Myth, Fate, and Survival: Books for Fans of The Odyssey
Dunkirk, Interstellar, The Dark Knight Trilogy – when it comes to movies, few do it better than Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan. Whether it’s chronicling J. Robert Oppenheimer’s pivotal role in creating the atomic bomb or following a dream-jumping thief as he blurs the line between reality, memory, and imagination, Nolan’s films are cinematic masterpieces. His latest project, The Odyssey, will bring Homer’s epic story to life like never before. With a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Zendaya, the adaptation is one of the year’s most anticipated movies.
If you’re looking for a book to match Homer’s timeless story, here are a few page-turning reads for your TBR. From mythology reimaginings to adventures filled with action-packed journeys, dangerous encounters, and heroes tested by fate, these stories capture the same spirit of survival and perseverance that made The Odyssey endure for centuries.
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Add to BookshelfThe Odyssey
by Homer
There’s no better way to prepare for Christopher Nolan’s film masterpiece than diving headfirst into the source material. This celebrated edition brings Homer’s epic poetry to life with vivid, powerful language and captures the rage of war, the heartbreak of exile, and the enduring struggle of humanity against fate. The Odyssey follows Odysseus’ long and perilous journey home following the Trojan War. Whether you’re new to the classic or just want a refresher, this edition’s translations and notes tell Homer’s epic like never before.
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$38.00Preorder from:
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Daughters of Sparta
by Claire Heywood
The Siege of Troy is reimagined through the eyes of Queen Helen and Queen Klytemnestra, two sisters as well as queens. Tired of their husband’s cruelty and neglect, they take matters into their own hands and set out to build lives on their terms. Ready to defy society’s constraints on women, this spellbinding story breathes new life into two central but often overlooked figures in the age-old stories. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Saint and Madeline Miller, this feminist read will keep you captivated until the very last page.
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$17.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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I, Medusa
by Ayana Gray
Named an NPR Book of the Year, this instant New York Times bestseller is an imaginative retelling of Medusa’s story. Medusa, the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, spent her childhood in Athens, often overlooked. One day, she catches Athena’s eye, the goddess of wisdom, and is whisked to the temple to train as a priestess. But when another god, Poseidon, also takes an interest, she’s transformed into a Gordon as punishment. Enraged and heartbroken, Medusa decides to take fate into her own hands. Brimming with female rage and anchored with centuries-old legends, Gray’s adult debut examines themes of trauma, solidarity, and the hypocrisy of a system that protects male authority and punishes victims.
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$30.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Silence of the Girls
by Pat Barker
The Iliad is retold through the eyes of Briseis, Achilles’s captive. In Homer’s version, Briseis, a Trojan queen, is barely a footnote. In Barker’s novel, named one of the 25 Best Novels of the 21st Century by the London Sunday Times, she takes center stage. Caught between two of Greece’s most powerful warriors, Briseis watches wryly along with the other captured women living in the war camp. With Barker’s eloquent prose, this fiercely feminine read gives historically overlooked characters a voice and story.
Finish the series! Be sure to catch books two and three of The Women of Troy series.
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$18.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Fit for the Gods
edited by Jenn Northington and S. Zainab Williams
Your favorite mythology stories just got a makeover! Gods and heroes are reimagined through fresh perspectives that explore identity, power, love, and fate. These stories grapple with transformation, divine interference, and the strength required to survive the will of the gods. Written by a collection of authors including Marika Bailey, Alyssa Cole, Wen Wen Yang, Juliana Spink Mills, and more, this anthology breathes modernity into centuries-old tales featuring gender-bent, queer, and multiracial characters.
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$18.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Gods of Jade and Shadow
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau comes an emotionally charged magical adventure steeped in Mexican mythology. When eighteen-year-old Casiopea Tun stumbled upon a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room, she never expected it would unleash Hun-Kamé, the Mayan god of death. Now bound together, she must help him recover his throne or face her demise. Her cross-country journey through Mexico and into the depths of the Mayan underworld is brought to life through Moreno-Garcia’s lyrical prose and lush world-building. Named one of NPR‘s Best Books of the Year, this vibrant story of grit and determination explores themes of freedom, courage, and transformation.
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$19.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Art of Prophecy
by Wesley Chu
Prophecy plays a key role in Odysseus’s journey, and it’s the anchor in Chu’s epic fantasy. Taishi, a legendary warrior, is tasked to train Jian, a boy prophesied to save the world. But the prophecy is wrong, and Taishi realizes she created a spoiled brat rather than a hero. As the threat of war grows, she must face the consequences of destiny, power, and placing blind faith in prophecies. Electrifying and witty, this truly original story creatively takes the “chosen one” trope and flips it on its head. With realistic martial arts scenes and intricate world-building, this sweeping tale will keep you enthralled until the very end.
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$18.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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Lore
by Alexandra Bracken
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller and a GoodReads Choice Award Finalist for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, this adrenaline-fueled story gives Greek mythology a modern-day reimagining. The Agon is a deadly hunting ritual where the Greek gods are forced into mortal bodies and hunted by descendants of ancient heroes. After her family was murdered, Lore Perseous abandoned the ritual. But when two participants seek her out for help, she’s dragged back into the perilous game. Gripping with vivid action sequences, fans of Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins will fall in love with this gods-and-mortals drama.
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$12.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Heart of the World
by Amie Kaufman
The propulsive sequel to The Isles of the Gods beautifully blends fantasy, romance, and high-stakes adventure, making it one of the most anticipated YA books of the year! After falling in love during their perilous journey, Selly and Leander now face the consequences of awakening the gods. As political turmoil rages across their world, the two must gather their allies and confront battling immortals, treacherous magic, and threats that could tear the world apart. Fast-paced and overflowing with mythology, this thrilling fantasy is perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Stephanie Garber.
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$13.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Young Will Remember
by Eve J. Chung
When a Chinese American journalist is trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War, a group of locals comes together and risks it all to help a stranger get back home. Emotionally charged and immersive, this historical fiction shines a light on the power of a mother’s love, set against the backdrop of one of the darkest moments in the twentieth century. Propulsive and gritty with heart-pounding twists and turns, this poignant historical fiction is a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish.
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