Reading The Maidens interested me in Greek mythology, so when I saw the Mythos series of books – Mythos, Heroes, and Troy in my local library, I decided to give them a shot.
About Mythos
Mythos is a modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian Stephen Fry. Fry transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and hilarious stories without losing their original wonders.
Book Review
Reading Mythos feels like reading an anthology of short stories with a slender thread tying all the stories together. The book roughly follows a chronological order, but no clear timeline is outlined, which got me lost in places.
Still, because of my lack of knowledge, I wasn’t frustrated about any inaccuracies or gaps in the content (something that can bother me when I am familiar with the subject matter). This book is amazing for newbies like me who know the bare minimum about Greek mythology.
I expected a book on Greek myths to be dramatic; what I didn’t expect was just how fun it was. Stephen Fry has an awesome sense of humor and is tongue-in-cheek while retelling these stories.
I also loved Fry’s interest in etymology. It was fascinating to see how many words we use daily come from these ancient works of literature.
If you enjoy Greek mythology and want to learn more about the Olympians’ stories, this Mythos book is a great way to start. It’s easy to read, engaging, and informative. It sometimes gets a bit gruesome, but overall, I loved it.
