Modern books with classical literature “companions”

[Anonymous]

Karen Brooks "The Good Wife of Bath" from Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Phillip Pullman''s "His Dark Materials" => Paradise Lost

This is a great one!

[Anonymous]

This is a great post! I’d add “The Bright Sword” by Lev Grossman (loved it) and any Arthurian legend, but maybe specifically “The Once and Future King” by TH White.

Also “Grendel” by John Gardner (also loved this one) and Beowulf.

“Glorious Exploits” by Ferdia Lennon and Euripides’ plays, particularly Medea.

[Anonymous]

Art of Fielding and Moby Dick

Great thread!

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately I don't have anything to add, but this is a really interesting thread!

[Anonymous]

not quite 1:1 but definitely a pair: Tom Lake / Our Town

[Anonymous]

Curtis Sittenfeld's "Eligible" and "Pride and Prejudice"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read James recently and obviously the companion is Huck Finn.

I haven’t read Demon Copperhead (or David Copperfield) yet but obviously those pair up.

I’m now reading Wild, Dark Shore and - while the link isn’t as direct - the mentions of Jane Erie and the general vibe making me want to reread Jane Eyre.

What are some others (bonus if you enjoyed them / would recommend them) where there are modern stories with good companions in classic English / American literature?

Oo, you are so right about Wild Dark Shore and Jane Eyre! Love that parallel…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Karen Brooks "The Good Wife of Bath" from Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales."

Oh, I liked that one!

[Anonymous]

On a lighter note, if you enjoy Jane Eyre I would recommend the Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Circe / The Odyssey

+1 Fantastic

[Anonymous]

Bridget Jones Diary and Pride and Prejudice! Obviously not a perfect modern retelling, but it's clearly supposed to be. Even named the love interest Mr Darcy!

[Anonymous]

The Scarlet Letter and When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
The Great Gatsby and The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read James recently and obviously the companion is Huck Finn.

I haven’t read Demon Copperhead (or David Copperfield) yet but obviously those pair up.

I’m now reading Wild, Dark Shore and - while the link isn’t as direct - the mentions of Jane Erie and the general vibe making me want to reread Jane Eyre.

What are some others (bonus if you enjoyed them / would recommend them) where there are modern stories with good companions in classic English / American literature?

Oo, you are so right about Wild Dark Shore and Jane Eyre! Love that parallel…

This is so interesting, I read Wild Dark Shore too… for me what it brought to mind a lot (and this isn’t a classic literary comparison specifically) was the tv series Lost. Curious if anyone else who was a Lost fan and read this book had a similar reaction.

[Anonymous]

Turn of the Screw by Henry James/ Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware