4.25⭐️

I haven't read many retellings of Hades and Persephone so this was so fresh and incredibly entertaining for me! I enjoyed the feminist themes even though the FMC was a tiny bit intolerable at times with the way she didn't want to give Hades any answers and just expected him to be ok with her showing up and encroaching on his space.

It was a really fun read and kept me engaged throughout the story. The pacing never felt like it was lagging for me. I would have liked a little more depth with some of the themes and some parts felt a little rushed but I truly loved this book overall.

I will definitely be picking up this author's future works as they are released. I also kind of hope we see Persephone and Hades featured again in some of her other works!

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Fire for this advanced digital copy!

Always love a Hades and Persephone retelling. As a whole I really liked this book and its pacing. At times I felt like some of the story was just dragging for longer than necessary. The banter between the two main characters was arguably my favorite thing about this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love a Hades and Persephone story. This was a cute take on the classic tale. Persephone runs to hell knowing no one would look for her there because she wanted to escape marriage. While hiding in hell she develops a friendship with Hades and comes to love the realm. She has plans and she takes Hades along for the ride in this story. She wanted the world and she certainly shakes it up. I enjoyed the way Persephone and Hades teased each other, their relationship and the way they interacted together was one of my favorite parts of this book.

While I enjoyed the concept and different take on this classic love story this book had strong feminist messaging that at times was a little too much for me. At times Persephone was saying F the patriarchy to spite herself just because she felt she had to be contrary. It’s also a story about wanting to make your own choices which everyone should have the right for. I personally felt these messages were on constant repeat and so that took away a little from the overall story for me. That aside I did enjoy this.

Review coming September 22.

I really loved this take on the Persephone and Hades myth. Their personalities are so much different than any other retelling I've read. Hades is a strong ruler, but yearns to be able to have more time for his creative outlets. Persephone is strong, compassionate, and she works hard for a vision of a better world. The ending was perfect. I also really enjoyed Styx's friendship with both Persephone and Hades.

I highly recommend this book for anybody looking for a fresh take on the Hades and Persephone myth!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early. Full disclosure, I ended up buying the audiobook after release date because the sample sounded amazing.

As I mentioned, the narrator was great for this book. First person narration is my favorite type for audiobooks and I loved the narrator’s accent.

I loved this retelling. It was not a “new” take on Hades and Persephone per say (not new because there have been a few in recent years where they were in love and she wasn’t tricked into going to the Underworld) but it was fresh with the enemies to friends to lovers romance and fake dating element. I also liked that Hades wasn’t her uncle.

I also loved the feminist elements in the story. I loved how the author wove details and explanations for other pieces of the myth to show that women are strong and men like Zeus would do anything to keep the world from knowing that. It was refreshing to see Hades take a back seat to let Persephone be strong without him. He was there for her always but he also gave her space by just believing in her.

I would absolutely read more from this author and I’m disappointed to see none of her other books have US release dates yet.

I’d also love a sequel to this book or at least a cameo from Hades and Persephone in other myths. Bea Fitzgerald should definitely write more mythological retellings because this was great.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Think you know all there is to know about the story of Persephone? You’re dead wrong. She’s the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, but she’s hiding a fire in her soul. She doesn’t want to get married to the highest bidder. Only one way to escape…she jumps into hell. Her plan is simple: convince brooding, mysterious Hades to her plan. But things go sideways when feelings bloom. Can a flower bloom in the Underworld? It can if it’s a fierce queen ready to shake the gates of Mount Olympus.

Girl, Goddess, Queen is one of the best retellings of Persephone and Hades I’ve ever read. I adore Greek mythology and the romantasy retellings that keep popping up. I like my Persephone strong-willed, fierce, and independent. I like my Hades brooding with a few surprises. The descriptive narration is immersive. The world-building is flawless. But it’s the characters that makes this one of the best books I’ve read. If you’re looking for a fresh take on Persephone with dark humor, combative dialogue, and stakes higher than Mount Olympus, you’ll want to read Girl, Goddess, Queen. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

5++ stars

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire, for an ARC of this book!!

Wow, wow, and WOW.. This is definitely one of those times I'm kicking myself. Why exactly I waited so long to read this, I'm not sure. But it was definitely an error on my account. This was absolutely amazing! Such a fun and unforgettable read. This is one of those books you're jealous of those who get to read it for the first time. The storyline is phenomenal, the characters are great. This book is like a math equation. Everything just adds up to perfection!!



This is my review which as of today can be found on the following platforms,
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions in this review are my own.

2.5 stars. DNF'd at 39%/C20. Tandem read with audio which I purchased myself. The narrator was good but not great, sometimes it was hard to tell when the FMC was having an inner thought or actually speaking out loud but she did give emotion.

About the book itself, I wanted to like this. It had a really gripping premise that just feel flat in the execution. I will say that I did enjoy parts of it (the beginning setup mainly) and I do think there is a readership out there for it, it's just not me.

I found that the writing was extremely overhanded (even for YA) and the characters massively confused me especially the FMC. I think part of the problem is that the FMC isn't a strong willed feminist, like intended, she is more of just a rude person than anything. She got angry with the MMC a lot for questioning her reason for being there in his domain when it's a damn well valid reason to question but then turned around and interrogated him about everything and didn't believe him when he told her the truth. It was like she's allowed to be mad and distrustful of what he is doing in his own domain that she forcibly invited herself into but he can't do the same or its questioning her independence and her feminism which isn't how that works. You can't just railroad over everything and expect to not get pushback but that is what she does and the MMC just grovels and apologizes for everything. He also told her his big secret in like the first week of her being there and it was just that he's not the God of Death or whatever really, he's just the God of Illusions and he's a soft boy that likes to craft and do art but that would make him less manly in the eyes of the other gods which like... no. There is too much history and documentation that says the exact opposite to work in that regard unless it was through a like "modern" lens but its not. Nothing suggests at all this takes place in a modern time despite the dialogue falling into that voice every now and again.

I think one of the other unfortunate flaws of this novel is that it tries to do too much while saying very little with a bloated word count. Like the themes of parental emotional abuse and expectations are there, the patriarchy with the gods (obviously mainly Zeus who is always at the scene of the crime), the finding your own power and discovering how strong you are, etc. Like I can see the potential but it falls flat when its heavy handed in telling us it all and not actually showing it. There is no growth, no nuance. The FMC creates a new system within a day of trying, no try/fail/growth/success cycle. She has the entire Underworld eating out of the palm of her hand in a matter of days but it feels more like its browbeaten into them and not genuine connection with her.

Overall it has a zippy and really intriguing premise but the contents don't have the bite I was expecting or wanting.

listen, i love greek mythology. i love persephone, and frankly i find the hades x persephone dynamic fascinating to explore (i’ve always had a weakness for “beauty and the beast” type stories). but girl, goddess, queen is a dull, drawn-out bore with a (bad) early 2010s YA vibe.

demeter has kept persephone hidden away her entire life, raising her to be the ideal wife. when persephone comes of age and her mother heads to olympus to assist her father, zeus, in selecting a husband for her, persephone seizes the opportunity to escape to hades instead. the king of the underworld wants nothing to do with this flowery intruder, but she demands shelter via the rite of xenia and hades is forced to oblige.

the beginning is decent enough—what if persephone chose hell over the alternative?—but what a disappointment after that. i’m not opposed to unconventional reimaginings of greek mythology (the hymn to dionysus and wearing the lion come to mind), but the characterization here is frustratingly flat and the use of modern language is distracting and feels like a lazy way to make the characters seem more relatable. why is the king of hell talking like a modern teenager? why even retell the myth of hades and persephone if you completely defang the character of hades into a soft, artsy boy king who’s happy to step aside and let persephone rule?

it doesn’t even deliver a satisfying romance. hades and persephone’s relationship falls victim to the same issue plaguing the rest of the book: it’s a repetitive will-they-won’t-they (they obviously will) dynamic completely lacking in tension. i was bored. either kiss already or shut up about it.

there is an attempt to explore how everyone suffers under patriarchy, but it’s handled in a childish, shallow way. there’s no nuance and it’s very “i’m 14 and this is deep.”

it reads more like a list of trendy tropes (forced proximity! fake relationship! miscommunication! female rage!) than a coherent story. it might have been a better read if fitzgerald dropped the flimsy attempt at a plot and just wrote this as a romance. and shaved off 100-150 pages.

so yes, i’m still waiting for an author to do persephone justice.

Love the cover and title💖

Kore is goddess of the flowers and I loved her character .

Beautifully written and full of character and details .

Girl, Goddess, Queen is such a fun retelling of Hades and Persephone.

Persephone (Kore) is about to be forced into a marriage by her parents (Zeus and Demeter). She has no desire to get married at all, let alone have a suitor chosen for her. So while her mother is away, Persephone escapes off into the Underworld. She tricks Hades into allowing her to stay in his home, leaving everyone above ground to believe she was kidnapped.

There is so much to love about Girl, Goddess, Queen. First, Persephone’s growth from little girl to chaos bringer was excellent. She is truly a badass FMC, coming into her power and transforming the Underworld into something amazing.

Second, the romance. Hades is dark and broody, while Persephone is witty and full of life. Together their banter is hilarious and fun. Both are pining for each other while trying to hide their feelings and the whole time you are just begging them to be together already.

This book had me giggling. I absolutely adored Hades and his softer side. I’ve said it in other reviews that Hades and Persephone is my favorite retelling and I’m so happy at how well Girl, Goddess, Queen was done.

<I> Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ARC opportunity. This is an honest and voluntary review. </I>

If you followed me for long, you’d know I LOVE Hades/Persephone retellings. This one was SO GOOD! I love how they flipped the script with each personality. I don’t want to spoil anything, Persephone and her feminine rage will always be held dear in my heart. How she strives for the world but everyone wants to stifle that. Hades standing beside her at all NEVER gets old. This book gives us self discovery, a slow burn, and a rage that isn’t quiet. This book is definitely worth the read, I honestly might have to get a physical book as a trophy 🥺💖✨.

Thank you so much to @sourcebooksfire & the author for the approval on @netgalley ! 🖤

Girl, Goddess, Queen is a fresh reimaging of the Persephone myth that’s flips the narrative and brings a woman’s value to the forefront.

The story is that of Persephone, who starts out being named Kore (pure, beautiful maiden, little girl) — goddess of the flowers and beauty in nature. And if there’s one good word to describe Kore it’s angry.

Kore is angry.

She’s angry at her father for thinking so little of her. She’s angry her only value seems to be that of wife. She’s angry her mother is marrying her off to the highest bidder. She’s angry that women are subservient. She’s angry she doesn’t have a voice.

So, Kore chooses the underworld.

It’s that decision, and the events following that her character becomes more. She becomes Persephone, a multilayered god not seen in Greek mythology. So, too, does Hades, though his transformation happens a little later.

Author Bea Fitzgerald’s imagining of the underworld is spectacular. She literally builds it in front of your eyes. Other highlights include interactions with human souls and the gods. Even though each being’s interactions are short, you immediately get a sense of personality.

Girl, Goddess, Queen is a page-turner with lots of angst, strong banter and a steamy (though not explicit) romance that will make you want to read more from this author.

*Sensitivity note: Girl, Goddess, Queen includes references to rape culture and sexual assault (no graphic scenes); war-related trauma/PTSD; emotional, coercive and mental abuse from a parent; and references to physical harm and injury (no graphic or explicit scenes). It also includes sex and sexual desires described in mostly flowery language that leaves most of it up to your imagination.

This was not what I was expecting, and I mean that in the best possible way.

I have read a lot of greek retellings, especially the "new feminist retelling of X myth" that was very popular for a year or two. Some, I loved. Others, less so. Most failed to do something new or interesting with the myth, just focusing on female characters and their suffering. This, however, felt like a fairly fresh take on Hades x Persephone, and I was pleasantly surprised by that.

First, we have Kore, who later changes her name to Persephone. She does fit within the archetype of the feminist greek retellings, for sure, but I appreciate her taking some agency and seeking out the underworld on her own. Some of the best material, in my opinion, was her very complex relationship with Demeter, which starts out with Kore treating her mother a bit like a two dimensional villain and ends with her understanding more of the trauma that shaped Demeter. It feels like the clash between different waves of feminism, with Demeter trying to protect her daughter in the way she knows and understands best, while Kore resents her mother's participation in and upholding of the same patriarchal struggle that harmed Demeter. It's not groundbreaking, for sure, but at the same time, it felt very grounded and realistic to me despite the fantastical setting.

Second, we have the sort of found family vibes in Styx and other members of the underworld, as well as Kore's finding of her own power outside of what her father or anyone else "gave" her.

What I was most interested in, though, was the perception of Hades. This is not the typical brooding romantasy MMC, though he is initially prickly to Kore. Instead, he's a soft, traumatized former soldier trapped in the cage of performative masculinity, forced to be "manly" or risk someone taking everything he's built even though what he really wants is to paint, weave on his looms, and any number of other hobbies to quiet the trauma in his own head. The romance is slow burn--for a good portion of the book, I thought maybe this would be a sort of acespec queerplatonic situation? But eventually it's just all miscommunication and worries about boundaries. I like the romance as it shakes out, with very defined consent and autonomy for both characters.

I've always been fascinated by the Hades and Persephone myth. Not necessarily to romanticize it (though I've enjoyed that at times) but also for the darker natures of everyone involved as well as the ripple effects across Greek mythology as a whole. It's a mix of beauty and horror that makes it such a compelling tale for me.

And well, you know me, I love a good feminist retelling.

"Girl, Goddess, Queen" by Bea Fitzgerald is a YA retelling of the tale that promised more agency for Persephone. She isn't taken to hell, she jumps. That sounded like such a fresh and fun take.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t really land for me.

The biggest issue is with the characters. This book falls into the common YA trap of confusing "strong lead" with "rude and self-centered". Persephone spends so much of the story belittling, accusing, or threatening Hades that I couldn’t buy into the romance later on. And it felt so one-sided, too. Hades is constantly apologizing or appeasing to her, while she never really takes responsibility for the hurt she causes. The book tries to balance this out by giving her moments of insecurity, but those mostly come across as whining and repetitive self-doubt that drags down the pacing.

The enemies-to-lovers arc doesn’t work either. It feels more like forced tension that skips straight from hostility (on her behalf) to 'romantic vibes and attraction' using a variation of the 'fake dating' trope.

What bothered me even more, though, is how the story gives Persephone 'agency' by flattening everyone else. In this retelling, Kore/Persephone is described as so beautiful she could make Aphrodite jealous and definitely enough for Ares to promise to give Aphrodite up for her hand in marriage. She can weave almost as well as Athena or better (but she doesn't want to meet the same fate as Arachne). She's a pacifist (despite wishing to see Hades burn in the early chapters for not trusting her and listening to her demands) but she invented the sickle to protect humanity.

Not to mention that, she becomes the brains behind how the underworld is run since Hades apparently can't be bothered and would rather be left alone to his hobbies. Meanwhile, the rest of the gods are shallow, antagonistic caricatures, or just there to admire, desire or control her. It ended up making the whole story feel unbalanced and, honestly, kind of dull.

Between the character development issues, the overly used miscommunication trope and the unnecessary length of the book, it made for an unenjoyable read.

I went in really wanting to love this book, but in the end it left me disappointed.

Hades and Persephone has been done so many times, so I was apprehensive at first. I really liked this one. I think that it could use a little more editing, but overall it was very good.

Girl, Goddess, Queen is a refreshing take on the story of Hades and Persephone. Persephone is a fierce and independent woman who is not afraid to take matters into her own hands and leave her mark on the world. Hades is not completely the dark, brooding, all-powerful lord of the Underworld and we definitely see a softer side to him.

Bea Fitzgerald paints a beautiful story that weaves together two characters who do not fit the mold that the world has for them but find their path through it and become stronger together. Through the story, we feel all of Persephone’s love, hurt, frustration, and disappointment as she navigates the challenges brought before her. The story is fun and I will definitely read it again.

I really enjoyed this fresh and fun take on the Kore/Persephone myth. I've read several retellings of this story, but Bea Fitzgerald brings a unique and charming spin to it that kept me hooked. Hades as a true loverboy was such a delight—romantic, respectful, and full of yearning. The chemistry between him and Persephone was palpable, and their slow-burn connection had me fully invested. I will say, after all that delicious tension, I was kind of hoping for a bit more spice!
One of my favorite parts was the witty banter, especially between Persephone and the goddesses and creatures of the Underworld. It added a light, rom-com feel to the story that made it such an enjoyable read. I also loved watching Persephone’s transformation from a sheltered girl into a powerful, confident goddess. The title Girl, Goddess, Queen truly delivers on its promise.
As a fan of Greek mythology retellings, this one stood out for its humor, heart, and fresh perspective. Big thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A reimagining of Persephone and Hades, traditionally known as a kidnapping. Kore, Goddess of flowers, is raised to be a well behaved, traditional wife, treated as meek and ignored by her father, Zeus. Now that Zeus and her mother, Demeter, are entertaining offers for her hand in marriage, Kore takes matters into her own hands and runs away to the underworld. Unlike the many other gods vying for her hand, Hades has no interest in keeping her around…until he gets her to quit playing at being proper and act soully as herself. The two form first an alliance, and then a friendship, that grows alongside Kores power as she discovers where she truly belongs and what she was meant for. The problem is, this doesn’t exactly make Zeus happy, and now they have to fight Olympus for her right to stay.

Often when I read YA books as an adult, I say “as a teen, I’d devour this, but as an adult it wasn’t very good.”

This is not the case with Girl, Goddess, Queen. I truly enjoyed this retelling and find myself wanting to read more like this. Kore, later Persephone, shows strength and determination…and in a swap on traditional gender roles, Hades, lord of the underworld, is shown to be caring and creative, drawn to the softer sides of life. The topic of sex is handled in what I can only describe as a responsible way, not being more the necessary for a YA intended audience, but also not skirting around or treating it as nonexistent. It shows the conflicting feelings of teens and makes for a sweet story, but with plenty of yearning. I loved reading the interactions between Persephone and Hades and felt the love between them, and appreciated the family Persephone also found in Styx and the human spirits. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC off Girl, Goddess, Queen in exchange for my honest review.

This was a 3.5 star book for me. I enjoyed the back story of how Persephone landed in the Underworld and how it was her that was the impetus for change. What I didn’t like was how Hades was presented. At the core, he came off a little self-centered as he had all these interests but did nothing to help or improve his territory. As a result, it made it difficult for me to really like him or even truly understand him as a character.