Article contributed by Ellen Orange
Love a mythology retelling? You are in the right place! Books inspired by the myths and legends of ancient worlds have grown wildly in popularity, largely thanks to #BookTok. The trend is showing no signs of slowing down in 2023, with a host of exciting new releases.
Whether it’s reimagining age old stories through a modern lens, bringing light to lesser known myths, or giving voice to overlooked and marginalised characters, check out a few of the mythology inspired books arriving on shelves this year!
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Jennifer Saint has hit her stride with retellings of ancient Greek women, with her third book covering one of Greek mythology’s only female heroes. A huntress, raised by bears, Atalanta becomes the only female warrior in the Argonauts. Saint tells the story of the warrior princess and how she claims her place as a hero, in a world dominated by men.
Clytemnestra by Constanza Casati
The story of Agamemnon has been told many times over in the many versions of the Iliad, but the story of his wife has often been consigned to a footnote or afterword. Casati promises to give life to the legendary queen who exacted her revenge on her husband.
Song of Silver Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
A highly anticipated release of 2023, which is the first installment in an epic fantasy series, Song of Silver Flame Like Night draws on the Chinese genre of ‘xianxia’ to tell the story of a girl seeking to liberate her kingdom from imperialism. Xianxia are stories which form much of the cultural heritage of China, and literally translates to ‘immortal heroes’.
House of Odysseus by Claire North
A follow up to North’s Ithaca, House of Odysseus explores the lives of the women overlooked in the Odyssey. Penelope flights to maintain the balance of power in her husband’s absence. The return of soldiers from Troy and its violent aftermath has rocked that balance. It is the women of the myths—Penelope, Elektra, and Helen—who must deal with the fallout from the war and North gives voice to their stories.
The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
Medusa retellings have become particularly popular—Heywood’s newest novel offers another perspective in her story. This retelling of Perseus’ story from the perspectives of the women in his life, his mother, wife, and victim, show a man who isn’t so heroic after all.
Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood
A debut novel, inspired by the injustice at the end of the Odyssey, where 12 maidens are condemned to death by Odysseus. Now, twelve maidens are condemned to death every year as a tribute to Poseidon for the lives of those original women. When Leto comes to meet her fate, she instead meets Melantho, who tells her she can pave a new destiny, if she kills the prince of Ithaca.
Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher
Croucher has made a name in historical fiction for regency romances with a modern twist. Their newest book tells the story of King Arthur’s descendant, Arthur who is engaged to Gwendolyn. However, not only do they ardently dislike each other, they soon discover that they are both attracted to their own sex. A queer medieval rom-com loosely inspired by the the legend of Camelot.
These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi
Mafi’s new novel is the sequel to her incredibly popular fantasy This Woven Kingdom. The trilogy draws on Persian mythology and the epic poem Shahnameh, to create a rich and magical fantasy world for an epic romantic adventure.
Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
Bestselling author of Lore, Alexandra Bracken is back with the first in a series inspired by Arthurian Legend. Tasmin Lark is a crypt robber, competing for the best treasures she can find. However when a powerful ring from Arthurian legend is rumoured to exist, she must team up with her rival to find it and free her brother from his curse.
Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth
Much loved YA author Veronica Roth is back with a futuristic, dystopian retelling of Antigone. Earth is a wasteland, with life confined to the last city. The Archive holds genes of the dead—the last hope for humanity. When Antigone’s parent’s are murdered and her uncle ascends to the throne, she is full of rage. Roth reimagines this tragic heroine through the genre of science fiction.
Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah
A reimagining of Medea in 18th Century India. Meena, the Nawab’s daughter, finds an escape from her sheltered existence in James Chilcott nephew of the head of the East India Company. The lovers flee Calcutta. But stranded in a foreign country, love turns to hate. Selvarajah’s retelling explores the classical villain through a unique lens.
