A review by motherbooker
Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson

5.0

It's an understatement to say that there have been quite a few mythology retellings in recent years. The market is pretty oversaturated. I love them but they are all starting to meld into one. The focus on the women in the stories is absolutely fantastic but they all sort of follow the same formula and I find myself more and more disappointed. So, I wasn't sure how I would feel about Herc. I was excited to get to grips with the character but I knew that it could go either way. Honestly, I had nothing to worry about. This book reignited my passion for these types of books. I didn't expect it but it was just so much to read. This is the kind of book that you get excited to pick up. The book that you think about all day and can't wait until you get home to read it again.

I do feel a bit guilty that my favourite mythology retelling this month has been the one focused on a man. However, I think Phoenicia Rogerson approached this in such a great way. We don't actually hear from the great hero and son of Zeus in the book. Instead, we learn of his exploits from the people around him. The book is split into chapters that are dedicated different characters' points of view. This could be his family, friends, lovers or enemies. We see a different side to the great man and it's not always the pretty picture we might be used to. Heracles is a fascinating figure and a great hero. He does so much that it's sometimes easy to forget his darker side. Many people will remember him for his great labours but not as many will remember the whole killing his wife and children bit. This book doesn't want you to forget that.

We see all sides of his personality here and it will be a big shock to anyone who mostly knows him from the Disney film. Heracles is a stubborn man but a brilliant one. He isn't the most intelligent or sensitive. However, there is something about him. He is popular with men and women alike and flits between lovers with ease. I love that you see so many sides of him and get to know a little about each narrator. Even though they're telling us about Herc, we get to know the people in his life. I would absolutely recommend listening to the audiobook because the various narrators do a great job of giving each character a distinct and fantastic personality through their performance. It's really well done and it brings the book to life.

This isn't the first modern retelling of these stories but it's the first that I can think of that's really leaned into it. Rogerson doesn't mess with the setting but she does take some liberties with the language. It's the kind of thing I would have said I'd hate. I didn't. I actually think the language makes this such a fun and easy read. It stood out from the other mythology-based books that I've read lately. It's not afraid to entertain and use some artistic license. A lot of these stories are silly and I find it a bit weird when retellings don't play with that. I'd love to see what Phoenicia Rogerson did with other characters. I can see that other people won't feel the same. Some die-hard fans won't appreciate how Herc's life plays out but that's fine. For me, this book was an absolute joy to read.

My only real issue was that the ending started to get a bit lost for me. There was just so much to get through and so many characters that it just got a bit much by the end. It's a shame because Herc's death should have been a bigger deal than it felt like it was in the book. Still, that's a minor thing and it didn't ruin my enjoyment. I don't think this is a perfect book but I do think it's a pretty perfect reading experience. Would I say the same thing if I hadn't listened to the audiobook? Who can say? It doesn't matter. The audiobook is well worth tracking down if you're interested in this one.