Tanaaz Bhathena recommends books by Pat Barker, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and others
Mythologies around the world are filled with stories that center on heroes. yes GilgameshThe iliadThe Mahabharata Or shahnamaWhile great epics highlight the exploits and adventures of men, the women in their lives are often marginalized, their roles reduced to dutiful wives, villains, or victims.
odyssey Begins ten years after the events of the Trojan War and focuses on the return of the Greek war hero, Odysseus, and his men to his home—the island of Ithaca, where Odysseus’s faithful wife Penelope waits for him. one more For ten years, while cleverly distracting 108 lovers. Penelope’s loyalty is used as a foil for the betrayal of her cousin, the frequently villainous Helen of Sparta who abandoned her husband and eloped with the Trojan prince – a single woman was blamed for launching thousands of ships that started the Trojan War.
The latest take on the story comes in Christopher Nolan’s latest offering. I will admit that I have enjoyed Nolan’s films in the past (especially) start And oppenheimer) and I will probably watch odyssey When it hits theaters this month. While some pre-release press, It also includes a piece Elinotes that the film does a better job of centering its female characters than most films, I can’t help but wish that a film, for once, would focus more deeply on the women in these narratives and become a blockbuster on the scale of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. wonder woman.
Alas, where Hollywood is currently failing us, literature still offers hope. Here are nine feminist myths and fairy tales to read after watching Nolan’s film.
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Claire North, Ithaca
Let us begin with a feminist recap odyssey Which shows the point of view of Penelope and her maids. The first in a trilogy, Claire North’s Ithaca It is narrated by the goddess Hera who mocks the many claimants vying for Penelope’s hand and Odysseus’s throne. Although gods still exist in this universe, they rarely interfere in the affairs of humans. Instead the book focuses on Penelope’s diplomatic talents as well as her loyal women, who form a network of spies for her along with a secret militia that quietly runs the island from the shadows for two decades while their men are away at war.
Nikita Gill, hekate
This novel in verse is an excellent rendition of the story of Hecate from her childhood to her becoming a witch and goddess with the power to visit the underworld. Gil’s talent particularly shines in the verses featuring Hecate’s role as the Child of War and while the book focuses on the great war between the Titans and the Olympians, it is not difficult to see its relevance even in modern times, especially when one considers the current massacre in Gaza.
Oh Sangoyomi, Excuse
Based on the myth of Hades and Persephone, Sangoyomi’s book is set in a world inspired by 15th-century West Africa and Yoruba culture. Protagonist Edodo is kidnapped by a vagabond who visits his blacksmith’s guild – later revealed to be the warrior king of Yorubaland, who has also taken over his hometown. Adodo’s transformation from a naive and frightened young woman to a powerful and influential queen at the king’s court is both remarkable and realistic, and her complex relationship with her husband (and captive) is also remarkable and realistic. The author does not shy away from exploring the gray side of Òdódó and this makes for an even richer read.
Lauren Jae Bear, aphrodite in pieces
In this novel, Aphrodite’s story begins with the goddess meeting a sculptor in Milos. She slowly tells him her story and asks him to make a statue of her true self. We learn about Aphrodite’s turbulent romance with Ares over the centuries and her failed marriage to Hephaestus. Cleverly combining the myth with the famous sculpture of the Venus de Milo, Beers takes on the challenge of retelling the story of one of the most complex women in Greek mythology – the goddess of love and beauty – and does it with aplomb.
Chitra Banerjee Diwakaruni, castle of illusion
When it comes to retellings of Indian mythology, nothing compares to this novel by Divakaruni for me. set in the time of the great epic MahabharataThe book focuses on Panchali (or Draupadi), a princess who marries five brothers, each of whom embodies one of the five qualities she was looking for in a husband. Panchali also has flaws and rejects an eligible boy just because he was born in that caste. That Divakaruni is able to make his protagonist sympathetic and display all the shades of his gray matters is thanks to his remarkable skills as a writer.
Natalie Haynes, a thousand ships
Constructed from a collection of epic poetry, The Tale of Calliope, Haynes’ novel is told in 43 chapters, exploring the perspectives of several women on both sides of the Trojan War. We hear from Penelope who writes letters to Odysseus, not knowing whether he has survived the battle, and from Clytemnestra who loses her daughter while searching for her husband in Troy. But some of the most poignant narratives come from Trojan women, such as Aeneas’s wife Creusa, who escapes Troy and becomes a founding father for Rome, and Hector’s wife, Andromache, who is taken prisoner of war by Achilles’ son.
Ann Liang, a song to drown rivers
Inspired by Zishi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, this novel explores the heartbreaking story of a woman who is recruited by a renowned young military commander to infiltrate the palace of his immoral king as a concubine and undermine the palace from within. Liang, best known for her contemporary YA novels, shines in this historical fantasy retelling, exploring each of the three main characters with such nuance and care that it’s hard not to empathize with all of them.
Mary McMine, gothel’s book
A retelling of the classic German fairy tale of Rapunzel, gothel’s book It is written from the perspective of the notorious witch Helewise, who heads to Gothel’s famous tower after her mother dies. Here she discovers a community of women and magic, a tower that offers protection to girls and women who seek it. In fact, Rapunzel barely plays any role in the story. But it doesn’t matter. The characters who inhabit Gothel are rich and multi-dimensional and with McMinn’s clever combination of magic and history, it makes Rapunzel’s origin story an incredibly nuanced and deeply readable read.
Pat Barker, girls silence
When it comes to books about the Trojan War, there are few books that do as well as the plight of the captive Trojan women. girls silence. Told from the perspective of Briseis, a Trojan woman who becomes the hero Achilles’ war prize, the novel is simultaneously harrowing and captivating, highlighting the stories of women who were taken from their homes during the war and subjected to violence and rape, and fought as objects to be won in a game or battle. Yet, more than that, it is a book about their resilience and strength – their ability to find comfort in each other despite a terrible situation. Recently, Emma Thompson announced that she will be adapting Barker’s book into a movie and I can’t wait to see it.
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witch daughter by Tanaaz Bhathena is available for pre-order through Grand Central Publishing.
