First published 2026
Mestra possesses a remarkable gift from Poseidon: she can transform into any creature she imagines. Her father, the King of Thessaly, bears a different fate. Demeter cursed him with insatiable hunger as punishment for his disrespect. Mestra watches her father waste away, driven by an appetite that no amount of food can satisfy. She offers to use her shapeshifting ability to help him survive. Each transformation provides temporary relief, but his hunger returns stronger than before. Mestra finds herself trapped between devotion and self-preservation. Her father's need grows more demanding with each feeding. She must choose whether to continue sacrificing herself for his survival or break free from the cycle that threatens to consume them both. Miller transforms this forgotten Greek myth into an intimate story about the bonds between parent and child, and the moment when love becomes destruction.
Genres: mythology, literary-fiction, fantasy, dark-fantasy, family-drama
Vibes: dark, intimate, introspective, lyrical, thought-provoking, tragic
Tropes: family-tragedy, magical-gift, mythological-retelling, self-sacrifice, toxic-relationship
Setting: Thessaly, Ancient Greece
Period: Ancient Times
80 pages · Hardcover · Ecco
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse, toxic-relationship