Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Greek Myths: A New Retelling by Charlotte Higgins, Chris Ofili

1 review

emmonsannae's review

adventurous informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A really nice collection of myths. C.H. doesn't glamorize or soften any of the original content (which inevitably forces the reader to ask why these stories are worth preserving, and what they say about us who came up with or reread them). I think this is a great read because it challenges an optimistic anthropology and forces uncomfortable questions about humans/nature/history/culture. It is a feminist retelling, to the extent that it centralizes women's experiences and imagines their desires and opinions. Women here aren't one-line tragedies of rape, abandonment, grief, or faithless gods while heroes galavant through their brave deeds. C.H. puts the women and their tragedies at the forefront while the heroes are peripheral, with the effect that the heroes' carelessness and disregard add to the womens' tragedies rather than enhancing the heroes’ fame. C.H. frames the story through a series of described tapestries, giving her Greek women an agency and a voice which historically was theirs in order to tell stories that historically weren't. That framing is beautifully done, too. (The book also has an excellent notes section which doubles as a classics text resource.) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Torture, Grief, Infidelity, Suicide, Ableism, Infertility, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Death, War, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Genocide, and Rape