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Francesca Simon

American-born British children's author; wrote the Horrid Henry series and the novel The Monstrous Child, which she also wrote as an opera libretto for the Royal Opera House.

9 things

House of NamesBook Colm Tóibín

recommended

House of Names is a retelling of the story of Clytemnestra, Iphigenia and Agamemnon.

Five Books interview: the best books on Novels Based on Mythological Retellings

2025-03-28·fivebooks.com ↗

The Song of AchillesBook Madeline Miller

recommended

It’s called The Song of Achilles.

Five Books interview: the best books on Novels Based on Mythological Retellings

2025-03-28·fivebooks.com ↗

GrendelBook John C. Gardner

recommended

Grendel was published in 1971, and I was absolutely astonished by the idea that you could take a poem like Beowulf and tell it from a different point of view.

Five Books interview: the best books on Novels Based on Mythological Retellings

2025-03-28·fivebooks.com ↗

The Once and Future KingBook T H White

recommended

You know, there are some books that you read last month and you can barely remember what they were about, but I remember very specifically reading The Once and Future King.

Five Books interview: the best books on Novels Based on Mythological Retellings

2025-03-28·fivebooks.com ↗

The American SenatorBook Anthony Trollope

recommended

I was thinking about this today with the first book I chose, The American Senator.

Five Books interview: the best books on The Best Anthony Trollope Books

2020-10-16·fivebooks.com ↗

The Way We Live NowBook Anthony Trollope

recommended

The Way We Live Now is about a swindler or confidence trickster, Augustus Melmotte, who bears a strong resemblance to Robert Maxwell, if you remember him.

Five Books interview: the best books on The Best Anthony Trollope Books

2020-10-16·fivebooks.com ↗

The Eustace DiamondsBook Anthony Trollope

recommended

The Eustace Diamonds is part of the Palliser sequence, but I read the Pallisers out of sequence and it was not a problem.

Five Books interview: the best books on The Best Anthony Trollope Books

2020-10-16·fivebooks.com ↗

Miss MackenzieBook Anthony Trollope

recommended

In one of the books, Miss Mackenzie, Miss Mackenzie is trying to decide between three suitors and one suitor, sadly, is wearing bright yellow kid gloves.

Five Books interview: the best books on The Best Anthony Trollope Books

2020-10-16·fivebooks.com ↗

Barchester TowersBook Anthony Trollope

recommended

Barchester Towers as well, because it introduces you to a lot of his most famous characters.

Five Books interview: the best books on The Best Anthony Trollope Books

2020-10-16·fivebooks.com ↗

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