There is a strong, continuing interest in stories from long ago. From learning about them at school, reading novels, and watching countless adaptations, most people have become familiar with a lot of mythologies.
Modern writers have taken to retelling these stories and shining a light on topics and perspectives that have gone largely unnoticed. One such writer is Madeline Miller, who’s built her career around exploring myths and legends.
Books Similar to Song of Achilles
Miller’s first book, Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Illiad from the perspective of Patroclus. Specifically, it focused on his bond with Achilles, from the moment they met, the events of the Trojan War, and their supposed romance.
If you’ve just finished the book and are aching for similar reads, below is a list of novels that incorporate mythical stories into their plot.
1. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Ariadne, the princess of Crete, grew up listening to the bellows of the Minotaur beneath their golden palace. And when Theseus comes to kill her brother, she doesn’t see a threat, but an escape.
Defying everything and everyone she knew, she helps him slay the Minotaur. But her actions change her fate in ways she did not foresee, provoking even the gods.
2. The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh
Mina’s homeland has always been savaged by storms. People believe the Sea God, once their protector, has turned against them. To appease him, a beautiful maiden is thrown to the sea each year to be his bride.
Shim Cheong, believed to be the true bride, is set to be the sacrifice this year. But when Mina’s older brother follows his beloved to sea, Mina intervenes to save the couple’s happiness.
Whisked away to the Spirit Realm, she discovers the Sea God deep in an enchanted sleep. To save her people, she must learn how to wake him up, with the help of a mysterious man.
3. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Zhu Chongba is destined for greatness—a fate that many can only dream of under harsh Mongol rule. His sister, on the other hand, is dismissed and expected to become nothing.
But when a bandit attack leaves the siblings orphaned, it’s Zhu Chongba who gives up and dies. Desperate, she takes on her brother’s name and claims his unfulfilled destiny.
4. Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
Kaikeyi spends much of her days learning about gods—how they fought evil, guided humanity, and awarded the worthy. And yet, as her father takes control of her life for political gain, the gods never seem to answer.
And so she turns to books that she and her mother have always read. Within them, she finds a power that transforms her from a pawn into a warrior queen.
5. Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Every seven years, nine greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals. Hunting them down are descendants of ancient bloodlines, seeking to claim their divinity as their own.
Lore, a descendant of Perseus, has escaped this brutal world after her entire family is massacred by a rival. But when two unexpected allies come to her for help, she finds herself back on the hunt. But this time, the stakes may be much higher than the last.
6. The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Angrboda burned for refusing to provide Odin with knowledge of the future. Near death, she flees to the farthest reaches of a forest. There she meets a man, revealed to be Loki, who she falls in love with.
Their love bears fruit to three children, who she intends to hide from Odin’s all-seeing eye. But as her prophetic powers slowly recover, she learns that the life she has found may be in terrible danger.
7. The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes
Jocasta is only 15 when she’s married off to an old king she has never met before. Now a widow, she finally takes control of her life and chooses a husband she prefers. But her world slowly crumbles when society is beset by an unbearable scandal.
Ismene is the same age when she’s attacked inside the very walls of her home. As political plots swirl around her, she must uncover what she can to protect the family she still has.
8. Song of Sacrifice by Janell Rhiannon
The Trojan War is the realm of gods and men, fought for gold and glory. As they fight their petty fights, the women do what they can to mitigate the damage.
Wives and daughters wait for husbands and brothers. The unlucky ones find themselves enslaved and abused. All of them must forge their own destinies as the Age of Heroes begins to wane.
9. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Raised on the moon, Xingyin is unaware that she’s being hidden from the Celestial Emperor, who has banished her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when her powers manifest, she must leave the only life she’s known, leaving her mother behind.
To save her mother, she must wade through legendary beasts on her way to confronting the ruthless emperor. But first, she must master her use of magic and archery, taking the chance to learn alongside the emperor’s son while in disguise.
10. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Arthurian legend always tells of Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights of the Round Table. But behind them move the women who wield power as potent as their male counterparts.
Gwenhwyfar forsakes the old ways and embraces Christianity. Morgaine takes on the duty of Avalon, keeping the old ways alive. Their struggles, and those of other women, determine the fate of Arthur’s Kingdom.
Old Stories Given New Life
All the books above have something in common. They take well-known stories engraved in human history and turn them on their heads. They not only attempt to answer that question but also explore parts of these stories that have gone unexplored.
What about the women? The slaves? The not-so-macho men? It’s these kinds of questions that have made writers look at these age-old stories from new angles. The result is new perspectives that give these stories new life while still retaining the excitement and mystique that people have grown to love in them.
Have you read Songs of Achilles? Share your reading experience in the comments below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
