Pages: 385
Published: 13th August 2024
Genre: Mythological Fiction
Content warnings: Misogyny, rape
When Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side.
As they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed.
She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?
This book is not terribly long, yet it lasts for absolute eternity. The timeframe it spans is incomparable as it begins with the genesis of the deities on Mount Olympus and takes us through the entire oracle of Greek mythology to the stage where Zeus is battling to stay relevant and his plentiful offspring are scattered throughout the skies and kingdoms. It is a journey through the ages, and that is what makes it such a profound literary achievement.
But of course, first and foremost it is the story of Hera. Quite a depressing story actually, as for the majority of her existence she is far from contented, often vengeful towards Zeus and the women he impregnates. She looks upon the mortal world with a kind of curious disdain, and has a loveless relationship with her esteemed status of the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
It is a story beautifully told, and despite the extraordinary scale of the narrative it is rich in depth and not only explores every aspect of Hera’s character with immense skill, but also develops a great deal of other characters in detail. The author’s knowledge of the mythology shines through on every page and her writing evokes all the emotions from anger to fleeting happiness.
Some passages are a little dense here and there, especially during the quieter moments of the plot, so you can find yourself drifting slightly before landing on the good bits. The most entertaining moments are found in the interactions between Hera and Zeus, their stormy union leading to an unending game of cat and mouse that Hera cannot stop herself from playing. With Zeus being immortal, she has to take her revenge on the ones he seduces, and these punishments are merciless to say the least.
Although you can understand Hera’s fury, she is a character who finds little joy in anything and has an air of self-importance which does grate on occasion. The relationship she has with her own children is perhaps the best illustration of that and this is realised well, most notably her initial dismissiveness towards Hephaestus, whom she abandons to the mountains. His later rejection of her is a powerful full-circle moment.
The other gods and goddesses on Olympus are a regular presence, with many entering at their point in the timeline. Zeus is portrayed as a domineering figure with an air of frivolity, interestingly more tolerant towards others than Hera. The most likeable is Hestia, who strikes a shrewd bargain with Zeus early on and lives a peaceful life unaffected by the chaos of others’, contrasting with the wanton attitude of Poseidon and mood swings of Demeter.
Through Hera’s eyes we get a spectator’s view of significant events such as the Trojan War and Jason’s expedition with his Argonauts. They might seem tokenistic but it all adds to the contrast that is drawn between the lives of mortals and that of a divine being, and the passage of time plays an increasingly vital role. At the end Hera and in particular Zeus are reduced to little more than mere relics, with Mount Olympus no longer the behemoth it once was. As this realisation sets in, the author provides the necessary gravitas, giving us a fitting sense of closure.
Overall, the character of Hera herself might not be full of sunshine but she most definitely has a remarkable story to tell. The very idea of this book is nearly as ambitious as Madeline Miller’s Circe, and the execution is something to admire, such is the thought and care that is put into capturing the essence and scale of every scene. It does drag in places and whether it is actually a feminist retelling is open to debate, but most of the time it sings with imagination and meaning.
A very ambitious book which captivated me in spells without fully holding my attention throughout, but the writing was consistently superb. Other readers may have wanted something different from the character of Hera, but I was content with her portrayal.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Stephen Reads Books 