6 Myth Retellings on Audio

In this new release, Jennifer Saint retells the story of Ariadne, the princess of Crete. Her brother, the minotaur, wanders the maze beneath the palace and destroys the people offered up to him as a blood sacrifice. Ariadne’s story has always been a favorite of mine, so I couldn’t have been more delighted when this audiobook came out earlier this year. Barrie Kreinik performs the audiobook with the air of someone retelling a story of old, which, in fact, she is.

Inspired by the story of Daphne and Apollo, The Vegetarian features a protagonist that decides to give up eating meat. Her family cannot fathom why she would ever choose this for herself and repeatedly tries to convince her to change her mind. This novel was my first venture in Han Kang’s work, and I didn’t actually realize the connection with Daphne and Apollo’s story at first. But don’t worry — I won’t spoil anything here! Janet Song and Stephen Park perform the audiobook beautifully, capturing the voices of the viewpoint characters with such precision.

Jeanette Winterson surprises me with each new novel of hers that I read. In her novella, Weight, she retells the myth of Atlas and Heracles. As only she can, Winterson examines the meaning of choice and destiny in the face of the power of the gods. Narrators Dick Hill and Susie Breck skillfully manifest the novel’s witty prose and endless charm.

This modern retelling of Antigone captured my imagination from the first few moments. And I’m not the only one who loved it. Home Fire was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The story centers around three siblings — Isma, Aneeka, and Pervaiz — who have been working through their grief after their mother’s death.

I may never get tired of retellings of the story of Troy. In her Women’s Prize shortlisted novel A Thousand Ships, Natalie Haynes focuses on the women’s stories from this familiar tale, adding a unique take on this traditionally male-dominated epic. Natalie Haynes brilliantly narrates the book herself, creating this incredible atmosphere in the audiobook edition.

Of course, we can’t forget The Odyssey, and An Orchestra of Minorities is a fabulous retelling. Chigozie Obioma weaves together a familiar story of a man gone for decades, finally returning after two decades to find the woman he loves. But this time, Chinonso, a young poultry farmer from Nigeria, is our hero, and Ndali, a young woman from a well-to-do family, his beloved. Chukwudi Iwuji performs the audio edition, embodying the chi, or guardian spirit, who narrates the novel.