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Mestra: A Short Story
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26A 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 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, Mestra confirms Madeline Miller as our high priestess of mythology.
A cursed father, a gifted daughter
Mestra, daughter of the King of Thessaly, is granted a unique gift by Poseidon: the ability to transform 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, Mestra confirms Madeline Miller as our high priestess of mythology.
80 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 29, 2026
About the author
Madeline Miller
17 books85.5k followersMadeline Miller was born in Boston and grew up in New York City and Philadelphia. She attended Brown University, where she earned her BA and MA in Classics. For the last ten years she has been teaching and tutoring Latin, Greek and Shakespeare to high school students. She has also studied at the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought, and in the Dramaturgy department at Yale School of Drama, where she focused on the adaptation of classical texts to modern forms. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA, where she teaches and writes. The Song of Achilles is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Want to Read
February 23, 2026OMG UGhhhhhhh I am SO EXCITED 😋
Want to Read
January 30, 2026beyond excited for another retelling from THE mythology queen
Want to Read
January 22, 2026WE USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS
Want to Read
January 22, 2026Happy with ANY CRUMBS from Madeline Miller
Want to Read
January 22, 2026The way I ran to add this!!!
Absolutely cannot wait for it
Absolutely cannot wait for it
Want to Read
January 22, 2026Is it Persephone? Is it the Tempest? No, it's Mestra!
:D
(my reaction to hearing of Madeline Miller's upcoming short story is Superman themed I guess, I'm just so delighted)
:D
(my reaction to hearing of Madeline Miller's upcoming short story is Superman themed I guess, I'm just so delighted)
Want to Read
February 10, 2026madeline miller are u gonna make me cry again? 🫶🏻🥹❤️🩹
Want to Read
January 24, 2026WE ARE SO BACK
2026-releases
January 22, 2026IM UP!!! Madeline miller stans RISE
Want to Read
January 23, 2026ineeditineeditineeditineedit
!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!
Want to Read
February 9, 2026excited is an understatement ✨✨✨ GRRRR
Want to Read
February 4, 2026The only travesty about this is that it’s a short story 😭 I eat up everything Madeline Miller writes and I’m sure this will be no different!
Want to Read
January 24, 2026NEW MADELINE MILLER BOOK COMING SOON EVERYONE CHEER
April 8, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you to HarperCollins, specifically Ronnie, for gifting me with something special, the chance to read this story before it comes out. I was graciously gifted a very special edition of this book when it was found out what a huge Madeline Miller fan I am and it has become a most cherished part of my collection.
I don’t know how to describe Madeline Miller’s writing that doesn’t sound trite or unoriginal. Her words just flow together to form some of the most beautiful prose I’ve been lucky enough to read.
Mestra is a wonderful, very short story, that deals with a toxic parental relationship and a young girl’s ability to break free from it.
10/10 will become sickening about recommending this to everyone.
Thank you to HarperCollins, specifically Ronnie, for gifting me with something special, the chance to read this story before it comes out. I was graciously gifted a very special edition of this book when it was found out what a huge Madeline Miller fan I am and it has become a most cherished part of my collection.
I don’t know how to describe Madeline Miller’s writing that doesn’t sound trite or unoriginal. Her words just flow together to form some of the most beautiful prose I’ve been lucky enough to read.
Mestra is a wonderful, very short story, that deals with a toxic parental relationship and a young girl’s ability to break free from it.
10/10 will become sickening about recommending this to everyone.
Want to Read
April 12, 2026A new short story coming out and I still haven’t read the previous one. Gotta change that now 😌
my ratings/reviews of
The Song of Achilles (2011) — 5★
Circe (2018) — 3.5★
Galatea (2013) — 4★
Untitled (retelling of Shakespeare’s [The] Tempest) — ☆☆☆☆☆
Untitled #2 (persephone) — ☆☆☆☆☆
my ratings/reviews of
The Song of Achilles (2011) — 5★
Circe (2018) — 3.5★
Galatea (2013) — 4★
Untitled (retelling of Shakespeare’s [The] Tempest) — ☆☆☆☆☆
Untitled #2 (persephone) — ☆☆☆☆☆
Want to Read
January 23, 2026the queen is back
Read
January 28, 2026is it to soon to give it 5 stars…
Want to Read
February 13, 2026I will read anything you write my Queen. Can't wait!!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews