REVIEW:

Nerd alert!

I used to love Greek mythology. Clash of the Titans was one of my very favorite movies growing up. (If you think I’m talking about the 2010 dumpster fire of a remake, then I feel sorry for you. I’m talking about the OG, legendary, Ray Harryhausen stop-motion animation 1981 triumph featuring an oiled-up young Harry Hamlin in a toga and a Medusa that still appears in my nightmares. But I digress.)

Mythology was my favorite section of high school English. And in college, guess who has two thumbs and got an A+ in Greek & Roman Mythology 101? Yep, this girl. But then a funny thing happened on the way to adulthood.

I lost my myth-loving mojo. In fact, I lost all interest in anything verging on fantasy. This is a problem because not only do I have FOMO when I can’t get through beloved books like Circe or Piranesi, but I feel like I can’t brain on the regular when attempting the New York Times Crossword every Sunday. (Man, do those crossword writers love their gods and goddesses!)

Enter Stephen Fry and his Whitman’s Sampler of Greek mythology, Mythos, or what I shall henceforth call How Regina Got Her Greek Groove Back. Turns out all I needed to reengage in the world born of Chaos was humor. Imagine that.

Mythos takes readers briskly through the family tree of Ouranos and Gaia, which is populated by gods and goddesses, well-known beasties, and eventually us mere mortals. If your eyes glazed over reading that sentence, don’t despair! Fry puts it in terms like this:

“We return now to the great arc in the heavens traced by Ouranos’s severed gonads. Kronos had flung the Sky Father’s junk, if you recall, far across the sea.” Fun fact: Did you know that Aphrodite was born from said flung junk? Well, you would if you read this book.

So the real question isn’t should you read Mythos, but rather what format should you pick? If you go with the audiobook, you get Stephen Fry’s stellar narration, while if you go with the print version you get maps, charts, and classical artworks. My advice would be to do both simultaneously. Do a little read-along, if you will. And if you will, you’ll be treated to not only the sleazy shenanigans of that ol’ horndog Zeus, but also the etymology of almost every name, word, or phrase you’ve ever used.

This is the first in Fry’s “Great Mythology” series, followed by Heroes and the forthcoming Troy and The Odyssey. I do plan to read them all, which should really help me up my NYT Crossword game.

Opa!

PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS:

Rediscover the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths — stylishly retold by Stephen Fry. This legendary writer, actor, and comedian breathes new life into beloved tales. From Persephone's pomegranate seeds to Prometheus's fire, from devious divine schemes to immortal love affairs, Fry draws out the humor and pathos in each story and reveals its relevance for our own time. Illustrated throughout with classical art inspired by the myths, this gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world, with a brilliant storyteller as your guide.