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addydeejreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-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
I have a love hate relationship with retellings. There really is no in between so picking this one up was tentative but it was wholly worth it. I absolutely loved this from the writing style to the characters everything just felt right.
Sure this had all the fixings for someone familiar with the Hades and Persephone story but it really stood on it's own two legs. Set in an alternate modern day society in the "underbelly" that is beyond the River Styx in the biggest, best and most renowned casino owned by the myth himself, Hades. Truly, this man is so behind the scenes people literally question his existence. But for family, he'd do anything and by anything, it meant showing up to a production being put on in his theatre. Something new and fantastical and Dionysus would not have Hades miss it.
Enter Persephone, our badass aerial performer, the star of the show. She immediately catches Hades attention and the rest is history as they say. The story gives almost mafia type vibes where territories are sectioned off and everyone has their place. They don't interfere or there could be "war". I think fans of motorcycle club romances or mafia type stories would find a kinship with this story. I certainly did.
I loved this story so much, it's my favorite retelling to date and I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series.
The cast is unapologetically Black and Brown, there's some of the most wholesome Trans. rep I've read (I don't speak for the community I'm only going by what I know and have read in the past), and the spice gave in EVERY way. The relationships that are explored don't just stop at one thing and don't fall flat and not just of the sexual variety. Friendships, family and hierarchy dynamics are explored but weaved together so intrinsically that one cannot exist without the other.
Sure this had all the fixings for someone familiar with the Hades and Persephone story but it really stood on it's own two legs. Set in an alternate modern day society in the "underbelly" that is beyond the River Styx in the biggest, best and most renowned casino owned by the myth himself, Hades. Truly, this man is so behind the scenes people literally question his existence. But for family, he'd do anything and by anything, it meant showing up to a production being put on in his theatre. Something new and fantastical and Dionysus would not have Hades miss it.
Enter Persephone, our badass aerial performer, the star of the show. She immediately catches Hades attention and the rest is history as they say. The story gives almost mafia type vibes where territories are sectioned off and everyone has their place. They don't interfere or there could be "war". I think fans of motorcycle club romances or mafia type stories would find a kinship with this story. I certainly did.
I loved this story so much, it's my favorite retelling to date and I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series.
The cast is unapologetically Black and Brown, there's some of the most wholesome Trans. rep I've read (I don't speak for the community I'm only going by what I know and have read in the past), and the spice gave in EVERY way. The relationships that are explored don't just stop at one thing and don't fall flat and not just of the sexual variety. Friendships, family and hierarchy dynamics are explored but weaved together so intrinsically that one cannot exist without the other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Gun violence
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