Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold
Stephen Fry has long had a gift for making complex things feel gloriously alive, and this retelling of the ancient Greek myths is perhaps his finest showcase of that talent. It's a book that pulls you in from the very first page and doesn't really let go. Fry recounts the full, glorious chaos of the Greek pantheon, from the bizarre birth of Athena, sprung fully formed from Zeus's cracked-open skull, to the haunting story of Persephone's descent into the shadowy Underworld. There's the chilling moment Pandora releases her jar of torments upon the world, and the tender, surprising love story of Eros and Psyche, rendered here with real warmth and wit. These are myths that have survived thousands of years, and Fry shows you exactly why. His prose is lively, funny, and quietly erudite, wearing its scholarship lightly without ever dumbing things down. What strikes you most is how deeply human these stories feel, for all their gods and monsters. Jealousy, desire, pride, grief: it's all here, just with considerably more lightning bolts. Shortlisted for a National Book Award and praised by the Guardian, Evening Standard, and Daily Mail alike, Mythos is a genuinely enjoyable read that works whether you're brushing up on your classics or approaching them for the very first time.
- Author: Stephen Fry
- Publisher: Penguin
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- ISBN: 978-1405934138
- Pages: 464 pages