I've been enjoying the Percy Jackson series and the various recent fictional reframings of the women from Greek myth, so I thought it might be an idea to actually brush up on the stories behind the stories. I'm not quite up to the Illiad and the Odyssey just yet (although I do want to attempt them at some point), so when I saw that the incomparable Stephen Fry has authored a series retelling the myths, I had to give it a try! And as he's so good to listen to when he narrates Harry Potter, I thought I'd like to hear what he's like when reading his own words, so I borrowed the audiobook from the library. 

This book covers the beginning of everything; the birth of the Gods, Titans and Olympians and the 'invention' of humans, through to some of the allegorical tales that explain the origins of beliefs,   the evolution of language and so on. Some you'll recognise - Pandora and her jar, or Persephone and her pomegranate seeds for example. Others will be new to you, but will open your eyes to the continued effect the Ancient Greeks have on the modern world. I was so surprised at just how much has its roots in these tales! 

All of the stories are relayed by the author in his own unique style. It's laced with his witty comments which will undoubtedly make you giggle, and listening to the book only highlights the comedic aspects through Fry's incredible narration. And yet it's not a parody; it comes across as a thoroughly researched piece of writing, with the author's love for and enjoyment of the subject matter coming through in every line. It's informative and intelligent, but not overly scholarly or alienating to a lay audience. It's a perfectly pitched piece! 

I honestly can't pick a favourite story from this collection; they were all fabulous! I suppose I do have a weak spot for Hades and Persephone... but then I also loved the Eros tale, and Echo and Narcissus too... 

Literally the only reason this hasn't got the full five stars is because, while I adored listening to it, where it is quite long (over 15 hours) trying to remember everything is a challenge, especially when listening in short bursts. I know I could have read the physbook more quickly, and had the option of annotating to help me keep the Gods and other immortals (and their relationships) straight in my head. And because Stephen Fry's voice is so distinctive, even in written form, I feel like I would have had his narration in my head while reading anyway! I certainly didn't get bored, but by the last few hours I was willing it to end simply so I knew I have time to read more books this month! 

This is definitely on my list to buy, and I can't wait to read the next one. Luckily, someone at work left that on our book swap shelf - thanks to whomever it was if you're out there! Cannot recommend highly enough!