Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) attributed to the Edinburgh Painter, Greece, ca. 500 BCE, pottery
It is hard to beat the classic and ancient quality the Minotaur possesses as the embodiment of humanity’s beastliness. The concept of the Minotaur comes from Ancient Greek Mythology. Edith Hamilton may be one of the best references for contemporary English speakers to access the story plot of this beast. Yes, we have a whole story for our monster romance story fodder.
Hamilton draws from her academic studies when describing the Minotaur as a punishment for a woman giving in to her animal urges. In this case, Zeus made Queen Pasiphae lust after a sacrificial bull her husband refused to sacrifice to the god. Pasiphae gave birth to the Minotaur as a result. To deal with the child, King Minos had the legendary inventor, Daedalus, build the Labyrinth for it. Then a jerk named Theseus went and tried to kill the poor thing.
That last sentence is entirely conjecture. Yet, it represents a sentiment prevalent in the reflective narrative borrowed by Monster Romance.
The modern Minotaur of Monster Romance has been reinvented as a perfect device from Western literary tradition for women to embrace their sexuality rather than sit in their guilt over it. The great monster is no longer a punishment for female sexual urges. Monster Romance has made him a prize.
It is worth noting that the Minotaur has shown a broad enough appeal in general that one can find examples of it in both the fantasy and sci-fi genre focuses of Monster Romance. Further down the Recommended Reading list, there are book examples showing both. The lists are also roughly ordered from fluffiest to darkest.
Notes
Culture(s) of origin: Ancient Greece
Notable Cultural References: The Myth of the Labyrinth on Crete
Common Attributes
Heightened senses, including smell
Violent
Giant Penis
Giant Tongue
Wants to eat you (out)
Produces large amounts of semen
Horns
Hoofs that can easily tear up a carpet
Human-like scale
[ ] 1 - Almost indistinguishable from humans
[ ] 2 - Subtle differences present (such as pointed ears)
[x] 3 - Clearly different from humans (possessing some non-human body parts)
[ ] 4 - Completely different from humans (very few or no relatable body parts)
For further reading…
Fantasy
Mantras and Minotaurs by Ashley Bennett (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75539748-mantras-minotaurs)
Morning Glory Milking Farm by C. M. Nascosta (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123852869-morning-glory-milking-farm)
Blue Ribbon Romance by C. M. Nascosta (Morning Glory Milking Farm told from the perspective of the Minotaur MMC) (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123190485-a-blue-ribbon-romance)
Sanctuary with Kings by Kathryn Moon (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61332698-sanctuary-with-kings)
The Blooded Labyrinth by S. J. Sanders (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62193829-blooded-labyrinth)
Sci-Fi
I Married a Minotaur by Regine Abel (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60721813-i-married-a-minotaur)
Finding Her Minotaur by Evangeline Priest (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63223675-finding-her-minotaur)
Housekeeping
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So many monsters, and yet, the minotaur continues to be my favorite. Every single one of these reads is amazing, but Rourke will always be my everything.