Glint is a dark romantasy retelling of the Greek myth of King Midas, whose insatiable greed leads him to request that everything he touches turn to gold—a power that ultimately becomes a curse. Original tales of Midas, as well as other mythical figures that likely had similar origins, come from Greek and Roman culture. There are many iterations, which can often contradict, including a variety of mythological and historical details from the classical era. The prominent version, as told by Ovid in Metamorphoses, is that King Midas cared charitably for the god Dionysus’s foster father, Silenus, when Silenus fell ill. In exchange, Dionysus offered Midas any reward he asked for, to which Midas asked for the power that whatever he touched would turn to gold. Though initially delighted, he soon finds that many things he doesn’t want turned to gold, such as food and drink.

A more modern version published in A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys (1852) by Nathaniel Hawthorne, where Midas also accidentally turns his daughter to gold, killing her. This heightens the degree of regret he feels over the foolish wish and emphasizes the general takeaway of the story, which warns against greed. Ultimately, the tale is a parable illustrating how greed may lead to material wealth, but it will also lead to unhappiness, isolation, and moral bankruptcy. The story has remained widely known throughout history and led to the phrase “the Midas touch,” which alludes to the ability to make money from whatever venture a person undertakes.

As the book’s front matter states, the series is “the myth of King Midas reimagined” (vii). This builds on a broader trend in fantasy of retelling classical myths, popularized by titles such as Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles (2011) and Circe (2018), to shift the thematic focus toward marginalized groups or underrepresented perspectives. Kennedy changes the narrative focus from the king to Auren, a woman Midas himself has turned to gold, which adds to many elements of the story referring back to the original myth and its popular retellings. This change transforms the ancient tale into a modern allegory for objectification, trauma, and survival. By centering the story on the “golden object,” Kennedy deconstructs the myth to critique abusive power dynamics rather than focusing on how men suffer from their own greed.