Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

Photo by deepigoyal on Unsplash

I don’t know about you, but if you’re anything like me, you probably had a Greek mythology phase, perhaps sparked by an interest in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, Wonder Woman, Hercules, or maybe from this interactive book that tempted many a kid wandering around a bookstore. (And maybe you’re still in that phase, if you study the Classics). With their dramatic gods, ferocious monsters, and heroic champions, Greek myths make for captivating, animated tales that have stood the test of time. Greek mythology inspires countless movies, shows, and novels that we’ve come to love.

This weekend’s recs share some fun Greek myth analyses, retellings, adaptations, and other Greek-myth-inspired fiction.

If you have 53 seconds…and ever had a Percy Jackson phase, watch this teaser trailer breakdown to the upcoming Disney+ adaption, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you were a fan of the book series (and seriously let down by the film adaptations), you’ll be happy to know Rick Riordan is heavily involved in this adaptation, as a writer and executive producer.

Bonus: if you’re a fan of the book series, watch this trailer breakdown for some details you may have missed.

If you have 6 minutes and 45 seconds…watch this video about the story of Medusa. Once considered a monstrous villain, Medusa has had a positive resurgence in the past few years as misunderstood and even heroic.

If you have 15 minutes…and have ever wondered who your godly parent is (for all the PJO fans) or which Greek god you’re most like, take this quiz. While there is an official PJO godly parent quiz, in my opinion, this one is better, and it includes minor gods and goddesses.

Photo by Nils on Unsplash

If you have 35 minutes and 24 seconds…and want a comical breakdown of Greek mythology, watch this video. If you’ve ever wanted Greek myths to be told like your friend would recount a story to you, this is for you.

If you have 2 hours and 10 minutes…and like superhero movies with a Greek mythology flair (or simply enjoyed the first film), watch Shazam! Fury of the Gods in theaters. In this sequel, Billy and his family fight against (without spoiling anything) powerful Greek mythological women. The film features some fun nods to Greek myth including Manticores, Cyclopes, Harpies, Minotaurs, and more, and, as with the first film, is a heart-warming found-family story.

Bonus: if you want to watch another DC Greek-myth-inspired film, watch Wonder Woman, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

If you have 6 hours…and love Greek retellings, read The Penelopiad. This Margaret Atwood novel is a witty retelling of The Odyssey told from the perspective of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus.

If you have 8 hours…and ever wondered what the story behind the constellations and other celestial bodies in our night sky, read this book, available online through Falvey. As a kid, my favorite was always the myth of the Draco constellation, which can be seen in early summer.

If you have a free weekend…and haven’t read them yet, read Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles and Circe. When it comes to Greek myth adaptations and retellings, Madeline Miller’s books reign supreme in recent years and for good reason. Looking for a review of these books? Check out Falvey GA Ethan’s Winter Break Reading reviews for The Song of Achilles and Circe.

Annie Stockmal is a graduate student in the Communication Department and graduate assistant in Falvey Library.