Mestra
New ReleaseA brilliant new short story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Madeline Miller—her first new work of fiction since the publication of Circe—that vibrantly reimagines the powerful and forgotten myth of Mestra.
A cursed father, a gifted daughter
Mestra, daughter of the King of Thessaly, is granted a unique gift by Poseidon: The ability to transform herself into any being she can imagine.
Her father, on the other hand, is cursed. As punishment for disrespecting the goddess Demeter, he is in possession of an unnatural, insatiable hunger. Devoted Mestra suggests using her new gift to help her father. But if his hunger is bottomless, how much will he take from her? Soon she must decide: Will she keep helping her father survive or finally break free?
A jewel-like tale of human fallibility, and her first new work of fiction since the publication of Circe, Mestra confirms Madeline Miller as our high priestess of mythology.
- Pages
- 80
- First published
- September 29, 2026
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
More editions
▾
Pick a cover to preview.
Shelved by 4 Litcadians
Reviews
Started October 1, 2026 · Finished October 1, 2026
Despite me being a massive mythology nerd, I somehow have never heard of Mestra, so imagine my surprise upon reading this work. In so few pages, Miller has once again captured her audience's attention with a protagonist whose feelings you empathize with and some absolutely grisly, vivid descriptions. I think it does an excellent job of encapsulating greed, gluttony, and hubris. And yet the end remains hopeful. Truly an en excellent story of survival and overcoming adversity.