a quiet and humble wife. She grew to long for freedom. The sculptor keeps Galatea sedated at a hospital so that he can control her. Galateas love for her daughter urges her to fight for both of their lives. Madeline Miller is one of my favourite authors. "Galatea" didn't disappoint. Being such a little book, it makes quite the punch! I absolutely loved it and the message it entails. I love how Miller brings new life to an Ancient Greek myth and infuse them with feminist viewpoints. With "Galatea" Miller names one of the anonymous women that can be found in many works throughout history. Not only that, she rectifies Galateas life and gives her a powerful story. So much can be said about this, like the history of objectifying women. The ending of the story hits hard and is very unforgettable. In "Galatea", you find the writing style Miller is known for; its remarkable, lyrical and uses powerful images. It's also accessible and understandable. Her characters are well-rounded and feels like real people. Miller is one of the most distinctive voices out there. All in all, I loved "Galatea" and I highly recommend checking out Madeline Millers works.
Get the Medea vibe with this haunting playlist on Spotify. Eerie, evocative and soul-stirring, it is the perfect accompaniment to the brilliant debut novel, Medea, by @rosiehewlett.author. Check the Linktree in Rosie Hewlett’s Instagram account. #medea #mythretelling #greekmythology #ancientgreece #readingplaylists
Spring weather = outside reading I’m not usually a fan of tragedies, but when I saw the description of Orphia and Eurydicius as a gender bent, queer retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, I knew I had to give this one a shot. This book, while a slow start, was heartfelt and the characters feel similar, yet different enough from their familiar counterparts to keep the story interesting. Note: check Content Warnings on StoryGraph before picking up this book! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the eARC! #bookstagram #books #reading #queerbooks #lgbtqbooks #romance #bookish #booksta #booktok #romcom #queerromance #mythretelling #elysejohn #orphiaandeurydicius
✨If you liked this, you should read…✨ IMPERIUM Cicero, Letters to Atticus Cicero, Selected Works Plutarch, Fall of the Roman Republic Sallust, Catiline’s War THE WOLF DEN Lucian, Chattering Courtesans Pliny, Letters Pliny the Elder, Natural History Ovid, Heroides HERA Ovid, Metamorphoses Hesiod, Theogony Homer, Homeric Hymns Homer, Iliad HORSES OF FIRE Euripides, Trojan Women Livy, The Early History of Rome Homer, The Iliad Virgil, The Aeneid As promised, a Part 2. And, as expected, the cat strikes again 🐱 What’s your favourite retelling here? (Of course Cicero had to make it in at *some* point….😏🤌) Are there any others you’d like to see?💕
Athena’s Child by Hannah Lynn I’m still in my “mildly obsessed by Greek mythology” era and I hope that I never leave it, so when I spotted another retelling of the Medusa / Perseus story I obviously had to pick it up. This is a quick read, novella length really, but Lynn manages to pack in a whole lot of story! We get the entirety of Medusa’s life, from her childhood onwards, and it gives an insight into Lynns version of the character. Her sisters are also brought in, and brilliantly characterised to show their grief and hurt. The second part of the book flips us over to Perseus’ narrative, and while I am usually less interested in him this story actually did a great job of keeping up the pace, which Perseus represented less as the all-conquering hero and more of a slightly confused and anxious teen. The gods are as callous and imperious and unfeeling as I want to see them, which is always a good sign for me. All round this was a fun and speedy read, with good characterisation and some interesting new takes on the myth. Definitely enough to make me keep an out of for more of her work. #AthenasChild #HannahLynn #GreekMythology #MythRetelling #Fiction #Book #Bookstagram #Booksta #LatestRead #Medusa #Perseus #Gorgon The art is from my collection, signed Dragonas, I’m trying to find the artist on here to tag them. EDIT - it looks like the Medusa print is from @joseph_michael_art (which has baffled me immensely because I’m sure I remember the person tabling that I bought it from and they were not him) so I’m hoping I have the right art credit now?!
I don't know what these books are made out of, but I'm *hooked*. I adored A Touch of Darkness, and devoured A Game of Fate. I'm reading these as a combination of ebooks and audio, which is great for making it work with my health right now, and Hades is absolutely *everything*. I'm kind of scared of what this book has in store knowing how many are left in the series, but I also know I'll love every word. QOTD: What's your favourite retelling or "inspired by" book / series? . .. ... #QOTD #booksofinstagram #booksta #bookstagram #bookworm #igbooks #whatimreading #atouchofdarkness #hadesandpersephone #hades #audiobook #audiobooks #audiobookstagram #reader #shadowdaddy #mythretelling #romance #romancebooks #whattoread #bookseries #iread #currentlyreading #fyp