While many people love and are very well schooled in Greek mythology, I know what I know because of Madeline Miller. In fact, I wish I could sign up for a few years of classes taught by her.
I first became acquainted with Miller and her writing when I listened to the audiobook version of her novel The Song of Achilles. That book was a reimagining of Homer’s The Iliad. It was a gorgeous tale, and the audiobook made it shine even more than it did on its own. I walked away from the novel regretting not having majored in Greek mythology. That is, until I attempted to read books about Greek mythology written by other people and instantly didn’t feel very smart!
So when I saw that Miller had a new short story out, “Mestra,” I didn’t even read the blurb. I had no idea who or what Mestra was. All I knew was that Miller wrote it, so I wanted to read it.
“Mestra” is the story of a father cursed with insatiable hunger and a daughter gifted with the ability to transform herself into anything she can imagine. The story is gripping, emotionally brutal, and absolutely amazing. And much like The Song of Achilles, it is beautifully narrated and transformed into something that makes Miller’s already stunning prose sing even sweeter.
At just a little over an hour, this short story is something I can’t recommend enough. For those new to Miller, and maybe even to Greek mythology, this would be the perfect snack-sized read to whet your appetite for some of her larger works.
Which reminds me . . . I still haven’t read her novel Circe yet!
Must correct that soon!
Until next time,
Lisa
Because I believe that a TBR pile can never be too big, feel free to share some of your favorite reads with me here or on social media. You can find me Bluesky and StoryGraph (lisainthetrees).
