No. 1 bestselling author of Faebound, Saara El-Arifi, returns with her an enthralling, groundbreaking reimagining of an iconic queen – Cleopatra. To celebrate publication, Saara has shared with us her favourite five retellings.
“Retellings give voice to those who have long been silent. In a world where men’s words still hold more weight, they’re as relevant as ever. The wonderful novels I’ve picked below centre myths and history around women of colour. As I put together this list, I was reminded of Audre Lorde’s words: ‘I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.’ Let reading be your resistance.”
Ayana Gray reimagines the world’s most famous villain as a Black woman. This powerful retelling captures some poignant moments of the Black experience against a backdrop of mount Olympus. From reimagining Medusa’s hair as locs, to reenvisioning her violent triste with Poseidon. This is not a novel about Medusa the monster, this is a story of Meddy the woman. A worthy entry into the mythical canon.
When kings fall, queens rise — few taglines have hooked me quite like this one. Casati reclaims history with this retelling of the Assyrian empire’s only queen—Semiramis. Mesopotamian myth originates from modern day Iran, and Casati brings the ancient kingdom to life so vividly. An incredible story of a woman history has forgotten.
Known as the antagonist in the Hindu epic, Ramayana, Kaikeyi is brought once more to life by Vaishnavi Patel. This feminist retelling brings new understanding to the decisions Kaikeyi makes. Patel paints a thoughtful picture of the ancient villain as she fights for survival in a world dominated by men. Moving and heart-wrenching in equal measure.
A stunning and evocative fantasy epic that interweaves the Chinese myth of the moon goddess Chang’e. I knew very little of the tale that influenced this novel, but my curiosity was sparked after Tan’s deft hand with words. A sweeping romance is the cherry on the top of a lyrical and thrilling tale.
This is a cheeky edition to the list, as it is not out for some months yet, but I could not ignore the anticipation I have for this novel. Andromeda has been reimagined as a white woman for many centuries, yet it is cannon that she was from Aethiopia. McLeod reclaims the princess’s ancient birthright in this epic retelling of her fate. One to preorder for sure.
