The Mere Wife is a unique mythological re-telling, in the vast cacophony of re-tellings out there right now. It stands up as a lyrical adventure through the ladies who hold up the Beowulf myth, with beautiful writing taking centre stage.

Maria Dahvana Headley’s work is always strong with a beautiful point of view of the world, however I wasn’t as sucked into The Mere Wife as I was with some of her other work, for example, her YA series Magonia and Aerie set in a magical flying world.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Beowolf myth the story may be more difficult to engage with.

It offers a unique perspective, set in the present day, with odd injections of magic and myth thrown in and is beautifully lyrical, I just found the pacing a little bit slower than I’m used to. It is certainly a compelling story where two mothers: suburban housewife Willa and a battle-hardened veteran Dana struggle to protect their sons.

If you’re a fan of  Beowulf  or of Maria Dahvana Headley already I would highly recommend. However if you’re more interested in a magical read with maximum adventure then I would send you to the pages of Magonia where you can get lost in the adventure.