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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
This book was ok. If you’re looking for quality smut, this was a VERY slow burn, but there are many more in the series…so maybe it will get to that. There are other series that have a stronger female lead (see note below), and I am more drawn to those. It follows a pretty classic heteronormative, bad boy who falls for the girl story line in fantasy romance/smut books.
I knew almost nothing about Greek mythology before picking up this book. But what I did know was woven into the story, which I appreciated. Then (rape trigger warning) I mentioned to a friend (who teaches classic Greek literature) I was reading a book about Persephone and she said, “is it about Hades raping her?” This isn’t part of the story line, but there is a level of control that, after being made aware of it, made me uncomfortable finishing the book with it any mention of force. There was a choice made to not include this element in Persephone’s perspective in book 1 (book two is from Hades perspective, which right now, I am not too interested in, but may shift with time), and that also makes me inclined not to pick up the second book.
I knew almost nothing about Greek mythology before picking up this book. But what I did know was woven into the story, which I appreciated. Then (rape trigger warning) I mentioned to a friend (who teaches classic Greek literature) I was reading a book about Persephone and she said, “is it about Hades raping her?” This isn’t part of the story line, but there is a level of control that, after being made aware of it, made me uncomfortable finishing the book with it any mention of force. There was a choice made to not include this element in Persephone’s perspective in book 1 (book two is from Hades perspective, which right now, I am not too interested in, but may shift with time), and that also makes me inclined not to pick up the second book.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun and easy to read, however it’s heavy on the spice with very little action. Persephone does a lot of dumb things for how smart she’s supposed to be, and Hades is super one-dimensional. The reader is told too early he’s not wicked, just misunderstood… I think drawing this out a little longer and actually showing him torturing some souls could have been a lot more interesting to read. He’s so perfect, he’s almost boring.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was okay. I found myself skimming a decent amount of early-mid inner dialogue because it just didn’t seem to fit with the MC’s words and actions. I got more into it the further into the book, but that was really always present. I’m not going to continue on in the series, but I can see that there’s something there I do like, and I’d like to try something else by this author at some point.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm being generous with my rating. This isn't a three-star book, but I had fun reading it, and I'll probably read the next book in the series.
Oh my goodness! I could not put this book down. The story is phenomenal and characters are addicting. It's exactly what I want in a story. I can't wait to start reading book #2. I recommend this whole heartily and can see a re-read in my future.