The masculine boasting, besting and butchering are duly in place, but Headley adds a sharp focus on the actions and motivations of the female characters. If you’ve ever struggled with the poem, this is the retelling for you, its ferocious clarity turning Beowulf into a Hollywood superhero. While crafting her contemporary adaptation, Headley unearthed significant shifts lost over centuries of translation.

Paperback 176 pages

9781911617822