Grendel by John Gardner

Grendel, a novel by John Gardner, is a unique take on the ancient epic poem, Beowulf. This book flips the original premise on its head by telling the story from the perspective of Grendel, the monster that Beowulf defeats. Grendel is a societal outcast who is looking for his place in the world. Because he is a monster, he has no friends and is left to wonder what the point of his existence is. It is a character study that dives deep into the philosophical principle of nihilism, while still managing to be entertaining and sometimes funny. I would recommend this book highly for someone who is already familiar with the story of Beowulf, or to anyone that its unique premise appeals to.