The journey to the underworld has been a popular plot motif for millennia. It can take many forms, but generally involves the hero of the story crossing over into the land of the dead to rescue someone, speak to someone, or otherwise complete a quest. This trope appears in many classic myths, such as the Greek tales of Orpheus and Eurydice or Hercules’s twelve labors. It also became a staple of epic poetry, beginning with the Odyssey, continuing in the Aeneid, and becoming the basis of Dante’s Inferno. Scholars of epic poetry even have a word for this recurrent plot element: katabasis, which means “to go down” in Greek. With such a storied history, it’s not surprising that we see variations on journey to the underworld cropping up in modern fantasy novels. Below are a three of my favorite recent variations on this classic trope:
- Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld.
This book, which came out in 2014, was one of the first books that I reviewed on this blog and remains a favorite. The story contains a dual narrative—one of which centers on a teenage girl named Lizzie who is struggling to accept her new role as a psychopomp. Literally “one who guides souls,” the psychopomp is a classic character in underworld tales. In Greek mythology, this role is filled by the ferryman Charon as well as the messenger god Hermes. But rather than going down the expected path of Greek mythology, this novel takes its inspiration from Hindu lore. When Lizzie accidentally descends to the underworld for the first time, she meets Yama, a figure based on the Hindu god of death. Yama helps Lizzie learn how to use her newfound abilities to guide spirits in crossing over to the other side.
- Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
Labyrinth Lost combines the classic underworld rescue plot with a refreshingly unique setting. I also reviewed this one here on the blog a few years ago. Alex Mortiz is a bruja, part of Brooklyn’s Latinx magic-using community. But unlike the rest of her family, Alex doesn’t want her magic. When she tries to do a spell to banish her powers, she ends up accidentally banishing her family to Los Lagos instead. This unique underworld blends Greek myth with Latinx folklore and Córdova’s own imagination. Alex must navigate the treacherous landscapes of the Caves of Night, the Meadow del Sol, the River Luxaria and more in order to get to her family. But once she finds them, getting back out is even harder than getting in. Especially when someone doesn’t want her to leave.
- The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
Though this book came out back in 2013, you may recall seeing my review just a few weeks ago. Set in Malaysia before the turn of the twentieth century, The Ghost Bride combines the journey to the underworld with Chinese folklore, ancestor veneration, and Buddhist beliefs. Li Lan has been proposed to by the son of a wealthy family. The only problem is … he’s dead. At first Lim Tian Ching’s spirit appears to Li Lan in dreams, but after Li Lan falls ill her spirit leaves her body and she enters fully into the realm of the dead, herself. A love-sick ghost named Fan leads Li Lan to the Plains of the Dead, where spirits live off of the offerings burnt by their loved ones until it is time to move on. Li Lan is on a mission to find out more information about the Lim family and how to escape Lim Tian Ching’s clutches, but even if she manages that she then has to find her way back to the world of the living.
Have you read any other interesting underworld tales? Share your recommendations in the comments!