An entrancing new telling of ancient Greek myths
"This book is a triumph! . . . [A] magnificent retelling of the
Greek myths."--Alexander McCall Smith, author of the No. 1 Ladies'
Detective Agency series
"Move over, Edith Hamilton! Sarah Iles Johnston has hit the magical
refresh button on Greek myths."--Maria Tatar, author of The Heroine
with 1001 Faces
Gripping tales that abound with fantastic characters and astonishing
twists and turns, Greek myths confront what it means to be mortal in a
world of powerful forces beyond human control. Little wonder that they
continue to fascinate readers thousands of years after they were first
told. Gods and Mortals is a major new telling of ancient Greek myths
by one of the world's preeminent experts. In a fresh, vibrant, and
compelling style that draws readers into the lives of the characters,
Sarah Iles Johnston offers new narrations of all the best-known tales as
well as others that are seldom told, taking readers on an enthralling
journey from the origin of the cosmos to the aftermath of the Trojan
War.
Some of the mortals in these stories are cursed by the gods, while
luckier ones are blessed with resourcefulness and resilience. Gods
transform themselves into animals, humans, and shimmering gold to visit
the earth in disguise--where they sometimes transform offending mortals
into new forms, too: a wolf, a spider, a craggy rock. Other
mortals--both women and men--use their wits and strength to conquer the
monsters created by the gods--gorgons, dragons, harpies, fire-breathing
bulls.
Featuring captivating original illustrations by Tristan Johnston, Gods
and Mortals highlights the rich connections between the different
characters and stories, draws attention to the often-overlooked
perspectives of female characters, and stays true both to the tales and
to the world in which ancient people lived. The result is an engaging
and entertaining new take on the Greek myths.
