Book Review: Mythos by Stephen Fry (Stephen Fry's Great Mythology #1)

My Rating: 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am so glad that I started 2022 with this book! The retelling of the Greek myths with Stephen Fry’s own brand of humor and wit is interesting, informative and entertaining. I am no expert on Greek mythology but have developed a keen interest after reading a number of recent retellings. So, naturally, I had to pick up Stephen Fry’s series and I am so happy that I did.

From Chaos to Kronos, Zeus and beyond , Mythos by Stephen Fry holds you in its thrall. The stories are interspersed with historical facts and tidbits about the origins of the names of familiar places and etymology of certain words used in modern day English. The author also adds footnotes referencing text, poetry and other art forms that have been inspired by some of these myths as well as scientific facts. My favorite parts would the segments pertaining to the Titanomachy, Prometheus, Eros  and Psyche and Arion and the Dolphin. I found the myths pertaining to the sting of the bee,  the arachnid’s web and the stories behind the constellations particularly interesting.

The edition itself is a beautiful copy (I read the US hardcover edition) and the featured classical artwork  is a stunning addition to the beautifully penned yet accessible prose. After hearing so much praise about the audiobook, I decided to alternate between reading and listening, often indulging in immersion reading, and I was not disappointed. Stephen Fry’s narration makes these Gods, Goddesses, demigods and the mortals they encounter come alive. These are timeless tales of love, lust, jealousy, power struggles and so much more, some more enticing than the others but all definitely worth the time invested (and this is a book that should not be rushed through!). Looking forward to reading the remaining books in the series!