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Calypso’s Longing is a lyrical reimagining of the Odyssey’s forgotten goddess, a tale of love, loss, and defiance told in intimate, poetic prose as she reclaims her story from the gods who silenced her.
The diary-style narration is intimate. Was that always the plan, or did the structure evolve as you wrote?
Yes, was always a diary.
Your writing blends mythology with contemporary emotions so seamlessly. How do you balance the timeless and the modern?
My and my friends’ experiences as well as songs and movies for the modern, along with the perceived emotions of the goddesses in ancient mythology.
The sensuality in the book is bold and unapologetic. Was it challenging to write those moments with such raw honesty?
Most poems were written separately and highlighted the situation at that point, which allowed those moments to be described authentically.
Author Links: GoodReads
Goddess Calypso is hailed as “the Concealer”, the lustrous temptress goddess who holds the great Greek Warrior hero Odysseus captive on her island, Ogygia in Homer’s The Odyssey.
In this riveting collection of poetry, woven as a novella, we finally hear Calypso’s side of the story. We sense the depth of emotions of both Odysseus and Calypso while indulging in the scenery and the atmosphere of this romantic retelling from the vast chronicles of Greek Mythology.
In this fiction fantasy of over one hundred original poems, we experienced the five cycles of love – anticipated, activated, annihilated, adjudicated and authenticated. This reimagining finally frees Calypso from merely being a byline in Homer’s version of history and Odysseus’ story.
Calypso’s Longing, A Woman’s Odyssey of Love
Have you ever picked up a book and felt like it was whispering secrets straight to your soul? That’s how I felt reading Calypso’s Longing. This isn’t your typical rehash of Greek mythology—it’s a poignant and deeply personal reimagining of Calypso’s story, written like a love letter to every woman who has loved, longed, and lost. It feels like stepping into someone else’s heart, and I couldn’t put it down.
The novella begins with Calypso, the goddess from Homer’s Odyssey, pouring her heart out about love, betrayal, and self-discovery. She’s no longer just the seductress who kept Odysseus captive here, she’s a fully realized character with dreams, regrets, and a fierce tenderness. The diary-style narration brings a beautiful intimacy to her tale.
What struck me most was the poetic flow of the writing. Every sentence pulses with rhythm and emotion. In “From Eternity,” Calypso confesses a love so deep it feels otherworldly: “Know that I exist because you exist. Know that your lips are full to receive my kiss.” Lines like these stayed with me. The author has a gift for capturing both the ecstasy and agony of love, and you can feel the weight of every word. I especially loved the way the story tied contemporary emotions to mythological settings—it’s like Calypso’s heartbreak and longing transcend time and space.
The vivid imagery of Ogygia, with its crystal caves and mythical vibes, is undeniably beautiful but at times overindulgent. However, when the focus shifted back to Calypso’s emotions—her loneliness and yearning—it pulled me right back in. The chapters where she challenges the gods’ narratives about her life (especially her quiet defiance against Athena and Zeus) were particularly powerful.
One thing I didn’t see coming was how sensual the book could be. Calypso’s feelings for Odysseus are written with so much heat and vulnerability that it almost feels voyeuristic at times. There’s an unapologetic boldness to poems like “Ulysses’ Candy” and “For the Sex of It.” These moments are electric, but they might be too much for readers who shy away from such candid passion. Personally, I appreciated the honesty—it felt like the goddess was reclaiming her narrative, her body, and her love.
Calypso’s Longing is a celebration of love in all its messy, complicated forms—romantic, selfless, and even destructive. It’s a book for dreamers and lovers, for anyone who has ever felt like they were waiting for something that might never come. If you’re a fan of mythology with a twist, or if you just want to lose yourself in a story that feels both ancient and achingly modern, give this one a read.
Pages: 237 | ASIN: B0DSK39HP8
LITERARY TITAN 