Greek Myths

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What to expect

** SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021 **

Brought to you by Penguin.

In this spellbinding new collection, Charlotte Higgins reinterprets some of the most enduring stories of all time.

Here are myths of the creation, of Heracles and Theseus and Perseus, the Trojan war and its origins and aftermaths, tales of Thebes and Argos and Athens. There are stories of love and desire, adventure and magic, destructive gods, helpless humans, fantastical creatures, resourceful witches and the origins of birds and animals.This is a world of extremes, and one that resonates deeply with our own: mysterious diseases devastate cities; environmental disasters tear lives apart; women habitually suffer violence at the hands of men.

Unlike in many previous collected myths, female characters take centre stage - Athena, Helen, Circe, Penelope and others weave these stories into elaborate imagined tapestries. In Charlotte Higgins's thrilling new interpretation, their tales combine to form a dazzling, sweeping epic of storytelling, and a magnificent work of scholarship and imagination.

© Charlotte Higgins 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Critics Review

  • Higgins is a wonderful scholar, and a great story teller. I’ve been loving these retellings, cleverly centered around the theme of myths told in tapestry.

    Madeline Miller, author of THE SONG OF ACHILLES and CIRCE

  • [Higgins] leads us through the labyrinth of interconnected stories in a startlingly fresh way. It throws radiant new light on their meanings… This excellent book should delight many generations of story lovers to come.

    Guardian

  • [An] erudite and exhilarating collection… luminous, astute retellings.

    Observer

  • [A] scholarly, capacious reimagining… Higgins makes you feel for these tormented, accursed mortals afresh.

    The Times

  • We are in the hands of a fine, fluent storyteller… Higgins, like the bards who first unspooled these tales, creates the illusion of spontaneity and handles suspense brilliantly… Chris Ofili’s drawings complement the lyricism of the prose descriptions. Higgins depicts art mediating life – the reason, I think, that we read books… I loved this book.

    Spectator

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