“Let him come back so that I can see his eyes as the light drains from them. Let him come back and die at the hands of his bitterest enemy. Let him come back so that I can watch him suffer. And let me make it slow.” The House of Atreus myth is truly the most tragic familial curse and a cycle of violence that never seems to end. A father kills a son, a son kills a friend, brothers kill an uncle, a father kills a daughter, a wife kills her husband, a son kills a mother… This family’s history stretches back far into ancient Greek mythology, but it is during the Trojan War period that the effects ..read more

Mythology retellings are on the rise these days, many authors writing about major and the lesser-known myths and telling the stories from the perspective of people who are not the main character. But you know what retellings I think are underrated? Those that retell the original story through images. As someone who has studied that the Iliad and the Odyssey at school and university, these graphic novels by Gareth Hinds bring these epic stories to life in so many ways. Reading the stories as written, the story can come across as dry, long-winded even. The illustrations of battles near Troy and ..read more

A slight change from retelling reviews to something more historical and factual! Princesses play a key part in most fairytales, but for the princesses who actually existed in history, their lives were often no ‘happily ever after’ and the princes that they married were not kind, let alone handsome! This book covers the life-stories of several historical princesses in an informative and easy-to-read way, most of whom did not, as the title implies, get their fairytale endings… I liked how the author did not confine herself entirely to the conventional European princesses (although many of those ..read more

“My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!” – The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien The history of dragons is a fascinating topic to explore. The picture of dragons most people have is that of the medieval dragon, but where did they get their inspiration for the dragon? What was its significance to them? Why was it so prominent in their iconography? This short and interesting book can help explain. The dragon was mainly used by Christianity as a symbol of the Devil, something to frighten as well ..read more

Some fairytales are more popular than others when it comes to retellings. You don’t have to go far to find a retelling of Cinderella or Snow White. But finding a retelling of fairytale such as Rumpelstiltskin can be as hard as spinning straw into gold… but they are there! Zari has no time to dream of happily ever afters, working long and hard hours so her family can eat. Magic exists in her world, but those who have it are forced to work as slaves for the billionaire who rules over the city – those who have magic must hide it as Zari warns her little sister. So when Zari’s father drunkenly bo ..read more

“This goddess is a candescent creature – and all that brings light will bring shade.” Probably the most famous goddess from all mythology is the goddess of love and beauty: Venus/Aphrodite. But her history is a strange and mysterious one, developing over the centuries, and has been used as a symbol for beauty and sex throughout the ages, sometimes positively, sometimes not. Venus and Aphrodite is an informal history of the Classical goddess of love across history. The origins of Aphrodite begin in Cyprus, a beautiful island fit for the great goddess of beauty. The author recounts the strange ..read more

“And that lesson was perfectly clear: There is nothing more dangerous than kindness.” Snow White – one of the most famous fairytales in the world, thanks to the Brothers Grimm and Disney. In my opinion, it must be harder to adapt a popular fairytale than a less well-known one, because of the expectations and assumptions of the readers going into it. They’ll expect to see the evil queen. The seven dwarves. The handsome prince. The poisoned apple. The trouble is including them all in way that feels fresh and unexpected while remaining true to the original tale. Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly ..read more

“She was, surprisingly, an exquisite dancer.”   I have mentioned the Princesses of Westfalin series in a previous book review, with regard to the second book in the series, Princess of Glass (click here to read). These books retell three different fairytales, focusing on the eldest, middle, and youngest princesses respectively. I read the series in order, and I would argue the first and second books can be read as standalones, but the third book in the series references events in the earlier books so it would recommend reading those first. Also, if you enjoy knitting, the book includes k ..read more

“I had been a fool to trust in a hero: a man who could only love the mighty echo of his own name throughout the centuries.” Another day, another mythological retelling! This time from the perspectives of two women from Minotaur myth, Ariadne and Phaedra. Ariadne and her sister live on the island of Crete with their father King Minos in their palace with a beautiful dancing floor that Ariadne loves – and of course the labyrinth beneath the palace where their monstrous half-brother, the Minotaur lurks. A tribute of seven young men and women arrives from Athens to be feed to the monster. Hidden ..read more

“She would bloom where she was planted and let her roots close around the throats of her enemies.” A retelling of the origins of the Evil Queen in the Snow White fairytale, but in an East-Asian inspired fantasy setting? Sign me up! Xifeng knows not only that she is beautiful but that she is destined for greatness. This might seem like the ordinary aspirations of a peasant girl trapped in a remote village off the edges of the map, but her aunt Guma, a cruel witch, has seen into her future – that Xifeng will be the Empress of Feng Lu. But is Xifeng ready to accept the price that the throne and ..read more