In the first drafts of my debut novel Medusa, I was consumed by the idea of what it meant to be a monster in a story you didn’t control. Medusa is one of the most recognizable monsters of Greek mythology, with the writhing mass of snakes for hair and the ability to turn people to stone with one side-eyed look. Still, even with all her fame as a terrifying villain to counter the righteous young hero, we only get brief glimpses into her life. In the version of Medusa’s story that I drew inspiration from, her transformation into a snake-haired monster was the goddess Athena’s revenge for the sea god Poseidon raping Medusa in Athena’s temple. Medusa’s monstrosity is unwillingly thrust upon her, and the gods leave her to deal with the consequences.
As I pieced together what I thought Medusa’s life would be like after being transformed into a monster, her fate unraveled into a collection of choices. Does she give in to her monstrosity? Does she reject it and outcast herself from the mortal and immortal societies that scorned her? How does she make the right choice when everyone around her already considers her the villain in their story? Except, this was Medusa’s story. Putting her at the helm of the narrative allows Medusa to make good decisions, bad decisions, and all sorts of questionable decisions in between, but importantly, it is her choice to make them. These decisions cause some to believe her to be a monster, but to others, she is a powerful woman taking control of her life.
Below are eight books I’ve loved that feature women of mythology, folklore, or history seizing control of their narrative and encouraging us to reconsider what it means to be the villain in the story, just like Medusa.
1. Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
Plucked from the expansive Ramayana epic, the princess Kaikeyi refuses to allow her life to be controlled by men or gods who don’t listen. With the ability to see and influence the bonds that connect her to other people, Kaikeyi maneuvers herself into becoming a favored queen, diplomat, warrior, and mother. But Kaikeyi’s choices are at odds with the will of the gods, and her decisions could lead to the destruction of the life and family she fought so hard to secure. What, and who, is she willing to sacrifice for what she believes in? Patel weaves together a beautiful narrative of a vilified queen and contextualizes the infamous decision that changed her life and the lives of those she loves.
2. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan
The first book in a wildly vivid, brilliant duology that reimagines the life of Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor who founded the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, begins when a young orphaned girl steals her brother’s identity to join a monastery in rebellion-stricken imperial China. Just when she has settled into her new identity and demanding life, the monastery is destroyed. Zhu refuses to crumble into fear and instead decides to claim her brother’s Mandate of Heaven, giving her a power that only men have held before. She is thrown into a political battle for the empire that brings her friends and enemies alike, and though her choices could bring chaos, she is willing to do anything to prove she can rule.
3. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Drawing from Mexican folklore and set in the Jazz Age, the story centers on Casiopea, a young girl who dreams of escaping her grandfather’s house in southern Mexico where she is treated like a servant and tormented by her cousin. Her dream becomes possible when she accidentally frees and binds herself to the spirit of a Mayan death god and agrees to help him reclaim Xibalba, the Mayan underworld, from his sacrifice-hungry brother. Against all sense, Casiopea throws herself in the middle of an ancient rivalry and into an adventure that takes her through Yucatán, Mexico City, and straight to the underworld. However, being bound to a god of death has its consequences, and she soon faces a trial that puts her dreams, her life, and the fate of the world at stake. Moreno-Garcia’s masterful storytelling accentuates the strength of one woman’s convictions even in the face of death.
4. The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
In this queer space opera reimagining of the rise, fall, and witch-hunt persecution of Joan of Arc, Yang delves into the story of an unremarkable mining planet citizen who is suddenly drawn into a terrible war due to the discovery of their saint-like abilities. Misery doesn’t believe they are a saint, just a victim of voidmaddness whose “angelic prophecies” could very well be delusions. Swept up in the faith of others, she has no choice but to go along with the claim to sainthood and join the battle. However, as the angel’s voice in her mind grows stronger, Misery finds herself amongst rebels and outcasts to the empire and begins to question her loyalties along with her sanity.
5. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Richly inspired by the cultures of the pre-Columbian Americas, the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy introduces Xiala, a disgraced captain with a siren’s power to control seas and minds alike, Naranpa, a Sun Priest struggling to hold her society together as the cosmos predict her downfall, and Serapio, a blinded man fated to become a god. Tasked with sailing Serapio to the Sun Priest’s city, Xiala reckons with past mistakes and how her role in the web of destiny could change the world as she knows it. Roanhorse’s captivating world-building creates a stunning backdrop for her characters, who are as compelling in their ambitions as they are in their carnage.
6. Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
Marlinchen and her two sisters are the last remaining witches in a city that is leaving magic behind for the bright promise of industry. Her father, a wizard inherently distrustful of the changing world, keeps his daughters hidden away and relegated to performing simple cures for paying customers. However, the sisters are not satisfied with such a restricted life, and one night when they sneak out to experience the city, Marlichen is captivated by a ballet dancer who seems to be just as trapped as she is. When a mysterious monster brings gruesome fear to the city, Marlichen finds herself torn between her growing infatuation with the dancer and her duty to her family and the magic it possesses. A gothic horror retelling of Grimm’s “The Juniper Tree,” the story digs deep into the black heart of a woman and lays it bare for all to see.
7. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Living in exile, the Chinese goddess of the moon Chang’e has kept her daughter Xingyin a secret from the Celestial Emperor. When Xingyin is almost discovered, she flees her home and lives in disguise in the Celestial Kingdom, determined to find a way to lift her mother’s banishment. Xingyin accidentally forms a useful, but dangerous friendship with the emperor’s son and gains renowned skills in archery and magic. While her relationship with the prince blooms, Xingyin sets out on a perilous quest that will bring her face-to-face with legendary creatures and a dangerous bargain, but she is willing to risk everything for her mother. This is the first book in a sweeping duology that artfully depicts the world, creatures, and gods of Chinese mythology, woven together by Xingyin’s tenaciousness and compassion.
8. Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung by Nina MacLaughlin
Using both modern retelling and mythic depictions, MacLaughlin writes about the women, monsters, and everything in between from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and allows the stories to stretch beyond their original few lines. These devoted but brutal visits into the tales of Arachne, Scylla, Io, and Medusa draw out the violence that lurks beneath the gilded veneer of Greek mythology and give a voice to the women who endure the remarkable. The stories are told in a variation of styles that breathe new life into the ancient myths, and make you reconsider the stories you thought you knew by putting the narrative into the women’s clawed, scarred, and grasping hands.
In conclusion, these books offer a fresh perspective on women in mythology, folklore, and history who take control of their narratives and challenge the traditional roles assigned to them. Just like Medusa, these characters navigate complex choices, face adversity, and redefine what it means to be the villain in their own stories. Through their journeys, readers are invited to reconsider preconceived notions and explore the power of agency and self-determination in the face of adversity.