I have always been a big fan of retellings of ancient myths, and with Circe and other heavy hitters showing that there can be incredible standouts in the genre I was very excited to read an interpretation of the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros.

Overall, I enjoyed this retelling and would recommend it to fans of this kind of story. I wouldn't say it stands above all other recent entries of retellings, but it certainly isn't a slouch. The characters were mostly believable and endearing (with Eros being a standout for his perspective on the world), but the pacing was slow enough that I noticed it and found myself becoming eager for things to get going.

I really enjoyed this one! What a fun, fresh take on greek mythology.

I can't say I've ever read a take on greek gods quite like this. I especially loved Eros's POV, from his sass and sheer confidence (what a vibrant voice!) to the way the author described his origins and the origins of the gods and humanity. I wasn't quite sure how Psyche would walk onto the page in Eros's POV, even as we watched her grow up in her chapters, and when finally they collided, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.

Admittedly, I haven't followed greek mythology very closely, and I can't say I'm attached to anything. I'm sure there's quite a bit of inaccuracy here and liberties taken, but that doesn't bother me. If anything, I think it's fun to read something wildly different. If you're looking for hard lines though, maybe look elsewhere. If you can set aside your preconceived notions, I think you'll very much enjoy this!

This romantic book contains the myth of Eros & Psyche's cursed love, their meet-cute and how they came to be. Psyche is strong both mentally and physically. She is a warrior who believes she is destined to become a hero. Eros is jaded, and he fears love. He believes it only brings about terrible things. Their story is romantic, magical and loaded with obstacles. If love Madeline Miller and desire mythology and romance this story is sure to be perfect for you. It is easy to read, fascinating and filled with gods, and love. A tale about doomed love and the lengths a god and mortal will go to in order to end up together.

This Greek myth retelling gives us a bold, determined Psyche and an Eros who is completely devoted to her. If you like Natalie Haynes' books, you will love this debut from Luna McNamara.

The romance between Psyche and Eros is great, but the heart of this feminist novel is the relationships between the women. I love the bonds between Psyche and her teacher Atalanta and with her cousin Iphigenia.

My favorite part of this book is a conversation Psyche has with Medusa, who asks her to reflect on what truly makes a monster. Is it the beast she slayed for glory, or she who slaughtered it without provocation? Psyche is incredibly easy to root for as she redefines what heroism means to her.

With the Trojan War as a backdrop to Psyche's story, you get to meet Achilles, Odysseus, and Helen of Troy along with some other amazing characters. This is a great read for fans of Greek myths and retellings.

I received a free digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Release Date: June 13

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm not sure what I expected going into this book, but whatever it was this didn't meet those expectations. I feel like nothing happened. It was hard to connect to the characters and the world. I love Greek myth retellings but this one just lagged. I really considered DNFing multiple times but pushed through. I did think the writing was great but the story itself was lacking.

An interpretation of the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros. It took me a while to get invested in the book due to the author’s writing style. It is told in first person from both the perspective of Psyche and Eros, switching off every other chapter. It’s also told as someone telling you a story that has already happened.

I believe the author does well in crafting a story with believable characters. Psyche is very human when she is eighteen and believes herself a child of prophecy to become a hero slaying monsters. Side characters are also 3-dimensional like Atalanta, Iphigenia, and Clytemnestra, but not Elektra because a child that is six does not talk like that.

This was enjoyable for a few reasons. It showcases the helplessness of many women throughout Greek myth and history but Psyche doesn’t fall into that category. This telling of Psyche and Eros is not only about women’s existence in this time period but also the showing these women trying to help each other navigate those treacherous waters. Sometimes you can help those who are drowning and sometimes you can’t. This myth also is one of the few that isn’t a tragedy.

Though I was not a huge fan of the language the author used to tell the story, just because in comparison I enjoy more flowery prose in mythical retellings, I believe this is highly accessible in its simplicity. There are many people who will enjoy this from the perspective that it is straightforward, as well as told in first person.

Psyche and Eros has always been one of my favorite mythology stories, so I was super excited to read this book. It has a lot of great things, I liked how the author reimagined some of the different aspects and characters, and I will say, if you’re looking for a perfect retelling of the myth-this is not that. This was a fun read!

I’m really upset that the author changed so much, especially from the first chapter. With the rise of Greek mythology retellings, fans of the genre might think that this girlbossification of the classic story is an accurate representation. Psyche is a strong character because all that makes her soft and femme. The author takes that away from her to make her rough and masc in a tired and uninteresting way. There was no reason to have all the side character cameos or set the story during the Trojan War either, it felt so forced. I wish this book was “inspired by Psyche and Eros” without being a retelling. If all the character names and places had been changed and this story lived independent of its inspiration, it could have shone much better. Instead, it feels like a half-baked cash grab.

Year Pub/Re Pub: 6/13/23
Book's cover: very symbolic with arrows, flowers, and a butterfly
Format: e-arc
Source: Thanks for the ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. I voluntarily give an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Page Count: 352
Setting: Greece
Genre: Sci-Fi, historical romance
Tropes: Greek mythology re-imagining, LGBTQ rep., forced proximity, magic
Standalone/Cliffhanger/Part of a Series: standalone
HEA/HFN ending: HEA
Epilogue Included: yes, their little family
Character(s)POV Spoken: H/h alternating POVs

Synopsis/Plot Summary: Psyche is born with a prophecy from the Fates that she will conquer monsters feared by the gods. Her father makes sure she is prepared by receiving a "boy's education," and being trained as a warrior. Eros's love arrows don't have quite the right HEA for his victims.Eros accidently cuts himself on a cursed arrow. Will the prophecy come true and can Eros break the curse?
M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc.: M/F
Representation: LGBTQ, femme fatales
Contains Cheating: no for H/h, but many other gods do
Contains Children: yes, story begins w/ newborn Psyche and moments of her childhood
Flashbacks: yes, stories about the gods. Psyche's strong personality from childhood. Taught to be a warrior by Atalanta.
Amount of Sex In The Book: enough, h was a virgin their 1st time
Overall Smex Rating: 3

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Hero: Eros/Cupid
Hero Description: God of desire who shoots with a bow and arrows to make gods and mortals fall in love, but it always ends badly.
Hero Likability Rating: 3

Heroine: Psyche
Heroine Description: Princess of Mychanae. Trained and educated like a male. Prophecy states she will conquer monsters feared by the gods.
Heroine Likability Rating: 5

Secondary characters:
Zephyrus- god of the west winds, Eros's friend
Aphrodite- goddess of love, Eros's adopted mother- evil, insecure
Alkaios and Astydamia-Psyche's parents
Zeus the Thunderer- king of gods
Atalanta- human huntress who trains Psyche
Iphigenia-Psyche's cousin. Mother and father are Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, was a priestess of Artemis but parents forced her to leave and marry Achilles.

H /h RELATIONSHIP INFO
OW/OM/Exes: no
Cheating Before/During/Outside H/h Relationship: no

CONTENT WARNINGS/TRIGGERS: mentions rape, murder, physical abuse (not to H/ h)

AUTHOR OVERVIEW: Luna McNamara
New or read before & any favorites: new

PERSONAL OVERVIEW
Overall Rating: 4
Do You Recommend This Book: yes
Will You Re-read This Book: yes
Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes

COMMENTS/NOTES: If you liked The Song of Achilles you will enjoy this. There are even a few scenes with Achilles and Patroclus.

New Vocabulary/beautiful words:
loam-fertile soil of clay, Prometheus shaped first humans from clay.
chiton-long woolen tunic worn in ancient Greece
palanquin - cover used to carry someone used in ancient Greece
apotheosis-the elevation of someone to divine status; deification

With all of the Greek and Roman myth retellings, this one stands out to me as one of the better written ones. While the author admits taking some creative liberties, the story of Psyche and Eros is told in beautiful language that captures the wonder and heartbreak the gods can cause.

Here's the deal. I LOVE a good feminist mythology retelling, but this one was not a good one. There's a complete disregard for the traditional outline of Greek mythology. For example, if Psyhce is the granddaughter of Perseus and Andromeda, then she could not possibly be present at Helen's wedding to Menelaus. It's pretty well established that there were 3 generations of the Perseid dynasty before the line of Atreus, of which Agamemnon and Menelaus were the 2nd generation, so IF Psyche is the granddaughter of Perseus and Andromeda, she could not possibly also be the niece of Agamemnon and Menelaus. That's just one of the MANY plot holes that are basic Greek Mythology 101 type problems. I just prefer when my retellings follow the actual myths and retell them while staying fairly loyal to the source material. This one was not for me.

I loved everything about this book from the cover to the plot. I could have read 3000 more words and been happy. I loved these characters

A retelling of the tale of Psyche and Eros from Ancient Greek legends. The writing is fluid, descriptive, and lyrical, leading you along as the story of Psyche, a young woman loved by a cursed God, and Eros, God of Desire, accidentally cursed to love a mortal woman, unfolds.

Though the writing was well-done, at times I felt there was a spark missing from the tale. Instead of a passionate love story, this reads as a history of a story long ago, and you can feel the nostalgia in Psyche and Eros’ recounting of their tale. While that nostalgia evokes a sentimental chord in my heart, the passion missing in the telling of the tale, from the characters’ perspectives, and the implied depth of love between Psyche and Eros which had them fight the Gods to remain together, fell a bit flat.

A quick, light read that would appeal to those interested in descriptive retellings of ancient myths and legends.

A new take on the classic myth of Psyche and Eros, and what a fantastic one it is! The story follows Psyche, the princess of Mycenae who was prophesied to conquer a monster feared by the gods. She was raised as a warrior, trained to fight and kill monsters, something completely at odds with the society she is raised in. She wants nothing more than to become a hero, but she somehow manages to offend the goddess Aphrodite who in turn enlists Eros, the god of desire, to deliver a cruel curse to her. An unexpected thing happens when Eros accidentally pricks himself with the cursed arrow that was meant to curse Psyche to fall in love with the first person she saw and be forever separated from them. Eros the god of desire has never truly been in love, he has spent his time just laying low and living day by day watching humans and the mischiefs of the gods... and now suddenly he is consumed with a desire for Psyche but knows he cannot ever show her his face or else they would be separated. Now Eros and Psyche find each other married, but with gods who scheme to get revenge against Eros, and all his lies... can their love survive and is it true? This was such a fantastic retelling of the story. I enjoyed it so much and it did remain true to the myth while adding in so much more depth and layers. I liked that we got to read from both Psyche and Eros’s POVS and see how both of them fell for the other and how much they both go through to get back together. This is seriously the perfect read for fans of Greek mythology!

*Thanks Netgalley and William Morrow for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

It's a tough road trying to rewrite an already perfect story, especially one that's been told countless times by the great storytellers of history. I can't believe this is McNamara's first novel - it's fantastic. Both romantic, and adventurous, it maintains all the magic of the original story. I loved the appearances by other well-known names in mythology, the references to real events, tying conflicts and persons together in a comprehensive family tree. It could have been saccharine, it could have been a case of celebrity name-dropping, but it was done so well. I can't wait to read more from Luna McNamara in future!

I personally wasn’t getting into the story or feeling invested in the characters. I just read Neon Gods so maybe that’s part of it. But this existed in a weird middle ground where it isn't completely it's own story but it's also *not* the original myth

"Psyche and Eros" is a readalike for people who are looking for more books after "Circe" or "The Witch's Heart."

Psyche and Eros was more than I expected it to be. A rom-com retelling of the myth that fused with hits of literary that just works. I plan on purchasing the hardcover when it comes out.

NetGalley arc reader!

I absolutely loved this take on the myth of Psyche and Eros. The shifting perspectives and fourth wall breaks worked wonderfully with the tale of gods and lovers. Despite the challenges the couple face, the ending is worth it. 10/10 recommend!

Four stars! A truly fun retelling of my favorite greek story. I absolutely loved the characters and the interplay with greek stories.

I found character of Phyche not to work with the classic perception of the story and her training as a hero to make her character less relatable for me. What I loved about the classic mythology is that she is so very human. But as the story progresses I thought the interplay of her story and those of other well known greek females to be inspired and I looked forward to the progression of her character. I was expecting more character development between her and Eros and thought that the romance aspect was lacking depth. But it worked well with the story and overall I truly enjoyed this book. I had picked up this book expecting an adult romance but in reality it is more appropriate for the adult fiction collection.