My favorite books inspired by the Greek myths you thought you knew

Is there any family more dysfunctional than the Greek gods? In this modern-day saga, author Stacey Swann skillfully reimagines our favorite gods as regular people caught up in the very human drama of lust, jealousy, secrets, and even murder. The author slyly crafts multiple myth-inspired vignettes, then fits them together like puzzle pieces. The central conflict is a clever spin on Aphrodite’s affair with her ho-hum hubby Hephaestus’s fiery brother Ares (the unholy union that created Cupid!). What I love most about Swann’s storytelling is her snappy dialogue – these characters don’t pull any punches! Even though we don’t really want to root for them, we can’t help ourselves. Why? Maybe they remind us of ourselves.

I am a complete sucker for a beautiful M/M coming-of-age love story – the more forbidden, the better. With an ominous curse over his head and a downright evil sea goddess for a mother, the great warrior Achilles isn’t exactly destined for happiness. Nor is the exiled prince Patroclus, whose sweet and gentle nature leaves him ever-so-vulnerable to the Powers That Be. Perhaps it’s the fact that these two doomed boys find so much joy in their pure, mutual love that makes their story so achingly haunting. Everyone knows how the story of Achilles ends, but until author Madeline Miller dragged this love story out into the light, very few of us were aware of the gorgeous, doomed love he and Patroclus shared.

Right from the heart-pounding opening scene, I was all in. As with All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr draws the reader deeply inside his characters one at a time, then intertwines seemingly unrelated lives in intense and often tragic ways. How could the cast of "Cloud Cuckoo Land," an ancient story (coincidentally sharing roots with the Cupid and Psyche myth!), have anything to do with a young boy in 1453 Constantinople or an idealist-turned-radical in 2020 Idaho? You’ll see! Though the book’s length is intimidating and some parts are not cheery, CCL’s deeply satisfying ending offers hope and inspiration.

I was originally attracted to this book because the gods are alive and well and living among us mortals in modern times – I hope that sounds familiar! These gods have fallen on rough times. They’re crammed together into a London townhouse and forced to get (gasp!) day jobs. Aphrodite is a sex worker. Apollo is a TV psychic. Eros is considering the priesthood. (Double gasp!) Even more alarming, the gods’ powers are waning, and they’ll need mortals to save them. This charming book will warm your heart and make you laugh out loud more than once. 

Looking for the quintessential guide to Greek mythology? This is the book I studied in high school, the first time learning the stories that have stuck with me to this day (many decades later). Hamilton’s storytelling feels authentic to the voices of the original authors without being dry. Among this collection, you’ll find creation stories (think Titans, Olympians, Zeus, and Hades), fabulous love stories (Orpheus and Eurydice, Cupid and Psyche!), heroes of the Trojan War (Odysseus and Achilles) and earlier (Hercules and Perseus), famous families (Oedipus and Antigone), and monsters (Cerberus and the Minotaur). You may not sit down and read this cover to cover, but Edith Hamilton’s Mythology is a great reference you’ll want on your shelf.