╰► 3.75/5 ⭐️ 0/5🌶️

I want to thank Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also, fair warning, this review will have spoilers.

Honestly, I think I love anything Hannah releases, she has very quickly become an auto-buy author for me, and I am glad there is someone out there releasing well written retellings that I can consume. I am still new to the world of Greek mythology,  so I am not hyper fixated on what has to be written, and in part, that's why I've been enjoying her novels so much. Some things to consider, this book is written in first person, which is different from other retellings Hannah has previously written. Personally, I prefer third person as it flows better, but the writing is great, so it didn't bother me that much.

I'm glad Zeus was depicted as the horrible god he was. Trigger warnings for those who haven't dived deeper into the story of Demeter, there is sexual assault involved, and death of her human lover. I feel like more stories need to depict him as a cruel god he was. I also enjoyed hearing more about Demeter's struggles with what happened to her as well. I have often heard about Demeter but from her daughter, Core/Persephone, retellings. She is always spoken as though she is evil and horrible mother. It is refreshing to read about her story too. Now Core, it was great to see her in a new light as well. Why I love powerful Persephone, I also really enjoyed seeing more of Core and who she was before being Queen of the Underworld. I also enjoyed how her relationship with Hades has been written as well. Overall, this was an enjoyable novel.

I will say, what I enjoy about Hannah's other books was that it felt like I was feeling what the characters were going through. However, there were moment where there was a lot of telling and not showing. I feel perhaps this was hard to implement in a first-person point of view. That doesn't mean it's not well written, I still truly enjoy her writing style and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

My rating system:

⭐️: Not my vibe at all.
⭐️⭐️: I finished it, but I didn't have a good time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️: Yeah, that was fun. I enjoyed myself. I probably won't reread it, but it was fun.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: I loved it and want to read more from this author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Perfect, amazing, everything I love in a novel!

WOW. I am completely blown away by this book. For how much I love the myth of Persephone and her mother Demeter, I’ve not read a book that focused on them as main characters before. I’m so glad this was my first. The way Lynn showed the contrast of the pain and horrors of Demeter’s life and how protective she was of her daughter against Core’s loneliness and isolation because of her mother’s grief and fear was absolutely beautiful. You really empathize and understand both characters so well. Like any Greek mythology book, there are some truly heartbreaking moments, but this book really showcased resilience, female power and independence. Also, I LOVED how Hades was written. There was so much complexity within him, but he never overpowered Persephone’s story. I HIGHLY recommend this one and I can’t wait to read the rest of Lynn’s books!
TW: rape, death of a child, violence, kidnapping, death, grief

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the e-arc. I love a Greek mythology retelling and this did not disappoint in many aspects.

I did find the first half very slow and did not enjoy Demeter’s perspective all that much. Once we got to Core’s though the story really picked up. I would have preferred more of the book from her perspective. Her character evolution was very strong.

I didn’t love that we often knew the outcome of something before it happened and the story could have used more nuance. The ending was also very abrupt. Otherwise a quick read!

4.5 stars! ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book!

This was such an interesting take on the Demeter/Persephone/Hades dynamic and I enjoyed it. I feel the perspective of Demeter in the first part of the book was really heavy with the various assaults and violence Demeter experienced. That part took me the longest to get through emotionally, because it felt like it was just one instance of violence after another. I understand it was for us to see how broken Demeter was, but maybe that could have eased in some of it? I’m not an author, so who knows.
I began to enjoy Persephone’s parts where we were seeing her personality and need to break free of Demeter. I liked the aspect that she had a female mortal lover and how that relationship shaped her, and mirrored her mothers relationship with a mortal, and I see how that love was necessary for her to grow into a queen, but it felt at times that their relationship got more focus when I would have liked to see more of hers and Hades’.
The last third when Persephone is in the land of the dead is where we see the growth and the thawing of her and Hades. The author made it such a point over and over that Persephone knew Hades was her captor. I would have liked to have seen more of how that view softened and how their relationship evolved after she came into herself more. This part of the book felt rushed just to wrap up, when it was my favorite part.
I enjoyed seeing Hades as an insecure and tepid god, who demonstrated his feelings for Persephone and who did not act at all like Zeus when it comes to women. This made me grow to like his character and want to root for Persephone to warm up to him.

In all I enjoyed this book. As much as it stinks that Greek Mythology is riddled with SA, this story could have been about more violent, and I appreciate that it ended setting Hades and Persephone up for an equal and powerful relationship.

“Daughters of Olympus” weaves a mesmerizing tale of love, loss, and the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter in the world of Greek mythology. With its ethereal prose and vivid imagery, this captivating retelling offers a fresh perspective on familiar tales, delivering a spellbinding masterpiece from beginning to end. Highly recommended for fans of mythology and those seeking a captivating literary journey.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6034077413">Hannah</a>used the word ethereal to describe the writing in this story and that so perfectly encapsulates what I'm looking for that I'm going to use it as well. The writing in this story is a lyrical, flowing prose that so perfectly encapsulates feelings ranging from painful desperation and hopelessness all the way to the bright warmth of being deeply, newly in love.

I really felt each part of this story (Demeter, then Core, then eventually, Persephone) in a different way, and could discern their individual voices, which isn't always true of a story told in multiple POVs. My favorite moments were the overlaps between stories, where we got to see what was happening on the other side of the relationship.

I haven't read many Greek mythology retellings, so I'm excited to further explore this genre! I'm not sure if anything can stand up to this book, though. The writing style has fully captured me. Highly recommending!

TW – sexual assault, child abandonment

I didn't know what to expect with this book as I pick it based on Hades and Persephone story. However I absolutely fell in love with this story. It now has a permanent little piece of my heart. If you enjoy mythology I would recommend this book. It makes me appreciate winter a little bit more.

I am always here for a mythology retelling centering women's perspectives!

Daughters of Olympus follows Demeter, one of the Olympians birthed from Titans, who wants nothing but to enjoy the beauty of the earth in bloom with her daughter at her side. The other Gods, especially her brother Zeus, may be cruel and callous, but they have underestimated what the Goddess of spring is capable of. The story alternates between the perspectives of Demeter and her daughter Core, and looks at the pain of motherhood, as well as the choices a daughter are forced to make between two worlds.

This is a great addition to the contemporary mythology retelling genre, with a story that has so much space to explore complex relationships, the mistakes made out of love, the grief of loss, and the meaning of free will. Lots of very interesting conversations to be had here!

I also really enjoyed the vivid imagery of nature, flowers, fields of wheat, mountains and seas. Because the story centered around two Goddesses of spring and harvest, this beauty was present throughout. Also, the way that life and growth was presented reflected the changing moods of the characters in a way I thought worked very well. Different flowers and plants, even thorny vines and frost, reflected the tone and setting of the story in a way that highlighted how connected the main characters were to the natural world, setting them apart from the other Gods of Olympus.

The beginning of the book was fast-paced and I couldn't stop turning the pages as I learned more about how Demeter's cruel family shaped her. And the last quarter of the book was exciting and action packed, keeping me on the edge of my seat as the pieces I knew about this mythology story all fell into place. I do think there was a bit of a lag in pacing in the middle, though. I will caveat that by saying that was when the themes of grief are most deeply explored, and I don't personally find myself so interested in reading about grief -- so, that may say more about <i>me</i> than about the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC to read and review

This was a compelling account of the story of Persephone and I very much enjoyed reading it from this perspective. Easy to read and very accessible. Great job!

Review: Another great read by Hannah Lynn! I have to admit, I am not typically a fan of Greek mythology, but my husband is. What I love about Lynn’s books is that I will tell my husband who the book is about, he will tell me the story he knows of them, and then I read Lynn’s version and how she takes some liberties to change the story slightly. It really makes me enjoy the books more because she really does stay close to the actual story, but adds a few extra bits that make the book even better! If you have not had a chance to read her books, I recommend you do, even if you are not a fan of Greek mythology. She does such an amazing job, you will be a fan of her stories when she is done!

Greek myth retellings are my weakness, especially when it comes to Persephone and Hades lore. I found this such a fresh take as it focuses on Persephone’s relationship with her mother, Demeter. It captivated me and deepened my admiration for the goddess of springtime. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking innovative retellings of Greek myths that avoid feeling repetitive.

I'm a sucker for anything greek mythology, with Persephone and Hades being my favorite. This did not disappoint. I can already tell this will be a reread and i can not wait.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hannah Lynn for providing me with a digital arc of this book!

*light spoilers*

To say I loved this book is not enough. I need everyone reading this review to go and pick it up right now. This is not a drill. Daughters of Olympus tells the story of Demeter and Persephone. Now, I'll admit, I am so tired of reading Persephone x Hades retellings, but this explored the story at a whole new level. I loved getting to see more of Demeter's presence in Persephone's life and the bond that tied them together. And the dynamic created between Hades and Persephone was so refreshing; I loved the portrayal of Hades as lovesick and a little shy, and Persephone as confident with herself and her abilities. I cannot recommend this book enough, it was truly a joy to read. Thank you Hannah Lynn for putting this masterpiece into the world. 5/5 stars.

2.5 ⭐️ - So bummed. I was SO excited for this book because I love Greek mythology. But I was disappointed by the characters (one dimensional and boring), writing style (excessive flowery descriptions for pages for no purpose), inconsistent pacing (tons of action in one and then chapters where nothing happened), and jarring tone (TW: using vague language to describe SA and then suddenly using the word rape).

Maybe it’s unfair for me to have Circe in the back of my mind while reading this, but the comparison between two weak goddess narrators and their struggles with vain and violent gods was too hard to ignore.

From the very first page, Daughters of Olympus hooked me with its captivating writing style. Hannah Lynn created a vivid atmosphere that draws you deeply into the story. Additionally, the author did a great job of using multiple points of view of the same events, allowing you to gain a richer understanding of the events and develop a deeper connection to each individual. Each character's voice was distinct and authentic, offering unique perspectives on the story. While the initial chapters focus on establishing the characters and setting, the pace picks up as the story unfolds.

Overall, Daughters of Olympus is a compelling retelling of a classic myth that explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of family bonds. It's a must-read for fans of mythology and strong female characters. Before reading the book, I would recommend checking trigger warnings. I would rate it 4.5/5 stars, and I will definitely pick up more of Hannah Lynn's books in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Set the SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Even after spending the first few centuries of life squashed inside her father’s stomach, Demeter is a goddess who strives only for peace. Even when atrocities are committed against her Demeter chooses to live in peaceable seclusion with her loved ones rather than rage war against those who wronged her. When she faced loss she chooses to grieve in silence rather than grow angry and seek revenge. The reason? Her daughter, Core. She is her mother’s rock and, in her, Demeter sees all that is right with the world. But when Core is the one who is in danger… when Core is the one hurt… When Core is the one threatened… When Core is the one taken from her… well, then all bets are off. That is when Demeter’s full anger is realised. And when Demeter is angry no one wins.

Core means maiden and that is all her mother wants for her. And, for a while, Core is happy with this. But the centuries pass quickly and the more Core sees of the world, the more she begins to wonder if there is more to herself than meets the eye as well.

What I love most about this book is how it tells the story from both Demeter and Persephone’s point of view (POV). It reflects how many modern romance books are written, with the POV of both love interests, yet the love story it tells is that of a mother and her daughter. And it is a love story. Even as Persephone yearns for more, her love for her mother never falters. Rather than resent her mother, she strives harder to understand her. Equally, even in the depths of her own grief, Demeter keeps going through her love for her daughter. When she sees that her daughter is suffering Demeter fights against her own fears to give her what she needs. In this way they build their relationship and grow together rather than apart.

As a feminist retelling Hannah Lynn does so many things right. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, she doesn’t shy away from the darker and harsher parts of the myth; the rape and kidnap of women and their servitude to men. Secondly, she doesn’t turn the tale on its head and make Persephone into a modern woman who knows what she wants and wilfully takes it. Thirdly, she gives her female characters weaknesses as well as strengths.
Demeter and Persephone are women born into a world that is very much against them. Their strength is in their ability to survive and find happiness in spite of the atrocities happening all around them. For Demeter this strength is shown initially through her love of peace, and then later by her inability to bend to others once her line has been crossed. For Persephone this strength is shown in her ability to adapt to her situation and to seize opportunities when they are offered. Demeter is good at standing up for others, whereas Persephone is good at standing up for herself.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Hannah Lynn is fast becoming one of my favorite authors of Retellings. This novel about Demeter and Persephone is excellent. I’m so used to reading about Persephone from the viewpoint of her relationship with Hades, and really enjoyed this mother-daughter angle.

Retelling of mythology is one of my favorite genres right now and Hannah Lynn writes them so well. This one is about Demeter and her daughter Core, later Persephone. It's a story about living, learning, yielding, a mother's love, a daughter's faithfulness, and the events that shape us.
The story is written around and built up around what we've been told about Demeter, Core, Hades, and Zeus. It creates such a lush rounded story that is a page-turner.
I would read this again. It's one of my favorites from Hannah.

Description
A daughter pulled between two worlds and a mother willing to destroy both to protect her...

Demeter: a goddess of life, living half of one.

Demeter did not always live in fear. Once, she loved the world and the humans who inhabited it. After an act of devastating violence, though, she hides herself away among the grasses and wildflowers. Her only solace is her daughter…

Before she was Persephone, she was Core.

Core is as bright as summer and devoted to her mother, even during their millennia in exile from Olympus. But she craves freedom. Naïve and determined, she secretly builds a life of her own—and as she does so, she catches the eye of a powerful god…

The daughters of Olympus will have the last word…

Then Hades kidnaps Core and renames her as Queen of the Underworld. In the land without sun, she realizes she may have a chance to gain back what she thought she'd lost forever. But Demeter will destroy anything—even the humans she holds so dear—to bring her daughter back. A mother who has lost everything and a daughter with more to gain than she ever realized, they will irrevocably shape the world: all in the name of something as human as love.

A lush, emotional read perfect for fans of Madeleine Miller and Claire Heywood, this is the story of Persephone and Demeter.


I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I absolutely love Greek mythology retellings, so I was so excited to be approved for this book. It didn’t disappoint! The writing is simply gorgeous and I was completely immersed, reading the entirety in a day. I’ll happily recommend this closer to publication day. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read!

➺ <b>5</b> ★
— no spoilers !!
— tw: talk of sexual assault, abuse, death, and much more. Do not read if you are not comfortable!!
~ thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy in exchange for my honest review !!

'𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮.'



➼ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. was the thing that wove its way into my heart. It was so perfectly gorgeous and ethereal that I simply cannot describe to you how I felt reading this book. Everything was so vividly described that it felt as if you could see the image of it in your mind. You could see the things as they were. This book talked about so many things that others shy away from or justify, and the fact that it wasn't justified in this one made it so much better. Sexual assault, the loss of a loved one. It talked about the mourning of a mother, the after effects of rape and arranged marriages, a mother's rage and what extents she can go for her daughter, the mourning of losing someone you love, the acceptance of the fact that some people can simply never get over the loss of their loved ones. The raw weight that the words carried destroyed me. Hannah Lynn deserves an award for her talent in this book, because I turned in bed for about two hours after reading it. The retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone was one of the best I've read, I'm not even going to lie. And the wlw touch as well!! The little details and the hints to everything that added up so splendidly made everything so perfect. I could go on and on.
→‼️‼️ 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢, 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.

➼ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 was something that had been on the edge. It was so beautifully written and so perfectly described, but Demeter falling for Iason in less than a day? It was a little on the line if I'm being completely honest. But how Core fell for Ione, how she knew her like the back of her hand and never once thought she dimmed of beauty. How she saw the good in Hades and how she re-met with Ione. How she let go of her and how she remembered again. it had me sobbing, screaming, and dying. I want to continue, but I'm opting for this review to be spoiler free so I'll wait until it's released to add on.

➼ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. were like seeing people grow up. It was looking at two goddesses evolving over centuries, seeing them realize things about themselves and accept parts of themselves they didn't want to. We saw Core angry at her mother for losing herself to grief for centuries on end before she herself landed herself in the same position. We saw Core realize how much more she could be. We saw Hades bringing out more from her. We saw what a messy family the Olympians were, how they would ruin their own to get what they want. We saw Demeter stand up for herself and we saw her grieve her daughter. Core's character is so dear to me, seeing her character arc from being her mother's daughter to a goddess. She was always a goddess of course, but it was her journey of realizing that she had her own right. She had her own powers and wants. Zeus and Poseidon were always hated by me solely from myths and pjo, but my hate for them only increased. I sobbed along with Demeter, felt the pain she felt at the utter betrayal that ruined her. There were things that were said that genuinely made me pause, I had to put down the book and take a deep breath before continuing.

I hold this book very close to my heart, it hit a lot of places that hurt. It's an ethereal piece of work that shocks me to my core. There are things from it that will never leave my mind. I genuinely cannot explain to anyone how much this book clicked with me, how the words struck me and how the parallels made me sob. It was like looking at things through clean glasses and seeing the true extent of disgusting things that happen. And the worse part is that so much of this happens in real life. Women go through this around the world and some of them never find relief, they love and die their whole lives filled with horrors. There were two things that stood out the most to me. First was the family relation between the gods. How terribly they treated others, from the women to the mortals. Hera, forced into a marriage with her brother, a man unloyal and abusive. Demeter, raped by two of her siblings. Demeter, who looked up to her brother as a savior and he took advantage of his hold over. Core, who was given off by her own father who was never her father, just her mother's rapist. Core who thought, for the beginning of the time she was with Hades, that he was going to rape her like her uncles raped her mother. Core who broke a vase and pressed the broken piece against her palm to keep herself awake in case Hades came to take advantage of her in her sleep. I could go on and on. Second was the relationship between Demeter and Core. A mother who wanted nothing more than to protect her child from the cruelty of the world that she herself had experienced yet causing the daughter's hate for her to grow in those years. A mother who wanted to keep her child by her side, yet was overbearing. It was such a parallel to the relationship of mothers and daughters in real life. Mothers who do things for their daughters purely due to their love for their daughters and yet they only manage to make their daughters hate them. It comes off as overbearing and overprotective, because they try their very best to protect them from the things they know of the disgusting world, but they fail so terribly because they have to let them deal with it on their own someday, and they can't do anything about it. Just as Demeter experienced loss and couldn't stop Core from reliving the same pain she spent centuries mourning.