Some of the oldest stories known are folklore and myths. Whether they tell tales of gods and creatures or humans, they are a glimpse into the society and culture from which they come. Over time, myths morph as new story tellers emerge and shape the literary landscape. They combine the rich experiences of their authors with the folklore and myth of their society. Numerous books have been written reframing and retelling stories that have existed for centuries. Here are seven examples of such rewritten myths.

One: The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas (Released September 10, 2019)

“All her life, Mulan has trained for one purpose: to win the duel that every generation in her family must fight. If she prevails, she can reunite a pair of priceless heirloom swords separated decades earlier, and avenge her father, who was paralyzed in his own duel. Then a messenger from the Emperor arrives, demanding that all families send one soldier to fight the Rouran invaders in the north. Mulan's father cannot go. Her brother is just a child. So, she ties up her hair, takes up her sword, and joins the army as a man.”

Written by Sherry Thomas, “The Magnolia Sword” reimagines the ballad of Mulan. First told in 400 AD, Thomas was inspired not only by the ballad, but wuxia dramas. Thomas, a USA Today bestselling author, aims to write books she wants to read. Her current body of work includes romance, fantasy, and mystery novels that receive acclaim from trade publications and news outlets such as The New York Times.

Website: https://sherrythomas.com/the-magnolia-sword-a-ballad-of-mulan.php

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Two: Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh (Released June 18, 2019)

A wild man lives in the deep quiet of Greenhollow, and he listens to the woods. Tobias, tethered to the forest, does not dwell on his past life, but he lives a perfectly unremarkable existence with his cottage, his cat, and his dryads. When Greenhollow Hall acquires a handsome, intensely curious new owner in Henry Silver, everything changes. Old secrets better left buried are dug up, and Tobias is forced to reckon with his troubled past—both the green magic of the woods, and the dark things that rest in its heart.

Emily Tesh pulls from Georgette Heryer's works, the “Lord of the Rings”, and “Witcher 3” to write a historical tale based on the modern myth of the Green Man. Tesh's work won the Astounding Award and World Fantasy Award for Best Novella.

Website: https://emilytesh.net/
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Three: Unraveling by Karen Lord (Released May 26, 2020)

Dr. Miranda Ecouvo, forensic therapist from the City, helped put a serial killer behind bars, but she discovers that her investigation into seven unusual murders is not yet complete. A near-death experience throws her out of time and into a realm of labyrinths and spirits. There, she encounters brothers Chance and the Trickster, who have an otherworldly interest in the seemingly mundane crimes from her files. It appears the true mastermind behind the murders is still on the loose, chasing a myth to achieve immortality. Together, Miranda, Chance, and the Trickster travel through conjured mazes, following threads of memory to locate the shadowy killer.

Karen Lord breaks from mainstream retellings of Greek mythology by infusing Caribbean culture and myths into her fantasy murder mystery novel. Lord, an acclaimed writer who is the recipient of several writing awards, which include the 2008 Frank Collymore Literary Award, the 2011 William L. Crawford Award, the 2011 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature, the 2010 Carl Brandon Parallax Award, and the 2012 Golden Tentacle.

Website: https://karenlord.wordpress.com/

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Four: Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente (Released March 29, 2011)

Koschei the Deathless is to Russian folklore what devils or wicked witches are to European culture: a menacing, evil figure; the villain of countless stories, which passed on through story and text for generations. Koschei, however, has never been seen through the eyes of Catherynne Valente, who modernized and transformed the take on the legend to bring the action to modern times, spanning many of the great developments of Russian history in the twentieth century.

Inspired by the Russian folktale Koschei the Deathless, Valente fuses myth with history. “Deathless” is set in an alternate 20th century Russia, it tells the story of Marya Morevna's life and marriage to Koschei in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. Her long list of writing awards includes the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Prix Imaginales, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, Romantic Times’ Critics Choice and Hugo awards.

Website: https://www.catherynnemvalente.com/about
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Five: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Released July 23, 2019)

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty, small town in southern Mexico, a life she can call her own. Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it–and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan God of Death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true. In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey, from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City–and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

Cinderella has spawned numerous retellings, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia's stands out for its setting in 1920s Mexico and infusion of Mayan mythology. Moreno-Garcia has won several awards but recently the 2021 Aurora Award, 2021 British Fantasy Award, 2020 Locus Award, and 2020 Sunburst Award.

Website: http://silviamoreno-garcia.com/writing/gods-of-jade-and-shadow/
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Six: The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino

On an island in the shape of a teardrop live two sisters. One is admired far and wide, the other lives in her shadow. One is the Oracle, the other is destined for the Underworld. But what will happen when she returns to the island?

Translated by Rebecca Copeland, Natsuo Kirino tells a new iteration of the Japanese creation myth of Izanami and Izanagi. In “The Goddess Chronicle” aspects of the original were rewritten to create a story about revenge and origins. Kirino received the Grand Prix for Crime Fiction and was a 2004 Edgar Best Novel Award finalist.

Website: http://www.kirino-natsuo.com/eng/

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Seven: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh (Released January 14, 2020)

In the story a mountain loses her heart, two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity, a young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice, and a young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. Bestselling and award-winning authors explore the timeless themes of East and South Asian lore in sixteen original stories that will appeal to every reader. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish.

Website: Ellen Oh, Sona Charaipotra, Roshani Chokshi, Melissa de la Cruz, Naomi Kanakia, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Star Daughter — Shveta Thakrar, Renée Ahdieh, Elsie Chapman, Preeti Chhibber, Aliette de Bodard, Julie Kagawa, Lori M. Lee, E.C. Myers, Alyssa Wong

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Article by Katie Jones, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Design Coordinator, PhotoBook Magazine