Category: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Margaret Mahy

In Dangerous Spaces, set on the Banks Peninsula near Christchurch, New Zealand, Margaret Mahy explores the myth of Demeter and Persephone through a story about two cousins, Flora and Anthea, who travel by means of a magical stereoscope machine to a mythical realm, called Viridian. Anthea’s parents have died in a sailing accident, and she has come to live with Flora’s family, in the old house her parents are slowly renovating. This house was built by the cousins’ grandfathe(...)

literary

YEAR: 1986

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Amazons Antheia / Anthea Demeter Eurydice Flora Hades Orpheus Persephone Philoctetes

Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Hestia the Invisible (Goddess Girls, 18)

In this installment, we meet Hestia, the goddess girl of the hearth. Hestia is extremely shy and tries to avoid speaking in class, for example. She even added hoods to her chitons so she can hide her face, calling this “her invisibility strategy” (p. 23). Hestia is extremely private. At school, “keeping her hooded head down and avoiding eye contact with anyone, she managed to ward off conversation.” (p. 29). The humans on earth have a contest to find an “MOA st(...)

literary

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Aglaia Amphitrite Antheia / Anthea Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Atlas Calliope Dionysus / Dionysos Hades Hephaestus Hera Heracles Hercules Hestia Iris Kydoimos Pandora Persephone Pheme Pygmalion Zeus

Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Iris the Colorful (Goddess Girls, 14)

In this installment, we meet Iris. Iris’ wishes make Zeus acknowledge her and her abilities, so she can be crowned as the goddess of rainbows. Meanwhile, the academy is facing a potential disaster when the titan Typhon is freed form Tartarus by his mother Gaia and comes to wreak havoc and destroy the Academy. Iris’ resourcefulness, together with the four wind brothers, rescues the day. At the same time, Iris faces a dilemma when she and her best friend, Antheia, like the same boy.In (...)

literary

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Aello Aglaia Amphitrite Antheia / Anthea Aphrodite Apollo Artemis Athena Celaeno Eurus / Euros Gaia / Gaea Harpies Hera Iris Medusa Notus / Notos Ocypete Pheme Phineus Styx Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon Zeus

Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Persephone the Grateful (Goddess Girls, 26)

This story focuses on Persephone, the goddess girl of plants and nature. While traveling with her friend (and love interest) Hades to the underworld, Persephone meets the naiad Minthe, the caretaker of the river Cocytus. Minthe is a beautiful, green-haired nymph and Persephone thinks she shows too much interest in Hades. Minthe overhears Persephone complaining about the smells coming out of the river and is offended. She then exhibits open resentment to Persephone and complains to Hades that she(...)

literary

YEAR: 2020

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Antheia / Anthea Aphrodite Athena Hades Kydoimos Machai / Makhai Persephone Pirithous / Perithous Urania Zeus