Classic retellings, reimaginings, and remixes

Olympus, Texas: A Novel

by Stacey Swann

This spellbinding dysfunctional family saga set in small-town Texas puts a modern spin on Greek tragedy, full of fistfights and firearms. Everyone knows everyone else’s business in the fictional town of Olympus, 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 their 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.

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

by Bethany C. Morrow

This sophisticated “remixed” classic keeps the familial love of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and sheds the rest to tell a new story of four Black sisters starting over in 1863 North Carolina. Don’t expect a retelling, per se. In her fresh and nuanced version, Morrow keeps the Civil War setting while moving 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 lesser-known experiences of the Civil War era. Don’t miss the author’s note. For those familiar with or curious about Little Women and fans of Mitali Perkins’s You Bring the Distant Near.

Where the Rhythm Takes You

by Sarah Dass

A sweet and chaste tropical YA romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Reyna and Aiden grew up and fell in love on the island of Tobago, where her family owns a beautiful seaside resort. When Aiden’s band hit it big, he left to pursue his dreams and Reyna got left behind. It’s been tough: she’s still grieving her mother’s death and starting to feel trapped by the hotel she once loved. After a two year absence, Aiden returns to the hotel with his bandmates as VIP guests. Though Reyna resolves to keep her distance, the two are thrown together when his friends insist she take charge of their schedule—and she can’t help but remember why she once thought they’d be together forever. Readers will appreciate the way 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. For fans of Ibi Zoboi’s Pride and Tahereh Mafi’s A Very Large Expanse of Sea.

Fault Lines

by Emily Itami

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."

Legendborn

by Tracy Deonn

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.

The Brothers K

by David James Duncan

This one spent years on my TBR list, because so many friends with great taste called it THE best book they ever read. I'm so glad I finally read it. I don't remember what my expectations were about this book, but whatever they were, they were wrong. 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 reveals the deep joy present in a family's lowest moments.

Demon Copperhead

by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver is back with a retelling of David Copperfield; no familiarity with the original required but if you have read it, you’ll appreciate her updates. 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 his mother becomes addicted to opioids, he goes through the foster care system, and later wrestles with substance abuse himself. Just as David Copperfield was an impassioned work of social activism, this examines the ravages in southwestern Virginia and how the people Demon loves and identifies with are oppressed by those who have power. It’s a big book and it’s worth every page. 560 pages.

Hello Beautiful

by Ann Napolitano

I utterly 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.

Home Fire

by Kamila Shamsie

The New York Times says Home Fire "builds to one of the most memorable final scenes I've read in a novel this century." From the publisher: "The suspenseful and heartbreaking story of an immigrant family driven to pit love against loyalty, with devastating consequences. Isma is free. After years of watching out for her younger siblings in the wake of their mother's death, she's accepted an invitation from a mentor in America that allows her to resume a dream long deferred. But she can’t stop worrying about Aneeka, her beautiful, headstrong sister back in London, or their brother, Parvaiz, who's disappeared in pursuit of his own dream, to prove himself to the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. When he resurfaces half a globe away, Isma's worst fears are confirmed. Suddenly, two families’ fates are inextricably, devastatingly entwined."

The Chosen and the Beautiful

by Nghi Vo

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.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

by David Wroblewski

An atmospheric Midwestern version of Hamlet makes perfect fall reading. Edgar Sawtelle lives with his parents on a farm in northern Wisconsin. Born mute, he communicates via sign language and helps his family raise and train “Sawtelle dogs,” a fictional breed. Edgar’s peaceful world is disrupted when his uncle Claude returns to the farm. When his father dies unexpectedly, and Claude romances Edgar’s mother, Edgar tries to prove his uncle played a role in his father’s death, but flees to the wilderness when his plan fails. After coming of age in the north woods, Edgar turns toward home.

A Certain Appeal

by Vanessa King

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.)

The Wife Upstairs

by Rachel Hawkins

Longtime readers know I'm a sucker for a classic retelling. Jane Austen is my usual catnip, but 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.

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

by Dahlia Adler

I love a Shakespeare-inspired movie (hello, 10 Things I Hate About You) and marvel at how his works seem ripe for retelling 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 takes on Sonnet 147 and turns it into a full story, 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 modernized, short versions of complex plays, this collection is a lot of fun.

Anne of Manhattan

by Brina Starler

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. The audio version is highly listenable as narrated by Carly Robins.

Classic retellings, reimaginings, and remixes

Olympus, Texas: A Novel

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

Where the Rhythm Takes You

Fault Lines

Legendborn

The Brothers K

Demon Copperhead

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

Hello Beautiful

Home Fire

The Chosen and the Beautiful

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

A Certain Appeal

The Wife Upstairs

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

Anne of Manhattan

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations
for every mood

Classic retellings, reimaginings, and remixes

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations for every mood

100 Book recommendations
for every mood