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16 classic literature retellings, remixes and reimaginings

The best retellings add something new and unexpected to the stories we know well

Longtime readers know I’m a soft touch when it comes to classic literature retellings. I will read a few pages of almost any Jane Austen retelling that crosses my shelf, no matter how outlandish the premise may seem. But whether or not I keep reading a retelling depends on two important factors:

Is the retelling an excellent story in its own right?

In my bookish opinion, the best classic retellings require no prior knowledge of the original book—but they might make you want to pick up the classic when you’re finished. Barbara Kingsolver’s triumphant retelling Demon Copperhead is an excellent example: you don’t need to read David Copperfield first, but once you’re done with Kingsolver’s, I bet you’ll want to.

Does the retelling illuminate a theme, character, or scene I otherwise overlooked?

Excellent retellings offer something new and unexpected, such as a story told from the side character’s perspective, flashbacks to reveal more about a beloved character’s backstory, or a brand new setting for the familiar story.

As a devoted structure nerd, I soak up these fresh takes on old stories, eager to see how an author’s changes highlight (or sometimes, subvert) the themes of the original text.

Today I’m sharing 16 standout retellings of classics, plus a handful lingering on my TBR list. With a mix of literary fiction, YA, fantasy, romance, and mystery, this collection of classic literature retellings displays the ingenuity of contemporary authors as they take on beloved books and add their own twists.

I would love to hear about your experience with classic literature retellings in the comments. What works for you in a retelling, remix, or reimagining?

Read these retellings for a dose of classic literature, updated

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So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

This sophisticated “remixed” classic keeps the familial love of Louisa Alcott’s Little Women and sheds the rest to tell a new story of four Black sisters starting over in 1863 North Carolina. In her fresh and nuanced version, Morrow moves the March family south to the Freedpeople Colony on Roanoke Island, where they’re recovering from the trauma of enslavement (which Morrow offers glimpses of) and struggling to build new lives. The irrepressible March sisters—teacher Meg, writer Jo, seamstress Beth, and dancer Amy—are vividly characterized. Morrow retains many of the young women’s personality traits from the original, while plunging them into new situations and challenges in the colony. The sisters’ love anchors the story throughout, giving the book a gentle feel though Morrow’s update deftly tackles painful topics as she sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of American history. Don’t miss the author’s note. More info →
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Where the Rhythm Takes You

Where the Rhythm Takes You

Author:
In this tropical YA spin on Persuasion, Reyna and Aiden grew up and fell in love on the island of Tobago. Reyna feels stuck on the island, because her family owns a beautiful seaside resort she promised her mother she'd take ownership of one day. But Aiden's band hit it big, so he left to pursue his dreams. After a two-year absence, circumstances bring the two together again, and Reyna can't help but remember why she once thought they'd be together forever. Dass keeps the beats of Austen’s original while making the story her own with its winning characters, vivid tropical setting, and fun musical vibe. Listeners will relish descriptions of the beautiful seaside resort voiced by native Trinidadian narrator Antonevia Ocho-Coultes. More info →
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Fault Lines

Fault Lines

Author:
A quiet yet vivid story set against the backdrop of Tokyo in springtime. When Andrea at Main Street Books said she'd loved this literary novel with echoes of Madame Bovary and a forty-ish female protagonist rethinking her whole life, I snapped it right up. The story is about Mizuki, an affluent Japanese singer-turned housewife who loves her workaholic husband and two beautiful children but has grown lonely and bored with her life. When she catches the interest of a handsome restaurateur, she is unable to resist the advances of a man who actually "thought about the answers to the questions I asked him and looked right at me when he replied." (This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club April 2023 selection.) More info →
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Legendborn

Legendborn

Author:
Team member Leigh recommended this on the team WSIRN summer favorites episode. Book two is out now, and I've seen rave reviews! From Leigh: I was absolutely riveted by this YA Fantasy. A retelling of the King Arthur legend, it follows a 16-year-old Black girl as she goes off to an early college program. She discovers that magic exists, and that someone's messed with her memory about a major event in her life. She wants to get to the bottom of what actually happened, which includes infiltrating a secret society on campus. There are so many layers and great twists to this story, which examines racism, complicated grief, and generational trauma. More info →
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The Brothers K

The Brothers K

Reader friends with great taste call this homage to The Brothers Karamazov THE best book they've ever read. It took me a while to get through it but I was glad I persevered, as Duncan combines the Vietnam War, bush league baseball, Seventh Day Adventism, and family ties into an incredible, heart-wrenching story. The book is truly remarkable for the times when it revealed the deep joy present in a family's lowest moments. (Due to some tough themes and a ton of language, this isn't for the faint of heart.) More info →
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Demon Copperhead

Demon Copperhead

I always look forward to a new Barbara Kingsolver, and this one is her best yet. Damon Fields, known as Demon Copperhead for his red hair, grows up impoverished in the southern Appalachian mountains in Virginia. We first meet him at age 11 and then follow along as he watches his mother become addicted to opioids, enters the foster care system, and later wrestles with substance abuse himself. Just as David Copperfield was an impassioned work of social activism, this update examines the ravages in southwestern Virginia and how the people Demon loves and identifies with are oppressed by those who have power. At 560 pages, this story feels like an investment; I found it to be worth every page. No familiarity with Dickens's original is required but if you have read it, you’ll appreciate her updates. More info →
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A Study In Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1)

A Study In Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1)

Author:
No prior experience with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is needed to enjoy Thomas's clever, gender-bending Sherlock Holmes series. Charlotte Holmes has never been comfortable with high society’s expectations for well-bred women, so she hatches an escape plan. By posing as Sherlock Holmes, Charlotte uses her incredible intellect to solve mysteries, thus securing the freedom to live as she pleases. When her family falls under suspicion for a series of London murders, Charlotte puts her skills to work to find the real killer and gathers new friends—and enemies—along the way. Fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series are sure to adore Charlotte as well. More info →
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Hello Beautiful

Hello Beautiful

Author:
I adored my first Napolitano read. (I remain too terrified of plane crash stories to read Dear Edward.) The author describes her homage to Little Women as "the story of one young man, four sisters, the secrets that threaten to shatter their family, and a love powerful enough to heal it.” I fell completely in love with the Padavano family, and enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and evolved over the decades and generations. The Chicago setting was also a lot of fun. (I did so much googling for places and locations!) Readers, there are A LOT of difficult things in these pages: it might break your heart, but know that ultimately, it's a redemption story. More info →
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Home Fire

Home Fire

Author:
This modern retelling of Antigone was long-listed for the 2017 Man Booker Prize and powerfully probes themes of love, political allegiance, and terrorism. I’m not sure I would have realized this was rooted in the Greek myth if I hadn’t been told: Shamsie's story feels modern, timely, and incredibly relevant to current events. I loved it enough to recommend it to a Scottish bookseller in a delightful episode of What Should I Read Next recorded live in Scotland's national book town, that's Episode 171: "A podcaster, a barrister, and a joiner walk into a bookstore." I was hooked from the first line: “Isma was going to miss her flight.“ More info →
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The Chosen and the Beautiful

The Chosen and the Beautiful

Author:
Told from the perspective of Jordan Baker, this fantastical take on The Great Gatsby heightens the glitz, glamor, and decadence of Fitzgerald’s story while exploring its timeless themes in a fresh way. Jordan Baker is a golfer, socialite, and best friend to Daisy Buchanan—she’s also queer, Vietnamese, and adopted. Her unique position in society means Jordan floats between the wealthy and the unwanted, the upper crust and the outcast. She resists tradition and possesses a special, secret magic, wooing Nick Carraway with her wit and spontaneity. Although Jordan’s elevation from subtle side character to compelling heroine makes for fascinating reading, the real appeal of this retelling lies in its strange and delicious magic. Gatsby’s parties are not just epic, they’re enchanted, and the mystery of his wealth may lie in dangerous soul-changing spells. If you fell in love with Fitzgerald’s writing, you won’t be disappointed by Vo’s way with words. More info →
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The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

An atmospheric Midwestern version of Hamlet makes perfectly absorbing classic reading. Edgar Sawtelle lives with his parents on a farm in northern Wisconsin. Born mute, Edgar communicates via sign language and helps his family raise and train "Sawtelle dogs," but his peaceful world is disrupted when his uncle Claude returns to the farm. After his father dies unexpectedly, Claude begins to romance Edgar's mother, and a suspicious Edgar tries to prove his uncle played a role in his father's death. After his plan fails, Edgar flees to the wilderness, only to turn toward home after coming of age in the north woods. Literary, atmospheric, and deeply moving, even readers who skipped their Shakespeare homework will sink into this novel. More info →
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A Certain Appeal

A Certain Appeal

Author:
Take Austen’s witty banter, social commentary, and beloved main characters and drop them in a crumbling burlesque club in NYC, and you have a fun and inventive reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. Assistant by day, stage kitten by night Bennet loves her burlesque found family (each one representing a different member of the Bennet family). One night, she runs into Will Darcy and his friend there to evaluate a possible investment in the club. Despite their firecracker chemistry, Darcy and Bennet make a poor first impression, and they can’t shake it off when their best friends fall in love. With a diverse cast of side characters, spicy sexual tension, and all the Austen references your heart could want, this contemporary romance retelling is a must-read for those in search of a sassy love story. (Open door.) More info →
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The Wife Upstairs

The Wife Upstairs

Author:
I'm glad I took a chance on this updated Jane Eyre, set in contemporary Birmingham, Alabama, in the Thornfield Estates neighborhood of Mountain Brook. In Hawkins's version, Jane becomes a dog-walker with a troubled past she'd prefer to keep hidden, Bertha the owner of a Southern home and fashion empire that put me in mind of Draper James, and Eddie the handsome, grieving widower looking to rebuild his life after tragedy—or so he says. A dark kind of fun. More info →
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That Way Madness Lies: 15 of Shakespeare’s Most Notable Works Reimagined

That Way Madness Lies: 15 of Shakespeare’s Most Notable Works Reimagined

Author:
I love a Shakespeare-inspired movie (hello, 10 Things I Hate About You) and marvel at how his works seem ripe for reimagining in any cultural moment. In this YA compendium of original retellings, 15 authors take on the Bard’s work and spin it for a new audience. Brittney Cavallaro turns Sonnet 147 into a full story and Mark Oshiro writes a high school prom scene inspired by Twelfth Night, while others dare to experiment with the tragedies. These stories are excellent on audio as a different narrator brings each one to life. Whether you wish to refresh your knowledge of Shakespeare’s greatest works or to hook a teen reader with short and modernized versions of complex plays, this collection is a lot of fun. More info →
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Anne of Manhattan

Anne of Manhattan

Author:
Even though numerous readers I trust gave this ode to L.M. Montgomery’s classic three stars, I couldn't resist seeing for myself. In this Anne of Green Gables update set at Manhattan's fictional Redmond College, Anne is shocked when her old nemesis Gilbert Blythe appears in her class on the first day of school. She didn't know he'd transferred from Berkley to be closer to his ailing father after his cancer diagnosis—and if he gets to pick up where he left off with his longtime redheaded crush, so much the better. I enjoyed seeing how Starler updated these familiar characters for the 21st century (I wanted more of the heavily-tattooed Fred Wright!), but I'd hoped for a more robust plot. More info →
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Olympus, Texas: A Novel

Olympus, Texas: A Novel

Author:
This spellbinding dysfunctional family saga puts a modern spin on Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Everyone knows everyone else’s business in the fictional town of Olympus, Texas, especially when it comes to the notorious Briscoe family. The clan is “a walking collection of deadly sins,” and due to patriarch Peter’s philandering, his children populate several households in town. When prodigal son March returns home after a years-long exile imposed after sleeping with his sister-in-law, he sets a devastating chain of events in motion. Though the story spans a mere six days, several lifetimes’ worth of secrets are revealed in that time, and the ensuing consequences to the family and town are irrevocable. Ovid’s Greek myths are relentlessly violent, and while Swann’s are less so, they do contain depictions of domestic abuse and violent scenes. More info →
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Were you ever compelled to pick up a classic after reading a fabulous retelling, or vice versa? Tell us all about it in comments!

P.S. Enjoy 12 remarkable YA retellings, 16 Shakespeare-inspired books, and 20 books inspired by Greek mythology and Classic texts.

16 classic literature retellings, remixes and reimaginings

41 comments

Leave A Comment
    • Erin Moore says:

      Demon Copperhead definitely can be read without reading David Copperfield, but having read Copperfield makes reading Copperhead a much more enriching story. It was captivating, funny, tragic, and realistic at the same time.

  1. One of the best ‘inspired bys’ I’ve read in the last few years is The Family Chao by Samantha Lan Chang. There are striking parallels with The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, but you don’t have to know any of that to enjoy the novel. It’s a family saga, darkly funny, set in a family-owned Chinese restaurant in Haven, Wisconsin. It’s very, very good: entertaining with plenty to chew on without smacking you in the face with how smart it is.

  2. Maria says:

    Missing my favorite retelling (and one of my favorite books of all time) – A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. Updated King Lear to 1970’s Midwest farm family. So good! My book group read and really liked Homefires. Sawtelle
    , Fault Lines and Chosen/Beautiful are going into my TBR.

    • Jacie says:

      I loved William Kent Krueger’s This Tender Land. The parallels to The Odyssey added a layer of enjoyment to the tale but it’s completely wonderful in its own right.

  3. Here’s my review of Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet:

    If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh from the beginning to the end, then this book is for you. But make no mistake, there are plenty of important life lessons inside. Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet is a delightful parody on the original Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Set in modern times, Jo and her sisters aptly named Meg and Amy, are the main cast of characters in their mother’s family business: Little Women Live! Each play their namesake on stage and off, leaving each with big questions about where their life is heading. When a big city journalist comes to document the show, she pokes a few personalities and uncovers a few secrets. As Jo attempts to find her way, she learns about the true power of family and finding yourself. This was thoroughly enjoyable book with real-life sisterly banter that had me laughing throughout and wishing Little Women Live! Was real so I could see for myself.
    I highly recommend it!

  4. Liesl says:

    I’m a big Shakespeare nerd, but I actually did not like This Way Madness Lies – I think I liked 1 story out of the 15.

    Rook is a fairly good YA retelling/reimagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel – my only familiarity with the original is from Wishbone but I was able to get invested in the story itself.

    A Thousand Acres is a good reimagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

    These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends is a stellar reimagining of Romeo and Juliet. Don’t let the book summary sway you away – it sounds totally weird but it works.

    Gilded and Cursed by Marissa Meyer are reimaginings of Rumplestiltskin – not my favorite of hers by far, but would be enjoyed by a YA loving crowd.

    Dust followed by Shadow are good YA retellings of the Peter Pan story.

    Clearly retellings is a genre I enjoy reading 🙂

    • Suzy says:

      Oh, I wish you would watch “The Scarlet Pimpernel” with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour, what a GREAT movie!!!! Thank you for mentioning “Rook”.

  5. Anon says:

    Pride, Prejudice and other Flavors and its three sequels, a Recipe for Persuasion, Scents and Sensibility and the Emma Project. These Austen retellings focused on a wealthy Indian American family are both delightful and emotionally resonant.

  6. Emily says:

    These sound like amazing books! I recommend Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles and Circe, retelling of the Homer’s classics The Illiad and The Odyssey, respectively. Miller is both a deeply learned scholar and an extremely talented writer.

    • Theresa says:

      I second the recommendation for Miller´s books. I especially loved Circe. The books are thoughtful and intelligent and beautifully written. I sometimes forget that the stories they tell are not the originals!

  7. Pearl Chua-Eoan says:

    Looking forward to reading Demon Copperhead. I love Dickens and David Copperfield is one of my favorites.
    I also really enjoyed Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin A retelling of Pride and Prejudice in such a fresh way it didn’t feel like someone taking the original and just changing the characters’ names.

  8. Emily Levine says:

    Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes is on the 2023 Women’s Prize long list. The audio is read by the author, and is excellent. This book is a retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa and Perseus and takes a subversive, feminist attitude.

  9. Natalie says:

    I share your terror of reading books about airplane crashes, but you need to read “Dear Edward”, it’s such an amazing story. Also, Judy Blume’s, “In the Unlikely Event”…also about plane crashes, but it’s Judy Blume!!

    • Marie says:

      I’ve come to say that I also agree. My daughter and I held hands during Christmas turbulence, but not once did I think of either book during that time. Dear Edward is beautiful. I don’t remember the Judy Blume book being morbid at all but more an homage to a wonderful period in time. I’ve just borrowed the audio for a re-read.

  10. Grace Langford says:

    I’d like to read more retellings of classics, so I’m looking forward to diving into this list. My current favorite is Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. It’s a retelling of Cupid and Psyche.

  11. Janet says:

    I loved Demon Copperhead and actually wished it was longer! Have been working my way through David Copperfield, which is longer and is taking me a long time to finish. It’s enjoyable. I am glad I read Demon first.

    The Madeline Miller books are so hood. And Odyssey Texas.

    Saw some titles here for my library hold list, which is always a good thing!

  12. Mary says:

    The Hours by Michael Cunningham is an amazing retelling of Mrs. Dalloway; he adds so much depth to Woolf’s story by layering in the writer and reader experiences, and his NYC during the AIDS crisis setting works perfectly. I was inspired to read Frankenstein for the first time before I read Frankenstein in Baghdad … I think the retelling is better than the original because it uses the “monster” to comment on the brutality of war.

  13. Katie says:

    I have not read this myself, but my daughter really enjoyed A Wish in the Dark – it’s a YA retelling of Les Miserables, set in a fantasy world with elements from Thailand.

  14. Ann says:

    I liked Hello Beautiful, but do not think it should be billed as a Little Women retelling. I thought it would be, but found it to be more, just a mention of the book and how the characters in the story had read it and related to it.
    I am pretty picky about my retellings. I find it hard for books to live up to the classics. Especially when it comes to Jane Eyre. My daughter wants to read Madeline Miller. I picked up a sweet little copy of the story Galatea the other day at my local library. The story of course, is anything but sweet. Maybe too dark for me!

  15. Cheri McElroy says:

    I loved Dear Edward but gave Hello Beautiful two stars. This is one instance where I wish that a book hadn’t been classified as a retelling/homage to another book. I love Little Women, and this wasn’t even close to it.

  16. Ann says:

    Anyone read Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese? Retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.

    I liked the cover. Have not read it yet though.

    • Cheri McElroy says:

      I liked it a lot. I read it October, and it had fall vibes with its bit of magic. Similar to Alice Hoffman’s Magic Lessons.

  17. Loren says:

    I loved Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. It’s a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. I’m adding a few books from this list to my tbr.

  18. Jovana says:

    I love this list. I heard so many wonderful things about The Chosen and the Beautiful, and your review confirms all of it!

    I’m currently reading a retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau, called The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, set in the 19th century Mexico. It’s such a surprising blend of genres (historical fiction, romance, science fiction, gothic fiction), with a twist I was not expecting. I totally recommend it!

  19. Catherine Barrett says:

    This is not a genre I especially gravitate too, but I’m always intrigued by a new spin on Sherlock Holmes. Many of them have been disappointing, but I loved the Lady Sherlock series you included, Anne.

    Demon Copperhead is also near the top of TBR, but more because everyone says it’s fantastic whether or not you’re familiar with David Copperfield (which I haven’t read).

  20. suzy says:

    For all the Colleen Hoover fans, “Verity” is a “Rebecca” re-telling thriller. Beware, it has a lot of (unnecessary) sex and bad language, but for all that, it’s still unputdownable!

  21. Jacqueline says:

    My fave – The Darcy Trilogy by Pamela Aiden. (An Assembly Such as This, Duty and Desire, These Three Remain) I love having familiar characters, and getting Darcy’s point of view in a story that stands on its own. You get so into it that you’re surprised when he runs into Elizabeth. Anyway, I wish Julian Fellowes would get his hands on this and make a movie of it.

  22. I added a couple of books to my TBR from your list Anne. I also liked some mentioned in the comments above. I have a suggestion of my own. Maria Grace has a whole series retelling all or most of Jane Austen’s books. The first one is Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon. I’m not quite finished with it yet, but I was hooked from the very first page, which made me happy since it took me awhile to warm up to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It’s my plan to read the entire series since I love both Jane Austen and dragons.

  23. Kathrin says:

    Stephen Fry’s “The stars’ tennis balls” was one of the first English books that I read as a teenager. (I’m not a native speaker.) It’s a modern retelling of the “Count of Monte cristo”. I still love it and I also read the ‘original’ a few years ago.
    Fry is a great writer, I can recommend his other books, too.

  24. Krista Mays says:

    I really enjoyed Melinda Taub’s “The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch” it’s a wicked spin on “Pride & Predjudice” and I found the character to be engaging.

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