Originally posted on Instagram 23rd January 2022

Circe – Madeline Miller (4 stars)

Often maligned as an evil witch, in Circe, Madeline Miller reconstructs the myth and frames Circe in a sympathetic light. Yes, she still turns sailors into pigs and practices what she is led to believe is ‘dark’ magic, but, after reading Circe’s story and her motivations, we find ourselves more than understanding her. The tale has been wonderfully reimagined by Miller, and it is a highly engaging story.

A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes (5 stars)

‘I have picked up the old stories and I have shaken them until the hidden women appear’ says Haynes, and it is more than true. This (fictional) retelling of the Trojan War sets aside the ‘heroes’ – Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Odysseus – and brings the women – Helen, Clytemnestra, Penelope, Andromache (among others) – to the fore. Haynes (speaking as a Muse) tells of the women who were left behind, who suffered loss and pain and grief, and whose stories have been forgotten in favour of the men and their battles. An exceptional book that you won’t want to put down.

Pandora’s Jar – Natalie Haynes (4.5 stars)

Yes, another Natalie Haynes pick. This book is an essay collection about women from the Greek myths, who may have been understudied or maybe maligned. Included are Medea, Helen, Jocasta, the Amazons, and even the goddesses on Mount Olympus. Haynes does not put these characters on a pedestal – she criticises their actions just as often as, and sometimes more than, she applauds them. The point of this is to give female characters the spotlight their male compatriots have been receiving for thousands of years; the spotlight they deserve.

Other recs:

• Amazons: The Real Warrior Women of the Ancient World – John Man (4 stars)
• Ariadne – Jennifer Saint (4.5 stars)
• Hildur, Queen of the Elves: And Other Icelandic Legends – J.M. Bedell (3.5 stars)
• Reclaiming Klytemnestra: Revenge or Reconciliation – Kathleen L. Komar (4 stars)