25 Books Set in Greece to Read Before Visiting

The Murderess by Alexandros Papadiamandis

The Murderess is a novella by a Greek writer that takes place in the 1800s on the island of Skiathos. The main character, Hadoula, has lived a life of trials and struggles— in other words, the life of any woman born in Greece during her lifetime. She is a servant to her parents, then her husband, her children, and now her grandchildren, always living between poverty and deprivation, always struggling. 

As she tends to the newborn daughter of her own daughter, she ponders on her life and on the value of a female life in Greece. Are female lives are really worth living, or would death would be a blessing to little girls and the families that must care for them? These ponderings lead Hadoula to commit an unspeakable act that sets her on a course over which she seems to have little control. 

Read this book set in Greece if you want something short, a bit of harsh reality of life on a Greek island in the 1800s, or if you enjoy crime fiction. 

Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis

Zorba the Greek is one of the best literary fiction novels I’ve read this year, although perhaps surprisingly, it’s not what I’d call a page turner. Still, it is a deeply moving novel set in Greece that should absolutely be on your list of must-reads.

This novel is set primarily on the Greek island of Crete, where the narrator, a writer often accused of living too much in his head and not in reality, journeys to try his hand at running a lignite mine. On a whim, he employs a Sinbad-the-Sailor type, a man named Alexis Zorba, to run it for him and live with him on the island. 

The two men frequently discuss their conflicting philosophies of life, and we see the friction between the one who is traditionally educated and the one who has been educated by the school of life. And let me tell you, it’s a fascinating study. Nikos Kazantzakis is one of the most internationally known Greek writers, and this novel set in Greece has definitely made me a fan!

Read this novel set in Greece if you love classics, modern classics, or novels with a deep philosophical underpinning.

Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki

Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki book has been compared to I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, one of my favorite reads of 2022. So you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across a copy of this novel set in Greece at an indie bookstore in Berlin. 

Three Summers is the story of three teenage sisters living in the Greek countryside. We get immersed in their lives over three summers as they transition from adolescence to womanhood. Katerina, 16, and her sisters Infanta and Maria, together navigate growing up, falling in love, and deciding what kind of futures they desire for themselves.

It’s a lovely Greek novel, not at all heavy-handed, and definitely puts Margarita Liberaki up there with Greek writers you ought to know.  

Read this novel set in Greece if you enjoyed I Capture the Castle, or if you are looking for a lighthearted book by a Greek author. 

Athenian Series & The Golden Age Series by Conn Iggulden

This is an example of a book series I never found on any list of books set in Greece online, but I stumbled across it in a bookshop, and I’m so glad I did! Conn Iggulden is an exemplary historical fiction writer, and I couldn’t read his Athenian Series and Golden Age Series fast enough.

These four books are historical fiction set in Greece and follow on each other chronologically. With The Gates of Athens, we begin with the Battle of Marathon, following the Athenians marching to Marathon to prevent the invasion of longtime enemies, the Persians.

The Athenian Series, which includes The Gates of Athens and Protector, spans the lives of Xanthippus, Aristides, Themistocles, and Miltiades. These are some of the most important historical figures in ancient Greece and the early days of democracy, and Iggulden really brings them to life. They work together, and sometimes against each other, to protect Athens and its new democracy against the ongoing threat of Persia. They cover the thrilling and intense Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis and the burning of Athens.

The next two books make up the Golden Age Series: The Lion and Empire follow the next generation of important Athenian leaders, Cimon and Pericles, sons of the previous generation’s leaders who must now take over protecting Athens’ sovereignty against not only Persia but also a brewing rivalry with their former ally, Sparta.

I have to say, this is not my usual genre of reading, but I enjoyed them immensely. Even with each book at over 400 pages, I tore through each in only a couple of days. These historical fiction novels set in Greece are a great way to get an appreciation for the beginnings of democracy, and to bring ancient Greece to life.

Read these historical fiction novels set in Greece if you are visiting the ancient sites in Athens, like the Agora and the Acropolis, or if you enjoyed I, Claudius by Robert Graves.

Olympiad: An Historical Novel by Tom Holt

I have to say, Olympiad really surprised me and might be one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I stumbled across a used copy of Olympiad in a Berlin bookstore this summer, and I’m so glad I did.

On its surface, Olympiad is a historical fiction account of how the Olympics first started in Greece in 776 BC, but this novel is so much more. It is, unpredictably, a comedy, and at a deeper level, a musing on recorded and remembered history, and its essential unreliability.

It is written as the dialogue of two Greek brothers who first come up with the idea for the Olympics, sharing their story with a reluctant Phoenician who really just wants to get to bed already. It’s a comedy of errors, with the cast of characters failing again and again, in the most ludicrous and humorous ways. These ancient Greeks aren’t glorious at all; they are foolish, self-preserving, and occasionally clever. The first Olympic games aren’t actually even mentioned until the last pages of the book.

Olympiad is the perfect foil to the Athenian Series and the Golden Age Series by Conn Iggulden. This historical fiction set in Greece upends the glorified, epic view we tend to take of ancient Greece and of history in general. It illustrates the arbitrariness of what’s remembered and recorded in history, and how unreliable that is. Because isn’t all of history just stories?

In a lighthearted, silly way, this historical fiction set in Greece makes the case that all of history is really just historical fiction. 

Read this book set in Greece to balance out all the glorified historical fiction novels about Greece, or if you just enjoy a good, irreverent story.

Why I Killed my Best Friend by Amanda Michalopoulou

Why I Killed My Best Friend is another novel set in Greece written by a modern Greek writer. It follows the complicated friendship of Anna and Maria from when they meet as school children in the 1970s to their adulthood in modern Athens.

It’s a great combination of literary fiction and modern Greek political history, as we see the tensions of dictatorship and democracy play out and are reflected in these two characters’ lives. 

Read this novel set in Greece if you loved the My Brilliant Friend series by Elena Ferrante. It has a similar feel and pace, with a similarly complex female friendship at its heart. 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Let’s start with perhaps one of the most well-known Greek mythology retellings, The Song of Achilles, because it still holds its place as my favorite.

In this Greek myth retelling, we follow the story of the hero Achilles and his companion, Patroclus. Miller dives deep into the common speculations about the implied homosexual nature of their relationship. But the story of Achilles and Patroclus in this novel is not just a sexual one, but a true love story, a story that will move you deeply and also break your heart, even if you’re familiar enough with Greek mythology to know how it all ends. 

I know Circe has gotten more hype than The Song of Achilles, but in my opinion, The Song of Achilles is far superior. This novel set in Greece is un-put-downable. 

The House of Odysseus by Claire North

The House of Odysseus is a refreshingly original take on some common characters in feminist Greek myth retellings, and it’s beautifully written. It’s the second part of a three-part novelization of the Penelopiad, or Penelope’s story on Ithaca while her famous husband Odysseus is away for 20 years for the Trojan war and his long journey home.

Penelope is done full justice in this book, but perhaps even more notably, Claire North has written my favorite interpretation of Helen (of Troy, or Sparta, whichever way you look at it), who is so often unimaginatively depicted as a brainless beauty and either a victim or villain. I love that this book is narrated by the goddess Aphrodite, following up from Ithaca, which is narrated by Hera. I can’t wait for the final part of the Penelopiad trilogy by Claire North to be released in June, 2024.

Honestly, The House of Odysseus by Claire North is a strong contender for the top spot on my list of the best Greek mythology retellings and ended up being on of my favorite books I read in 2023. Even though it is the sequel to Ithaca (see below), I had to list it above the first in the series because I loved it so much. This series gets my top recommendation for anyone looking for books like The Song of Achilles.

Ithaca by Claire North

The first in Claire North’s Penelopiad trilogy, Ithaca delves into what is happening in the Kingdom of Ithaca while Odysseus is away. Specifically, Penelope is cornered, with an island to defend against pirates while all the soldiers are off at Troy, and a palace full of suitors eager to marry her and take the throne.

This Greek mythology retelling is one of the best books like The Song of Achilles to read. It’s unique among other retellings, as it takes a little darker perspective, narrated by Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage and fidelity. It’s beautifully told, and presents some of my favorite interpretations of Penelope and Clytemnestra.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

Just as Claire North gets Penelope right, so too does Costanza Casati get Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra is Casati’s debut novel, and it stands a head above many of the other Greek mythology retellings out there. In this retelling, we are presented with a strong Clytemnestra, Clytemnestra as the daughter of the Spartan king (so many retellings seem to forget this, or not use it as insight into her upbringing).

Clytemnestra is a Spartan woman, trained in combat, hardened and strengthened by her father and brothers, but also brave and loving and determined. I won’t give too much away if you’re someone who’s not familiar with Clytemnestra’s tale, but I will say, I was surprised with the ending, which doesn’t match the traditional one. I haven’t been able to find out if there will be a sequel, or if Costanza just wanted to give Clytemnestra a different ending.

Either way, definitely put Clytemnestra high on your list of Greek mythology retellings.

Mythos by Stephen Fry

Mythos: (Ancient Greek Mythology Book for Adults, Modern Telling of Classical Greek Myths Book) (Stephen Fry’s Greek Myths, 1)

If you’re relatively new to Greek mythology, then Mythos is a great place to start. Mythos by Stephen Fry is a great overview of the history and lineage of the Greek gods of Olympus. Reading this will give you a foundational understanding of the most prominent players in Greek mythology, like Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hermes, Ares, Artemis, and more.

You’ll learn about how Zeus came to power and the incestuous, complex relationships among the different Gods. Stephen Fry’s retellings are cheeky and entertaining, so this is far from textbook reading. It’s particularly delightful as an audiobook, as Fry is an excellent narrator (best known for narrating the Harry Potter audiobooks).

Heroes by Stephen Fry 

This second part of the Mythos trilogy by Stephen Fry tells the stories of the most famous heroes of Greek mythology, including Heracles (Hercules), Theseus, Perseus, Jason, and more.

Heroes is a bit easier to follow than Mythos, probably because it consists of fewer subjects and lengthier sections dedicated to each. I really enjoyed reading about each Greek hero through Stephen Fry’s lens and comparing it with other interpretations from other Greek myth retellings on this book list. 

Again, consider this as an audiobook, which is narrated by the author.

Circe by Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller’s Circe has gotten a lot of attention from readers since its publication in 2018. It’s been a common entry point into discovering more Greek mythology retellings, with tons of readers searching for books like Circe.

While I prefer The Song of Achilles to Circe, I think Circe is a beautiful retelling. This one tells the story of Circe, daughter of the sun god Helios, who is banished to a deserted island for her witchcraft. Her isolation is interrupted by the arrival of Odysseus and his men. She turns his men into pigs (her signature move, and you gotta respect it), but Odysseus escapes her spell, and the pair become lovers.

Circe is a little slow-going in its storytelling, but most readers, myself included, end up loving it by the end.

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

After Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint is probably the biggest name in Greek mythology retellings. Ariadne tells the story of the Princess of Crete who helps the hero Theseus defeat the Minotaur (her brother).

Ariadne has betrayed her family and flouted her father, believing that happiness at Theseus’s side is in her future, but Theseus has different plans. In Ariadne, we see the titular character grow into a stronger, wiser version of her girlhood self. While not up to the same literary standard as some of the first Greek retellings on this list, Ariadne is still a solid addition to the list of modern Greek myth retellings.

Elektra by Jennifer Saint 

Elektra by Jennifer Saint tells the stories of multiple women whose fates are tied up in the fate of the infamous Trojan War. Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon, is left awaiting the return of her husband from the war. Unlike Penelope, Clytemnestra does not protect her husband’s throne for his return but occupies it herself, ruling the people of Mycenae herself and taking on a lover, her husband’s enemy, Aegisthus.

In addition to Clytemnestra’s perspective, we also get those of Elektra, her daughter, from whom we get the term “electra complex,” and Cassandra, the Trojan woman who is cursed to see the future but to never be believed. 

The pacing of Elektra is a bit uneven, and this isn’t my favorite interpretation of the characters, but it’s still a worthwhile book to read if you’ve worked your way through the others on this list and still find yourself looking for more books like The Song of Achilles.

Stone Blind by Natalie Hynes

By all appearances, Stone Blind by Natalie Hynes tells the story of Medusa, the infamous snake-haired gorgon of Greek mythology. In actuality, it tells a wider tale, including elements of the stories of Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Perseus, and King Nicodemus, among others. It’s an ambitious undertaking, to tie together so many stories at once, and the results make for an adequate Greek myth retelling.

A little too ambitious for its own good, Stone Blind misses the opportunity to flesh out the character of Medusa. What’s there is a little disappointing; she can best be described in this book as a shy victim, and pretty disempowered for a feminist Greek myth retelling.

Still, Stone Blind is an interesting read and can scratch the itch for Greek mythology retellings if you’ve already made it through my other recommendations.

Greece Travelogues

When looking for books set in Greece, it’s nice to mix up all the fiction and Greek mythology retellings with some good old-fashioned non-fiction. Greece is a popular travel destination for good reason. If you’re dreaming of visiting, check out these Greece travelogues that can give you some insight and maybe add some destinations to your Greece bucket list.

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

I first found out about My Family and Other Animals after watching and loving the PBS show, The Durrells in Corfu. I loved watching the shenanigans of the quirky Durrell family who uprooted their lives in England to move to the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s. I was delighted when I found out it was based on a true story as written by the youngest Durrell, Gerald, or Gerry, as he’s called. 

Gerry is fascinated by animals and insects and has a hard time seeing the value in learning about anything else. While in Corfu, he collects so many animals he opens his own zoo. In this book, My Family and Other Animals, Gerry intermingles the funny happenings of his colorful family members with his observations of the animal life of Corfu. 

It’s charming and informative and worth a read. 

Read this book set in Greece if you’re as interested in the natural world as you are in the goings on of a very quirky family, because it’s at most 50/50. If you’re just into the family’s charming originality, stick with the PBS series. 

Walking in Athens by Nikos Vatopoulos

Walking In Athens

Walking in Athens is a compilation of one Athens’ resident’s experiences wandering the forgotten streets of Athens and simply paying attention. In each hidden corner of Athens, Vatopoulos finds a rundown building, or a new build, and breaks them down. Combined with photos he took, he uses these buildings to tell about the modern history of Athens.

Read this book set in Athens if your favorite way to explore a new city is by getting lost. You’ll find some great hidden corners of Athens but also be able to mentally immerse yourself in that kind of city wandering without leaving your comfy seat.

Things Can Only Get Feta: Two Journalists and their Crazy Dog Living through the Greek Crisis (The Peloponnese Series, Book 1) by Marjory McGinn 

Things Can Only Get Feta is a first-person account of a journalist, her husband, and their dog, who decide to move from Scotland to a remote mountain village in the Peloponnese. As the absurdly long title indicates, they do this in the middle of the Greek economic crisis, which began in 2009.

Once there, they try to live out the dream of immersing themselves in Greek language and culture, something that ends up being much harder than expected. This book is interesting — I learned a lot about the modern economic crisis in Greece, as well as remote village customs, told from the perspective of an admiring outsider.

It’s also quite lighthearted and fun, even if I do take issue with certain decisions and comments made (like, refusing to train their dog and then expecting Greek neighbors and readers alike to be charmed by its bad behavior; also, a not insignificant amount of condescension). 

Read this book set in Greece if you enjoy reading about expat life, you want to understand more about modern Greece, and you’re very much a dog person.

Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey, and France by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor

Another Greece travelogue with an absurdly long title, Traveling With Pomegranates (etc. etc.) was one of the first books set in Greece that I read, years ago. It’s co-written by author Sue Monk Kidd (of The Secret Life of Bees fame) and her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor. They alternate their storytelling as they describe their trips to Greece, Turkey, and France, over the period of a couple of years.

Both deep thinkers and both at transitional points in their lives, their travels take on significant personal meaning for them, as individuals and as mother and daughter. Traveling With Pomegranates is a memoir infused with stories from Greek mythology. As Sue and Ann visit locations in Greece and Turkey significant in Greek mythology, they reflect on what those stories mean in their own lives.

Read this book set in Greece if you are a deep thinker, like getting immersed in other people’s thoughts, and have a penchant for symbolism. It’s definitely not for everyone.

Classic Greek Literature

The Odyssey by Homer

The story of The Odyssey is so enmeshed in the western consciousness, it’s one of those books you might feel like you’ve already read, even if you haven’t. Everyone knows about this epic poem by Homer, and Odysseus’s long and fraught journey home to the island of Ithaca.

Still, The Odyssey is absolutely a book still worth reading. There. are so many rich details you’ll never know you’ve missed out on unless you read it yourself. Until recently, I’d have recommended the translation by Robert Fagles (still great), but in 2018, a new translation came out that’s even better as an entry point to The Odyssey.

Emily Wilson released this new translation of The Odyssey, and it’s both beautiful and highly accessible to modern readers. You’ll find the language easy to understand and the story easy to follow. The introduction is exceptionally well done, too. And if you’re more into audiobooks, the audible version is recorded by Claire Danes.

Fun fact — Emily Wilson is actually the first woman to publish a translation of The Odyssey. Her translation of The Illiad was just released in 2023.

Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone is another book to consider if you’re looking for books set in Greece and want to dip into its classic literature. Antigone is actually a play, one of the three famous Theban tragedies by Sophocles that have survived to modern times.

Picking up where the earlier tragedies, Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, leave off, we have Oedipus (Antigone’s father) in exile. His two sons, her brothers, Polynices and Eteocles, have killed each other in a vicious battle for his vacant throne.

Now, Antigone’s uncle, Creon, has declared that Polynices will not be buried, but will be publicly shamed. Antigone is determined to give her brother Polynices a proper burial. The rest of the play is the story of her struggle to do so, and, as this is a famous tragedy, you can probably imagine there is no happy ending.

Read this book set in Greece if you want to experience the classic Greek tragedy. Also, if you want to pay homage to the fact that Greece is the birthplace of modern theater.

Traveller’s tip: When I visited Athens, a highlight for me was seeing a theatrical performance at the ancient Theater of Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Plays have been performed here since 160 AD, well over 2,000 years. Reading Antigone or another of Sophocles’s tragedies is a great way to appreciate this sight on your visit to the Acropolis.