Review: The Slavic Myths by Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak

★★★★☆.5 — I was provided a finished hardback copy from Thames and Hudson — thankyou!

Keep your eyes out for my interview with Noah and Svetlana that will be going up on YouTube with World History Encyclopedia very soon!

The Slavic Myths by historian Noah Charney and anthropologist and historian Svetlana Slapšak is a wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated book delving into various Slavic myths, gods, and supernatural figures and the history behind them. The Slavic Myths is structured in eight chapters, including the introduction to the book, and the Slav Epic. Each chapter includes a new retelling of a myth, reimagined by Noah and Svetlana, followed by a section on the history of the myth and numerous important features within it. This is not a compilation of everything we know about Slavic mythology, but instead, seven hand-picked stories accompanied by accessible academic analysis, allowing the reader, whether they be well versed in Slavic myth or brand new to the corpus of tales, to enjoy the stories, and if they wish, develop their understanding of the myths and history further. Readers of The Slavic Myths can read the book from cover to cover, or they can jump in and just read a chapter at a time — they can just stick to the compelling reimaginings of the chosen myths, or they can dive into the historical analysis of each section. Either way, with the book being a combination of retelling and non-fiction, it can be enjoyed by all!

Slavic mythology is not as clear cut as classical Greek and Roman mythology, there is no equating the Greek king of the gods Zeus with any king of the gods figure in Slavic traditions. Noah and Svetlana had a huge task ahead of them with this book, with Slavic mythology originating first as an oral tradition, and then only being written down in the 19th century, but with specific goals for lending authority and adding history to new cities, and overlain with Christian morals and motifs. As mentioned in the book, a ninth-century Slav would not necessarily recognise their myths today in the form they now take — however, Noah and Svetlana have essentially added a new layer to this ever-developing and rich corpus of stories, deities, and creatures.

This book was a wonderful introduction to Slavic mythology. Upon picking it up, I had a vague familiarity with Baba Yaga, her house with chicken legs, and the creatures of firebirds. Beyond that, I was completely unfamiliar with the Slavic pantheon, or the history behind the myths and tales. What really captured my attention (beyond the stunning woodcut imagery throughout the book), was the first creature, the vampire, which has its roots in Slavic myth. And not only that but in Slavic tradition, the vampire and the werewolf were intrinsically linked creatures! I learnt so much about the history and development of Slavic myths, and particularly enjoyed the analysis of folklore versus fairytales versus mythology, and the creation of myths with ‘mythurgy.’ I was intrigued to find parallels with classical Greek tales such as Jason and the Argonauts, to find hints of well-known fairytales such as Cinderella and her horrible stepmother and stepsisters, and aspects of Ovid’s Metamorphosis with the trials Venus has Psyche complete, all solidly within the world of Slavic mythology. I didn’t know that throwing a coin over my shoulder into a fountain or body of water originated as a Slavic ritual in fear of the dead — did you?

I could not recommend this book enough for those looking to dip their toe into some new myths, or for those who are looking to read a new version of their old favourite Slavic myth.

Review: Arcadian Days by John Spurling

Arcadian Days: Gods, Women, and Men from Greek Myths ★★★ | Book thirty-five of 2023 | e-book

John Spurling has crafted a lyrical retelling of some well-known Greek myths, weaving these seemingly disparate stories together with subtle themes. The most prominent common factor throughout this collection of retellings is each features a prominent woman or female deity at the heart of the story. Where his first book, Arcadian Nights, centres around four figures based in the Peloponnese, his new book Arcadian Days features five of the best-known myths from all around Greece. These stories are Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis, and Odysseus and Penelope. Entwined through these overarching stories are smaller myths and other strong women, such as Atalanta, as featured with Jason and the Argonauts, and Penthesilea, the Amazon warrior who goes head to head with the great Achilles.

But if it is difficult for us sometimes to understand the motives of these gods, they themselves often seem unable to interpret the feelings of mortals (170).

This collection of myths draws upon the ancient Greek texts by Homer, Hesiod, and the three tragedians – Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides – while also incorporating Spurling's own voice to fill in gaps and weave a complete story. Arcadian Days has been written for the general public and would be a great starting point for anyone looking to read a new, accessible retelling of some of the most famous Greek myths. The author (as all have to when retelling myths) makes some specific translation decisions that strike me as something of a personal preference, and his clear choice for Achilles and Patroclus to be depicted as just close friends was an interesting decision amidst the fairly popular view that the relationship between these two warriors transcends simple friendship. Personally, some of the decisions Spurling makes with some of these stories and characters don’t feel like they are up to date with modern views and ideas. There were parts that made me think, ‘hmm, interesting decision.’ Of course, retellings are at the prerogative of the author, and what one person (me) may not love, may be someone else’s perfect cup of tea. That being said, it was still well-written and very engaging.

As the stories progress, Spurling often makes comments on the goings-on and offers potential explanations for decisions made by the players in the tale. It feels as though the omniscient author is speaking right to you, which makes the book feel more personal. This commentary seems to answer questions the reader may be thinking and makes fascinating contemplation over the role of the gods. Each myth is written in slightly different styles, with the retelling of Odysseus' journey in the last section written as Odysseus telling his own story to the reader. This helps differentiate the different tales, whilst also capturing the reader in different ways. The stories also explore what it means to be mortal, particularly with his quote in relation to the new armour created by Hephaestus for Achilles, requested by his mother Thetis:

Yes, it was also made to be a shield. And, with all these layers of metal, a real shield to be carried into battle so as to ward off spears and be battered by rocks and the strokes of swords. To submit to time and mortality, like its owner' (164).

Thank you to Pegasus Books for providing a PDF copy of Arcadian Days for review.

Review: Elektra by Jennifer Saint

Elektra ★★★★☆ | Book twenty seven of 2023 | paperback

Elektra by Jennifer Saint, despite the name, follows the lives of three women from ancient Greek mythology: Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra. The lives of these women are intertwined through this book through their three points of view as Saint draws comparisons between the women and their journeys through hope, grief, revenge, and peace.

Cassandra, the princess of Troy and sister to Paris, cursed with the gift of prophecy only to never be believed was my favourite of the three women. By disallowing Apollo to take what he believes he deserves after granting her with the gift of prophecy, she is cursed and shunned by her family and her people. Her powerlessness despite her wisdom and her continuous desire to help, to be heard, struck me time and time again.

Such a man speaks poetry in place of facts and thinks he tells a higher truth when all he spins is fantasy (67-68)

One of my favourite aspects of this book was the transformation of Clytemnestra, from a young woman to a loving mother, to having her child murdered by her husband in front of her eyes. The overwhelming grief and need for revenge that radiated from her throughout the novel was almost tangible. Clytemnstra is branded as a murderer who finally gets whats coming to her at the hands of her own son, but Saint reminds us of the grief that must have driven her hand. Saint reminds us that Clytemnestra lived through the worst betrayal, and her shift in demeaner caused by heartbreak humanises her in a way Greek tragedy does not.

Nothing brought them more joy than the fall of a lovely woman. They picked over her reputation like vultures, scavenging for every scrap of flesh they could devour (87)

Saint presents the Curse of Atreus and the Trojan War being experienced by the women. We don’t read pages upon pages of bloodshed from the battle, but the effect these events had on the women in Troy, and in Mycenae. The most striking element to Elektra was the nuance of Saint’s retelling — despite Cassandra, Clytemnestra, Elektra and even Helen all being women living through war, and despite these women being on different sides of the war, Saint binds these women together through shared experiences, while also conveying the varying ways people react to the same events. Elektra holds her father in the highest regard to the final page, believing his sacrifice of her sister was as the gods demanded, all while Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon for her children, assuaging her grief for Iphigenia. In the final moments of Cassandra and Clytemnestra, the women are the same in their desire for peace. Elektra being feulled by revenge as she always hated her mother for, and for her belief that Cassandra was lucky to have been chosen as a slave by such a great king as her father.

This book was a beautiful retelling of a brutal and bloody episode of Greek myth.

Review: Mythos by Stephen Fry

★★★★☆.5 | paperback | book eight of 2022

Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry is his first book in his Great Mythology series and a book that has been physically on my shelf for years (probably since it came out in 2017). Stephen Fry has compiled the core myths from Greek mythology, beginning with the cosmogony or creation of the universe with the protogenoi or primordial god Chaos who was quickly followed by Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (the depths), Erebus (darkness), Nyx (night), Hemera (day) and Aether (light). Fry does a wonderful job conveying the beginning of existence, and then moves through the development of the world with the Titans, the Olympian gods, the nymphs, the lesser gods, and all other divine beings.

“The Greeks created gods that were in their image; warlike but creative, wise but ferocious, loving but jealous, tender but brutal, compassionate, but vengeful.”

Fry does an exceptional job at creating a somewhat linear narrative for all of these myths that were undoubtedly collected from numerous ancient sources and authors. After introducing our main gods and their stories, Fry takes us through many of Zeus’ conquests, stories of divine revenge and retribution, and popular stories featuring our Olympian gods. There are a lot of retellings in the world, but this one’s by far one of the most entertaining ones I have read. The thing about myths is that even in the ancient world, they were adapted and changed, so any colloquialisms and quips added into these stories by Fry is simply a continuation of a three-thousand-year long tradition. Fry comments at the end of his book that great ancient writers like Ovid took creative license to these stories, and this fact emboldened him to be as imaginative as he wanted in his retellings.

“Gaia visited her daughter Mnemosyne, who was busy being unpronounceable.”

Although there were a couple of comments and additions here and there that I didn’t exactly like/enjoy or didn't think were necessary, overall I greatly enjoyed Fry’s tone and writing style. He has re-written these stories in a lighthearted way, adding in dialogue and mannerisms that he thinks fit, but without losing the essence of the myth or the heart of the story. I would say that this compilation of myths would be a wonderful place to start for people looking to familiarise themselves with the gods of Greek mythology, but don’t want to dive into Hesiod or Pseudo-Apollodorus just yet. You will undoubtedly leave this book with a detailed overview of the foundation myths and beliefs of the Ancient Greeks, and you will definitely enjoy the ride. I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of footnotes about Greek myth in Shakespeare.

Have you read any of Stephen Fry’s Greek Mythology books? What did you think of this one? Let me know in the comments on Instagram!

Review: Lore Olympus Volume One by Rachel Smythe

★★★★★ - if you haven’t read this, take this as your sign to start the webtoon (for free!) right now!

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe is different to my usual reads, and yet it is very VERY on brand as well. Lore Olympus is a graphic novel that was initially published on WEBTOON and is now being published in physical format. Volume One only includes episodes 1-25 but Rachel is continuously uploading new episodes online (and is currently at episode 181). Lore Olympus is a contemporary retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone from Greek Mythology, in a stunning and unique graphic novel format. Let me tell you, it is absolutely wonderful.

Okay, lets start with a recap on the myth of Persephone and Hades (remember, there are a bunch of different sources all with contradictory information, this is just a quick rundown of the general myth). Persephone (initially known as Kore) is the daughter of the Olympian goddess of Agriculture, Demeter. Persephone is the goddess of spring, but one day she is abducted by Hades (the god of the underworld) who has fallen in love with her when he saw her picking flowers in a meadow, and eventually becomes the queen of the underworld and wife of Hades. In some versions, Zeus gives permission for the abduction… During her abduction, Demeter is going crazy looking for her, and enlists the help of a number of gods (including Helios, sometimes Hermes and Hecate who gives her torches to help find Persephone). Demeter finds her daughter, but Persephone has eaten a pomegranate seed from the underworld and the rule is once you eat something from the realm of the underworld, you can’t leave. So, Hades and Demeter strike up a deal that Persephone will spend either a half or a third of the year (depending on your source material) in the underworld, and the other portion in the upper world. It is widely accepted that this myth was the explanation of the changing of the seasons - with the time Persephone as in the underworld as the time of Autumn and Winter when the crops die.

Okay, back to Lore Olympus. Rachel Smythe has put the Ancient Greek gods into a semi-contemporary world, with Olympus being very modern, and the mortal realm (Earth) being very Ancient-Greek-esq in style. This first volume follows Persephone and Hades meeting for the first time, and introduces many central events, relationships and characters like Minthe, Demeter, Hecate, Hermes, Artemis, Apollo, Zeus and Hera. The art style is absolutely breathtaking, each god/goddess has it’s own colour, with Persephone being pink, Hades as blue and Artemis (and her twin brother Apollo) as purple etc. It is a really distinctive style, and is a really unique way to differentiate characters (and I can only assume would make it easier for readers who aren’t familiar with Greek mythology to keep the characters straight). The story is a wonderful combination of the Ancient Greek myth in a modern setting which includes scandal, gossip and wild parties but also facets of Ancient Greek myth and culture. There is some potentially triggering content in this first volume which continues through the WEBTOON, by Smythe has added a content warning tp the beginning of the book ad adds content warnings prior to potentially triggering episodes online which is really great to see.

So basically, I love this graphic novel. It is such a wonderful combination of old and new in a really beautiful art style - once you start reading you will not be able to stop. I literally cannot believe it took me so long to start reading this, but you can best believe I’ve been reading it whenever I’ve had the chance since finishing this book.

Review: The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Mark Williams

★★★☆☆.75 I was provided a copy of The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Thames and Hudson.

What is the book about?

The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Mark Williams is a new look at the history and development of the tales at the centre of Celtic Mythology. Not only that, but he highlights the issues surrounding them, and ways in which they have been retold and reimagined for millennia. By the time the ‘Celtic myths’ were written down in the Middle Ages, not only were they already hundreds of years old, but were written after the influence of the Catholic Church. Williams works from the roots of these tales, he interrogates the sources in which we have drawn these legends and stories from, and unpacks the multiple meanings of, and the cultural impacts made by these legends.

Irish saga is remarkable for the richness and agency of its female characters. (171)

Thoughts and feelings

It is clear that this book has been researched, developed and written by someone with an incredible depth of knowledge and understanding both of the languages he is working with, and the entire corpus of source material. One of the highlights of this book is the times in which Williams includes his own translations to the tales in focus, which will definitely help the lay reader (me). It is these times that it becomes clear that you are reading a book written by a person who could not be more qualified to do so, not to mentioned the translated snippets were so helpful for someone like me who isn’t familiar with the tales focussed on in the book. Williams takes you on a journey through Celtic mythology, with first introducing what Celtic mythology is (which is especially important given that the writings of Celtic mythology all come from the medieval ages, and the term ‘Celtic’ is a very broad term), and then dives into well known figures like Arthur and Merlin, and perhaps less well known figures like Branwen, Cú Chulainn and Blodeuwedd. As William puts it in his introduction to The Nature of Celtic Mythology:

…for us, as for many heroes in Welsh and Irish tales, there is a fall of mist, and we find we have to enter an unfamiliar world with different rules. (7)

I’m torn with this book, because on the one hand I really enjoyed reading it, but on the other, I wish I knew more about the general history of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and their development of mythology and literature before jumping into this book. You can definitely enjoy it and get a lot out of it without any preexisting knowledge on Celtic literature and mythology, but Williams truly deep dives into the cultural history and impact of these legends as well as the development of the tales that you would definitely get more out of it if you were already at least familiar with the characters and stories he explores. Even just having some sort of familiarity with the Celtic/Irish/Welsh languages you will have an easier time reading it for the pure fact that you won’t get all the names and characters mixed up like I did. There is a pronunciation guide at the back though, which was so incredibly helpful though, a good touch and very appreciated! Every now and then Williams made some really fascinating comparisons to other ancient literature, like the parallels between The Aeneid and Rome’s founding story and Britains founding story in Chapter Four titled ‘Brutus,’ as well as the comparison between the tale of Deirdriu in Chapter Nine (‘The Celtic Love Triangle’) and the structure and features of Greek tragedy.

Once again we are reminded that what we call ‘Celtic mythology’ is not a pure substance handed down from the pagan past, but a rich amalgam that developed over centuries.’ (213)

This quote really encapsulates the essence of William’s book - he is both introducing stories and characters that may or may not have been developed in the ‘pagan past,’ and aims to reconcile what we do know about it, how we know it, and how we came to think about these particular tales and characters in the modern day. Truly, this is a monumental task, and the sheer amount of information in this book is unfathomable.

The book itself is beautiful, with green foiling on the naked hardback and a beautifully designed dusk cover and end pages. It is also gotten with images, both coloured and black and white which is always a plus for me! There were a few grammatical errors in this book, and it’s not like, one time a word is misspelled which happens in most books - but at one point a character had her name spelt three different ways on one page. A couple of times it felt like words were missing, and there were sentences that seemed to be cut off and unfinished. These were scattered throughout the book and although overall it didn't affect my ability to understand what was going on, it just feels like it might have needed one more edit to pick up on these errors prior to publication.

We must remember that these stories are not myths, though there is definite myth in them: they are medieval tales, written in medieval Irish for a medieval audience. (252)

The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think is now available to purchase, and I would recommend this book to those who are looking to really sink their teeth into the intricate and layered history of Celtic Mythology, it’s development, history and prevalence in modern day pop culture.