Blurb:

An ENTHRALLING retelling from the #1 INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING author of Ariadne, Elektra, and Atalanta!

Greek mythology’s MOST FAMOUS AND MALIGNED goddess finally tells her own story, as power, passion, and divine strength collide in the HEART OF OLYMPUS

Even the gods must have their queen.

When the immortal goddess Hera and her brother Zeus overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at Zeus's side. But as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera begins to see that Zeus is just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed.

While Zeus ascends, Hera is relegated to the role of wife and mother, a role she never wanted. 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?

Review:

Imagine: you and your brother must fight your father.  You and your brother defeat him and save your four other siblings.  You did half the work, but when it’s time to delegate and divvy up the world, your brother chooses to elevate his two brothers giving each of them a chance to run the world.  They three are given the sea, the sky and the underworld.  What is left for you? You who fought and rescued them. Your sisters already know what to ask for, one asks to tend to the fires, and one who has been helping with the harvest is given charge of that.  But NOTHING is given to you. Nothing. I am furious, I am furious for her. 

I mean, I am mad before all the other women, I’m mad before the marriage (and oh man, what caused it), and I’m not sure why we haven’t heard this story before!

“A reminder, now and always, that no matter who she was before, in the eyes of the world, she is only his wife.”

Ok, I learned so much about Hera reading this, and I LOVED that.  The narrative focuses on Hera’s role within the pantheon, often sidelined despite her role, and it paints a vivid picture of her frustration, especially when compared to more recognizable gods, like Zeus. She has a spear (that I often see associated with Athena), and she was raised in the house of Oceanus (what a claim she would have had to the “God of the Sea”!).  Many of the gods shift into animal forms, I was surprised when she turned into a hawk, that’s not an animal I associate with her or really any of the Greek gods!  

Hera is presented as an equal to Zeus, an older sister who he would not have been able to fight Kronos without. One of the most compelling aspects of this story is how it reframes Hera’s character. I particularly loved how Hera’s relationship with Gaia is explored, and how she sees value in even the “wicked” creations of the Earth. This perspective sheds new light on Hera’s character, showing her not just as the marriage goddess, but as a complex figure navigating a world where power is always shifting.

As the gods shift their focus from conquering the titans to ruling the humans they have created, Hera is left out.  She doesn’t seem to have any interest in the mortal realm, and she hates change.  She would live forever in peace that the gods have created, defeating the titans and ruling, the six of them, equally.

Things cannot stay the same, Zeus invites a select mortal to see Mount Olympus. The humans are obsessed, and Hera sees immediately that this is dangerous for the gods, they become to close to the mortal, and the mortals will rise up again. 

And things with the gods begin to change as well.  Zeus has children, lots of children.  Hera remembers that her father’s children overthrew him, as he overthrew his father. She sees this pattern and seeks to interrupt it.  She tries to preserve the rule of the gods. She sees Zeus’s children as the biggest threat, as Zeus is one of the most powerful gods. Unfortunately, we know that Zeus is Zeus, and he continues to make problems for Hera. 

“Why would I debase myself by submitting to the judgement of a man.”

I loved this line in relation to the story of Troy, the author has the humans make up the story of the apple and the three goddess, and it doesn’t actually occur with the gods, but it shows Hera’s character.  She is above the mortals, she is above the judgement of men, she is Queen of the Gods, and literally does not care about them at all, unless she must. 

In this story we see Hera as the marriage goddess, but she controls so little.  Zeus flaunts his children from other women all the time, Hades took Persephone without her approval, and Poseidon is almost as bad as Zeus.  The children she does bear, do not take her side immediately, preferring their fathers’ attentions.  She is forced to see her children, (who age so very quickly) taken by other women very early, and she sees no place or role for her as mother or wife. 

“She wonders where they see her - in rebellious wives, she hopes, in the iron souls of powerful queens, in resilient girls who find the strength to keep going.”

While I didn’t LOVE Hera’s character, I think this definitely brought about a new perspective for me! I really enjoyed seeing her through the author’s lens. There were times when I wished Hera had more agency. So much of the story feels like things are happening to her, and she’s unable to stop them. Her inability to prevent Zeus’s endless infidelities, the mistreatment of her children, and her lack of control over her own destiny made me long for her to take charge in a more satisfying way.

While the story touches on some larger mythological events, such as the Trojan War and the trials of Hercules, I wished the author had spent more time on these iconic moments.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the author highlighted female characters, particularly Hestia, who is often sidelined in other retellings. Seeing her take a more prominent role was a refreshing change, and it added a layer of depth to the story. The book also invites readers to think critically about power, gender, and legacy in ways that are both timely and timeless.

Sometimes the pacing was odd for me, while I understand that we’re dealing with gods who live across vast stretches of time, some characters, like Hephaestus, aging rapidly (within a single conversation). It was hard to track how much time was passing, which disrupted the flow of the narrative at times. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this feminine rage story!

Would I reread? Yes, I think there is always more to discover in Greek Mythology, and this book offers a unique look! 

Would I recommend? Yes! If you have an interest in Greek mythology or are looking for a new feminine rage story, you should def check this out!

Recommended for Fans of Greek Mythology, and other titles like Morgan is My Name, Circe, and Sistersong!