BookTok pressured you into sobbing over ‘The Song of Achilles’, but what’s next?
‘The Song of Achilles’ by Madeline Miller has rightfully taken over the hearts and minds (and tear ducts) of BookTok and thrown the book back into the charts. Rightfully so, in my opinion. It’s a gorgeous, clever, and extraordinarily memorable book which retells the ancient Greek myth of the hero Achilles and his loyal companion Patroclus.
“Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles’s mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.”
I read Madeline Miller’s debut back in 2015 and again in 2017, and it still lives in my brain rent free. I even nagged Sarah into reading it and she ended up loving it too. The book has just celebrated it’s tenth anniversary (unboxing of the special edition right here!). This book re-ignited my love of Greek mythology and I’ve continued to read mythology retellings ever since. Yep, that’s right - it’s not the only stunning Green myth retelling out there!
It’s easy to get stuck into trends and loops of what’s popular on BookTok and I think sometimes the joy of following a spark from a book that has become your favourite through a whole new genre or theme gets a little lost in the need to catch up on everything that everyone else is reading.
Greek mythology retellings are a whole genre on their own and they need some love too, because it may begin with ‘The Song of Achilles’ for a lot of people, but it definitely doesn’t end there.
'Circe’ by Madeline Miller - another BookTok darling, but a storming, feminist retelling of the exiled witch, Circe, as she hones her gifts and grapples with the unexpected love of Odysseus.
‘The Silence of the Girls’ by Pat Barker - this novel also retells a famous Greek myth through the eyes of a woman, this time Briseis retells the story of the Trojan War.
‘Lore Olympus, Volume One’ by Rachel Smythe - this webcomic turned graphic novel volume retells the story of Hades and Persephone and has a legion of fans before it’s even in print. I have my copy pre-ordered and I can’t wait.
‘The Penelopiad’ by Margaret Atwood - I’m actually not a huge Atwood fan, but I really enjoyed this glimpse at the life of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, while he was off fighting in the Trojan War and taking his sweet time getting home.
‘Pandora’s Jar’ by Natalie Haynes - Haynes revisits Greek Mythology with women at the heart of the legends and taking it all back to the beginning with Pandora.
‘Oh My Gods’ by Alexandra Sheppard - Helen has just moved in with her dad and older siblings, who happen to be Greek Gods… Living with Zeus and Aphrodite is just as challenging as it sounds, especially when she’s also dealing with a crush on a cute boy.
‘The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle’ by Rick Riordan - the legend himself couldn’t be missed off this list and as I’ve recently finished Apollo’s series, I had to pick this series. As a punishment from Zeus for his many crimes and annoyances, Apollo is sent to Earth as a mortal teenager who has to survive the tests of the gods to regain his immortality.
‘A Thousand Ships’ by Natalie Haynes - in ‘A Thousand Ships’ Natalie Haynes puts the women, girls and goddesses at the centre of the story of the fall of Troy.
‘Ariadne’ by Jennifer Saint - Ariadne is a Princess of Crete and daughter of King Minos, and has to decide if helping her new love Theseus to defeat the Minotaur is worth betraying her family.
‘The Goddess Test’ by Aimee Carter - based on the Persephone and Hades myth, Kate’s mom is dying and when she meets the dark and mysterious Henry, who claims to be Hades, Kate accepts a deal to complete seven trials and become his queen in exchange for her mother’s life.
‘Mythos’ by Stephen Fry - Stephen Fry retells the myths and legends that all of Greek mythology stems from in a really engaging and funny beginning to his ‘Mythos Volumes’.
‘Half-Blood’ by Jennifer L Armentrout - now, I read this a very, very long time ago and it’s brilliant paranormal romance fun
Are you a fan of Greek myth retellings? Do you have a favourite? I’d love to know!
Written by Sophie
