Pandora's Jar

“Witty and frequently surprising.” - Times Literary Supplement

“Agile, rich, subversive, Pandora’s Jar proves that the classics are far from dead, and keep evolving with us.” - Mail on Sunday

“Engaged, engaging and fun.” - Herald

“Packed with wry humor and scholarly insight, Pandora’s Jar shines a new light on our oldest stories, illuminating its subjects in all their painful complexity.” - Booklist

“Classicist Haynes challenges common ideas about Greek mythology in this sharp corrective… . When she hits her stride and seamlessly blends historical, textual, and artistic analysis, her survey sings. Even those casually familiar with Greek mythology will find this enriching.” - Publishers Weekly

“Throughout, Haynes also notes that these often outlandish retellings and related tropes have become (flawed) inspirations for works of modern art, music, and film, including the original Star Trek series, an episode of The Simpsons, Pulp Fiction, and a music video by Beyoncé … Readers of all levels of knowledge are certain to be enthralled with her analysis and find her humor and wit captivating. A fun and informative addition to the ongoing consideration of ancient mythology.” - Kirkus Reviews

“A classicist revisits the tales of 10 mythological women from a female perspective, adding a new depth and nuance to the stories of Helen of Troy, Medea, Medusa and others.” - New York Times

“Impassioned and informed … When Haynes gets down to retelling the stories … and teasing out their distortions and elisions, the book flies.” - Sunday Times (UK)

“Natalie Haynes is beyond brilliant. Pandora’s Jar is a treasure box of classical delights. Never has ancient misogyny been presented with so much wit and style.” - Amanda Foreman, author of The World Made by Women

“Beyoncé, Star Trek, Ray Harryhausen … the most enjoyable book about Greek myths you will ever read, absolutely brimming with subversive enthusiasm.” - Mark Haddon, author of The Porpoise and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

“Witty, erudite and subversive, this takes the women of Greek myth―the women who are sidelined, vilified, misunderstood or ignored―and puts them centre stage.” - Samantha Ellis, author of How to Be a Heroine and Take Courage

“Natalie Haynes is [Britain’s] muse.” - Adam Rutherford, author of How to Argue with a Racist

“An erudite, funny and sometimes angry attempt to fill in the blank spaces.” - Observer

“Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of … but read on!” - Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale

“A hugely enjoyable and witty book, which will appeal to admirers of novels such as Madeline Miller’s Circe, Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire, and Haynes’s own fiction.” - The Guardian

“Natalie Haynes is both a witty and an erudite guide. She wears her extensive learning lightly and deftly drags the Classics into the modern world. I loved it.” - Kate Atkinson, author of Life After Life

Natalie Haynes is the author of eight books, including the nonfiction work Pandora’s Jar, which was a New York Times bestseller, and the novels A Thousand Ships, which was a national bestseller and short-listed for the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction, and Stone Blind. She has written and recorded twelve series of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics for the BBC. Haynes has written for The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, and The Observer. She lives in London.

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