From Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing series to the resurgence of Wicked, fantasy books have all but taken over the best-sellers lists as of late. And if you’re one of the readers who’s been gobbling them up at record speed (who could blame you?), we’re here to tell you that you don’t have to wait for Sarah J. Maas to drop the next A Court of Thorns and Roses book (IYKYK). There are plenty of imaginative mythology-inspired novels worth reading, and they feature all the gods, supernatural beings, and monsters you could ever want, while being rooted in a rich cultural tradition.
No, we’re not suggesting you revisit your seventh-grade English homework. All of the mythology books on this list are modernized retellings of tales from ancient times: Maybe they’re from the perspective of another character, or maybe they offer a female lens on a story that’s been male-centric for too long.
