BEA FITZGERALD is the author of the fantasy retelling Girl, Goddess, Queen. Her second novel, The End Crowns All, is a sapphic reimagining of the Trojan War.
We asked Bea what her desert island reads are and what Greek mythology she drew from for her latest retelling.
What are you reading now?
Song of the Six Realms by Judy I Lin
If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only have five books – what would they be?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, Good omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood and Babel by R F Kuang
Where is your favourite place to read?
Under a pile of blankets, preferably near a fire with a strong cup of tea
Do you read one book at a time or multiple?
Multiple – normally a physical book, ebook, and an audiobook at once (and I try to keep to different genres across those)
Do you use a bookmark or fold the corners of pages?
Bookmark but I’m not particularly precious about my pages
What can you tell us about your latest novel The End Crowns All?
The End Crowns All is a sapphic reimagining of the Trojan War featuring rivals to lovers Helen and Cassandra. Cursed so none of her prophecies will be believed, Cassandra realises she doesn’t need anyone to listen to her about the war Helen will bring to her shores if she can just get rid of Helen herself. But when war does fall, the two unite to try to save the city.
With demanding gods, egotistical men and the very threads of fate themselves working against Helen and Cassandra – not to mention a bond drawing them ever closer together – rewriting their destiny might be an impossible feat for even their greatest heroes. What can two princesses possibly do when the gods themselves are dictating their demise?
This story means so much to me – pairing two characters whose individual myths boil down to ‘a woman who said no’ and watching them come to life, heal each other, and empower everyone around them to fight for the future they want to build. It’s a story that’s very close to me – I loved writing an asexual lead character and exploring mental health through Cassandra’s visions. This really is the book of my heart.
What Greek mythology did you draw from for this story?
Anything and everything relating to the Trojan war: The Iliad, the various plays of each of the characters, references to them in other texts and academic analysis of all of the above. I also pulled from adjacent myths, like those of Theseus or even vague historical/myth blurring like the defence of Argos (specifically Telesilla’s role within that). The End Crowns All is very much a fantasy reimagining as opposed to a straight retelling, but everything is inspired by and rooted in text – and it was so, so much fun to research and world-build.
What are some of your favourite story reimaginings?
My favourite Greek Mythology retelling is Claire North’s ‘The Songs of Penelope’ series – each one is narrated by a different goddess and the voice she imbues into each story brings it to life in a way that’s thoroughly breathtaking. I also really love Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah which is Medea set within the period of the British colonisation of India and the brilliant reimagining works beautifully alongside the myth. Outside of Greek myth, I really recommend Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel which is a stunning retelling of Hindu epic, Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Grace-Moreno which is a decadent, immersive historical fantasy inspired by Mayan myth and Every Rising Sun by Jamila Ahmed which is a poetic and lyrical retelling of Shaherazade.
Kaikeyi, Babylonia, Ithaca, Savage Beasts
What book character would you be, and why?
Samwise Gamgee – I would absolutely be focused on potatoes while trying to save the world.
If you could meet one author (living or dead) – who would it be and why?
Malorie Blackman and then I would cry – I distinctly remember reading Noughts and Crosses and feeling like I’d always been an avid reader, and also, like I’d just unlocked some new depth of love for books and reading. She’s the reason books are so centred in my life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bea Fitzgerald is an author and content creator. She has worked in publishing for a number of years and has a degree in English Literature from the University of Reading, where she also studied several classes in Ancient History. Bea is passionate about stories and fascinated by the way they endure and resonate through centuries and generations. When she’s not writing, she’s entertaining her followers on TikTok and Instagram with her mythology-themed comedy account @chaosonolympus. Girl, Goddess, Queen is her debut novel.
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