What to Read Next If You Love Hadestown
If you can’t get enough of Greek mythology, add these myth-inspired books to your summer reading list.
PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons
Thundercluck
How have we all gone so long without demigod chickens fighting evil to save Asgard? Thundercluck is the hero Norse legend forgot to mention, but he’ll definitely be a memorable addition to your readaloud list. (All ages)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
The power of Orpheus’s story is his belief that he can change his fate if he just keeps fighting — and in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Minli follows the same determined path on her quest to find the Old Man of the Moon. (Middle Grades)
Lalani of the Distant Sea
Lalani’s voyage to legendary Mount Isa — in search of a cure for her mother — is steeped in Filipino folklore, but readers will find echoes of Hadestown’s themes of personal responsibility, loyalty, and leadership in Lalani of the Distant Sea. (Middle Grades)
When You Trap a Tiger
Lily makes a deal with a magical tiger to save her grandmother in When You Trap a Tiger. This tale based on Korean myth hints at the same risks Orpheus discovers in making agreements with supernatural powers. (Middle Grades)
Pandora’s Jar
If you’re over the heavy Boys Club atmosphere of the classic Greek myths, Pandora’s Jar is just what Athena ordered. In this imaginative collection, Natalie Haynes emphasizes the stories of the goddesses and women who usually get short shrift, including Eurydice, Pandora, Artemis, and Hera. (High School)
Circe
The complicated feminist witch of the Odyssey finally gets center stage in Madeline Miller’s Circe. From her childhood in the shadows of Olympus to her (surprise!) friendship with Penelope, Circe’s hero’s journey is a definite twist on the traditional version. ((High School)
Girl Meets Boy
Here’s a delightful rarity in the mythological world: A happy ending. In the original, Iphis is a girl raised as a boy who falls in love with Ianthe — the goddess Isis changes Iphis into a biological male so that the two can get married. In Ali Smith’s retelling Girl Meets Boy, Anthea and Robin get to live a trans-affirming version of this story in our modern world. (High School)
Piranesi
Piranesi is the only inhabitant of a mysterious, labyrinthine house with no apparent entrances or exits. He spends his days wandering the endless procession of passageways, which include oceans, crowds of statues, and levels covered in clouds. It’s as a mysterious as any Underworld — and as eerily lyrical as Orpheus’s journey. (High School)
An Orchestra of Minorities
In An Orchestra of Minorities, Chigozie Obioma transposes the Orpheus myth to Umuahia, Nigeria. When a young farmer is pulled into the life of a young woman, he finds himself pulled into a fate he never expected. (High School)
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