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Greek Myths: A New Retelling, with drawings by Chris Ofili

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Absolutely not, not even as a first-time reader of the myths, since the author manages something that I didn’t ever think it was possible: she makes Greek mythology terribly boring and unengaging. In this telling the female characters take centre stage as Athena, Helen, Circe, Penelope and others weave these stories into elaborate imagined tapestries. What the Greeks really wanted, all along, was Troy's wealth They wanted the treasuries of her temples emptied out, her women lined up and shared out-soft bodies on which to vent their rage and greed.

However, if we ignore all that, I did still really enjoy listening to this one on my back and forth work commutes. So, I think it is pretty well established around here that I am a sucker for a good Greek myth retelling and even a new interpretation of the Greek myths so is it really a surprise that I’ve gone ahead and read this one as well? The vast portions of their lives women spent weaving are ubiquitously reflected in ancient mythology. She has served as a judge for the Art Fund museums prize, the Contemporary Art Society award, and the Royal Philharmonic Society awards.

Props are due, however bc this author simultaneously congratules herself on being a feminist while recapitulating the visceral misogyny of Greek mythology in her own text while simultaneously giving the impression that she too just fcking hates women.

It was so nice to encounter a retelling of Greek mythology where the female characters/goddesses were the ones who were "spinning the yarn" and "pulling all the strings" in oratory for once.Higgins describes how, when Penelope must finally complete the shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes – a fabric with “a design as intricate as her own involved, withheld mind” – she folds it up and puts it away. And if you really want to explore that genre but you want it tied to modern day examples of bomb ass women embodying ancient myths and you still want it to be feisty and fun, I’M DEAD INSIDE THIS IS STILL NOT THE BOOK.

absolutely loved this beautiful retelling of a variety of different greek myths - i especially loved the weaving motif throughout the book and the highlighting of the often overlooked labour of women (not only for their craft and weaving abilities but also for their role in the successes of many heroes). Quite unobtrusively, she accessorizes Greek myths with motifs and effervescence that changes the entire bedrock upon which they are grounded. As cleverly as her protagonists (Athena, Alcithoë, Arachne, Andromache, Helen, Circe and Penelope) weave their tapestries, so she threads her stories.It asks the reader to think about not only the female perspective on their stories, but their experience of living them. Penelope is the last of the eight mythical weavers Higgins selects as her chapter headings; so rich is ancient mythology in these artists-in-yarn that she omits several more, including the nymph Calypso who loves and loses Odysseus, and Idaea, the wicked queen who blinded her stepsons with her shuttle. So, while the timeline does jump around a bit, it does help you to see the characters that you might recognise from other myths and how they relate to the older ones. Male poets borrowed their creative metaphors from textiles: a Homeric singer, a rhapsode, is literally a “song-stitcher”. Penelope of course ends the book and we get to see her jealousy and exhaustion dealing with Odysseus being gone and having to deal with the suitors who would marry her.

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