BOOK CLUB
Fantasising about an ancient time: Contemporary fiction inspired by Greek myths When asked for book recommendations everyone always has the same answer, Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles. Once you have read Miller’s novel you then become a person who also recommends Songs of Achilles, and you begin to search for your next Hellenic read. So, look no further than this comprehensive guide to the best contemporary fiction inspired by Greek myths!
Miller’s feminist retelling of Circe’s background and life of exile is perhaps even more moving than Song of Achilles. I have difficulty in deciding which novel I prefer and have thus concluded that they are magical in their own ways. Song of Achilles is a powerful retelling of the Trojan war hero and his lover through a single narrative on the war and the story of fated lovers. Circe, on the other hand, has a more complex narrative with multiple myths entwined, changing the patriarchal discourse surrounding the witch. Miller’s fictional Achilles is recognisable in other retellings of Troy; however, her characterisation of Circe is new and original compared to traditional mythology.
This article is not exhaustive, nor are the recommendations particularly original, but they are verified by a lover of Greek mythology and by a reader who was devasted by Miller’s final page – if you know, you know. It is only natural that I begin by recommending Miller’s second novel Circe. Inspired by the witch who appears in Homer’s The Odyssey,
Illustrations by Albert Newton
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