10 Must-Read Retellings of the Best Classic Books observer.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from observer.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
THE Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley is a modern and inventive retelling of the classic epic, Beowulf. Headley skillfully takes the ancient tale and weaves it into a contemporary narrative that bravely explores the themes of motherhood, social inequality and the horrible consequences of war.