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eb_rivers 's review for:
Winter Harvest
by Ioanna Papadopoulou
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Please check trigger/content warnings for this book! I really enjoyed seeing Demeter's journey and growth as we follow her from birth to reuniting with her daughter. The author does a great job in making you feel Demeter's sadness, pain, rage, despair, and happiness throughout her life and journey. I loved seeing a new perspective on the events of Persephone's kidnapping, especially from her mother's perspective. I was torn because while I was right along side Demeter using her powers to drain nature to continue her resistance against Zeus, I was also disappointed how humans were just collateral damage. However, I know this was the only way Demeter could fight and I know that no matter who the god was, humans would have been collateral damage anyway.
This book focuses a lot on feminine rage, but I would not entirely call it a feminist retelling. Demeter always complains about how the other gods (usually the male ones) abuse humans (usually women) but does nothing to help other goddess or women and constantly belittles other female immortals and women. For example, with Kore's friends, she diminishes their worth because they are more feminine, only care about marriage (without acknowledging that in this world marriage is the only power they have), and are "lesser" immortal beings. She also goes against the human queen (I forgot her name) after the queen catches Demeter blessing her baby in the fire and panics, like any mother would if they saw their baby being held above a fire, obviously not knowing what Demeter was doing (and that she was actually Demeter). She also chooses the bastard prince to be her hero/prophet when she could have chosen one of the princesses. Demeter constantly complains about men being in power and abusing it, but does nothing to give women power, and also abuses her own power. I know she is not the goddess of women but that doesn't mean she can't help them. Demeter also constantly equates power to worth, believing that less powerful beings do not deserve respect, including other deities.
Overall, while I sympathized and rooted for Demeter during her battle to get her daughter back, I did not like her as much as I wanted.
Thank you to Net Galley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book focuses a lot on feminine rage, but I would not entirely call it a feminist retelling. Demeter always complains about how the other gods (usually the male ones) abuse humans (usually women) but does nothing to help other goddess or women and constantly belittles other female immortals and women. For example, with Kore's friends, she diminishes their worth because they are more feminine, only care about marriage (without acknowledging that in this world marriage is the only power they have), and are "lesser" immortal beings. She also goes against the human queen (I forgot her name) after the queen catches Demeter blessing her baby in the fire and panics, like any mother would if they saw their baby being held above a fire, obviously not knowing what Demeter was doing (and that she was actually Demeter). She also chooses the bastard prince to be her hero/prophet when she could have chosen one of the princesses. Demeter constantly complains about men being in power and abusing it, but does nothing to give women power, and also abuses her own power. I know she is not the goddess of women but that doesn't mean she can't help them. Demeter also constantly equates power to worth, believing that less powerful beings do not deserve respect, including other deities.
Overall, while I sympathized and rooted for Demeter during her battle to get her daughter back, I did not like her as much as I wanted.
Thank you to Net Galley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship