𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐳𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐝.

This is a “contemporary reimagining of the myth of Persephone and Demeter”, but this tale takes camp counselor Cory Ansel, eighteen and desperate to avoid going home to her fierce, successful single mother in New York, and offers her up to the middle-aged CEO of a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, Rolo Picazo. It is Cory’s last day of work at River Rock (her old summer camp), the only freedom she has from the failures she has left behind, when the father of her charge, a high-strung little boy named Spenser, offers her an escape. His hungry eyes have a hypnotic effect, she is Spenser’s favorite counselor and now, his father’s favorite too. He seems to know a lot about her, that her ‘gap year’ is really the fact she didn’t get into the prestigious colleges her mother wanted her to, nor in fact did she get into any of her safety schools. This directness about him and sudden intimacy bothers her at first, but then draws her in. He tells her she doesn’t know what she wants, she just turned 18, he analyzes her to perfection, and offers her a good chunk of money to work for him, caring for his son and little girl, Fern. Why not? The pressure her mother puts on her to succeed is impossible, in fact when she texts her mother about her ‘internship’ with Rolo, she expects it to be met with the usual barrage of questions, skepticism. It’s too late, she has thrown her lot with the family of three.

The boat they board takes them to the island Rolo’s home is on, bringing Cory closer and closer to a seductive experience, but further from her mother’s reach. The house and everything in it are beyond luxurious, but it is the ruby-colored gel caps that promise adventure. Still pending FDA approval, but superior to anything on the market in many ways, he convinces her the pill is harmless, if she uses discretion. People can become addicted to anything, even soda, can’t they? Swallowing one, she erupts with pleasure, her days are spent watching the children, the afternoons partaking of the “fruit of the dead” with Rolo, and she is soon partying in the night with the workers at the shanty or locked in passion. She is often reckless, as naïve as a newborn babe, hungering for fun, freedom, release. She is acting out, free of her mother’s constraints, but is she truly unshackled? Rolo lustfully compliments her but there are also moments when he lords his power over her, forbidding Cory things, scolding her like a child. He swears she is special, that he didn’t bring her with him to be ordinary. Elsewhere, her mother Emer is the head of an agricultural NGO running out of funding and dealing with the failure of their seeds, she should be focused on that, instead it is the lack of messages from her daughter that swallows her. She thinks of her beautiful girl Cory as careless, difficult, spoiled, ignorant, and if she is honest with herself, neglected- Emer didn’t arm her as well as she had hoped against dangerous men or the ugly, harsh world. Is she being overprotective? Gnawing on all the deadly possibilities, she can’t help but assume the worst about the man her daughter has foolishly run off to ‘intern’ for. What she digs up has her hell bent on rescuing her girl. Is she too late? Does Cory need to be saved?

I enjoyed the story; the choices Cory makes throughout speak volumes of her youth. She certainly sees what she wishes were true and doesn’t give much credence to her qualms about Rolo. The suffocating frustration and resentment that children coming into adulthood feel against their parents comes across as genuine too. It doesn’t mean she hates her mother, it’s more she hates that she needs her and that her mother finds her lacking as a person. Emer, on the other hand, loves her daughter but hates her weaknesses (reminders of a time she let loose herself). It was a creative way to confront Persephone and Demeter for a modern-day audience. I liked it, I wanted to smack sense into Cory, much as I am sure looking back at my own young self would cause such a reaction. I think the ending is solid, the interaction between Cory and Emer. I look forward to Rachel Lyon’s next novel.

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Scribner

Cody had a not-great senior year of high school, and the aftermath of that is that she wasn't accepted to any colleges. She did manage to get a summer job as a junior camp counselor at the camp she's spent every summer at, which is good, but when camp wraps up, she's not looking forward to returning home. Then, the father of one of her charges makes her the offer of a job as babysitter to his two kids for the rest of the summer, until they are returned to their mother. The job is on his private island, where there's no cell phone service, and she has to decide immediately and sign an NDA, but she decides to take the job.

Emer isn't having a great time, either, discovering on a trip to China, that the new rice varietal that the non-profit she heads has failed, leaving the farmers they'd enticed with promises of higher yields, left destitute. Now she's fighting to keep the non-profit afloat, to find a solution, and also getting a few vague texts from her daughter about an internship for an unspecified businessman, but receiving no answer to her own calls and texts. She decides that despite the turmoil at her workplace, she has no choice but to go find her daughter.

This is loosely structured on the story of Demeter and Persephone, and it's a lot of fun to see the elements of the myth arising in different guises. There are two entertwined stories here; a single mother's search for her daughter and the story of a very young woman who isn't sure what she wants to do with the next few years, let alone her life and how she feels her way towards maturity while existing in a place designed to thwart thought and reason.

Lyon writes with nuance and understanding from both the viewpoint of a directionless young woman and her over-extended mother, creating two characters in conflict but who also deeply love each other. She also manages to make Emer's fear for her daughter as she learns where she is and who she is with compelling and urgent while also showing Cory as curious and eager to be included in with the grown-ups. Lyon is juggling two different stories here and she does so in a way that makes both fascinating and real.

This book felt like I was reading a Greek tragedy while on an acid trip. Some parts felt too long and drawn out while other parts didn’t give me what I wanted. It was beautifully written but definitely not something I would recommend if you weren’t into lit-fic.

also I felt so smart when I figured out that the Granny’s she’s taking is actually just a play on words for pomegranate seeds - it was like a wink wink

I have always loved the myth of Hades And Persephone. This was a fun take on that story. One of the most unique stories I have read in a long time. I recommend this one especially if you love fresh new takes on mythology.

I'm so sad this one was not for me! I think the concept really melded with what I tend to love in fiction book with Greek Mythology themes (nothing like drawing a moth to a flame with me and hades/persephone retellings), but the story and characters felt underdeveloped in the end for my tastes. I think this could work for a reader who enjoys a mother/daughter alternating POV story, but I could understandably see many becoming quite frustrated with Cory as a character. I didn't feel like the ending was too satisfying, either. Perhaps I'll be called to try this one again later and I hope it gels with me more then!

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for me!

I am normally all in for a contemporary retelling of myth, but this one just did not hit for me. It wasn't bad, I just couldn't really sink into it. There were chapters that felt way longer than they needed to be and it didn't really feel unique.

I was really excited for this one because I love the story of Persephone, and so often in retellings, the focus is on Persephone and her relationship with Hades, so I was instantly intrigued when I discovered this retelling focused more on Persephone and Demeter’s mother/daughter relationship.

Cory, anxious and directionless, was a great take on Persephone, and Emer, a workaholic mother was also a great representation of Demeter. The side characters were interesting, as well, and I felt the book did an excellent job following the heart of the original myth while being different and contemporary. I also must mention Rachel Lyon’s prose was beautiful, and I fully intend to read more of her work in the future.

My only qualms with this book was the ending fell a bit flat for me, and some chapters felt exceedingly long, likely because of the lack of active dialogue and connections between characters, but I don’t think those details should keep anyone with a love for a good retelling from reading this one.

Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Fruit of the Dead in exchange for an honest review.

This retelling of Demeter and Persephone’s story was transformatively urban. On basic terms it is a retelling of a Greek Myth long told, however, when you dig deeper it is a highlight of the scary realities that face young, vulnerable women everyday.

This is a discovering and rediscovering of oneself in prose that enunciates the normative culture of young women being seduced by sad, old men. A promise of a comfortable future and someone to take care of them an enticing pill to swallow. What I could appreciate was the understanding of the situation through Corey’s eyes, and instead of simply succumbing to a future she had moments of recognition in which she saw herself for who she truly was. Having her mother’s perspective and her own self-discovery as well helped to bluster a story already steeped in languid prose and complicatedly compelling plot lines.

If you’re looking for a more urbanized retelling in a literary fiction context this is the book for you. My only no about this book was the way in which the dialogue was set up. Sometimes I found it hard to read and understand who was saying what and at what times. I can appreciate the different writing technique used to portray the dialogue, but it just wasn’t for me.

oh…so… this is the book.

not like just any regular book, not like any other retelling. this is the? book?

don’t get me wrong the first two chapters i was like toeing the line of DNF-ing. the chapters are incredibly long, the beginning writing kind of dense with the givings of all the characters and place set up.

but then chapter 3, i almost didn’t put this book down. a modern retelling of persephone and demeter and hades and everything i’ve ever wanted in a book. i admit some of the monologue was long winded, some of the story was far fetched but still, once it had my attention it fully had my attention.

i can’t wait to read more from this author!

An interesting read with beautiful prose. I appreciated the mother-daughter themes a lot, and felt sick whenever Rolo joined the picture. I ended up liking Emer’s storyline more than Cory’s, and was really rooting for her to succeed as the story unfolded. Definitely curious to read more by Lyon now!

Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon follows Cory, an 18 year old girl that is trying to get from under her mother's thumb. She is working at a sleep away summer camp while she is trying to decide what her next steps in life will be. She befriends Spencer, an child who is way too young to be at camp. When Rolo, Spencer's dad shows up for the end of the summer. He offers Cory a job as a nanny for the remainder of the summer. Rolo offers her 20,000.00 as compensation for her time. With the money Cory can get out from under her mother's controlling eye. With no cell service on the island Emer, Cory's mother has lost her job in order to figure where she is and take her back home where she belongs. The chapters alternate from Cory's point of view and Emer's. The struggles that they both are enduring for their search to find who they really are.

In "Fruit of the Dead," Rachel Lyon ambitiously takes on the task of retelling the timeless myth of Hades and Persephone, creating a vivid and atmospheric world that brims with potential. While the imagery and setting lay a strong foundation for success, the novel, unfortunately, falls short in execution, leaving readers yearning for more depth in both details and dialogue.

The novel's strengths lie in its rich and evocative imagery, transporting readers to a world that is both haunting and captivating. Lyon skillfully paints scenes that resonate with the mythical undertones of the Hades and Persephone narrative. The atmospheric settings, tinged with an otherworldly aura, create a backdrop that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.

However, where "Fruit of the Dead" struggles is in the execution of its narrative. The novel relies heavily on the internal dialogue of the main characters, leaving the story somewhat one-dimensional. While the internal musings provide insight into the characters' thoughts and emotions, the lack of external dialogue and detailed interactions hinders the overall development of the narrative.

The story seems to unfold primarily within the confines of the main characters' minds, with minimal exploration of the world and relationships beyond their internal struggles. The lack of dialogue outside of internal monologues leaves the reader craving more interaction and engagement between characters. This limitation inhibits the story's ability to fully blossom and explore the potential complexities of the myth it seeks to retell.

Furthermore, the novel occasionally feels rushed, leaving certain elements of the plot underdeveloped. More attention to detail and a deeper exploration of secondary characters could have added layers to the story, enhancing the overall reading experience.

In conclusion, "Fruit of the Dead" is a novel with immense potential, especially in its imaginative retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. The atmospheric imagery sets the stage for a captivating narrative, but the execution falls short due to a lack of detailed external dialogue and underdeveloped elements. Despite its shortcomings, the novel offers a unique perspective on a classic myth, making it a worthwhile read for those drawn to inventive retellings. Rachel Lyon's work, while not without merit, leaves readers yearning for a more robust exploration of the characters and world she has created.

Wow. Wow wow wow. Fruit of the Dead is a contemporary reimagining of Persephone, Hades, and Demeter's story, told in dual narratives between daughter Cory and her mother Emer. We follow Cory's journey with Rolo, a mysterious billionaire parent of one of the camp kids Cory worked with, who offers her a job in nannying at his private island. We then bounce between Emer, who was left with little information on where Cory disappeared to after summer camp and her desperate journey to find her.

I was truly blown away by Fruit of the Dead. Rachel Lyon created such an incredible atmosphere within the novel—it was dark, winding, and lush. Her descriptions were sometimes a bit wordy, but I felt like it truly lended to capturing the vibe of the world Cory was thrust into. I found myself wanting to highlight paragraphs at a time; something about the language and sentence structure just hit me in a way I can't fully describe. But I loved it and devoured it. It was so fun also reading the differences in language between Cory's chapters and Emer's.

What I also loved is Lyon wasn't afraid to deviate from the original myth. There were so many nods (the three dogs representing Cerberus was genius) to the classic myth, but she was able to craft her own story that kept readers on their toes. The first part of the novel, as she set the stage, was a tiny bit slow, but I was racing to finish it by the second half.

The only thing that threw me was that there were no quotations around the dialogue. I got used to it and was able to adjust but it took several chapters to get there.

I'm a little obsessed with this book, if I'm going to be honest. I definitely will want to buy a hard copy for myself once it's out.

Maybe it’s my fault for looking into the myth that Fruit of the Dead is based on before starting it, but knowing that the two protagonists were supposed to be Persephone and Demeter meant this novel felt rather listless. Spoiler for an ancient myth I guess but it’s a given with this book that teenage protagonist Cory (Persephone) is going to be coerced into living with billionaire Rolo (Hades) and that Cory’s mother (Demeter) will find and rescue her daughter. The character arcs are preordained. If I had connected more with this version of the story the predictability wouldn’t be an issue but I never felt much of anything. The character of Cory, who we spend the most time with, felt especially underdeveloped. Her motivations get more unclear with every chapter.

I really want to like this novel. Reminiscing on it now, I feel like I should because of how much of it I like in theory. Depressed teenagers, power imbalanced relationships, motherhood, drug addiction, Big Pharma greed. All these themes are compelling to me, but they just aren’t explored convincingly or with enough depth.

It needs to be said that Rachel Lyon can really write. There are moments in here that are so poetic and well-observed. Especially the early chapters from Cory’s perspective and her painful, teenage apathy that Lyon gets so right. It made me want to read more of her writing. Just maybe not another retelling, please.

A unique yet timeless rendition of the myth and woven with complexity and clarity only Rachel Lyon could do. While knowing the very general plot from the same story we all know, this takes you on ride you’d never have guessed. It’s fresh, different, twisty, and fierce. I absolutely loved Cory and her mother Emer (and the lengths she goes to recover her lost daughter) billionaire islands have never sounded so fun yet daunting.

Unexpectedly brilliant.

The contemporary retelling of Persephone and Demeter gives us two unlikeable characters: camp counselor Cory and her workaholic mother Emer. We focus on Cory’s development as she finds herself first escaping to, but then potentially trapped by, a pharma bro’s private island. There are abundant, rich temptations for a lost young woman which showcase Cory’s ethical and personal development challenges. Meanwhile, her abrupt departure worries her mother, who then departs on a long quest (descent into madness?) to find Cory.

Plot-wise, it’s far fetched only to the same extent it’s based on myth. There is much greater emphasis on character development than plot construction, which might not work for some readers but was great for me.

It’s rare I fixate on certain lines while reading, but some of these hit hard. Excellent prose all around. I can’t speak to how Fruit of the Dead compares to Lyon’s debut, but I will definitely be reading Self Portrait with Boy.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley & Scribner for my e-ARC.

What a unique read! Fruit of the Dead follows freshly-eighteen Cory and her mother, Emer, as Cory decides to take a job being the nanny for pharmaceutical company CEO’s children on a private, secluded island. Written in dual POV, you experience the consequences of Cory’s new job for both main characters.

Let’s take a look at some things I enjoyed about the novel! Rachel Lyon did an excellent job of writing characters both magnetic and grotesque. The descriptions of Rolo (CEO) simultaneously made me want to reread the sentence but also wash my eyeballs out. In addition, from Emer’s POV, it is obvious that Cory sometimes appears as an afterthought, which only added to Cory’s narrative about her mother. Finally, the cover and the title are absolutely stunning!

There were some things I didn’t enjoy as much, however. First, something about the pacing felt off. This resulted in the ending not having much impact on me because it felt rushed and anticlimactic. Second, I wasn’t really invested in the main characters. The prose itself was absolutely gorgeous, but I think the writing style distanced me a bit from the individuals.

Fruit of the Dead earns a solid 3/5 stars from me! Overall, I just felt not smart enough to enjoy this book as others might. If you plan on picking this book up once it releases on March 5, 2024, PLEASE check the content warnings first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC of Fruit of the Dead!

Trying to process what just happened. I felt very uncomfortable reading this, am I supposed to feel better that she was saved by her mother? A narcissistic parent that clearly put too much pressure on a child? I don’t know, it’s hard to read a book and not root for anyone.

Greek Mythology based book was weird but ok read!

Sometimes hard to follow and boring at times. It was interesting but fell flst for me.

Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read and review

A perfectly fine book, but it just didn't work for me and I can't put my finger on why. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.