myth retelling
Ancient story modernized
A myth retelling is a creative work that recounts a traditional myth, legend, or folklore story, often from a fresh perspective or with contemporary sensibilities.
The genre encompasses novels, films, and other media that reimagine ancient narratives—Greek myths, Arthurian legends, fairy tales: Circe is a myth retelling from the sorceress's point of view.
Retellings may update settings, center minor characters, or explore themes the originals left implicit.
- reinterpretationNew understanding of something
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
- postcolonialismStudy of imperial aftermath
- creation mythsTraditional origin-of-everything tales
origin story · mythology · Greek gods · syncretism · film · novelization · graphic novels · intertextuality · subversion · hero's journey · oral tradition · Neil Gaiman · Percy Jackson · interactive fiction · podcasts · cultural heritage · fractured fairy tale · transformation
myth retellinghistorical fiction
Novels set in actual pasts
realist fiction · contemporary fiction · autobiography · memoir · true crime