Greek mythology has been creatively expanded to include stories written from the perspective of the story’s minor characters (often female). These versions turn the original myths upside-down to create a unique and memorable reading experience.

DAUGHTERS OF OLYMPUS by Hannah Lynn is a two-part narrative of the goddess Demeter and her daughter Core. Demeter’s story begins with her unusual birth from the stomach of Kronos and continues through traumatic encounters with her siblings, Hera, Zeus, and Poseidon, the birth of her children, the love of her life, and the long search for her daughter Core, who was stolen by Hades and taken to the underworld. Core narrates her own life, her transformation into Persephone, and her negotiation to spend a six-month growing season on Earth with Demeter and return to the underworld in the winter. There’s a lot more to this story than just eating six pomegranate seeds to create the seasons.

HERA by Jennifer Saint starts at the beginning, with the Olympians coming into power over the Titans. A family tree provides a framework for the mythology that follows. Most stories portray Hera as the mean, jealous, and vengeful wife of Zeus, but this one highlights the outside influences that evoke such bad behavior. She is a woman in a man’s world (or a goddess in a society where gods like Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades patronize her). Readers will recognize familiar myths that the author deftly weaves into Hera’s eternal struggle for power and respect. Saint has also written reimagined mythologies of ARIADNE (2021) and ELEKTRA (2022).

LAST SONG OF PENELOPE by Claire North is the third book of the Songs of Penelope Trilogy. The first is ITHACA (2022) followed by HOUSE OF ODYSSEUS (2023), which chronicles the life of Penelope, queen of Ithaca and wife of Odysseus during the war with Troy when she was left to rule a kingdom of women, also abandoned by their husbands to raise families on their own. In the long absence of Odysseus, suitors have been visiting Ithaca, hoping to take his place as king. Clever Penelope must find a way to get rid of the unwelcome guests, as she suspects her husband has returned to the island in disguise in order to check out the status of his kingdom. Find out what she thinks about the situation.

MEDUSA by Nataly Gruender recalls the life of Medusa, half mortal-half goddess, in her childhood years, growing up as a Gorgon with her two sisters. Both parents are creatures of the sea, but the sisters reside in a seaside home. Their broader adventures begin when they strike out on their own and Medusa becomes a priestess at the temple of Athena. After an unfortunate confrontation with Poseidon, Athena curses Medusa with snakes for hair and the ability to turn living creatures to stone. She leaves the temple to be by herself and bumps into Dionysus, god of wine and madness, who becomes her friend and confidante. Still pursued by mortals, Perseus in particular, she journeys for some time before reuniting with her sisters and coming to terms with the prophecy of her death. However, her ending is layered in mythology, and not what readers expect.

THE VOYAGE HOME by Pat Barker wraps up the Women of Troy series that began with THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS (2019) and continued with THE WOMEN OF TROY (2021). The series picks up with insights from Ritsa, handmade to Cassandra who has been demoted from her royal status in Troy to King Agamemnon’s concubine as the spoils of war. The trio sails to Greece where Queen Clytemnestra awaits her husband, Agamemnon. Chapters alternate with viewpoints from all three female narrators. When the ship arrives in Greece, there are only tragic endings. Prophecies are fulfilled and the mythology endures to be told again.

DIVINE MIGHT: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes (292.211 HA) is a refresher on who’s who among goddesses and which stories they belong to. The Muses appear to be among the earliest in the history of mythology and retain their importance through time. The author also covers, Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, Demeter, Artemis and the Furies in this novel-like narrative of the goddesses and the other deities connected to them. Be prepared for a bit of humor in Haynes’ writing.

Readers of mythology (from a different viewpoint) won’t want to miss some older publications, such as MEDUSA’S SISTERS by Lauren Bear, CLYTEMNESTRA by Constanza Casati, HELEN OF TROY by Margaret George, and THE PENELOPIAD by Margaret Atwood.

By Lynette Suckow

Reference Librarian