The Best Books On The Ancient Mediterranean Classics Beyond The Usual

By Nataša Pantović

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Who am I?

Nataša Pantović holds an MSc in Economics and is a Maltese Serbian novelist, adoptive parent, and ancient worlds’ consciousness researcher. Using stories of ancient Greek and Egyptian philosophers and ancient artists she inspires researchers to reach beyond their self-imposed boundaries. In the last five years, she has published 3 historical fiction and 7 non-fiction books with the Ancient Worlds' focus. She speaks English, Serbian, all Balkan Slavic languages, Maltese and Italian. She has also helped build a school in a remote village of Ethiopia, and has since adopted two kids, as a single mum!

I wrote...

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The Books I Picked & Why

Today I'd like to discuss adult fiction novels that I would recommend to readers of young adult, particularly since some of them feature main characters who are "YA-age." I was inspired to create this list because I loved reading Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, and I'm always looking to branch out more into adult fiction. I don't always trust the recommendations I get in that regard, but I'd really like to read more beyond YA. So here's my list of recommendations, separated loosely by some categories!

First up on the list...

FANTASTICAL FICTION WITH FAIRY TALE ELEMENTS:

The three books that I'm recommending under this category are: Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, and Sunshine by Robin McKinley.

First off, Daughter of the Forest is what inspired me to make this list. It is the book I'm most OMGFLAILING INNERFANGIRLING over. It's set in the 9th or 10th century Celtic Ireland, and it's a retelling of the lesser known Grimm fairy tale, The Six Swans, I believe. Mel at the Daily Prophecy recommended this to me AND NOW I'M RECOMMENDING IT TO ALL OF YOU. I loooooooove the combination of the fierce, silent Sorcha (main character) with her romantic interest, and I loved rooting for Sorcha through all her harrowing trials. There's a language barrier (in more than one way) and character histories providing extra tension... and even though this a fairy tale retelling, with recognizable tropes like the Evil Stepmother, the characters are all so, so fully fleshed. The side cast is wonderful and these characters! These characters! #fangirling. I loved this book so much that I moved onto the next two books (despite not being as interested in the synopses for those books). Yes to more Juliet Marillier books!

One thing I will say is that all three of the books I'm recommending here are a tad slow to start. That doesn't mean there aren't things happening, but that it might take a while for those main plot events to really unfold. I wonder if that has to do with the framework of the fairy tale and fairy tale retellings in general? ANYWAY, I recommend these books to YA Readers because of the journeys that all three heroines have to undergo and the fairy tale like elements - the way these books are written, I can see a lot of YA readers enjoying them as well.

I've talked about Uprooted at length before, and in fact you can read a review from me about that book, but essentially I can see quite a large overlap between the two fanbases, so if you've not read one, definitely change that ASAP.

The other book is Sunshine by Robin McKinley, which is a vampire fairy tale. It's about a girl who doesn't know the extent of her magical powers, but when she's kidnapped by vampires as human bait, she has to find out what precisely she can do and save herself from a perilous situation. It's actually quite a bit different from Uprooted and Daughter of the Forest, which are more inspired by Grimm fairy tales. Sunshine has a lot more world-building than either of those two, I think, but all three have a distinct atmosphere and would not be what they are without their fairy tale like elements.

If you like A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, try out one of these books.

A COUPLE OF LITERARY RECOMMENDATIONS:

The two books that I'm recommending under this category are The Magicians by Lev Grossman and The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman is like if you aged Harry Potter and took away the youthful idealism, the paragons of virtue and symbolism and inserted a more cynical main character and magic system derived from the amount of effort that students are willing to put in. It's pessimistic and darker than Harry Potter, but also pays its tribute to the series that captured so many fans. It has its own literary truths about life and I've had several people tell me that it's "more realistic" than Harry Potter (mostly, I think, because the magic system is based on effort and that is a reflection on a lot of things in our lives now instead of memorizing spells).

The Secret History by Donna Tartt is set in a New England college, and involves a group of students who are in the same class with an enigmatic professor and start some... bad habits. Very vague so that I don't spoil the book for you, particularly since it's a contemporary literary thriller. Like The Magicians, this book has a whole lot of atmosphere and a huge set of side characters.

I'd recommend these two books for YA readers because even though they're more literary, they also have distinct character arcs and a character lens that you can find in YA, if you're reading a particular type. Like Seraphina for The Magicians.  If you like The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, try out one of these two books.

MORE COLLEGE SHENANIGANS:

The Secret Society Girl series by Diana Peterfreund is set in a fictional Yale. The main character is in the first cohort of females invited to an all male secret society. What happens after initiation = college politics, girl power, a hint of romance and a whole lot of fun. If you like NA books but want more of the actual college aspect to be covered, definitely give this series a shot.

ZOMBIE BOOKS THAT AREN'T ZOMBIE BOOKS:

On this list we have:  Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion and Feed by Mira Grant.

Don't be like my college professor and write off Warm Bodies because you're like AH YOUNG PARANORMAL PROTAGONIST! THIS MUST BE LIKE TWILIGHT AND THEREFORE I SCORN IT.

o.O

Warm Bodies was one of the first adult books that I'd read and immediately thought it perfect for the YA crowd. I actually reviewed it ages ago (not a very good review...), but I'd still recommend it to the YA crowd not only for the character journey but for the metaphor inherent to the characters. It has a sort of youthful idealism about what makes us human that would actually appeal to people who read Twilight and wanted to see the boundary between human and monster more fully explored. In this sense, to me the book is less about the main character being a zombie in a post-apocalyptic world and more about the meaning of life.

There's also a movie adaptation of Warm Bodies. Can't tell you much about that, but I can recommend that you read the book.

I also actually wrote a mini review for Feed by Mira Grant because the audiobook was FANTASTIC. It's hard to describe the world, but we've got cures for things like cancer.... but nothing for zombies. Zombies are everywhere, and they're the number one problem for government officials. Their platforms are about the zombie threat. Bloggers have become extensive journalists. The book explores the zombie problem while tackling tough questions about journalism, politics, and freedom. I thought that it'd be appropriate for YA not just for YA bloggers and the inherent appeal to our hobby but also for the youthful energy of the main characters, the sense of wanting to DO SOMETHING to make the world better or help in any way. I felt that way a bunch as a teen, and I think that this book, in not really being a zombie book, addresses that.

If you like Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor not because it has angel and demon figures but because it goes deeper into what makes us human and the horrors of war, try out one of these books.

URBAN FANTASY WITH KICKASS HEROINES:

On this list are: Soulless by Gail Carriger, The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, and Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill.

I've actually reviewed both Soulless and the Fever series and fangirled about them both. The Parasol Protectorate series incorporates steampunk, Victorian high fantasy and manners with politics, murder mystery, and other paranormal creatures. Sass and wit abound. The Fever series is about a girl who travels to Ireland to investigate the mysterious death of her sister and finds out more about their upbringing and the powers she never knew she had. The Chicagoland Vampires series is about a graduate student who was turned into a vampire against her will and who then gets involved in vampire politics and investigates various mysterious situations, including murders.

I would recommend these to YA readers because they all feature strong women at their forefront navigating unfamiliar landscapes. This is often at the heart at many young adult books, and I can see teens and adults alike being very interested in and invested in the paths that these main characters take.

If you like Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead or Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas orGraceling by Kristin Cashore -- fantasy series with kickass heroines at the lead, who usually have some snarky comment and are often the heroines touted for being "strong female characters" -- try one of the above books.

WANT MORE WORLD-BUILDING:

And finally, the last book is The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon.

I've raved about this book so many times - my first book review and my extensive fangirl-y posttrying to get people to read the series. It feels like y'all should just already know that I'm recommending this one to you. It's set in a futuristic London where this otherwordly creature has subjugated humans who have the ability to deal with the aether in some way (aka the magic system of spirit combat). The books mix a lot of sci fi and fantasy elements and have only been getting better as we get further into the series. I can't wait to read book 3!

If you like Court of Fives by Kate Elliott or just want more world-building in your YA SFF series/books, check out The Bone Season.

So, those are my recommendations for adult fiction for all of my fellow wonderful YA reader fans.Do you agree with these recommendations and the Like/Try/Why aspect of this? Have you read any of these books? Let me know!

You can find more of my reviews plus discussions and giveaways at Christina Reads YA.

On occasion I'm in the mood to read something a bit darker, more mature than most of the YA fare stocked on my shelves. I don't usually review adult titles, but this one is set on a college campus and may have some crossover potential, though it is quite bloody and brutal for those who are accustomed to YA. Anyway...

Why did I want to read this?
1. I went to a liberal arts college and I'm always looking for more books with college settings (and not of the now typical NA fare).
2. Last fall I took a class on Greek tragedy and philosophy, so needless to say, this topic and subculture are fascinating to me. This book is full of references to ancient, classical culture (Plato, Greek tragedies, Greek mysteries, the old gods, Latin, dead languages, etc.), and one of the plays constantly referred to was one that I'd studied and that enchanted me.
3. Anything that says "modern classic" is bound to catch my eye. True or false?
4. This book must have been on some list from an author or reviewer who I trust. I bought it last summer so I no longer remember where I'd seen it, but I'm sure that contributed to my excitement at the time. That, and one of my closest friends has consistently mentioned to me that her brother loved this one, and from what I know, he's generally a picky reader.
5. Unreliable narration.

Why am I telling you this? Because I went into the book with those expectations and found myself rather satisfied with what I'd gotten.

Ten Likes/Dislikes:

1. (+) Richard, the protagonist - Here's the thing you should know about the characters, including the protagonist. They do shitty things. Are they likable? That's something to debate, but Richard was probably the most likable of the bunch, especially as we see things from his perspective. Richard is a poor kid who was often depressed before he fell into this group of Greek-addicted misfits. He wasn't happy with where he came from, so he'd learned to lie quite well, and it's quite obvious that he's desperate for these people to like him. It's easy to slip into his perspective because you can sense some of that earnestness in how he looks at these other characters, but also because of his determination (he transferred from his first college; the way he approaches everyone and work and school) and the fact that he's a sort of outsider in the group - the only one on a scholarship and not with swathes of money at his disposal, not with great connections nearby. He's not the one who holds the group together, but he's probably the one you'd find it easiest to talk to of the bunch.

2. (+) World-Building - Do you like Greek culture? How about Vermont? How about dead languages and philosophy? How about liberal arts education? There's a lot to be said about the world that's built upon this Greek foundation. There are aspects of ancient Greek life that you don't think will necessarily apply until they do, and then you're just shocked. Even those familiar with ancient Greek culture, I imagine, will find themselves shocked and pleased with the level of detail - it's clear that the author, if not well versed in the classics already, did her research well. The liberal arts setting was also fairly well done except for a couple of things: one, even though the characters also comment on how unusual a situation Julian has (their adviser, most of their classes?), I doubt that could ever exist; two, this book has some of the typical stereotypes of college such as heavy drinking and drug habits. I don't remember meeting a single college-aged character who did not partake in these activities. It's true that these characters may not meet anyone like that, but drinking in the middle of day, constantly being hung over... It was only a tad disappointing that we just didn't get as much on the details of the collegiate setting and a more rounded picture of what it actually meant to go to a liberal arts college (though I understand that that was a part of the point). Everything is extreme.

3. (+) Characters - You want a book full of memorable, flawed characters? Check this one out. The characters sometimes act morally reprehensible and are not always likable, but they are so real, so easy to imagine. You've got this trying-too-hard Gatsby-esque all-American guy who's too proud and a tad slower than the manic others; you've got this cold, calculating scholar who alternates between sociopathic tendencies, academic ambition, and the loving charm of a leader; and more, many others who are just as developed as the original five (Richard, Henry, Bunny, Charles, and Camilla) such as their teacher, Julian. It is the ever changing character dynamics that propels a good deal of the plot.

4. (+) Plot - Once this story gets going, it's out there. It's remarkably detailed and complex and focused on character interactions changing, morphing as the characters constantly react in different ways to the complications thrown into their paths. And my god, this was unpredictable. Usually I pride myself on being able to tell where a story is headed, but for some reason -- maybe all the details and how well founded they and the characters were -- I just didn't see any of that coming.

5. (+) Themes/Moral Ambiguity - Sometimes I need to take a break from YA because there seem to be very few that manage to portray morally ambiguous situations well or at all. Not so here, though it's less about moral ambiguity (we all know what they should not have done), and more about the dawning horror of how easily one could fall into... as the summary puts it, evil. How much would you do to belong? How much influence can someone exert over you? Is it possible to escape the self? Is there such a thing as redemption? This is the kind of book I imagine would go well in a class that also featured Greek literature or philosophy; great to compare the two, and great for stimulating discussion.

6. (+/-) Privilege/Class Discussion - For all the discussion of how Henry and Francis and the lot are privileged, untroubled kids who can do as they please with money, wasting it on cars and alcohol and drugs and trips to country houses, this book does not seem to have a certain... self-awareness so to speak. Yes, it's set on a liberal arts college campus, and yes it's pointed out how it's not entirely pragmatic to keep switching majors and how a literature major might not be ideal for Richard. But what about these kids who are studying classics? Who are all so effortlessly slick and cool and noticed by everyone else on campus? Who can carry out conversations in dead languages and who have their classics teacher monopolize their class schedule but who are probably not learning stuff that will apply in their immediate future? In a sense, the poorer members show as outsiders in this group, but there's also a certain, oh-woe-is-me in regards to some of their affairs that makes sense for their situation but also highlights some missing aspects to this discussion on class and privilege. There's also the fact that unless you are somewhat privileged, you will likely not understand all the references and some of the conversations these characters have. I know I didn't, and sometimes had to skim.

7. (+/-) Believable? Empathetic? - Here are the two things that I think would drive away most readers: whether they think the story *could* actually happen, and whether they (need to) relate to the characters. I myself was questioning how believable some of the story elements were (I believe in the characters, but would they all be congregated in this Vermont liberal arts college? Would the circumstances line so perfectly?), and sometimes, as stated above, I found it hard to relate to their situation (privileged, sometimes unlikable white kids who do stupid things), but ultimately the story was too engrossing for me for either of those two issues to matter.

8. (+) Writing - The writing is magnificent. There's this dreamy, unreal feel to quite a few of the scenes that fits in with one of the themes: the beauty of terror. Indeed there's a disturbing poetic aspect to some of the more bloody and brutal scenes that I'd bookmarked because the writing--the writing was so wonderful. The author also did a great job mixing in a future POV looking in on the past well with the generally formal tone of the entire story.

9. (+/-) Pacing - The key word is "once" the story gets going. There was a beautifully terrifying prologue, and then I found myself somewhat bored/restless for about a hundred pages. Not right after the prologue, but maybe around pages 50 - 150? It was really slow in the beginning in that way that means you'll learn about the characters. For me this didn't always work because there was an abundance of narration, long info-dumpy/summary-like paragraphs on things that had happened that I couldn't keep track of and that didn't feel as immediate as normal scenes. But after *event* happens, the pacing was perfect, with rising tension and conflict that had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.

10. (+/-) The Cover - Eh. Not all that inspiring. I wonder if that's Dionysus?

Full of memorable if not entirely likable characters and burning philosophical questions on human nature, The Secret History is not to be missed if you're a fan of ancient Greek culture or unpredictable contemporary thrillers.