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Modern Mythos: 10 Books That Reinvent Ancient Myths for a New Generation
From forgotten goddesses to reimagined epics, these myth-inspired novels breathe new life into the old stories.
Mythology never really fades — it evolves. The best modern retellings don't just translate ancient stories; they transform them, offering new voices, new perspectives, and often a bold emotional core that speaks to contemporary readers. In an era where we're questioning traditional narratives and seeking diverse voices, mythology provides the perfect canvas for literary reinvention. These stories have survived millennia not because they're fixed but because they're fluid, adapting to each generation's needs and anxieties.
The current renaissance in mythological fiction reflects our cultural moment perfectly. Authors are excavating these ancient tales not for nostalgia but for revolution—giving voice to the silenced, agency to the objectified, and complexity to the simplified. Whether reimagining Medusa as victim rather than monster or centring the perspectives of war's forgotten casualties, these retellings ask essential questions: Whose stories get told? Who controls the narrative? What happens when we shift the lens?
Whether you're drawn to feminist spins on the Greek canon or myth-infused fantasy from other traditions, this list curates ten of the most striking, high-rated myth retellings published between 2020–2025 — all with fresh momentum and lasting power. These aren't dusty academic exercises but vibrant, emotionally resonant novels that use mythology's familiar frameworks to explore thoroughly contemporary themes of power, identity, trauma, and resistance.
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes (2023)
A daring retelling of Medusa's story — no longer the monster, but a girl betrayed. Haynes gives Medusa back her voice in this witty, heart-breaking, and thought-provoking novel that turns a familiar myth on its head. Through multiple perspectives including the Gorgon sisters, Perseus, and even Medusa's severed head, Haynes reconstructs a tale we thought we knew, revealing the misogyny baked into the original myth while crafting a narrative that feels both ancient and urgently contemporary.
Haynes brings her classical scholarship to bear without weighing down the narrative, infusing the text with dark humour and devastating insights. Her Medusa is neither pure victim nor vengeful monster but something more complex—a young woman caught in the crossfire of divine politics and mortal prejudice. The novel's structure mirrors the fractured nature of trauma itself, jumping between voices and timelines to create a kaleidoscopic view of one of mythology's most misunderstood figures. This is mythology as feminist reclamation, executed with both intellectual rigor and emotional authenticity.
Goodreads: 3.79 | Amazon UK: 4.3
Perfect for fans of: Circe by Madeline Miller, The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, feminist retellings of Greek mythology, and narratives that give voice to villainized women.
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Psykhe by Kate Forsyth (2024)
This lush retelling of the Eros and Psykhe myth leans into fairy tale and fantasy, with lyrical prose and richly drawn characters. Forsyth transforms the classical tale of divine love and mortal curiosity into something that feels both timeless and fresh, exploring themes of trust, sacrifice, and the price of knowledge. Set in a vividly realized ancient world where gods walk among mortals, the novel follows Psykhe as she navigates divine politics, impossible tasks, and a love that transcends the boundaries between mortal and immortal.
A lesser-known myth given radiant emotional depth and feminist urgency, Forsyth's version interrogates the power dynamics inherent in the original story. Her Psykhe is no passive beauty but an active agent in her own fate, while Eros emerges as more than just a divine pretty boy—he's a complex figure struggling with his own limitations and desires. The author's background in folklore studies enriches the narrative with mythological depth while her poet's sensibility ensures every sentence sings. This is mythology as it should be: beautiful, dangerous, and profoundly human.
Goodreads: 3.87 | Amazon UK: 4.5
Perfect for fans of: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, lyrical fantasy with mythological roots, and stories that blend fairy tale elements with classical mythology.
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An Unexpected Ally by Sophia Kouidou-Giles (2023)
Circe, Skylla, and Glaucus reimagined with heart and perspective. This retelling frames myth as moral complexity, centring the overlooked and misunderstood women of Greek lore. Kouidou-Giles takes the familiar story of transformation and revenge and reweaves it into a nuanced exploration of female friendship, betrayal, and the price of power. Through alternating perspectives, we see how divine whims and mortal desires intersect to create tragedy, but also how women's solidarity might offer redemption.
What sets this novel apart is its refusal to simplify its characters into heroes or villains. Circe's magic becomes a metaphor for female agency in a world that fears it, while Skylla's transformation from woman to monster serves as a meditation on how society creates its own demons. Kouidou-Giles writes with both scholarly precision and novelistic flair, creating a work that satisfies both the mythology enthusiast and the casual reader seeking emotionally complex fiction. The result is a thoughtful, provocative addition to the growing canon of feminist mythological retellings.
Goodreads: 3.95 | Amazon UK: 4.8
Perfect for fans of: Galatea by Madeline Miller, Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Greek mythology with complex female perspectives, and stories that explore the grey areas of mythological morality.
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Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (2020)
Arthurian legend collides with secret societies, grief, and Southern Black girlhood in this sharp, genre-defying debut. When sixteen-year-old Bree enrolls in a residential program at UNC-Chapel Hill to escape her grief over her mother's death, she stumbles into a world of magic, demons, and a secret society of Legendborn—descendants of King Arthur's knights. But Bree's own heritage holds powers and secrets that could shatter everything the Order believes about their history.
Deonn's mythology remix is emotional, magical, and utterly original. She doesn't just retell Arthurian legend; she interrogates it, exposing the whitewashing of history while weaving in Southern Black traditions and contemporary social justice themes. The novel tackles grief, generational trauma, and systemic racism with the same intensity it brings to magical battles and romantic tension. This is young adult fantasy at its most ambitious—a book that uses the framework of familiar legend to tell a story that feels revolutionary and necessary.
Goodreads: 4.32 | Amazon UK: 4.5
Perfect for fans of: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, contemporary fantasy with social commentary, and Arthurian retellings with diverse perspectives.
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A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat (2020)
Inspired by Thai traditions and Les Misérables, this middle grade novel explores justice, inequality, and light in a myth-tinged setting. In a city where light equals power and the poor live in darkness, a boy named Pong escapes from a prison-like orphanage, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything he believes about right and wrong. When he crosses paths with Nok, a girl from the wealthy sector determined to prove herself as a prison warden, both must confront their assumptions about justice and mercy.
Beautifully written and deeply meaningful for all ages, Soontornvat weaves Buddhist philosophy and Thai cultural elements into a story that feels both fantastical and painfully relevant. The novel doesn't shy away from complex moral questions about privilege, justice, and redemption, making it a sophisticated read despite its middle-grade designation. Through luminous prose and careful world-building, Soontornvat creates a modern fable that speaks to contemporary issues of inequality while honouring the mythological traditions that inspire it.
Goodreads: 4.29 | Amazon UK: 4.7
Perfect for fans of: The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani, The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman, middle-grade fiction with philosophical depth, and stories that blend mythology with social justice themes.
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The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (2021)
Norse mythology from the margins — Angrboda, the mother of monsters, tells her side. This intimate, melancholy tale weaves prophecy, loss, and love into a mythic portrait of defiance. Cast out to the edge of the world by Odin, the witch Angrboda meets Loki, and their relationship sets in motion events that will lead to Ragnarok. But this isn't a story about the end of the world; it's about a woman creating a life and family in the face of cosmic forces determined to use and discard her.
Gornichec's debut transforms a minor figure from Norse mythology into a fully realized protagonist whose story resonates with contemporary themes of motherhood, exile, and resistance. The novel's strength lies in its domestic focus—even as gods scheme and prophecies loom, the heart of the story remains Angrboda's fierce love for her unusual children and her determination to protect them from their fates. Written with poetic restraint and emotional intelligence, this is mythology stripped of its masculine swagger and reimagined through a lens of feminine power and maternal protection.
Goodreads: 4.04 | Amazon UK: 4.4
Perfect for fans of: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Circe by Madeline Miller, Norse mythology retellings with feminist perspectives, and stories about motherhood in mythological contexts.
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Daughter of Sparta by Claire Andrews (2021)
A fast-paced, feminist adventure that brings Daphne to the forefront of Greek myth. No longer just the nymph who runs from Apollo, Andrews' Daphne is a Spartan warrior tasked with a mission from Artemis herself: infiltrate Olympus and steal back powerful artifacts before they can destroy the mortal world. Along the way, she must navigate divine politics, monster attacks, and her complicated feelings for Apollo, who in this version is far more than just a pursuing god.
Empowering and propulsive, this young adult novel reframes Daphne's story from fleeing victim to active hero. Andrews combines the action-packed pacing of contemporary YA fantasy with classical mythological elements, creating a story that feels both fresh and familiar. Her Sparta is vividly realized—a world of warrior women and political intrigue—while her Olympus crackles with divine drama and danger. The romance is complicated by genuine character development, avoiding the insta-love trap while exploring how power imbalances affect relationships. This is mythology for the action-adventure crowd, delivered with style and substance.
Goodreads: 3.87 | Amazon UK: 4.4
Perfect for fans of: Lore by Alexandra Bracken, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan (for those aging up), action-packed mythological retellings, and YA fantasy with strong female warriors.
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The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (2018)
Briseis — war prize of Achilles — reclaims her voice in this raw, unsparing novel. While earlier than our usual cut-off, its critical impact and continued relevance make it essential mythic reading. Barker strips the Trojan War of its heroic veneer, showing it instead through the eyes of the enslaved women who serve the Greek camp. Briseis, who appears in the Iliad only as an object of desire and dispute, emerges here as a complex narrator processing trauma, survival, and the small acts of resistance available to the powerless.
Barker's prose is deliberately unpoetic, refusing to romanticize violence or slavery. Her Troy is a place of mud and blood, where women navigate the brutal realities of war with whatever dignity they can preserve. The novel's power lies in its dual perspective—we see Achilles not as a hero but as Briseis's captor, while understanding how even monsters can be humanized by grief. This isn't just a retelling; it's a reclamation, giving voice and agency to those the original epic relegated to the margins. Essential reading for understanding how mythology can be transformed into a vehicle for contemporary truth-telling.
Goodreads: 3.90 | Amazon UK: 4.3
Perfect for fans of: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, war literature with female perspectives, and Greek mythology that doesn't glorify violence.
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Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John (2023)
A gender-swapped Orpheus myth, where the muse becomes the hero. In this reimagining, Orphia is the legendary poet who descends to the underworld to retrieve her beloved Eurydicius, but John's version interrogates the original myth's assumptions about art, love, and sacrifice. The novel explores what changes when the artist is a woman and the muse is a man, revealing how gender shapes not just who tells the story but what story gets told.
Poetic, queer, and aching with beauty and loss, it's a standout among recent retellings. John writes with a lyricist's attention to language, creating prose that feels both contemporary and mythic. The underworld sequences are particularly striking, rendered with dreamlike imagery that captures both the otherworldly nature of death and the very real grief of loss. This is a meditation on how art both immortalizes and fails love, how creation and destruction intertwine, and what it means to look back when you've been told not to. The gender swap isn't just a gimmick but a way of exploring how stories change when we change who's allowed to be the hero.
Goodreads: 3.92 | Amazon UK: 4.0
Perfect for fans of: The First Time Lauren Pailing Died by Alyson Rudd, Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman, The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, lyrical LGBTQ+ fiction, and mythological retellings that play with gender and sexuality.
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Elektra by Jennifer Saint (2022)
Three women — Elektra, Cassandra, and Clytemnestra — weave a chorus of grief, revenge, and fate. Saint's lyrical prose and emotional clarity give agency to the oft-silenced heroines of the House of Atreus. The novel follows these three women through the Trojan War and its aftermath, showing how cycles of violence and revenge destroy families across generations. Each woman's perspective illuminates different aspects of the myth: Clytemnestra's maternal rage, Cassandra's prophetic curse, and Elektra's consuming need for vengeance.
Saint excels at showing how women navigate and are shaped by masculine violence, whether on the battlefield or in the home. Her Clytemnestra is neither mere murderess nor martyred mother but a complex figure driven by grief and a desire for justice in a world that offers women none. Cassandra's sections are particularly powerful, capturing the horror of being cursed to see the truth while powerless to change it. Through these interwoven narratives, Saint creates a sophisticated exploration of how trauma perpetuates itself and how women's anger, so often dismissed or demonized in classical texts, might actually be the most rational response to an irrational world.
Goodreads: 3.67 | Amazon UK: 4.2
Perfect for fans of: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, Greek tragedies with feminist perspectives, and multi-perspective mythological narratives.
The Mythology Renaissance: Why These Stories Matter Now
These ten retellings represent more than just a trend—they're part of a larger cultural movement to reclaim and reimagine the stories that shape our understanding of the world. By centring previously marginalized voices, questioning traditional power structures, and bringing contemporary sensibilities to ancient tales, these authors are doing what mythology has always done: helping us make sense of our current moment through the lens of timeless narratives.
What's particularly striking about this wave of mythological fiction is its diversity—not just in terms of the authors and perspectives represented, but in the very approach to retelling. Some, like Pat Barker, strip mythology of its romantic veneer to expose the brutal realities beneath. Others, like Tracy Deonn, use mythological frameworks to explore entirely contemporary issues of race, identity, and belonging. Still others, like Elyse John, play with form and gender to reveal new possibilities within familiar stories.
These books succeed because they understand that mythology has never been about providing definitive versions of stories, but about creating a shared vocabulary for exploring human experience. They're not bound by reverence for the originals but inspired by their potential for transformation. In an era when we're questioning whose stories get told and who gets to tell them, these retellings offer both critique and possibility—showing us how the myths we've inherited might be reimagined for a more inclusive future.
Love timeless stories told in bold new ways? We spotlight emotionally intelligent, genre-blurring fiction — always curated, never filler.
Craving more self-contained stories? Don’t miss our recent feature: One and Done: 10 Best Standalone Fantasy Novels That Don’t Need a Sequel.
Until next time, happy reading.
— The Page Sage
Thumbnail Photo by Krišjānis Kazaks on Unsplash
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