Greek mythology is know for its strong male leads, Zeus ruling Olympus, the hero Hercules and the whole army fighting in the trojan war. The females of greek mythology are background characters, seen as submissive and weak. But not anymore...
1. Silence of the girls by Pat Barker
The book that started it all. Not just my obsession with greek mythology, but reading itself. Silence of the girls follows the story of Briseis, a princess from of Lyrnessus who became the famous Achilles' concubine after the brutal slaughter of her family. Pat Barker retells the well known story of the Iliad, but from the view of not only a slave, but a women. Baker gives a completely different perspective, not focusing on the slaughter on the Anatolia plain, but the effect of the war of those who were dragged into it. Baker shows the unspoken women of the Trojan war as humans, with emotions and opinions, not presenting them as the weak background characters they are typically made out to be. The whole book is a full immersive experience, from the pure emotion you can feel through the pages, to the in-depth detail Baker put into the scenery throughout the book. The detailed historical context given makes this book a must read for any greek mythology fans.
2. Circe
Circe. Daughter of the sun god Helios. Looked over by her parents and outcasted by her siblings due to her apparent lack of powers. Until one day she is banished from her childhood home and sent to the island of Aeaea. The story follows the growth of Circe, from the outcast to one of the most powerful witches in greek mythology. The highlight in this book for me is this character development, from the start of the book it was hard not to full in love with Circe, although she can be considered morally grey. The book is subliminally focused on the survival of circe, being a lone women on an island with lots of unwanted attention leads to circe being a master of self defence, in her own way. Madeline Miller gives Circe the story she deserves, showing her as the strong and independent women she is, not the evil and isolated witch she is briefly described as through greek mythology.
3. The Penelopiad
Penelope has been left alone for 20 years. Not only having to run the kingdom of Ithaca, but also deal with the 108 suitors wanting her hand in marriage. Penelope's husband Odysseus had spent 10 years fighting in the Trojan, then the next 10 years galavanting around the seas doing as he pleases. Margret Atwood gives Penelope a voice, she allows the other side of the famous story to be released. Atwood shows Penelope as a witty and intelligent women who will not let any man walk over her, while still being faithful to her cheating husband. The penelopiad also shares the story of the 12 maids, who were loyal to Penelope till death. This book has made the list because I absolutely love the way its written, its a short book but it's able to depict a whole new story through the pure emotion it presents.
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