 Hughes was also complimented on his achievements in using humour or horror when describing Myrrha or a flood, respectively.The work received critical acclaim winning the Whitbread Book Of The Year Award 1997 and being adapted to the stage in 1999, starring Sirine Saba as Myrrha.In 1997 American poet Frank Bidart wrote "Desire", which was another retelling of the myth of Myrrha as it was presented in the "Metamorphoses" by Ovid.