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A review by gxcons
Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
2.5
I kept up with this Webtoon sometime in 2019 or 2020 so when I came across a printed version in a bookstore recently I thought, good for the author!
After reading the first volume, I'm trying to figure out if a) my personal taste has matured and changed quite a bit in the past 4/5 years, b) if my standards and what I seek in online content (i.e. online comics, fanfiction) differs greatly from what I want to read in published lit, or even c) my taste in online content has evolved recently.
-The romance between Hades and Persephone is the selling point for everyone here, right? But in this volume at least, there's nothing to really work with. She has a crush on a mysterious older man; he's immediately head over heels for a pretty, young girl. Seeing the friendship blossom between them later will surely help, but so far...
-It's hard to judge the pacing on this since Webtoons are updated on a schedule as opposed to putting together a traditional graphic novel.
-The update on Greek myth and different figures kept my interest.
-On the topic of the sexual assault at the end of this volume, it was handled with care, will continue to be in later volumes, and the original TWs in the original Webtoon were at the beginning of the book. I understand how the topic is relevant to Greek myth and modern experiences, I just don't know what removing that aspect of the myth from the original couple to make it a sanitary romance then using it with a different character accomplishes.
-There aren't any page numbers!
On the art specifically:
-A bright and fun color palette. I agree with another review that mentions Hades could use some brightening up or something to help separate him visually from the dark backgrounds of the Underworld.
-The sexualization of Persephone is *bonkers* and, so far, not on par with Hades.
-The binding and look of the hardcovers is very pretty.
I'll continue to read some more volumes, but I wouldn't recommend this: if you're looking for a thoughtful Hades/Persephone retelling; traditional graphic novel enthusiasts; if you don't like your romance with a high dose of online tropes/language/fanfic vibe.
After reading the first volume, I'm trying to figure out if a) my personal taste has matured and changed quite a bit in the past 4/5 years, b) if my standards and what I seek in online content (i.e. online comics, fanfiction) differs greatly from what I want to read in published lit, or even c) my taste in online content has evolved recently.
-The romance between Hades and Persephone is the selling point for everyone here, right? But in this volume at least, there's nothing to really work with. She has a crush on a mysterious older man; he's immediately head over heels for a pretty, young girl. Seeing the friendship blossom between them later will surely help, but so far...
-It's hard to judge the pacing on this since Webtoons are updated on a schedule as opposed to putting together a traditional graphic novel.
-The update on Greek myth and different figures kept my interest.
-On the topic of the sexual assault at the end of this volume, it was handled with care, will continue to be in later volumes, and the original TWs in the original Webtoon were at the beginning of the book. I understand how the topic is relevant to Greek myth and modern experiences, I just don't know what removing that aspect of the myth from the original couple to make it a sanitary romance then using it with a different character accomplishes.
-There aren't any page numbers!
On the art specifically:
-A bright and fun color palette. I agree with another review that mentions Hades could use some brightening up or something to help separate him visually from the dark backgrounds of the Underworld.
-The sexualization of Persephone is *bonkers* and, so far, not on par with Hades.
-The binding and look of the hardcovers is very pretty.
I'll continue to read some more volumes, but I wouldn't recommend this: if you're looking for a thoughtful Hades/Persephone retelling; traditional graphic novel enthusiasts; if you don't like your romance with a high dose of online tropes/language/fanfic vibe.