Jennifer Saint is the queen (or should that be goddess?) of Greek mythology retellings. She may not be the first author I’ve read who’s turned the classic stories on their head, but she’s arguably the best. She gives often unsung heroines their deserving chance in the spotlight in an incredibly captivating and enlightening way (three years on, and I am still not recovered from her stunning retelling of Ariadne‘s story). And this time she turns her hand not to another mortal heroine but rather to one of the great Olympian goddesses herself: Hera.
About Hera
Hera is Zeus’ sister and was crucial in bringing the old Titans down, launching the reign of the Olympians. But as a woman she isn’t handed the skies, seas, or even the underworld on a gold platter to rule. Instead, her thunderbolt-wielding brother thinks she will make a suitable wife. Completely forgetting – or simply ignoring – that without Hera he wouldn’t be sitting on his cushy throne on Mount Olympus.
My review
What Jennifer Saint does best is bringing a whole host of disconnected and even contrasting stories together to create something far richer and superior than any of the individual old tales. Though, as she deftly weaves together a myriad of myths, it also surfaces the absurdity that sits at the heart of so many of them. And never moreso than with this book, because it has one of the gods at its centre – and they truly do, and experience, some of the most bizarre moments in storytelling.
And while there were some myths woven into the main plot that I didn’t realise were connected to hers (particularly the monsters were a very fascinating aspect I wish to have read more of), unfortunately, it seems inevitable that all roads lead to Troy. I appreciate the immense impact this particular tale has had on shaping the foundations of Greek mythology, but it’s simply been done too many times in recent years and despite the best efforts of the author it has lost all originality.
Blog tour stops for Hera by Jennifer Saint
This review for Hera is part of the blog tour for the launch of the book. Make sure to check out the other stops too!
Disclaimer: This book was gifted to me, but this has not impacted this honest review.
