I love a good retelling of Greek myth, and I loved seeing that this was about a goddess who is often overlooked or thought of as a side character in the Persephone/Hades story.

The beginning of the story was very strong and an interesting take on what happened as the Olympians were in their father's stomach. But it was somewhere around the first LONG chapter that my attention started to wane. While the story was good, the longer chapters made it feel dragged out and I just could not keep hooked into the story.

I did make it to the end, but it felt begrudgingly so. Which I feel like really affected how I felt about this book in the end. It's a good book, I just wish that it had been spaced out better as far as chapters went. On the plus side it is a short book so that did help.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for this review.

Apologies for my delay, I’ve had a very hectic few months.

Finally a retelling of the Homeric hymn to Demeter that ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON DEMETER. Thank you

This book was published before The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift’s latest album, was released, but I feel it really hits the same note that Taylor does in her album. This book and Demeter are very “Female Rage: The Musical”/“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” coded, and these are the stories the world (and I) needs! Demeter is here to tell you that she definitely would pick the bear… but goddess help the man who stands between her and her daughter.

I loved mythology as a kid but have largely forgotten a lot of it, and this tale of Persephone and Hades from Demeter’s perspective is also really a tale of Demeter’s origin story and maybe a hint that she is pretty underrated! I really enjoyed the way Demeter’s family both helps and hurts her, and the way she and Persephone both change after losing their innocence, and have to accept these changes in themselves and in each other. Both have to be stronger, harder, more independent after the men in their lives let them down.

This book depicts an imperfect, but powerful woman who has been discounted, imprisoned, oppressed, and marginalized, even as a goddess, and the messy, wrathful way she finally strikes back. It is a quick read, dropping you right into the brutal world of Ancient Greece immediately, and it doesn’t ask for you like it - it demands your respect and keeps on moving even while you are still deciding. This is a quick read, a bit less weighty than some others of this genre, such as Circe, but a lot more engaging than stories like The Women of Troy, and I recommend it!

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

DNF. Lost interest in the characters and the story. It had a great concept but it was't executed wonderfully. But the fact that I am getting pretty tired of Greek myth retellings also probably affected my enjoyment of Winter Harvest, but that is just personal preference.

I have a great interest in Greek mythology, so when I stumbled upon a book about Demeter, I immediately requested it. It's rare to find books that are written from the perspective of lesser-known Greek gods and heroes, and Demeter is one of those lesser deities. Her daughter's story has been told countless times in modern times, but not often from her own point of view. I enjoyed how Ioanna Papadopoulou began the story from the beginning of the gods' creation. The story was intriguing and kept me engaged throughout. I was eager to see how it would unfold from Demeter's perspective, and Papadopoulou did not disappoint. This book is a great addition to anyone's collection of Greek mythology retellings.

I'm not sure I've ever read (or seen, though it's possible I've missed titles) a Greek retelling revolve around Demeter. She's often overlooked, especially in favor of retellings about Persephone and Hades. So I really wanted to read this, and I quite liked it! Winter Harvest takes us on a journey of her life, from her birth to the kidnapping of her beloved daughter, and so we see a lot of sides to Demeter and I appreciated the story for what it was. Definitely recommend!

I've read plenty of books featuring the story of Persephone and Hades but I I've always wondered about Demeter's side of this story. This book was really interesting and I will definitely recommend this to people who enjoy reading (Greek) Mythology stories.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I love a book about Greek mythology! I also love that it’s about Demeter! That was usual but well received. This book was dark and mournful. Full of female rage. I loved it

This book is exceptionally dark as it chronicles the life of Demeter, spanning from her birth to the infamous kidnapping of her daughter. I appreciate the emotional depth, portraying her as flawed and wounded, yet resilient. The theme of female empowerment and resistance against the toxic male influence is prominently featured. It seems the writer aimed to retell Greek legends in a traditional manner, but having encountered more innovative renditions, I personally found this version somewhat lacking in dynamism, especially as I progressed beyond the halfway point. Given my preference for lyrical prose, I feel this book may not align with my taste. However, I still recommend it to others who may find it more appealing.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

Greek retellings are not always my favorite, but this one absolutely hit the spot. It took me a while to get through it, and I had to download it on a different platform to finish, but it was really good and I am glad I went to the effort to get it finished!

A lovely, well written rendition of lesser known Greek myths by a Greek author (publishers, take note! We want more of that!) In most fiction, Demeter is the secondary character of Hades and Persephone. A great story in of itself, but Ioanna Papadopoulou sheds light on the lesser known, but just as compelling, aspects of Demeter's story. The prose was excellent, the characters well-developed, all buoyed by modern feminist themes.

Traditional Greek storytelling at its finest.

Very much looking forward to seeing what this author does next.

In Austen's immortal words, if I loved "Winter Harvest" less, I might be able to talk about it more. I had an inkling I would love this book when I first read the description, my optimism checked into caution only by the author's review here on Goodreads which mentioned dragon companions - unfoundedly thinking this may veer into the dry humor of recent Disney movies. Luckily the book never veered into that territory. The worst "offense" that comes to mind is the use of "ok", which felt slightly out of place, but that's quite easy to overlook in the grand scheme of things.

What Ioanna Papadopoulou gives us with her novel is a poignant tale of loss, grief and trauma. A coming-of-age story, if you will, though not one of an adolescent but a goddess growing into her own, unfold the full potential of her power, and carve herself out a place in a world seemingly entirely claimed by her brothers.

This is not, by any means, an easy work to process, I had to unpack it bit by bit, it gets heavy at times, but ultimately it's worth the time you spend with it. This is not to say that the book lacks any humor:

"'He is my descendant,' he growled. 'You humiliated me!' His tone made him sound betrayed, as if I had broken a promise to him.
'Have better descendants, then,' I simply said. 'None of mine have caused me such hubris as your grandson.'"

Easily one of the best books on Greek mythology I 've read this year.

This book is a mixed bag for me, and I think how much someone enjoys it is entirely dependent on the amount of Greek mythology you’ve been exposed to in the past.

The novel follows a classic Greek mythology fave, the evolution of the Olympians and the Hades/Persephone story, but all from the perspective of Demeter. Following the mother of everyone’s favorite goddess is an unconventional choice, particularly given the frequency with which retellings of Persephone exist in popular literature right now (I’m looking at you, Lore Olympus, my love, my light ❤️). The blurb for this novel stated that following Demeter allows for a feminist retelling, and a humanization of the goddess often villainized in Persephone’s story. And while I think some of that goal is achieved with this book, there were narrative choices that made the read itself feel difficult.

Another review I read stated that this book was great as a return refresher to Greek mythology. I completely agree. For those unfamiliar with the stories, lore, and relationships, this novel is a sweeping and well-written piece that brings the reader into the world of mythology and gods. For anyone who is well-versed in the stories, however, I find that it falls a bit short. There are some nuances added to the tale of Demeter, but without many more adjustments made to the narrative structure, or a change to the time and place of the story (like many retellings being placed in modern day or alternative universes), this just reads like an old myth. Perhaps that was the goal of the writer, to recreate Greek legends in the way they’re traditionally told, but as someone who has read more innovative versions of this tale, I personally just found it a bit dry and slow.

I reiterate that there is a lot of exciting potential here, and the feminist lens of the story works. Purely from a structural narrative angle, I’m lowering my rating, as it just made me a bit bored. For all of the above, this is between 2.5-3 ⭐️s, rounded to 3 total.

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This book really surprised me! When I started it, I wasn't sure how I felt about the writing in the beginning, but as the story went on, it made more and more sense why it was written the way it was. Winter Harvest has become one of my favorite reads this year! After so many retellings of Hades and Persephone, hearing from the perspective of Demeter, Kore's mother, was an interesting change. Ioanna Papadopoulou writes Demeter's story in First-Person POV. There's a lot of repeating in the beginning of the book, but I thought to myself, this is her birth and how her life started inside the stomach of Kronos, the titan. She is a very powerful being, who has just been swallowed by her father. She experienced the world in one moment and has never known the love of a parent or taught anything. Not only that, but she doesn't know who or what she is, it's no wonder her thoughts are repetitive. As she becomes more powerful and aware of who she is inside, her thoughts become more stimulating. Her journey from birth to after she creates the seasons and deals with the aftermath of trying to get her daughter back, is excruciating! The things that female Goddesses go through compared to their male counterparts is atrocious, but as this is Ancient Greece, I am not surprised. The book is dark like mythology tends to be. The author does not sugarcoat how difficult and disturbing those myths are, with more details in-between. There are instances of rape, child abuse, child abandonment, and relationships between the God-siblings. If you do not shy away from these themes, I strongly recommend you read Winter Harvest. Having finished the book, I wouldn't change anything the author wrote or her style. Ioanna wrote Demeter exactly how I imagined her and I devoured every page! Demeter's path is a hard one, but reading about her struggle and growth was empowering. I cannot imagine loosing my child, I would be devastated! Demeter had to change inside and out to be strong enough to face her brothers and get Kore back. I also would do anything for my son and this book shows that a mother's love knows no bounds!

🍁Tropes🍁

▪️Greek Mythology Retelling
▪️Motherly Rage
▪️Winged Serpents
▪️Vengeful Goddess
▪️Dysfunctional Family Dynamics
▪️Dark Themes

I very much enjoyed this dark, imaginative debut, which shows us a version of Demeter that tends to be overlooked.

Ioanna Papadopoulou weaves a violent tale about loss and finding kinship in unexpected places. The author's knowledge of the Greek landscape and the lesser-known myths surrounding Demeter both show the need for more retellings by Greek authors.

Thank you Netgalley for granting me the opportunity of reading this book in preview!

"Winter Harvest" was such an unexpected surprise! I discovered it on Netgalley and instantly found it intriguing from the plot and what it entailed. Persephone's abduction but from Demeter's point of view? Motherly rage? A Greek myth retelling written by an actual Greek author? Oh my, I was definitely going to read it.

We're introduced to Demeter's life since her birth, from the moment she was eaten by her father, Kronos, to the consequences of her daughter's kidnap. The reader can easily enter into the Goddess's mind, her feelings are well-described and it's impossible not to empathize with her, especially after the first chapter which I found a bit too long. After Zeus came and rescued all his siblings from Kronos's stomach, Demeter made a difficult choice that gave her Kore and freedom. She became Goddess of the harvest and agricolture, but a darkest and far more dangerous power lived in her. A monster has haunted her since her birth, something she had always pushed away in fear and confusion. And yet, when Poseidon-- the little brother who had clung to her like a parasite since his birth-- rapes her, Demeter can't resist anymore and embraces her true nature. The Goddess starts understanding that the power of giving life is strictly linked to stealing it back.
From the moment of Kore's abduction, death falls over her beloved nature, causing distress not only among humans, but also between the Gods. But Demeter won't hold back and will not restore life until she gets her daughter back.

Demeter's action can't be neither demonized nor justified. After all, she isn't human and she made abundantly clear how she doesn't care about them. As a greater being, her morals can't be compared to that of humans. The author did a great job characterizing Demeter, she's a goddess through and through and her behavior proved her nature page after page. Not even an action she did was out of character. Her fear, anger, repulsion, and sorrow were able to jump off the pages, they were real and tangible even if felt by a higher being.

Before approaching this book, please beware of the trigger warnings that may affect you if you're sensible readers. A certain scene made my stomach turn in anger and disgust, it was so vivid and painfully realistic that I had to stop reading for a little while.

Winter Harvest is written in first person narration and it allows you to get closer to Demeter. Even though it's clear that the writing style is still slightly immature, it reached its goal.
I have finally found a book about Persephone that didn't romanticize her story, but narrated the events in a much more authentic way. Demeter's rage as a mother who lost her child represented the real protagonist of this book, a wild and vendicative monster that grew and grew until it took hold of her body. Demeter understood the extent of her powers and how they were essential to Zeus's reign and she used at her vantage.

But did Winter Harvest have an happy ending? I don't think so. Even after Kore returned to her mother, she wasn't her old self anymore, but the Queen of the Underworld. She changed her name into Persephone and kept death close to her. Demeter would never have her child back, she had forever lost her along with who she once was before Kore's abduction. Everything was taken from her and she took everything from the world in turn.

Winter Harvest is a tale of anger and grief. Of loss, both of family and dignity. Of life and hope. Feminine rage sweeps through those pages like a venomous snake, a reptile that will not hold back, but that will spread its poison until its agonizing wrath is soothed. And yet, it will never be enough.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Ghost Orchid Press for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book incorporates Greek myth starting from the birth of the Olympians, to the marriage of Persephone and Hades, as told by her mother, Demeter. I thought it was very interesting to get into the mindset of Demeter, as despite being the goddess of the harvest, we can see how much rage and control she desires for herself and her own life - as well as her daughters’. I enjoyed getting into Demeter’s head, as there were multiple instances of the Greek myths I had never considered, and this gave a personal in-depth view of the situations and the emotions tied to them.

The story starts with Demeter being swallowed by her father, and we spent a lot of time in that dark place with her and her siblings. I really enjoyed this, as I had never considered the relationship of the gods and goddesses in their father’s stomach, and the differences in their relationships to each other versus with Zeus. I also enjoyed how calculating Demeter could be, with asserting that she would have more power than her sisters and that she would become a mother but not a wife.

When Kore is captured, we can feel Demeter’s pain as she stops the harvest and poisons the world, almost killing all life on earth in the process. I also thought it was interesting how, while she considers herself different from her brothers, she in many ways thought of and treated humans and lesser immortals the same, if only in a different way. She feels her pain is larger than anyone else could experience, and only her pain matters in the grand scheme of things. Personally, I really liked this selfish take on Demeter, as it helped the reader to understand that even though her pain and emotions are similar to ours, she is still a goddess and considers herself such.

Honestly, I was a bit worried about how the story of Kore/Persephone was going to go, as in this story she was kidnapped without her consent, but the evolution of Kore into Persephone was well done. I liked how originally Hades wished to marry Demeter, but when he found Kore he realized he loved her rather than her mother, and even though he “kidnapped’ her, he did technically go through the proper channels for a marriage by asking her father for permission. And then even after she was kidnapped, he waited until Kore accepted him as her husband and transformed into Persephone, becoming a different goddess altogether, with her newfound power.

If you like Greek mythology focused on the women in the storytelling, and always liked the retellings of Persephone and Hades, but always wondered what her mother felt about it all (other than forcing the changing of the seasons in her grief), this is a great book to read. The characters in this book are both realistic and larger than life, showing that while the gods and goddesses have the same emotions as humans - they are still divine and do not adhere to the same rules.

One of my top interests as a child was Greek Mythology. I read every book I could get my hands on. My interest has almost entirely died out because everything is about Hades and Persephone now. I loved the story when I was young, but I absolutely hate them now. Hades is always a creep the author tries to trick us into liking and Persephone is just irritating.

I went into this novel knowing that as we follow Demeter through her life that clearly Persephone and Hades would come up, but she kept the story about Demeter and that’s why it works so well. The author is a great job of showing the light and dark sides of Demeter, her desperation to get her daughter back, her rough life, and even showed her as a monster. She is not always a good person, but I can understand her pain and empathize with her actions.

The scenes we do have with Persephone are actually good, because the author didn’t choose to make her a cry baby who cannot make up her mind. Demeter is a strong woman, and so is Persephone.

This is one of the few mythology books I’ve read in the last ten years where it’s clear the author actually knows what she is talking about. She hasn’t read just one story and fabricated it into a novel. I am interested to see if she writes more about Greek mythology.

Special thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.