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Books to read after watching Nolan's Odyssey
12
items You watched the new Odyssey movie, and now you need more Greek Mythology retellings? Don't worry, here is my list of favorite books! Did I forget one? Tell me in the comments!
Sections
4
Odyssey retellings
Iliad retellings
Other
Original sources
Odyssey retellings
This retelling of the Odyssey is accessible to all. I really recommend it!
Odyssey: The Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry, Hardcover
The Odyssey, but from Penelope point of view. It's a complicated but great read!
The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus
Circe is an major character in the Odyssey. Odysseus lived with her for one year, and she's the one who's sending him to Hades. I think this novel is the best way to learn more about her!
Circe by Madeline Miller, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
A book in which you can pretend to be Odysseus. Because as smart as this guy is, he spends his travel falling asleep when he shouldn't. It's time to change that.
You Are Odysseus by L Jenkinson-Brown, Paperback
Iliad retellings
You probably already know this book. It takes place during the Trojan War, so just before the Odyssey, and it's accessible to all.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Paperback
This novel focuses entirely on the Trojan War, and I don't think Odysseus appeared in the book. But it's a great read to understand that the Greek heroes are, according to our criteria, far from heroes. Odysseus is a morally grey character at best, a...
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
Other
The Odyssey focuses on the consequences of war for Odysseus. But in A Thousand Ships, Natalie Haynes focuses on the consequences of war for the women. A must-read!
A Thousand Ships: A Novel by Natalie Haynes, Paperback
This book isn't centered on the Iliad or Odyssey, but it's a good summary of Greek mythology, accessible to all. I fell in love with this novel, and I can't recommend it enough!
Aphrodite: A Novel|Hardcover - Phoenicia Rogerson - Barnes & Noble
Original sources
Surprisingly (or not), reading the Odyssey is a good beginning to understand the new Odyssey movie! I highly recommend Emily Wilson's translation, the one which is closest to the orality of Homer's poem.
The Odyssey: Translated by Emily Wilson by Homer, Paperback
The Metamorphoses doesn't focus on the Odyssey, but some characters of the poem appear in the text. My favorite bit is about Iphigenia and Agamemnon! All in all, it's probably the best text to discover Greek mythology.
Metamorphoses by Ovid, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®
The Oresteia focuses on Agamemnon, leader of the Greek army during the Trojan War, and the consequences he and his family suffered from his unethical choices.
The Oresteia: Agamemnon; The Libation Bearers; The Eumenides
I consider the Aeneid to be a fanfiction of the Odyssey, and Virgil probably did too. Great book.
The Aeneid: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) by Virgil, Paperback