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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love a good redemption arc — and this one has that in spades. While it’s, on one hand, the story of Heracles and his labors, of how stories of his pain and struggles grew and warped his actions, shaping them into a more acceptable myth, it’s also the story of Hera, who put snakes into his cradle in order to kill him, who in her pain and offense caused him to kill his own children.
You can’t have a good redemption story without a truly sympathetic villain, someone who did horrible things — and owns them — but who wants to do better, who wants to be more, to take accountability for what they’ve done and who want to both heal the damage they’ve done and grow into a better person, to be worthy of forgiveness. Hera, in this book, is pain and wounded pride, insecurity and rage, lashing out at the sons of Zeus in a way she cannot lash out at him. She blames the children for their father’s actions, both Zeus’s mortal offspring and her own sons by him.
Hera causes Heracles to murder his own sons, something that is unforgivable, and then does her best to push the blame onto something, someone else, until she finally realizes what she’s done, what she’s really done, and decides to tell him the truth, to own her vile act and accept what comes next. This is complicated by the other gods of the pantheon to whom Hera is their queen, their mother, the authority even when Zeus is present. They do not want to see her hurt, willing to let her slide the blame elsewhere.
Heracles, in this book, is a good man. Too nice, too ready to believe in the good of others, to trust in others, he takes on his famous labors in hopes of earning from the gods the name of the one responsible for his children’s death. Instead of acting with rage and violence, he offers compassion, friendship, and love to the lion, the hydra, the Minotaur, the bull, the hind and even the horses. Again and again he is kind to everyone but himself, leaving his wife behind to find comfort elsewhere while he holds his own grief and pain to himself.
This book worked for me on many levels though it did take me some time to get into it. The writing style isn’t my favorite, but it’s well done and well written. The pace is strong, and while it did fall into a bit of a lull in the last third, I think the ending worked well with the rest of the book as Heracles, once again, chose kindness and compassion.
Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
You can’t have a good redemption story without a truly sympathetic villain, someone who did horrible things — and owns them — but who wants to do better, who wants to be more, to take accountability for what they’ve done and who want to both heal the damage they’ve done and grow into a better person, to be worthy of forgiveness. Hera, in this book, is pain and wounded pride, insecurity and rage, lashing out at the sons of Zeus in a way she cannot lash out at him. She blames the children for their father’s actions, both Zeus’s mortal offspring and her own sons by him.
Hera causes Heracles to murder his own sons, something that is unforgivable, and then does her best to push the blame onto something, someone else, until she finally realizes what she’s done, what she’s really done, and decides to tell him the truth, to own her vile act and accept what comes next. This is complicated by the other gods of the pantheon to whom Hera is their queen, their mother, the authority even when Zeus is present. They do not want to see her hurt, willing to let her slide the blame elsewhere.
Heracles, in this book, is a good man. Too nice, too ready to believe in the good of others, to trust in others, he takes on his famous labors in hopes of earning from the gods the name of the one responsible for his children’s death. Instead of acting with rage and violence, he offers compassion, friendship, and love to the lion, the hydra, the Minotaur, the bull, the hind and even the horses. Again and again he is kind to everyone but himself, leaving his wife behind to find comfort elsewhere while he holds his own grief and pain to himself.
This book worked for me on many levels though it did take me some time to get into it. The writing style isn’t my favorite, but it’s well done and well written. The pace is strong, and while it did fall into a bit of a lull in the last third, I think the ending worked well with the rest of the book as Heracles, once again, chose kindness and compassion.
Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
This book follows the story of Heracles paralleled with the perspective of Hera.
After reading Someone you Can Build a Nest In and absolutely falling in love with it, I was honoured to receive an eARC of John Wiswell’s newest work. While I still had a good time reading it I sadly didn’t connect to it as much as i would have hoped.
The first part of this book felt reminiscent of the tv show Kaos (which I love) due to the humour and levity that it brought to these iconic Greek myths, while not shying away from the darker elements. Then came a rather stark tonal shift that put a solemn blanket on the rest of the book. And for me it lost its humour and unique tone somewhat.
I am a found family girl through and through and yet I sadly can’t say that I felt attached to these characters. While all the monsters we meet along the way are distinct and charming, I surprisingly didn’t get emotionally invested in their relationships. This is not the book’s fault but rather simply the way this one turned out for me.
I did like the complexity of Hera and the way morality gets examined in this book. I also love Granny, a true icon.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an EARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
After reading Someone you Can Build a Nest In and absolutely falling in love with it, I was honoured to receive an eARC of John Wiswell’s newest work. While I still had a good time reading it I sadly didn’t connect to it as much as i would have hoped.
The first part of this book felt reminiscent of the tv show Kaos (which I love) due to the humour and levity that it brought to these iconic Greek myths, while not shying away from the darker elements. Then came a rather stark tonal shift that put a solemn blanket on the rest of the book. And for me it lost its humour and unique tone somewhat.
I am a found family girl through and through and yet I sadly can’t say that I felt attached to these characters. While all the monsters we meet along the way are distinct and charming, I surprisingly didn’t get emotionally invested in their relationships. This is not the book’s fault but rather simply the way this one turned out for me.
I did like the complexity of Hera and the way morality gets examined in this book. I also love Granny, a true icon.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an EARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beginning in Olympus, and narrated by the goddess Hera, when Zeus betrays their marriage vows again, he boasts that his son: Heracles will become great.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
rtc. preferred his debut but i think this take on heracles will spur discussion
3.75⭐ rounded up to 4. I have mixed feelings about this one. There are parts that I hated (I know, it’s a strong word, but I had strong opinions about some choices, especially in the first 30%), and others that I absolutely loved. In the end, I think this book wasn’t really for me, but I’m sure other people will enjoy it.
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
This novel is a (non direct) retelling of the 12 Labours of Hercules, but with a humanizing and humorous twist. Themes explored include family, infidelity, trauma and PTSD, grief, atonement, forgiveness, etc. It sounds VERY light at first, but there are some very heavy topics along the way, including infanticide. Overall, it’s equal parts fun and devastating. I love Wiswell’s sharp and clever writing style. However, there’s a lot of swearing in this one --- and coming from the gods, it gave me the ick. The dual narration with 1st person POVs also includes a lot of “speaking” to someone else through prayer. I was not a fan, but maybe that’s just me!
If you enjoy Greek mythology retellings with loveable sidekicks (this is the ULTIMATE ragtag bunch of misfits!) and comedic relief, but also parts that will absolutely crush your soul, you’ll probably enjoy this one!
Tropes to expect: found family, the “chosen one,” gods among humans, demigods and mystical creatures, disaster dominoes, kindness is strength, divine politics, good intentions but bad consequences.
❤️ Flawed characters
❤️ Purrseus and Boar
❤️ Subtle wisdom
❤️ Hera’s emotional arc
❤️ Complex relationships
❤️ Interaction with Atlas
❌ Inconsistent tone
❌ Flip from comedy style to casually murdering children and back to comedy style
❌ “dipshit husband” x 40
❌ Weird ace rep
❌ Heracles’ childish tone (“Auntie Hera” and “papa Zeus”)
Trigger warnings: violence, blood and gore, death and grief, child death, infanticide, infidelity, manipulation, emotional abuse, fire and fire injury, panic attacks / disorders, injury and injury detail, abandonment, war, torture, etc.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
This novel is a (non direct) retelling of the 12 Labours of Hercules, but with a humanizing and humorous twist. Themes explored include family, infidelity, trauma and PTSD, grief, atonement, forgiveness, etc. It sounds VERY light at first, but there are some very heavy topics along the way, including infanticide. Overall, it’s equal parts fun and devastating. I love Wiswell’s sharp and clever writing style. However, there’s a lot of swearing in this one --- and coming from the gods, it gave me the ick. The dual narration with 1st person POVs also includes a lot of “speaking” to someone else through prayer. I was not a fan, but maybe that’s just me!
If you enjoy Greek mythology retellings with loveable sidekicks (this is the ULTIMATE ragtag bunch of misfits!) and comedic relief, but also parts that will absolutely crush your soul, you’ll probably enjoy this one!
Tropes to expect: found family, the “chosen one,” gods among humans, demigods and mystical creatures, disaster dominoes, kindness is strength, divine politics, good intentions but bad consequences.
❤️ Flawed characters
❤️ Purrseus and Boar
❤️ Subtle wisdom
❤️ Hera’s emotional arc
❤️ Complex relationships
❤️ Interaction with Atlas
❌ Inconsistent tone
❌ Flip from comedy style to casually murdering children and back to comedy style
❌ “dipshit husband” x 40
❌ Weird ace rep
❌ Heracles’ childish tone (“Auntie Hera” and “papa Zeus”)
Trigger warnings: violence, blood and gore, death and grief, child death, infanticide, infidelity, manipulation, emotional abuse, fire and fire injury, panic attacks / disorders, injury and injury detail, abandonment, war, torture, etc.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes