Unique, atmospheric story. It has a very gripping way of pulling you in as a reader with suspense and engaging dialogue. It's a unique retelling of the Roman gods Proserpina (Persephone) and Pluto (Hades). The story has a very gothic, sinister vibe that keeps you wanting to know more of what's going on. It's very character driven and although there isn't much growth (timeline is very short) it shows the strong independent characters without being dull. Wonderful reading experience would totally recommend to anyone who loves Greek retellings of Hades and Persephone story.

Thank you NetGalley and MIRA for the opportunity to read this book. This is my honest opinion

NetGalley gave me this book for free... but that doesn't mean I won't be honest.

Slow, repetitive, tedious...
The payoff isn't worth the time cost. I can usually read a book in a night. This took me a week. I've read 96 books this year and it's only May 3rd. It takes a lot for me not to pick up a book. With this one I had to finish all my active books before I picked this one up again. The characters didn't make me want to stay with them. The one I should have connected with was entitled, whiny, judging, and boring. I wanted a book about the maid when she entered because she was at least unpredictable. I finally read this book when all of my other active books were done. Sadly, it was just okay

In The Garden Of Monsters told me where it was going by chapter 6 and then just took its sweet time getting there. It revealed more about itself later and just continued to drag and drag and drag. By the time the ultimate secrets were revealed I didn't care anymore and I just wanted it to be over. I was tempted to skip to the end because I knew the ending!!! The author told me... Over and over. The foreshadowing was so heavy-handed.

Also, SJM has ruined the surprised of the trope even when blended with the other trope; we can see it coming.

Lastly, the author goes into how much research she put into this book for several pages. (Several several several pages.... ) And yet her character from 1948 uses the word "polyamorous" which wasn't coined until 1966s. It was used famously in print in the 1990s. Are we going to talk about the "fuzzy slippers"? Come on, guys... All that research and you fumble on shoes?

Anyway, not my favorite, but not terrible. Eh... If you like Persephone retellings this is one.

Wow. I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect going in to this book. Mythology retelling are some of my favorites so I figured I’d give this a go. A twisting, turning, eerie, beautiful story. There were plenty of gothic horror vibes and sweeping story telling that ebbed and flowed to keep the reader engaged. At times you felt the tension and stress for Julia. Her feelings for Ignacio were almost palpable. But, let’s be honest, finally an author that gives us all the details of the food! Including links to recipes at the end.

There were times that I forgot the main story was set in the 1950s and it seemed more modern, but that didn’t distract from the overall enjoyment of the book. I will absolutely be reading more from Crystal King.

In The Garden Of Monsters is a love letter to surrealism and fine cuisine. Part mythology retelling, part artistic experience this novel was a unique experience.

The story follows Julia, a young woman with no past but a keen knowledge of history and a passion for art. Julia finds herself invited to the Garden of Monsters - the Sacro Bosco of Bomarzo, Italy - as the great Salvador Dali's muse. She is to act as Persephone, his Proserpina, modeling as the goddess among the stone creatures of the mysterious garden.

But odd things begin to happen upon the arrival of Dali's group to the small village's grand estate overlooking the garden. Their host, Ignazio, smells of smoke and seems to mesmerize everyone around him, the servants don't speak, earthquakes shake the land, and every dish of food seems to contain pomegranate seeds.

Will Julia let herself fall into the sway of Ignazio's charms or will the terror of the monstrous garden be her downfall?

This was a unique take on the Hades and Persephone story. I enjoyed the author's vivid descriptions of the garden, the food, and art - though at times there seemed to be more exposition than character development. I was thoroughly invested in the overarching story and will definitely be picking up the Crystal King's other works, as her prose was vivid and delectable - she has an obvious passion for food, art, and history that is entirely engaging.

This book is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that will leave you mesmerized. It boasts a surrealistic vibe infused with elements of Greek mythology and enigmatic characters such as Salvador Dali and his wife, Gala. The book is so captivating that you won't be able to forget it easily. Once you're done reading, you'll be compelled to research all of the bizarre people and places that you've been introduced to.

Thanks to MIRA books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and HTP/Mira for this ARC.

This was my first Crystal King book, but definitely not the last. I enjoyed the scenery and mystique of this book. I grew up in Greece so when I heard about the retelling of Hades and Persephone, I was all about it and it didn't disappoint!

I really enjoyed the gothic, mystery and the era of this book. I would definitely recommend this!

Thank you again! #inthegardenofmonsters #netgalley

Julia Lombardi has accepted the offer to be a model for the eccentric artist Salvador Dali, but it's more than just modelling that she's in for. Travelling to the Sacro Bosco - Italy's Garden of Monsters - might be the worst or best thing to happen to her.

This retelling of Hades and Persephone had me unable to put the book down. There were so many twists and turns that I could barely make a guess as to what would be happening next. The feelings that Julia had in the Garden resonated with me. I can remember going into the woods as a kid and having the feeling that something was there, watching me, always just out of view, so her feelings after walking into that space were so relatable.

The food that the group ate during the story has me wishing that I could have been there too - I would gladly eat the pomegranate seeds if needed! At first I was unsure why the food was so detailed, but the ending wrapped everything up so nicely!

There were a few things that didn't get explained as much, but they were not integral to the story so I don't feel like it takes away too much

I had a hard time following! I didn’t end up finishing this book. This was definitely a gothic mystery/thriller but also historical fiction? Something was off about the garden, as the reader you knew something was off but this story took way too long to explain in my opinion!

Thank you Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the Arc. I really enjoyed this book. It would be great for a book club. There are so many DETAILS in this story; so many things to pick apart. I am familiar with some mythology lore, especially Greek. I really enjoyed the take on Hades&Persephone/Pluto&Proserpina's story. It is definitely worth the read if you enjoy this subject! 5/5 would totally read again and still feel like I learned more!

if you want to read a Hades x Persephone retelling, but with a nice little twist, lots of delicious sounding food, and a famously eccentric artist, this is the one.

This was WILD and I loved every second of it. My head is still spinning, desperate to unpack every detail with someone. The story is stunningly written and powerfully evocative. I’m not too familiar with the myth, but I’m off to do a deep dive of both the story and the real life Monster Garden. I’d recommend this a million times over. Wow, wow, wow.

Thank you net galley for this e-arc!
I loved it. Have always been a fan of supernatural and then you add romance and I just love it
I also love when the smut is overdone and the book still focuses on the main plot

It was a wild choice to insert Salvador Dali into a Greek/Roman mythology fiction book, but I think Crystal King lives up to it with a surreal story that is spooky, trippy, and mysterious in the best ways. The story follows a young woman who agrees to model for Dali in a historic garden full of giant stone monsters, but everything about the trip goes wrong and starts to trigger strange memories for her that aren't quite of this world. I loved the sensory details in this book and I thought it was well written. That being said, the entire book takes place in one setting and I found it difficult to visualize the garden, which was a big hindrance since there are a ton of scenes where people are running through and navigating the garden. I also would've appreciated being gaslit a little bit more; the suspense of the book is built on the reader's very, very long wait for the protagonist to finally realize who she is, rather than the protagonist and reader simultaneously questioning reality. The ending did not feel as big as the rest of the book. The big revelation fell a bit flat for me and I didn't get as much backstory/love story as I wanted about Persephone and Hades' relationship and how she came to be with him in the first place. It was slightly didactic in my opinion, and certain threads were just not attended to, like the strange servers who worked at the garden and seemed to be possessed by various gods.

I loved the book 4.5 ⭐️

I love mythology, so this was a great read!
The characters were amazing, some were very annoying not going to point fingers

Food was an important part of the story, pomegranates being very important! As in the mythology story! I was worried about the characters Pluto and jack, I had a suspicion about Jack and in the end how he played out was also important to the story I believe.

The ending was amazing I wanted to cry, I was worried, I was excited, I had so many emotions! In the end I was glad that we got a glimpse into the characters life’s after everything ended.

I highly recommend the book!

The best re-imagining of Persephone and Hades I’ve ever read. With a Kubrick-esque atmosphere and twisting lessons in various mythologies, this book had me hooked from page one. I am obsessed.

I was hooked from the cover and description and really glad I got to read this. It had everything that I was looking for in a historical fiction novel and from a fantasy element. It had a unique world and that I was glad I got to read this. Crystal King has a great writing style and enjoyed the way characters were wonderfully written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and can't wait for more from the author.

This was a fever dream of a story. I found the tension between the real world and the mythological world mesmerizing. For most of the story, you are left wondering with Julia what is really happening or what is a dream.

There is a lovely focus on food here that I think could benefit from being highlighted in the blurb. Moreso than Dali's insistence she eat the pomegranate seeds. The food really is just as important as the garden and the mythology of Pluto and Proserpina.

As far as romantic tension goes, this is surprisingly clean. Sex happens, but it's never explicit. It felt rather tame and more focused on the emotions and desire than the physical actions. Which is also surprising to say, given that the Dali couple are living their best poly life over there! (Maybe I've read too much erotica haha.)

Overall, if you want to read a Hades x Persephone retelling, but with a nice little twist, lots of delicious sounding food, and a famously eccentric artist, this is the one.

Breaking new ground in the gothic canon, Crystal King's IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS beguiled me from the very first page. This eerie, sensual, and inventive reimagining of the Persephone myth is a lush fairy tale painted in shadows on a moonlit night. I adored it!

“Attenti al mostro … Beware the monster.”

Since author Crystal King announced her ‘monster’ novel in September 2023, I’ve been patiently awaiting the chance to read it. It’s just as she described it: “Wildly fantastical, mythical and full of Dalinian surrealism.”

Pour yourself a Casanova cocktail and get lost in this Gothic novel, a spectacular retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone. It’s told from the point of view of a model, Julia Lombardi, whom the surrealist painter Salvador Dali brings to the Sacro Bosco (aka The Park of the Monsters) in Bomarzo to paint in 1948.

Location is the key to the success of this gothic tale and King has certainly utilized the power of place. The history of the setting began in the 1500s, when 66 stone statues of mythological beings and monsters were created in a spectacular Rennaissance-style Mannerist garden called Il Sacro Bosco (the Sacred Wood). It was then abandoned for 400 years until it was rediscovered in the 20th century. Above this garden is a medieval palazzo, both the gardens and the palazzo are the setting for this ghostly Gothic novel.

Julia is promised 75,000 lire a day for seven days if she becomes a muse, the physical representation of Proserpina (the mythical Persephone), for the eccentric and fanatic artist, Salvador Dali, at the Palazzo Orsini in Bomarzo. Curious about her history, Julia accepts the offer, hoping to unravel her past. It doesn’t take Julia long to discover that (1) the host, Ignazio, seems to know more about her than she realizes and (2) that she may actually have ties to the mythical queen of the Underworld. I was mesmerized reading King’s story set in a monstrous garden, the border between Julia and Ignazio’s worlds.

I appreciated King’s ode to food and that she paid homage to Dali’s love of food by incorporating recipes featured in his 1971 cookbook. I found myself on Google every page or so, trying to source the food and understand the references to the ancient gods. I must admit to being amazed when I Googled the reference to Meret Oppenheim’s ‘Breakfast in Fun’ and wary when I read of Dali’s insistence in ‘Persephone’ eating the pomegranate seeds. I don’t think I’ll eat another pomegranate without thinking of this book!

I didn’t know much about this infamous surrealist artist prior to reading this book except for seeing (1) (online) his abstract painting of Raquel Welch and (2) seeing (in-person) his 7-foot bronze sculpture of a melting clock, ‘Dance of Time I’ in person in Vancouver for a celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary. This book solidified my understanding of this eccentric human being.

“Sometimes people don’t know what they truly want. Sometimes they are victims of the lies they tell themselves.”

This book, featuring one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, is one you’ll want to put on your TBR list immediately. Perhaps you’ll be amazed, as I was, at Dali’s great love of food.

I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This was such an insane, different book, but in the best way possible.
King has a way to make the thriller moments turn into scary moments, and there was multiple times I had to look over my shoulder or put the book down. The characters were so weird and eccentric despite not being involved with the mythological, ghost story at hand. I especially loved the author's note where King dives into her research into the Monster Park, the history of Dali and Gala, etc.
Overall this was a classic Gothic Thriller. It was mysterious, it was at times scary. It made me think and had MANY shocking moments where I out loud said "WTF IS GOING ON?!" In the end, I loved how everything was tied up and explained. I find that in most books that had me pausing, thinking, and confused throughout the first-half, never truly wrap up the story and leave me staring at the wall for days on end trying to figure out the meaning of life. This book did not do that! This book very easily explained the story, why things happened the way they did, why characters acted the way they acted and I LOVED IT.
For sure will be buying this once published.