Galatea is a short story by Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Song of Achilles and Circe. Told in just under sixty pages—and bound beautifully in hardcover—this slim book reimagines the Greek myth of Pygmalion, the story of a statue created by man and brought to life by the gods. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the sculptor Pygmalion is disgusted by the “shameless” women he sees in the world and so sets out to create what he believes is the perfect woman, carved from ivory. Once finished, he falls in love with his statue, and begs the goddess Venus to make her human; thus, his art is brought to life, and the myth ends with her and Pygmalion married with child. Galatea is Miller’s response to Ovid’s version of the myth, and as you might imagine, gives the story a good dose of feminism. Miller’s story begins ten years after Ovid’s story ends, with Pygmalion’s wife Galatea attempting to break out of a hospital. Over the years, Galatea has become more human than statue; she has developed a mind and a will of her own, and finds no joy in existing simply to satisfy her husband’s desires. Unfortunately, her attempts to run away with her daughter were violently thwarted by Pygmalion, and now she’s trapped under the care of doctors and nurses looking after her so-called wellbeing. Galatea is desperate to escape, if only to save her daughter, and she’ll stop at nothing for their freedom.

Madeline Miller is highly regarded for her ability to transform ancient myths into relevant page turners, and Galatea is no exception. I found myself lost in the story from the first page; Galatea’s circumspect, determined voice brings the narrative to life, and Miller’s characterization of the mythical characters—Galatea as a clever yet underestimated woman, Pygmalion as a narcissistic “incel” type—feels utterly believable. This particular myth has inspired many retellings over the years from My Fair Lady to Pretty Woman and, most recently, Poor Things, but many choose to focus on the transformation aspect rather than the misogynistic implications. Galatea digs deep into the ideas of free will and independence to powerful effect, and though the book is short, it packs an intense punch. Highly recommend.

I’d recommend this book to…

• Anyone interested in a female-centered retelling of Greek mythology… it’s similar in theme to A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
• Anyone looking for an empowering short story that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat… it’s similar in style to The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• Anyone who loves a matter-of-fact, smart, and willful heroine… it’s similar in tone to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus