These stories thousands of years old have stood the test of time, and with their age old themes of loss, love and sacrifice, still impact our lives and new stories written today.

Many writers have rewritten the Greek Myths, changing styles, endings and more, but this author/illustrator team decided to take many of the Classic Greek Myths we know and love, and many that aren’t so well known and change just one thing. Genders.

Jonathon Plackett had written an algorithm many years before that would automatically change woman to man, boy to girl, he to she and so on in a text. Using it on Fairytales first in the Gender Swapped Fairytales (2020), this talented duo decided to give several Greek Myths the same treatment.

Of course names had to be changed, but since many Greek names have both male and female versions, this was not too hard to adjust for. Where not they made sure it was still a valid change in keeping with the myths themselves.

The result is a collection of stories where the woman isn’t sitting around waiting to be rescued, or waiting for years for her beloved to return, or pliably taking whatever fate is dished out for her by the men around her.

They give a refreshing perspective where the men are industrious, hard working, loving fathers and husbands, and not just ordering their woman into arranged marriages, banishing unwanted children or waving their swords about with muscled chests and giant egos.

The art work is well researched, using patterns and styles from actual Greek arts on pottery etc, providing a stunning backdrop to the stories.

Which story or version is your favourite?

Author – Jonathan Plackett

Illustrator – Karrie Fransman

Age – 10+

(2022, Faber, Greek Myths, Tales, Gender Bender, Binary Breaking, Algorithm, Turning on its head, Change, Warrior Queens, Women in charge, Historical, LGBTQ+, Love, Action, Betrayal, Conflict, Fantasy)