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I know my mother will never understand because what it comes down to is this: safety isn’t enough for me. I’d rather perish, rather be another tragic tale for a mother to use in warning than become a long drawn out sigh in a hymn, an immortal life spent in misery. Mother jumps, glancing around like an Olympian could be lurking around the corner, like she hasn’t spent the last decade weaving intricate magic to bar the uninvited from our island. ‘Don’t say things like that, Kore!’ she scolds. ‘No one will believe that a woman who talks of attraction is virginal. Do you want people to believe you’re a whore?’ I wonder if her lessons will ever sink in or if they’ll forever ring through my mind in her voice, oil on water, condemning my actions without ever helping me stop doing the things that so annoy her. That apparently make me undesirable. Sadly, this will probably end up being a forgotten read as ai dont see it being that memorable or standing out to me in the future They gather round, tell me the worst things I’ve ever heard in my life and then give me tips for staying safe. ‘Don’t wear a gown if you have to travel,’ from Aphrodite, ‘disguise yourself as a man if you can and at the very least travel as part of a group.’ Or Athena patting my head, telling me the places to hit a man to break free of him if, god forbid, one ever made it onto the island and took me away. Hestia wasn’t much older than me and would harp on about how it was always safest to stay at home – though admittedly, as goddess of the hearth, I assumed she’d say as much – but if I ever found myself stranded I should march straight to the nearest palace or estate and request Xenia, a bond of hospitality of her own creation that would make them unable to hurt me without consequence. They could still hurt me, of course, but there would be consequences for it. Before Xenia men could do whatever they liked if you were foolish enough to be unprepared for their advances.
Bring[s] to life timeless gods, the complex intimacy of family bonds, a fierce protagonist, and a passionate slow-burn romance." Sue Lynn Tan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Funny how this story has a main romance sub-plot, but good lord was it so DRAGGY AND BORING. I was bored to death. Literally. There were parts where Persephone and Hades was just sweet but the slow-burn that I feel the author was aiming for... didn't work well in this story. It felt anticlimatic, and when they finally got together... I somehow ended up being super annoyed with Persephone when she was with Hades. Like I get it ... but I do want to slap you so there's that. I feel that whilst their friendship was explored well, the pining didn't really work out for me, which really made me dissapointed as I wanted to love it so much but I just couldn't. Our Persephone, traditionally portrayed as sweet tempered and kind, is transformed into a daring and fabulously fierce (Ancient Greek) Girl Boss, determined to seek out happiness by any means necessary—even if it means taking on the patriarchy in all its toxic, oppressive forms. Yes, because if I don’t look virginal how will the fine suitors know that the girl whose name literally means chastity and who has lived her entire life alone on an island is pure?’Girl, Goddess, Queen is a thoroughly modern retelling that turns the story of Hades and Persephone completely on its head, breathing new life into the classic mythos. Fun side characters and a hopeful coming-of-age heart make this one of the most entertaining reimaginings in an ever growing list of them. Readers were expecting wonderful things from Bea Fitzgerald’s debut, and it doesn’t disappoint in the slightest.
Persephone and Hades felt too much like friends in this story so when a romance does finally develop, it felt weird like they shouldn't be doing this. The romance felt forced and didn't sit right with me - their relationship didn't feel natural and it was quite cringey at times. I can't say enough how much I love this book, I tabbed so many quotes and moments which I want to relive daily. There is only one book you must start with when wanting to try out Hades & Persephone retellings and it's this one. This is your introduction to the Underworld!
Multibuys
Okay,’ I say, not wanting to continue this conversation and cursing myself for even bringing it up. ‘Can I go see my friends now? Before Father gets here?’ Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped. There was no way she was going to be married off to some smug god more in love with himself than her. Now all she has to do is convince the Underworld's annoyingly sexy, arrogant and frankly rude ruler, Hades, to fall in line with her plan. A plan that will shake Mount Olympus to its very core. But consequences can be deadly, especially when you're already in hell . . . Marriage is protection, Kore. A ring on your finger binds you to one man and that’s all the gods respect.’ Please, Father’s the one who made me the goddess of flowers, he can hardly be surprised by a bit of mud, can he?’ I seem to be in the minority with this review but I didn’t really enjoy this book and I at times, found it quite dull. I adore a Hades and Persephone retelling and I have read my fair share of them in my time but this just felt a bit flat. I think the premise was there but the execution just didn’t work for me.
Oh Mother, they corrupted me long ago. And a good thing too, or I’d be heading off to my wedding night with no idea of what goes where. None of that today, Kore,’ Mother sighs again, a sound that has become so common that my name feels odd without it. Mother laughs sharply. ‘Hilarious, Kore. I know you think I’m sending you off to a fate worse than death but I wouldn’t send you to the actual realm of it.’ You’re a woman now.’ What an arbitrary word. I don’t remember much of a transformation on my birthday but apparently the whole world saw one. ‘You’re too old for these tantrums. Promise me you won’t be like this when your father gets here.’Yes, actually, once. She was two bottles of wine into one of her 'Mother’s evenings' with Selene and Leto. Mother loves inviting the other goddesses over to regale me with horror stories about the men she’s protecting me from. My eyes fall to the floor, and even that is enough to hurt me, staring at orange tiles I might never see again, the home I’m leaving – one way or another. ‘Yes, Mother.’ I think the books main issue was it’s length. It had no business being as long as it was and it was bogged down with a lot of filler. I felt like every scene was dragged out between chapters and it would have worked better if it was dual perspective for this.
And what would you do with the world?’ my father asked. His words were lined with sharp edges but I didn’t catch their threat until Mother squeezed my shoulder. Her fingers were too hard to be a comfort – a warning, perhaps? Or a threat of her own? I most definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a unique original spin on the story of Hades and Persephone.Her emotional journey and growth from dutiful daughter into a confident, formidable Queen was really satisfying to watch, as was her fury and defiance regarding Zeus and Demeter’s plans for her future. Much of that filler is just repetitive and appalling dialogue. Ie exposition heavy, circular, not really communicating anything, clearly there because the author wants to use a certain line. It was also clunky with phrases you'd expect to see on a modern teen drama or TikTok which considering the context was very jarring. You really can say more and far more meaningfully with less dialogue. For me personally, this was a 2 star read. However, there are some touches here that would easily raise it to four stars if the execution was better. Ergo three stars because it was mostly quite readable and I'm not really the target audience for a lot of YA fantasy anymore. The reason this book works so well is because Persephone feels so real, her thoughts and feelings are genuinely relatable, you feel her anger at the world that is unjust and her hunger for power to be able to change things.
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