I loved "Someone You Can Build a Nest In" so much and I really wanted to love "Wearing the Lion" too, but unfortunately the writing style and structure just didn't quite work for me. There were some great moments, though, and I'm still looking forward to John Wiswell's next book.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!!

this was certainly a new spin on the myth of heracles — in recent years, many authors have tackled heracles and painted him to be a heartless, abusive monster, but i think many authors forget that all humans were at the whims of the gods and could never truly win against them.

in most, if not all renditions of myth, heracles murders his children (and sometimes his wife) after being driven mad by the gods, and that is his ultimate downfall. and while heracles sadly murders his sons in this version, and it does destroy him because he values family so much, instead of killing the beasts and creatures he is set out to take down for hera, he instead pardons them and creates an interestingly dysfunctional family to honor the sons he slayed.

i also appreciated the characterization of hera — while she was the instigator in this version, she also slowly and reluctantly realizes that she was wrong in her attempts to break down heracles and works to right her wrongs.

i also listened to the audio, and it had dual narrators for heracles and hera!! both narrators did great!

This is the most literary Hercules retelling I have read and I appreciate that the author took a very different approach to the character than I have seen in other novels/media. I would definitely recommend this book to greek mythology/Heracles fans.

In Wearing the Lion, John Wiswell casts a new light upon the tale of Heracles, the mighty son of Zeus, yet devoted not to his father’s glory, but to Hera, Queen of the Olympians and guardian of family. Here, the hero’s labors are no longer merely feats of strength, but trials of the heart: when Hera’s wrath descends upon him and tragedy strikes his household, Heracles does not turn to vengeance, but to compassion, embracing beasts and monsters once destined for his spear.

Wiswell’s retelling departs from the known canon of myth. The Nemean lion becomes ally, the Lernaean hydra receives care, and the Cretan bull walks alongside him, each labour transformed from conquest into communion. In alternating voices of Heracles and Hera, we witness both the mortal and divine perspectives: a hero bound by grief yet guided by virtue, and a goddess tormented by her own cruelty, struggling with guilt and the fragile threads of family and power.

The portrayal of the gods themselves rings true to the grandeur of Olympus: immortal, capricious, and omniscient, yet also fallible in their passions. The narrative conveys the shifting tides of time, the mutable forms of divinity, and the intricate weave of mortal and immortal affairs with a clarity worthy of the Homeric epics.

Though the pace at times lingers, it allows for a deep meditation upon loss, devotion, and the quiet heroism of mercy. Those who seek faithful recitations of myth may find its liberties bold; yet readers willing to witness Heracles’ labors reborn as acts of empathy and moral reckoning will find this story richly rewarding.

Wearing the Lion is a tale of grief and grace, of heroes who nurture as well as strike, and of gods who learn the weight of their own wrath.

I’m very sad to have to DNF this since I loved John Wiswells first book. I tried to start a few times and also tried the audio but I still couldn’t get into it. It felt weird to me to read a mythology inspired book but have the character be so flippant and sound so modern. I just couldn’t get past that for some reason. I think if you can get through that this would be a very enjoyable book

this book didn't start off great for me because of the repetitive "dipshit husband". i will say that i appreciated the humor throughout this story but it also at times fell flat. this was really tough read for me, and i eventually couldnt get fully through it. i have never read this author before so i am unfamiliar with their writing style, but not sure if i would pick one up from them again.

This story follows Heracles, the Hero of Greece, who dedicates his life and feats to Hera, who reveals to him he is the son of Zeus. The turmoil that follows, and the unraveling of Heracles leads to a life of anguish, confusion and determination to believe Hera and his honor to her only leads him down a path revealing her bond and ties with him as well. This was a well thought out, well paced and beautifully set story by Wiswell, though might be better for those looking for a cozier read over those who want something darker! Thank you for this ARC- 3/5

I knew that I was going to enjoy this book, because within the first chapter Hera is talking about beating Zeus with his own dick. Honestly, fair.

Hera is such a interesting character. Throughout the story you see her make her rash decisions, and then realize what she has done to Hercules, and she does grow. Hera is not the same goddess she was at the start of the book, to the end.

Heracles is a sweet bisexual himbo who just wants the best for the people around him. He goes on this journey for Megara more than himself because he wants to find out who made him murder his boys, but he also doesn't want to exist for quite awhile.

I will say that I enjoyed most of this book, but I found the ending lacking. But that may be more of a me thing (I was very tried while reading this). I found that there was a lot of unanswered questions I had, and I definitely wish to reread this in the future. I may purchase a physical copy for myself.

Overall, it is a unique Greek god fantasy, and I am very excited to see what Wiswell has next.

*Thank you to NG and DAW for a free review copy. All opinions are my own.**

This is book with tragedy, grief, redemption and found family, retelling the labours of Heracles as you’ve never heard it before. The book covers Heracles birth and the initial attempts on his life by Hera, livid at yet another of Zeus’ dalliances. The story continues through his fit of madness where he destroys his family and then through his labours, seeking redemption. Along the way he picks up an array of companions - the Newman lion he calls Purrseus, the hydra he calls Logy, the golden hind, Cretan bull and Boar.

This was an enjoyable book but definitely a book of two halves for me. The first half, where Heracles is devoted and simpering to Hera I found a bit irritating - especially ‘Auntie Hera’. It was however counterbalanced by Hera - her furious sarcasm was really refreshing and funny. I can’t remember the last time I read the word ‘dipshit’ in a book!

As the book progressed and the dynamic shifted, as Heracles came closer to finding out who was responsible for setting a Fury onto his family the whole tone shifted. I found it harder to put down. I enjoyed Heras self reflection and change in perspective, finding new and unexpected alliances, getting closer to taking responsibility.

Overall this is an enjoyable and fresh take on a well known tale.

“Wearing the Lion” is a Hercules retelling that tells his story both from his own point of view and from Hera’s as she works to destroy him. This was a fascinating angle to take, and one I was very eager to read, despite my lukewarm feelings of Wiswell’s debut novel (“Someone You Can Build a Nest In”). Heracles is a pretty terrible guy in his personal life when you read Greek mythology, but Wiswell paints him very sympathetically as a dedicated family man, a reluctant hero, and a devout follower of “Auntie Hera.” Hera, meanwhile, in the literature always punishes the partners with whom Zeus cheats on her and the children of those unions, and she certainly starts out that way in this story. But along the way she starts to wonder: why am I doing this? An interesting retelling to be sure, but I still prefer Jennifer Saint’s “Hera” for retellings of this particular subject matter. Wiswell’s whimsical prose seems unsuited to the heavy subject matter and does not quite nail the ironic humor that Natalie Haynes has mastered in her retellings of myth. I would only recommend this if you already really, really like Heracles for some reason and have a lot of time to kill.

this started out lighthearted and weird and then it made me cry.

wearing the lion a uniquely irreverent reimagining of the most famous hero in greek mythology and the goddess who wants absolutely nothing to do with him, thank you very much.

the best way i can describe wearing the lion is disney’s hercules meets the hymn to dionysus by natasha pulley, but with significantly more foul language. it isn’t a madeline miller-type retelling and it isn’t trying to be—the language is anachronistic and often crude rather than lyrical, but somehow it works here. wiswell isn’t retelling the story of heracles and hera so much as rewriting it. he subverts the gory myth we know into a story about complicated, messy families and grief and loneliness, and humanizes gods, mortals, and monsters alike in the process.

someone remind me to pick up someone you can build a nest in sooner rather than later! normally i prefer more “traditional” greek mythology retellings, so it took me more than a few chapters to adjust to wiswell’s writing style, but i ended up really enjoying wearing the lion and this gentler heracles and more nuanced hera. i didn’t expect it to pack the emotional punch it did towards the end but i would recommend tissues if you cry easily.

Wearing the Lion is simply a wonderful, deeply felt, unique take on the Heracles myth. The audiobook is fantastic—it really brought the book to life, especially Christian Black’s performance of Heracles. I really felt a lot reading this, and even though I’m not usually one for a tragic story, I had trouble putting this down—so I was relieved to be rewarded with a perfect ending. It’s an excellent queering of a classic story, as this Heracles inverts his hero’s journey to build empathy, sympathy, and love instead of anger and war. I loved the monstrous found family, even though it was painful following Heracles at times—I absolutely cried (a lot) at several parts. There were some things I wanted that I don’t think it could give me with its framework (like family therapy for the dead), but I was so moved by this version of the myth. And I know there’s a lot about Zeus being a dipshit, but this Zeus *really* was one.
I could read John Wiswell’s adaptations of classic myths any day—I hope there are more to come!

There is nothing like Wiswell”s book. Just completely original and fun and delightful. He has a fan for life in me, complete auto buy.

This book follows the story of Heracles paralleled with the perspective of Hera.

After reading Someone you Can Build a Nest In and absolutely falling in love with it, I was honoured to receive an eARC of John Wiswell’s newest work. While I still had a good time reading it I sadly didn’t connect to it as much as i would have hoped.

The first part of this book felt reminiscent of the tv show Kaos (which I love) due to the humour and levity that it brought to these iconic Greek myths, while not shying away from the darker elements. Then came a rather stark tonal shift that put a solemn blanket on the rest of the book. And for me it lost its humour and unique tone somewhat.

I am a found family girl through and through and yet I sadly can’t say that I felt attached to these characters. While all the monsters we meet along the way are distinct and charming, I surprisingly didn’t get emotionally invested in their relationships. This is not the book’s fault but rather simply the way this one turned out for me.
I did like the complexity of Hera and the way morality gets examined in this book. I also love Granny, a true icon.


Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an EARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️- released 6/17/25

I loved John Wiswell’s first novel sooo much and I really wanted to love this one just as much, and I did not love it quite as much. The concept was interesting, gods coming into humanity and accountability through found family, all things I normally love. The comedic writing just did not work for me here and the middle part really dragged. I think others may enjoy this a lot, it just did not work as well for me. I really loved the ending and the book finished off super strong. I also still love John Wiswell and will definitely be picking up his next book. Has anyone else read?

Thank you to @netgalley and @dawbooks for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

#books #bookreviewer #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #newrelease #advancedreadercopy

In this retelling of Heracles, narrated by both the hero himself and the goddess who so despises him, when Heracles goes to kill the Nemean lion, he can't bring himself to do any more violence and instead adopts the lion. This cycle continues, with Heracles solving his problems without violence and amassing what could be a small army of allies who would love to storm Olympus for vengeance for him and his sons. Meanwhile, Hera schemes and plots, as do the other Olympians, in an increasingly complicated plan that keeps shifting.
I really enjoyed this one. It felt like the anti Greek tragedy, where so much happens because no one can break the cycle of violence. In the original Heracles, even, his fate is unpleasant due to the revenge of someone who wronged him. Not so in this retelling. The cycle is broken. It's an often silly and irreverent book, but I do think the depiction of the five-dimensional chess all the gods are playing with each other feels really accurate. I also like Megaera in this book; she's not the most major character, but she has a lot of agency. I also like family-man Heracles, who's a bit fat because his godly strength makes it hard to put on muscle, and who is for sure bi. The monster family was adorable. Also, not to give spoilers, but Hera's character growth was really interesting to watch. Her little retinue was also quite good. So in conclusion, great retelling of Heracles.

An exemplary adaptation that inserts modern liberal political ideals in an organic and believable way. The alternating narrative is brilliantly balanced, and the deity characters feel hyper human rather than alien. Every characters' motivations are clear and understandable, and though they often make mistakes, there are no villains; just people willing to change and evolve into better versions of themselves (and maybe one or two who aren’t).

Love the voice but the stakes peter out in the middle. It's a fun book, but I personally needed a bit more tension. But will be looking forward to Wiswell's other novels

Wearing the Lion is a humorous yet tender-hearted retelling of the Heracles myth that stands out in a market oversaturated with Greek myth retellings. But while there was a lot to love in this refreshing, modernized take on a well-known myth, the book lost too much momentum in the middle of the story for me to feel fully invested in an otherwise standout retelling.

I knew I was in for a fun time when the e-ARC blurb included the words “Hera’s dipshit husband, Zeus” (unfortunately, the blurb on the final copy no longer includes the word “dipshit”), and the book definitely did not disappoint in humor. Both POV characters Hera and Heracles have incredible narrative voices—it’s irreverent, sometimes profane, and surprisingly tender in emotional moments. Wiswell does an impressive job with balancing the narrative tone, making sure that the book was humorous while also becoming emotional and more authentic when the story demanded it. I normally don’t read books for humor or absurdity, but Wiswell ensured most jokes and bits never felt forced or overused. This book is more quirk than absurdity or hilarity, which definitely meshed well with my reading preferences and broadened its appeal to a mainstream audience rather than those who gravitate towards straight humor. The only joke that lost its humor and began to edge into annoying territory was the sheer amount of times Hera calls Zeus her “dipshit husband” instead of by his name or just “my husband” or “the king,” but thankfully it was gradually phased out as Hera began to grow and emotionally mature.

The mythological retelling element was impressively innovative and refreshing! As someone who studied Greek culture and mythology in undergrad, I’m normally pretty cautious when it comes to retellings because 1) they’re completely overdone in recent years 2) they lack originality/innovation while preserving the culturally-relative essence of the original myth. Wearing the Lion was genuinely refreshing by taking the framework of the Heracles myth (and not just the Twelve Labors!!) and using it to explore deeper themes, like the role of family, trauma, and healing in both ancient and contemporary contexts. It was awesome to see an author who does not attempt to “modernize” or “update” a myth (those often come across as inauthentic or lazy/uninspired) and instead uses the story to investigate issues relevant to a modern audience. The characters were impressively original, even the animals and beasts that become Heracles’ new family—I mean, how could I not love an adorable lion named Purrseus??

Unfortunately, the mythological framework is also this book’s biggest shortcoming. The nature of the Twelve Labors made the narrative a bit too repetitive for my liking and conveyed the themes in a much more heavy-handed manner than I would have liked. The first two or three labors are fun reinterpretations, but they quickly lose their originality when it becomes clear every other labor will be handled in the same manner: Heracles gets assigned something deadly and violent, refuses to perpetuate the cycle of violence, and instead befriends/therapizes the misunderstood creature(s) instead. The constant repetition caused the middle of the book to drag and the message about refusing the cycle of violence and/or healing from trauma edge into sermonizing. I want to emphasize that these are incredibly important and timely conversations to have and I appreciated the creative way in which Wiswell chose to address these topics, but the repetition and lack of subtlety by the 60%-ish mark caused my attention to dip. Additionally, while I appreciated that the book was equally narrated by Hera and Heracles to add more nuance to the themes, I unfortunately could never fully get into Hera’s story. Perhaps the nature of the original myth makes it hard to reframe the story into equal parts Hera and Heracles, but Hera’s subplots felt even more repetitive and heavy-handed than Heracles’. While I did feel empathy for her, I grew tired of her constant flip-flopping between anger and guilt with little character growth until the end.

Wearing the Lion is a unique and refreshing addition to the glut of Greek mythological retellings published in the past several years. Despite the dark nature of the Labors and their violent implications, Wiswell impressively subverts them in a cozy yet tender-hearted narrative that encourages timely conversations about violence, family, and trauma. While the repetitious plot prevented me from getting fully invested in the characters, it was still a fun and enjoyable read.

3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4!
Thank you to DAW for the e-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.