Litsy

Hera | Jennifer Saint

so-so

This is the mythical retelling of the Queen of the Gods, Hera. I really wanted to like it, and the beginning and very end were good but the middle drug. It felt like the longest book, but it was actually under 400 pages.
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BookmarkTavern This one‘s on my TBR! 5d

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Robotswithpersonality

Hera | Jennifer Saint

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WOW. Knocked it out of the park. 🤌🏻
They're always asking the muse to sing of the wrath of Achilles, but when it comes to rage he's got nothing on Hera. Two thirds of the way through this book, I'd say it was a toss up between survivor narrative or villain origin story, considering the Olympian levels of toxic relationships going on. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? This is the first of the Greek myth retellings I've read where I didn't know where it would go, how it would end, even if I could surmise certain plot beats, but I am so, so pleased with how Saint chose to end it. 2w

Robotswithpersonality 3/? It's a little depressing to realize that she had to extend past canon to make a worthwhile ending because Hera's tales really are that dark, discouraging, she is for the most part a thwarted wife and mother who visits vengeance on everyone else because she doesn't have the power to strike directly at Zeus. 2w

Robotswithpersonality 4/? As someone familiar with the majority of the incidents depicted, I found it impressive to see the author weave them together into one narrative, but I do worry that those not familiar with the many times Hera finds herself in a no-win situation, will find it a special kind of exhausting to see her encounter what is broadly the same issue, Zeus wins and nothing goes her way, over and over again, before the plot proceeds to anything different. 2w

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? The ending is worth it to me, because it subverted my expectations and went a different way than I've seen any of these modern retellings go, without truly changing any of the myths we know, but again, if I went into this with less knowledge of her story, I might be frustrated that there wasn't a more cathartic climax to compensate for the torturous tone preceding the ending. 2w

Robotswithpersonality 6/? I appreciate that Saint didn't quite aim for reconciliation or resignation, at least not between Hera and Zeus, because that definitely would have read as loving her abuser/accepting her victimization territory.
Part of me is very curious about what Saint does next, because I'm not sure how you top this take on the Olympians as an ensemble cast, the relation to mortals, the ultimate fate of the Olympians, as antiquity slowly fades 2w

Robotswithpersonality 7/7 into a modern view of the world.
I owe the author a lot for finally presenting me with a version of Hera that I don't just sympathize with, but actually enjoy the existence of. I'm a lot happier imagining her where this story ends, and would gladly see more iconoclastic myth retellings.

⚠️SA, misogyny 2w

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Robotswithpersonality

Hera | Jennifer Saint

Low bar! 🫣

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Sagei.9

Persephone | Virginia Lee, Sally Pomme Clayton

But Persephone did not care. A shadow fell across her face, and stayed there.

Sagei.9

Persephone | Virginia Lee, Sally Pomme Clayton

I like the focus on Persephone and Demeter's (daughter and mother) relationship in this story, instead of Hades.

Sagei.9

Persephone | Virginia Lee, Sally Pomme Clayton

pick

Tells the Ancient Greek myth of Spring with Persephone and Demeter. The end of the book explains more of the history and culture involved with the story.

Hooked_on_books

Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth | Natalie Haynes

so-so

I loved Pandora‘s Jar, so I was really excited for this one but I struggled with it a bit. I don‘t know if it was the book itself or me/the timing (this past week 😵‍💫). I‘ll definitely still be looking for her books in the future.

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Super_Jane

Odyssey | Stephen Fry

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4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

Stephen Fry once again delivered a brilliant book about the e Greek myths. An amazing addition to his series.

#myths #greek

9 likes

Pedrocamacho

Last Song of Penelope | Claire North

pick

I‘m sad this trilogy is over. I loved North‘s reimagining of the Odyssey. I loved that this book extends beyond the end of the Odyssey as well.

The characters were great too. Leartes was hilarious. I love that his signature move is to try to chop the other swordsman‘s fingers off 🤣 Absolutely perfect for the father of Odysseus…

10 likes

leslovestoread

Persephone | Virginia Lee, Sally Pomme Clayton

pick

One of my favorite classic stories. This book did a great job portraying.

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