All the Violet Tiaras: Queering the Greek Myths

404 Inklings #21

by Jean Menzies

For a period in time that gave us Sappho, and the love affair of Achilles and Patroclus, the Ancient Greek relationship with queer folk is a lot more complicated than at first glance. Myths were altered and adapted throughout antiquity to reflect the values and issues of the day. All the Violet Tiaras navigates queer reimaginings, explorations of gender, and more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mythology, LGBT, Queer, History, Essays, Greek Mythology

88 pages, Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been following the authelor for years on YouTube and it was my first book from her. It was an interesting abd informative read but jot a new favorite. 3.7 stars.

[Cody]

As someone who quit her PhD in history due to a bad relationship with academia and social constructivism, this ideas in this book are a breath of fresh air. So much so, that I think it could have been 300 pages longer and I'd have still been hooked on every word. There is such a large, unoccupied space in historical study that acknowledges queerness while also taking social and cultural norms into account. And for what it's worth, this book genuinely makes me miss research and I may have brushed off the dust on my old JSTOR account.

You can tell Menzies has a great love for women in ancient Greece - that really shines through here in the best way. The discussions and academic tangents on the patriarchy and what female sexuality (and female queerness) meant in ancient Greece were standout passages. I can't drop £100+ on Revisiting Rape in Antiquity so I can read her chapter, but omg this book absolutely makes me want to.

The only tiny criticism I have is that the blurb specifically name drops 'Sappho and the love affair of Achilles and Patroclus' but does not engage with the latter as definitively romantic. By itself this is fine - it's unclear in the Iliad and varies in later sources. But between labelling a romantic interpretation as 'controversial [...] in fandom and academic spaces' and discussing the cultural significance of The Song of Achilles whether you 'love it [or] hate it', it felt like the book was bracing for a negative reaction when it came to acknowledging these two.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this certainly made me want to pick up ALL the queer Greek myth retellings...

[Annikky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice little read, but nothing groundbreaking. I was hesitating between three and four stars, partly because of the careless editing (what is it recently? does no one proof-read any more?). But the book covers, among other things, a Yoon Ha Lee short story, so four stars it is. Also, the author is lovely and you should check out her YouTube channel.

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and easy to read inclusion to the conversations surrounding queerness, mythology and the combination of both.

Unfortunately it suffers from the same issue all inklings books seem to have - it needs an editor.

[Nessa [October Tune] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not me wanting to pick up all the books mentioned in here now...

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finishing a book with a now updated reading list is always a great thing.

[malena · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so nice to read. a truly well thought out comparative work on the intersection of greek mythology, queerness and women‘s experiences. I enjoyed the author‘s language and found the examples she used very fitting. I had only read one of the many works she cited, however she did a good job of explaining their contents without summarizing. it is probably not for everyone, but definitely for me!

one star less is not the author’s fault, it’s more on the publisher. unfortunately there were quite a few errors within the text, like superfluous words or typos, that interrupted my flow. otherwise I think the publishing house did a good job and it looks like there‘s more interesting projects done by them!

[Jess Esa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't really have much of a direction and spent a lot of time describing the plots of books I've already read. But it did make me add about ten books to my TBR, so there is that!

[Pippindemie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5, rounded up because I love Jean 💖

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 This was so interesting, and I loved all the recommendations it gave

[Nadin · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Kae Tempest to Xena to Ali Smith, about the rebellious act of queer retellings.

[Saimi Korhonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Because that's what All the Violet Tiaras is really about: how thousands of years on from the ancient Greeks themselves, writers have continued to retell these myths with modern audiences and experiences in mind, and how readers have been able to connect with themselves and others through these retellings."

All the Violet Tiaras is a little book (it's only 80 or so pages) about the phenomenon of authors rewriting or re-imagining stories of Greek mythology from a queer perspective. Retellings have been done ever since antiquity but in today's publishing, queer retellings have become an extremely popular subgenre of the myth retelling. Menzies explores why Greek myths are so resonant for queer readers and writers, and showcases some examples of different kinds of modern queer retellings from poetry to DC comics to novels.

Ever since Jean Menzies announced on her wonderful YouTube channel that she was publishing a book about queering the Greek myths, I was determined to get my hands on a copy. It took some time but it was worth the wait. This book is not an in-depth study of this topic, but just a little addition to this larger conversation and as such it is wonderful. Not only did she offer some interesting insights into why queer people are so drawn to myth (it's a stereotype, but a valid one), but she also delivered some interesting analysis of modern texts, most of which I have read which of course made it all the more interesting to see her thoughts on them. She also made me very intrigued to pick up some of the stuff she talked about – I am definitely gonna check out that Orpheus/Eurydice-inspired DC comic about Apollo and Midnighter.

I am a queer myth nerd and for a reason I cannot really fully articulate, myths have always been a safe space for me and a world I can easily get lost in. Yes, myths have a lot of gays in them, but, for example, there is a serious lack of queer women, so it's not like the stories are full of icons for me as a queer woman. Alongside the canonically, so to say, queer characters of myth, Menzies explores how some of the resonance comes from characters who everyone can interpret the way they want and find solace in: for example, Artemis can easily be interpreted as aroace or an ace lesbian. Myths are a way for people to understand the world they live and themselves - they always have been - and they are that still for us today even though we live in a world completely unlike the one they were created in. I loved this quote from the book: "Myths have been providing spaces to explore real world issues and conversations for as long as they have existed, and as these authors have demonstrated, they continue to do so and will continue to do so for as long as we need them."

Lastly, I wanna highlight the way Menzies explored the way many Greek myth characters have been straight washed over the centuries and how, ironically, modern versions of them tend to be less nuanced and less queer than their ancient counterparts. You'd think we'd, now, be the ones to embrace the fluidity of these characters, but nope. Take Heracles: we tend to see him as the ultimate macho man of myth and while he is definitely a macho muscular beefcake in myth, too, he is also queer and has many male lovers alongside his female lovers. It is important that we remember this. As Menzies writes: "Queering the Greek myths is simultaneously an act of rebellion and an act that honours the legacy of these remarkable stories."

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Greek myth and their modern retellings, especially the queer ones. It's a fast read but it offers some intriguing insight into this subgenre and also delivers some quality book recommendations!

[Bjorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

my main takeaway from this book is that what binds Greek myths to Ancient Greece is the fact that they may have originated there but they did not exist solely in that period; rather, they continued to be adapted and reimagined in the centuries and millenia that came after the Classic era as well. the myths are common property and the ways they are interpreted now are just as valuable than the ways they were interpreted upon their emergence.

the book was interesting but not mind-blowing, and — because i evaluate this book on the criteria i use for evaluating academic-adjacent non-fiction works like this one — quite poorly structured, which didn’t particularly enhance getting a good sense of what it really was Jean Menzies meant to tell me.

[Júlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

No tenia expectatives gaire altes, però m'ha agradat. És una entrada al món dels retellings i està ple de recomanacions interessants.
Això sí, el millenial writing style l'hem d'erradicar; un eye roll cada vegada que sortia (que, per sort, no és gaire sovint).
Alguns hits:
3. Because of course, diversity is forced if the subject of the story isn't dicrimination... *silently barfs*
2. Jean Menzies is an author, ancient historian, presenter and wannabe-dragon.
1. This book has so many layers that Shrek might see himself in its pages.

[mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. It analyzed all kinds of queer retellings of Greek myths, some of which I've read, and some of which I now desperately want to read. What a joy to see someone passionate about this topic write non-fiction about it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasant reminder of the joy and ancient history of being queer, with the bonus of recommending many more books that I now want to read! Thanks Jean 💛

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend Luke got me this book and i'm happy he did.

[No' · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who'd have thought non-fiction could get me out of a reading slump ?
This book is short, but oh so delightful to read. It's very honest in what it intends to do : it's not exhaustive, it's not a thesis, it's part of a larger thought about the experience of being queer and finding one self in mythology. I added so many books to my tbr, especially poetry collections ! Jean's voice makes these few pages feel like a conversation with a friend, she's relatable, funny and generous in her knowledge. It might become my go-to non-fiction rec' for mythology queer nerd ✨

[Andreas · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5) I expected a bit more from this - it mostly just summarised the plot of various queer mythology retellings - but it was an okay enough read for my commute, and I now have a few books I wanna pick up as a result.

[Eilish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third book of the year and only my second inkling! This was a great, quick read. As much as I claim to have an interest in greek mythology, I have to admit that my knowledge doesn't go far beyond what Percy Jackson has told me (of course there was a nod to Nico here, which made me happy).

I was aware of Achilles and Patroclus, Orpheus and Eurydice, Artemis, and Sappho herself obviously, but it was great to learn about more, such as Tiresias who spent time as both a man and a woman, and Polyxena and Iphigenia, two women sacrificed by men, but through retelling are said to have found love with each other in the underworld.

It was also interesting that Menzies notes the clear disparity between achillean and sapphic representation in mythology, given the patriarchal society of ancient greece. Women have always only existed for men, right??? Of course we know that is not the case, which is where these retellings do such important work; simply shining a light on the people and stories we know have always been there.

Also appreciated the diverse collection of novels, short stories and poems referenced throughout, I'll be sure to check them out!

[Emily Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

This was totally up my street. The history and psychology behind the queering of myth is so interesting, and I really enjoyed the discussion of the fluidity of myth. Myth has always been used to explain larger concepts in a way that a contemporary audience can digest, so why would modern retellings be any different?

Menzies’ writing was snappy and readable and I’d love to read more of her work on women/queer people in antiquity.

Lost half a star from being too short honestly! I would have read a whole lot more. The length also made it feel like some of the more complex points were just being skimmed over - I would have liked more depth and deconstruction.

Yeah. Made me wish I did a degree in classics tbh.

[laurenalesemaus · Rating 2 out of 5]

hab mir was anderes erwartet :((
hatte sehr viel potenzial und allein nach dem ersten satz ("by the age of thirteen, there were two things i knew with absolute and unwavering certainty: i was bisexual, and i was in love with greek mythology") dachte ich, das buch passt perfekt zu mir.
es war dann aber leider iwie einfach nur eine auflistung und zusammenfassung von ein paar retellings gemischt mit einzelnen guten denkanstößen

[Mansi · Rating 3 out of 5]

got a lot of classical myth retelling recommendations and also felt like i approached this critically and didn’t just agree with all the points the author made, which was kinda nice to engage with something classical like this

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

That fact that it took me two days to finish an 83 page book is no reflection on my enjoyment of it.

I did enjoy this, I found it very interesting and I came away with quite a few books recommendations!

Short but good.

[Simon Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and interesting quick read. Definitely worth exploring further in this and showing how as a community we can come together and have shared conversations even in things that are deemed old or out of touch.

Great to continue to find my community

[ashandream · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting.
Made me want to pick up even more greek retellings, but more specifically it was written in such a way that it was very easy to follow.
Very good way to start studying greek mythology!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little book is a fab quick read. Menzies looks at how the Greek myths have been reinterpreted over the centuries and how different groups have claimed the gods as their own. It's given me some new book titles to seek out.

[Juli]

Jean Menzies lebt meinen Traum, in semi-seriösem Ton über eine Hyperfixierung zu schreiben

[Sanna (din vän pessimisten) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️