Author: Venus Gunyeli
Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Religion, Mythology
Publisher: Venus Gunyeli
Book Release Date: August 14, 2026
Pages: 132
Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: MYTH IS NOT OVER.
It survives in the choices we repeat, the losses we carry, and the questions that return when certainty gives way.
What if the figures of myth were not distant symbols, but lives we could approach more closely—lives shaped by love and loyalty, power and error, grief and change?
The Intimate Afterlife of Myth revisits ten Greek and Mesopotamian myths, from Persephone and Gilgamesh to Inanna, Psyche, Hector, and Prometheus. Rather than reducing them to simple lessons or fixed interpretations, the book stays with the psychological and emotional questions their stories leave unresolved and with the ways those questions still echo in modern life.
My Review: Throughout the millennia, myths have been important in understanding human thought. They help people for thousands of years to explore the meaning of life through their moral stories. Myths also help us learn about an ancient cultures that once existed. The Intimate Afterlife of Myth retells famous Greek, Roman, and Mesopotamian myths. Some of them include Inanna, Persephone, Gilgamesh, and Prometheus.
Recently, there has been a massive surge of mythology in our popular culture with most of them being retold through a feminist interpretation. I found this collection of mythical retellings to be very straightforward and refreshing. This collection attempts to examine myths and their impact. It also discusses the moral message of the myths.
These are some of my favorite retellings of the myths that are included in this collection. I liked the retelling of Hades and Persephone. Unlike modern retellings of this book that have portrayed her story as a romance, this was not a love story. Persephone was taken against her will by the God of Death. He was not a romantic hero that many modern retellers have portrayed him as being.
I loved Inanna’s retelling of her descent into the Underworld. Inanna entered the Underworld as a queen and was dressed in splendor. She had to take a piece of her clothing off and make sacrifices every step of the way. In the end, she had nothing. In the end, she was stripped bare and had to sacrifice herself. This retelling shows death and rebirth as well as the rite of passage into adulthood.
I especially loved the myth of Baucis and Philemon who were generous and hospitable to strangers. I thought it was sweet and touching that they died together and turned into trees with their branches touching each other. They were the epitome of one of the most romantic couples that I have ever read!
I liked the myth of Gilgamesh and his friendship with Enkidu. I also thought Hector was a tragic figure and cried at his death since I knew the fate of his wife and child. I found Penelope to be a faithful, intelligent, and patient wife. I loved how Psyche was also intelligent and was determined to be reunited with her husband. I pitied Ariadne as Thesus abandoned her. I thought Hermes was clever and enjoyed the take of his childhood. I loved Promotheus’s love for mankind and his sacrifice. Therefore, I found each of the retellings of the stories to be meaningful!
Overall, this collection of ancient myths was comprehensive and enjoyable. I like how Ms. Gunyeli gives an essay at the end of her retelling examining the moral message behind these myths. I also like that in each myth, she asks questions that could be further explored in the myths. I also like how each chapter has a reflective section so that the reader can reflect on each myth after reading it! Therefore, I thought I came away truly understanding the moral message of the myths and how it applies to my life. I recommend this book for those who are interested in mythology retellings! I recommend this for fans of Edith Hamilton’s classic, Mythology, Stephen Fry’s Mythos, and Natalie Haynes’s Pandora’s Jar!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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