Aphrodite

by Phoenicia Rogerson

From the author of Herc, Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award 2024 and Waterstones Best book of the Year 2023, comes the story of Aphrodite, the goddess of lies.'A remarkable feat of storytelling' Rosie Hewlett on Herc

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I’m a liar, to begin with.

Well, if I’m being exceedingly honest with you, I was nothing at all to begin with. Then I was my father’s testicles. Then the weaver of Fate itself, which is when the lying started. After that, it all got a bit complicated.

Weaving herself a web of lies and careful deceptions, Aphrodite convinces everyone she’s the goddess of love whose rightful place is among the Olympians. But being a goddess isn’t quite like she thought. Those who oppose Zeus tend to disappear, or worse. And one day, Aphrodite decides she’s had enough…

From the award-winning author of Herc, this is the riveting tale of how a nobody became a goddess, and then planned to take down the most powerful god of them all.

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Praise for Phoenicia

'Wickedly fun and devilishly dark’ Cari Thomas, author of Threadneedle

'Rogerson’s writing is powerful and nuanced, giving a fresh perspective on a classic tale and turning it into something completely unforgettable' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A captivating retelling with a very definite, personal voice, and a sharp, fresh perspective’ Genevieve Cogman, author of Scarlet

'I liked that it was told in a modern tone and from the various perspectives. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me look up various Greek figures – all the best signs of a book' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A rollicking ride through Greek mythology’ Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros

Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Historical

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2025

About the author

Phoenicia Rogerson is altogether mortal with a rather less chequered past than Hercules. After a decade of not being able to find his complete story on bookshelves, she decided to pull her socks up and write it herself. She lives and works in London.

Reviews

[minnie. [semi hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars!

⌗ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎started: oct 22, 2025 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌝
‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌞ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎finished: nov 1, 2025 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✦

This book is good, and I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

...

Okay, but in all seriousness, there is not too much to say about Aphrodite by Phoenicia Rogerson. It was a well thought out and well written novel, but it wasn’t outstanding. I applaud Rogerson for the amount of research that went into this book, since the entire novel consisted of numerous Greek myths, from the beginning of the universe to the Trojan War. Aphrodite, like the title suggests, revolves around the Greek goddess Aphrodite and her life, but do you really know what you think you know about everyone’s favorite goddess of love? Born from the testicles of Ouranos, Aphrodite is born, but not as a goddess. She is born with the ability to read the threads of fate, but as time goes on, it's not enough; she aspires to live as a goddess on Mount Olympus. We, as readers, follow her as she lies, deceives, starts a war, and maybe even falls in love along the way. The novel spans her entire life, which is extremely long, and the events often skip around to different eras in time. The chapters were a lot like interviews with different characters and gods, which reminded me slightly of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills—except it’s the Real Housewives of Olympus. One thing that threw me off a bit was the use of informal nicknames and the modern language: “Frodi”, “Foamy”, “Artie”, and the occasional use of “sus”. I was really impressed with the amount of detail in the novel, and I actually enjoyed the comedic tone of the writing. The book was a good, entertaining retelling of my favorite goddess, and I had a fun time reading it! Overall, I enjoyed Aphrodite, and fans of mythology retellings should definitely check out this book, but it wasn’t outstanding or amazing.

∿𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭⸝⸝⸝
•󠁏◞Greek mythology retelling
•󠁏◞Interview style chapters
•󠁏◞Aphrodite being well, Aphrodite (diva she is)
•󠁏◞Scheming and lying and everything in between
•󠁏◞Lots and lots of Greek myths

╰┈➤Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author for the ARC! All thoughts are my own xx
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You know I love a good greek mythology retelling! Feminist myths retellings are some of my favorites (*cough cough Spin looking at u) (but im not here to advertise a diff book so i digress) and Lady Aphrodite is one of my favorite Greek Goddess's, so I'm excited for this! Fingers crossed it won't disappoint! 🤞

[Abbie Toria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson was one of my favourite reads last year and is one of my go-to audiobook recs. So I was thrilled when HQ announced her next book Aphrodite this year!

🕊 Greek mythology retelling
🕊 Told from Aphrodite's pov
🕊 Supported by a whole cast of side character povs
🕊 Olympus politics = family drama
🕊 Female rage
🕊 Short, punchy chapters
🕊 Fun read

I love how Rogerson really plays with the different versions of the Greek myths out there. She blends different takes on an event using short, snappy, multiple character perspectives, rumour, and popular opinion to create a unique retelling all her own where we don't always get to the bottom of what really happened. You'll be feeling sorry for one god and how they were treated (looking at you Hephaestus), only to hear from another god next chapter (Aphrodite), discover why that happened, and feel completely differently! (Poor Athena) It certainly keeps you on your toes and makes for a fun, punchy read.

Aphrodite isn't a Greek god I'm naturally drawn too. But I really felt her female rage against Zeus' patriarchal reign of Olympus. I admired her wit, cunning, and determination used to carve a place for herself on Olympus and then to take revenge on those who had hurt the people she loved. I enjoyed all the backstory information we got about her, much of which I'd not heard of before. Rogerson even had me feeling for Ares, which isn't something I thought I'd say before! All the drama was cracking off on Olympus.

Here's to many more retellings to come!

[Romantasy Ruined Me Cherice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book girlies… this was SUCH a fun read. 🩷
A retelling of Aphrodite’s story and let me tell you, this was not an easy mission, but the author made it wildly entertaining. From almost the very first chapter, you’re strapped in and ready for the ride. Every chapter throws in different Greek mythology characters, drama, chaos, and surprises, and before you know it you’re telling yourself, okay just one more chapter… and then it’s 2 a.m.


Tropes:
Honestly? Everything is on the table.
Greek mythology galore, love, drama, violence, passion, messiness, and pure divine chaos.

Aphrodite herself is funny, clever, witty, and completely enjoyable. I loved her personality, her sharp tongue, her emotional depth, and the way the story balances humor with intensity. The romance? Delicious. The drama? Top tier. The violence? Just enough to keep you on edge.

Verdict:

HECK YES. I was absolutely ruined. I don’t even know which part did it but Aphrodite left me as a trembling mess, floating on the highest book high. If you loved The Song of Achilles but want something lighter, funnier, sassier, this is 100% your book.

Honestly, if Jasmine Mas and Madeline Miller teamed up to write a Greek mythology story, this is exactly what it would feel like.

✨ Total recommend. Divine chaos approved. ✨

[Enfys Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and HQ stories for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I am always, always going to gravitate towards a book that promises a new slant on Greek mythology, retelling or reworkings. Especially where it’s a figure who is underrepresented in what we have already. Seeing a book exploring the story of Aphrodite had me intrigued.

Unfortunately, despite the author’s obvious knowledge of the characters and breadth of interwoven mythology, this retelling fell flat for me. I love a bit of humour, especially when we’re dealing with capricious characters by nature, but the tone of this one took tongue-in-cheek and became ridiculous. The characters were underdeveloped and one dimensional, the polyphonic writing felt rushed and overly comedic (but unfunny), and having pet names ‘frodi’ ‘prom’ and ‘foamy’ haven’t yet stopped haunting me, was a hackneyed idea which went past unlikeable and just became aggravating to read.

The mashing of timelines and use of stories felt like too much was trying to be done, the pace was rushing about like a headless chicken without ever having time to really connect with any character.

I’m not the target audience for this book - I need my reworking to be sufficiently distant from trying to be in the correct time/following the known mythology, or close enough it feels like genuine historical fiction. This was a farce, which I struggle to enjoy on the page for longer than a few moments!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome the Real Housewives of Olympus

Stunning, brilliant, witty, so delicious it could only be divine.

Maisie Peters once wrote, ‘I am the Iliad of course you couldn’t read me’
Because as we know greek mythology books can be notoriously ‘difficult’ to read. It isn’t something you tend to pick up for a light hearted, easy read. And by difficult I just mean you have to adjust to the language and can get lost and overwhelmed with names. We all know Circe is a masterpiece, but she’s tough too.

Not Aphrodite though.

This might be one of my favourite greek retellings to date. It is multiple pov and the only way I can describe it is like a Real Housewives of Olympus. Each of the characters are telling the reader their story, with Aphrodite being the main narrator and voice, even butting in on other characters storytelling. So you get the ‘interview’ moments of characters talking directly to the reader but also recapping of the storyline. There is also a lot of modern language used to make the dialogue and narration much more digestible and very entertaining. The tv show Dickinson is a great example of the type of narration used.

My deepest thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I adore reading greek mythology retellings.

I already cannot wait to own a special edition (she better have a special edition) on my shelf as a trophy

[The Book Ferret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with this refreshing take on Aphrodite. And this is from someone who had to DNF the author's debut book Herc.

Phoenicia's writing style has definitely matured for this book and while the whole vibe is still more light-hearted than your usual retelling it flows a lot better. There are still a few overly silly chapters thrown in here and there but they are few and far between, and honestly you need them as a break to the absolute DRAMA of Aphrodite's life.

I am in awe with how the author has so beautiful woven multiple versions of the myths together seamlessly. And we even have some lesser known aspects of Aphrodite's past thrown in too which was really interesting to see. For once we have a book that doesn't just focus on Aphrodite as a beautiful but jealous person. Instead we get to see the woman who sparked the Trojan War, complete with all her scheming. And I ate that up.

The only flaw I could find with the book was that the timeline gets a little messed up. Which I'm sure is intentional from the author but there were a couple of scenes that confused me since events were happening but then the key factors for those were introduced later in the book. (I swear Eris is mentioned way before she's born?)

But no matter, I still had a brilliant time reading it and I was genuinely sad when it finished because I just wanted more.

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review the advanced copy.

[Dan Bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A major goddess in the Greek pantheon, she was featured prominently throughout all of history for being known for her beauty, passion, pleasure, love, lust, sexuality, and desire. But perhaps she was more. Much more…
Aphrodite wasn’t always a goddess, you see.
Her only real power was her unsurpassed beauty, which everyone has heard of; it’s legendary after all but that was not enough for this goddess. It was never going to be enough.
A web weaved of lies, deception, subterfuge, and conniving was the key to Aphrodite convincing the gods she was indeed one of them, and it worked which lead to Zeus giving her a title, riches, and most importantly of all, his love and all he ever wanted in return was for her love but that wouldn’t be easy.
Zeus was a monster, a tyrant, a horror to anyone in his lustful eyesight, the man was a menace to all(Poor Hera) which was no surprise given he was ninety percent insecurities and ten percent raw power) and she refused to live at someone’s capricious mercy so left with little choice, the goddess of love would take on the mightiest Olympian of them all with the intention of winning…
But as this mighty goddess shall learn, all is never, ever fair in love and war, no matter how hard she may try to spin her web larger and stronger, one day it will end up being her downfall. The fates did try to warn her.
Sassy, angry, witty, and incredibly funny, Aphrodite is a retelling that is beautifully written and uniquely charming!

[JensBookishWays · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly entertaining with tons of POVs providing a fresh twist on Greek mythology.

Thank you to The Hive/Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book as an advanced listener’s copy.

This book had a full cast of narrators and they all did a fantastic job. Their character voices were rich and entertaining.

This is my first book by this author and the format of the story threw me off. This book is a first person narrative from multiple POVs of Gods and Goddesses telling their own story in a way that felt like watching reality TV. Although the events of this story occur from the beginning of Aphrodite’s life through the Trojan War, the characters use present day cursing and terminology (including sus).

The characters are written well, with most Gods/Goddesses sounding selfish, petty, arrogant, and immature. Aphrodite is a strong character and I felt bad for her struggles along the way.

The double standards and biases against women/goddesses were apparent and anger inducing. Including: the flippant and constant impregnating of immortal and mortal women, forced/gifted marriages, lack of approval for a woman’s request to dissolve a marriage, forced procreation, the judgement of mothers due to the actions of their husbands, the lack of respect for Aphrodite and her “power,” the assumption only a male heir would overpower their father, and obviously the ingestion of offspring/spouses.

The pacing was slow to medium paced, specifically slow in the earlier chapters.

This book had steam and slight closed door spice, with one scene of magically coerced intercourse.

Reading this book makes me want to go down a Greek mythology rabbit hole.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would read another book by this author.

[RebeccaReadsTooMuch 💁‍♀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the drama! So fun to be in the minds of the Olympians and hear their thoughts about each other’s shenanigans, in contemporary voices. So many fabulous personalities. I loved rooting for Aphrodite even as she contributed to the start of the Trojan War (oops).

The sections that made me react the most - perk up, hold my breath, laugh out loud, cringe - were those I have read about the most, so I can say the more familiar you are with various myths, the more you’ll enjoy this. The spin Phoenicia Rogerson adds is what really makes this worth reading.

I haven’t read Herc yet but I put in my Libby hold before I was done with this 🤗

4.25 stars, maybe higher after I sit with it.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade for the digital copy.

[i · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Phoenicia Roberson, HQ, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for honest review.

Some people will love it, some people will hate it. Aphro-marmite.

I loved the comedic writing to a certain point, and then it felt overdone and cheap. The characters felt one-dimensional and the flipping between multiple POV was jarring, especially because they were all in first person.

The nicknames pushed me over the edge and telling “Prom” something is a “you problem”… sorry, it’s a dnf.

[Julian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is always a pleasure to read another retelling of Greek myth by someone familiar and passionate about the scripture, while not feeling bound by it. Hearing Phoenicia Rogerson’s process for some of the decisions she makes was my favourite part (meant in no way as a slight to the rest of the book).

Rogerson attempts to rewrite the entirety of Greek myth from the perspective of Aphrodite and some of the gods and deities around her. I found Herc’s goal of telling the story of Heracles’ life from everyone’s perspective except his a brilliant approach. Aphrodite lacks this innovation. Here we get mostly Aphrodite’s view, with frequent jumps to others as a way of keeping things fresh, but without a strong narrative purpose for the shifting perspectives. The alternate perspectives are sometimes used to great effect, but are seldom the point. Hephaestus and Aphrodite’s competing perspectives on their marriage is a particularly strong example here of multiple perspectives used well.

Some of the portrayals of the famous characters are excellent. I found Ares and Aphrodite’s relationship to be surprisingly sweet, and the weird dynamic between her and Eros to be fun as well. I wasn’t a huge fan of Prometheus being unable to see prophecies. Choosing to give humankind fire while knowing the consequences has always been the most compelling read of this character. Though it doesn’t have to be the case every time, I don’t think we’re provided a compelling alternative. Rogerson explains her reasoning in the post-notes, and I get where she’s coming from, but this character didn’t quite land. Aphrodite and prometheus’ relationship doesn’t quite hit. We’re told they held a deep love for one another but we rarely get to see them do anything but bicker, fight and complain to one another.

Zeus as a toxic authoritarian grown from the seeds of an isolated and immature youth is carried through the book elegantly. The gods being the way they are because they grew up as child soldiers is another piece of excellent framing. Aphrodite being a woman while having both genitalia also felt right.

The ending was a bit clunky to feel completely satisfying. Treating Rome as the next bastion of civilisation, and as a symbol of progress feels icky. This idea that there is a moral centre of the universe which is where the gods inhabit is something I first read in the Percy Jackson novels, and just doesn’t feel like a good concept to work with. There can’t be a moral centre of progress and culture to the world without deifying such a place with a distasteful nationalism and exceptionalism.

It’s always alluring to find a way to show Greek myth persisting, and show the destruction of Troy leaving behind a seed of hope, but we have to find a better way to meet these needs than to apply labels of progress and justice to Rome that it patently didn’t hold.

3.5

[Kayleigh | Welsh Book Fairy · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Greek Gods, Sass, and Surprisingly Modern Drama—Aphrodite Has Never Been This Relatable

Phoenicia Rogerson is back, this time with Aphrodite, not a subsequent sequel to Herc, but a sequel in spirit in that both novels are full of laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of emotional trauma and petty drama.

Much like its predecessor, Aphrodite takes a deity we’ve all heard of and actually makes them feel human. Rogerson gives Aphrodite a voice that’s as sharp as a stiletto heel and just as likely to make you wince and laugh at the same time. Readers will become embroiled and invested in Aphrodite’s schemes in a way that make them feel like an accessory to a crime, all to annoy the notorious hot mess of Greek Mythology character dynamics. But the author distills divine chaos into clean, clever and modern day storytelling. It’s the kind of storytelling that feels like juicy celestial gossip yet packs an emotional punch.

The gods might be immortal, but this novel is timely. Aphrodite as a character is multifaceted. She is not just the goddess of love, she is the embodiments of power, ambition, and wit. She is flawed, petty, and loves manipulation more than she enjoys love. Filled with sarcastic charm, Aphrodite is like the chaotic friend that is slightly overstimulating to catch up with but wholly entertaining. It’s worth reading and worshipping.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you Netgalley and HQ stories for the EARC and the chance to read and review this book!

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

I am a big Greek Mythology nerd and love finding new spins and perspectives, especially about the Goddesses!

As the title suggests this is about Aphrodite, Phoenicia is clearly very knowledgeable but to me it just didn’t hit it, it felt choppy and flat at times for me.
The use of pet names really grated on me, which spoilt the experience.

A very clever retelling, but just not for me.

[Laura Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ for me!!

This was such a different genre and I loved reading such a twist on Greek mythology. I loved the style of writing and hearing from lots of different characters. I read most of it but I did audio certain chapters and I enjoyed both!

It lost half a star because I think it did get tricky at times to try and remember how different characters fit together but it didn’t spoil the book at all for me.

I will be adding Herc to my TBR which was her debut novel and I’m already looking forward to reading it!!

[Zara Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was everything I didn’t know I needed! I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what was going in half the time but I was here for it! Loads of great characters, since really clever chapters and Aphrodite’s foot notes were a stroke of genius and had me giggling away!

[Saimi Korhonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I worked so hard for so long to become the person that I am, and I’m proud of it. I did this. I am my own fucking magnum opus."

Phoenicia Rogerson's Aphrodite is a polyphonic novel that retells the story of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of Love (or is she?), from her peculiar birth to her fight against the king of the Gods and fate itself. Aphrodite is a story of love in all its forms, of corruptive power, of freedom vs. fate, of one woman's fight to make her mark in the world and of what happens when the worlds of the gods and humans become irrevocably entangled.

For the most part, I enjoyed Aphrodite. I was very excited for this novel because I loved Rogerson's debut, Herc, another polyphonic novel tackling a legendary figure of Greek myth. And while this book didn't quite reach the heights of Herc, I had a good time with it and respect Rogerson as an author who swings for the fences and is not afraid to tackle challenging narratives. This book is ambitious: it spans thousands and thousands of years, has a huge cast of characters and includes so many myths from the big ones we all know to minor ones many have never heard of. I don't think Rogerson nailed every single aspect of this story, but I applaud her for trying something this vast. I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Aphrodite was an engaging main character, and it was fun getting to see her from both her point of view and those of other characters, some who hate her and some who love her. This makes the picture Rogerson creates of her feel more nuanced. I loved the way Rogerson took often forgotten aspects of Aphrodite's character, such as mention from Pausanias about an inscription that refers to her as the oldest of the Fates, and builds her story from those things, makes her feel at the same time the Aphrodite we all know and someone completely unique. I liked Aphrodite's fire, her determination to be something and someone, her cunning, her cruel and brutal streak (as she says: “– it’s better to be a powerful bitch than a kindly weakling–“), her unashamed enjoyment of sex and pleasure, and her endless capability to reinvent herself, to be whatever she needs to be to get what she wants. She is not a pleasant character or a soft character despite being a character so closely associated with love: she proves, in this story and so many myths of hers, that love can be both a beautiful and a destructive thing. Her story went into unexpected places – for example, I didn't guess that she would orchestrate the Trojan War, manoeuvre everyone and everything to make it happen, so she could destroy the world of the Gods and make a new world, one where she is central and in charge. In the end, she does. She destroys the threads of Fate, freeing herself and everyone (I loved this quote as she does it: "“I didn’t know. No one did. Not anymore. What a wonderful thing it is, to not know.”) and forces the Gods to reinvent themselves, become new. She outmanoeuvres Zeus, blackmails him into obeying her. The book ends with her son, Aeneas, telling her story to his men, to the people he will create this new civilisation with and refer to her as Venus, the Mother of Rome. That ending was wild, and managed to surprise me even in the last moments, with her saying she knows this new world won't be perfect either and that, when the time comes, she will tear it down too and create another world, over and over again, until she creates something perfect. I don't know if this is a happy ending for her: she begins to get lost in her own lies and stories, forget what used to be, but she did what she wanted. She won. Her name carries on and Rome is her legacy. I guess she is, if not happy, then at least satisfied. She caused so many deaths, manipulated so many and alienated nearly everyone who loved her, but she won.

There are so many supporting characters I simply cannot talk about everyone I liked at length. I will try to be brief. Zeus was wonderfully megalomanic, someone you in the beginning felt empathy for and loathed by the end, a wonderful examination of what can happen to someone who is given unlimited power as well as endless insecurities. I liked how Eros was, even as he became an adult, a perpetually childlike in his mischievousness. He had a very singular voice, as did, for example, Ares – he was boastful, direct, full of swear words but also hiding a profound fear of never being truly loved – and Harmonia, who spoke like a modern teen. Ares is someone we get to spend quite a bit of time with, and I actually grew to like him, which is not common for me. Usually I don't feel much towards Ares. In this book, we get to see him as a brother, a lover and a father (this was especially fun: I love how he is both trying to be respectful of Harmonia being her own independent person but also determined to threaten everyone who might hurt her away). I liked the way Rogerson described Athena making herself Zeus's right-hand man by purposefully stripping herself of all her femininity to make her seem more powerful and trustworthy: this was a great nod to how masculinity and power are often seen as interlinked and how, even today, women have to appear man-like to be respected. Apollo calling everyone and everything "Babe" was perfect, as was the depiction of his love for Hyacinth. This quote made me so sad, reminded me of Ovid's devastating retelling of this myth: "I laid Hyacinth in a bed of flowers and called forth many new blooms, in the shape of his hair that I’d loved so much. By hand, I inscribed each petal by hand with a single word. Alas. It was all I could do to share the pain I was feeling so the entire world would know that this boy was more than some forgotten mortal. He was wanted, he was loved and I was not allowed to keep him.” Him begging Zeus to save him and Zeus telling him to "put the toy down" was brutal. Hestia, my favorite goddess, had some great moments such as her trying her best to keep all her siblings happy – mother them whether they want it or not: “I tried to make them feel seen that way. It’s a nasty thing, not feeling seen by your own family. They didn’t always have time to answer when I asked them questions, but I know they appreciated it. Our sisters too. I stoked the fire and made sure there was someone waiting at home for all of them. It’s not much of a home without other people in it, after all.” She is so devoted to them, but the others mainly see her as annoying and overbearing. Hephaestus was a fun one cause Rogerson played with our emotions with him quite a bit. From his own point of view, he is a sad story, a victim and someone unfairly maligned, but from Aphrodite's point of view, he is more complex and darker than that. As all the gods, he isn't morally pure or someone beyond doing really nasty shit.

Rogerson gave us some very interesting dynamics. I am not much of an Ares/Aphrodite girlie, but in this book I quite liked them. It was fun seeing just how much Ares, this big buff tough aggressive guy, loves his girlfriend. She also gave a lot more history to Aphrodite and Zeus, which was a lot of fun and made every interaction they had that much more intriguing. The idea that she made herself his son, created this role to make him love her, after getting to know him as a young boy when she was still a Fate was so cool. It was interesting, and sad, seeing her love Zeus, make herself important to him and actually root for him, only to see him descend into paranoia, tyranny and unrepentant cruelty. But with all the cool relationships, there were also relationships that didn't live up tot heir full potential. Eros and Ahrodite's relationship starts out as integral to her story but fades away as time goes on and, in the end, there is no proper resolution, I feel, for all that happened between them. And considering how important Harmonia and her daughter Semele were made, how much a family woman Aphrodite became with them, I was shocked that she has no scenes at all with Dionysos and that Dionysos appears only once. Aphrodite was so devastated when Semele, her granddaughter, died but then she ignores her child, the kid whose fate she changed so he could live? That felt odd to me. And while I enjoyed Aphrodite and Prometheus and their eons-long bond, for some reason they never fully clicked with me. I understood why she felt the way she did about him, but I never felt it, you know?

To me, this book is above all about love. Aphrodite is not the goddess of love in the way she usually is, but she makes love her specialty, even though she is, in her own relationships (both familial and romantic) not very good at it. We get to see love between parents and their kids, siblings, friends and romantic partners, and the love people can feel for their homes and peoples. We see love make people kinder and better, but also worse. We see people kill and rebel because of love, and we see people who torn apart by never being loved (Zeus is the ultimate horror story of what feeling unloved makes you). In this book, the Trojan War is a disaster built on love. Everyone, mortals and gods both, are affected by it, because everyone loves someone involved in the fight and that keeps everyone fighting until the bitter end. This love-centric interpretation of this myth, its causes and its characters made me feel many things, because it is my favorite myth and, in Rogerson's hands, it becomes a war all about love, one of the most human things of all. And not just about the love of Helen and Paris, but every single person involved in it. People often speak of the Iliad as the war book and forget its profound humanity. Saying this book is about love makes it sound sappier than it is. Yes, love is at the heart of this novel, but we're speaking of the kind of love found in myths. So, there are no sunshine and rainbows to be found.

Rogerson described the world really well. Her writing style is humorous and not authentic to this mythical Bronze Age, but despite that, the story feels authentic to the myths it adapts. I loved how Rogerson didn't shy away from the bonkers aspects of myth such as people swallowing their children, men seducing women in the guise of swans and our main character being born from a pair of severed testicles. She doesn't hesitate to comment on the absurdity of those moments, but she includes them because they show very well just how different, wild and fantastical the world of the gods is. It is supposed to feel odd and alien, like anything can happen. The gods were written to be exactly what they are: capricious, proud, capable of both love and fiery destruction, human but not human, not simply monstrous but not good either. One of my favorite quotes from the whole book was this, by Aphrodite, in the beginning as she describes how the world was not yet what it became later on, during the time of the Olympians: “I saw the night before there were stars, because there was no one yet to mourn, no one who could only be explained by casting them bright enough for everyone to see.” The world was also delightfully queer, yet another thing which made it feel authentic to the myths. Most of the gods are queer and no one bats an eye, and Aphrodite, as she has in some statues and cults, has both male and female genitalia. This fluidity to her worked so well. Besides love, I'd say this book is about fate and free will, and how those two things can or cannot coexist, which is a theme that is present in so many ancient texts and stories. The prevalence of that theme was yet another aspect of the novel that made it feel truthful to the sources, despite the changes Rogerson made and the witty, modern voice she writes in.

My biggest issues with the book have to do with pacing and the amount of stuff in it. Because this book covers such a long time, a lot happens and many characters play a part. And because this book cannot be a thousand pages long which would probably be about enough to make sure everyone feels fully developed, many things feel a bit rushed. For example, we hurtle from Aphrodite's unfortunate marriage to her secret affair to a baby to that baby being a teen and then an adult and having babies of her own. There is no way you can connect to all those relationships and character properly. Having so much in the book feels appropriate for the main character because she is immortal and lives through so many things, but it does tire out the reader a bit and makes the book feel overcrowded. I would have loved to spend more time getting to know Aphrodite's and her kids, or see firsthand as the gods grapple with the Age of Heroes and humanity becoming more and more prominent. As it is now, we are told this new age comes and suddenly everyone has their favorite mortal. That is a huge change for them, but we just kinda skip it happening. I think, if I didn't have a good understanding of Greek myths and their characters, I would've felt quite confused sometimes and had even more trouble connecting with some characters. But because I know, say, Demeter, I know who she is when she appears, so even if we don't spend a lot of time with her, I understand her. This is not a book I would recommend anyone start with if they are cautiously interested in getting into the mythological retelling scene.

So, yeah, this book had its issues, but I still enjoyed it and found it unique and poignant. It made me think about these stories I love so much, it made me laugh and it made me sad. Phoenicia Rogerson is definitely an auto-buy author for me. Even if not everything she does is up my ally, I respect her for her imaginative storytelling, her ambition when it comes to the kinds of narratives she comes up with and her style of writing.

[Rebecca Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I preferred this one to Herc. Especially the ending, which I won't spoil. Never thought I'd say that Ares was my favourite character in anything but here we are.

[Leah Redford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was more of a full rundown of Greek mythology than just the story of Aphrodite! Enjoyable and informative but took some concentration to remember who was related to who and who was sleeping with who (it changed every 5 minutes and usually involved family members…)

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for access to this ARC 📚.

Genre/Themes: 🏛️🇬🇷🏺🐚🦀🔱🪿⚔️🏹🌊📜
Tropes: Gods and Goddesses, Anti-Hero Main Character, Unreliable Narrator, Immortal Beings, Non-Human Races, Grand Battles and Sieges, Vigilante Justice, Revenge, Legends and Mythology, Prophecies, Corruption and Redemption, Ritualistic Killing, Hidden Identities, Unrequited Love, Secret Baby, Dubious Consent, Arranged Marriage
Positives: fun autobiographical style, surprisingly easy to follow, realistic characterisation,
Room for Improvement 🔎 : occasionally ineffective prose choices, some repetitive characterisation of supporting characters, plot finished with loose endings
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕

✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑

This book definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, seeming I haven’t read any of this author’s previous work. It certainly got me out of my reading slump, and I finished it in the span of a few days even while on holiday abroad. Some aspects really worked, some didn’t. But I certainly had fun reading it.

🧍‍♀️Characterisation:🧍‍♂️
Aphrodite was the epitome of an anti-hero - a completely selfish and unhinged bitch - and I LOVED her for it. You found yourself rooting for her because you felt her desperation, her loneliness and the injustice she faced as a woman. Her biting sarcasm and brutal honesty made me laugh out loud at times. What made her even more of a joy to read was the fact she was a completely unreliable narrator. Her perspective of her dialogue and behaviour differed vastly from other people’s points of view. She saw herself as a desirable, mysterious beauty with a conniving and calculating genius (don’t we all?), but in reality she wasn’t mysterious at all - she was essentially a hippy, twirling around naked with flowers in her hair and flirting with everybody, then sleeping with more to boot. What an absolute icon. You can tell how crazy she was through her son, Eros, who at hundreds of years old still called her ‘Mummy’. He was the representation of a coddled, spoiled mummy’s boy. My disappointment was that we never got to see any resolution of their relationship. Eros basically cut her off, though I don’t remember why (I imagine it was to do with her inability to be present for him once she became obsessed with a plan or scheme), and he was basically forgotten by the end of the book. That was unsatisfying. Her relationship with Aeneas was that same coddling, but an overcorrection. Aphrodite used and abused Eros’ power, whereas she wanted to hide Aeneas from the world until the time was right. It was the same result of her using them for her own gain, but executed differently. Two dysfunctional relationships - a result of Aphrodite’s blind ambition and living vicariously through her sons - written well, excluding the open endings.
Prometheus, Zeus and Hephaestus were the most interesting supporting characters for me. The dynamic between Prometheus and Aphrodite was all too relatable, not being able to differentiate between strong platonic love or romantic love, especially since Prometheus was the first man Aphrodite ever knew. Prometheus was a bit of a douche, disregarding people’s feelings in the name of being right. He was pragmatic to a fault, always looking ahead at the bigger picture but failing to consider nuance. I was sad when he died, I have to confess. He and Aphrodite had a chemistry, as toxic as it was. Zeus truly was an amalgamation of the Titans. He was insecure and power-mad like Cronus, lonely and desperate like Aphrodite and a spoiled brat like Atlas. I thought it was genius how he was written, to be surrounded by a huge family of his own making but to still feel totally alone and to act like a typical insecure man throwing his weight and power around. I wish more had been done when Aphrodite revealed she was the Fate he had befriended and missed for millennia, not his daughter. I felt like his emotions could have been explored more, as opposed to him just discarding her. Discarding her to Tartarus didn’t feel like a revenge that would satisfy him, after years of being in love with this Fate only to find out she had betrayed him. His POVs were clever, with the choppy and fragmented thought patterns in his mind, the result of going through the motions with no real meaning for him, the numbness surrounding his life. Hephaestus was such a sweetheart. He was like Prometheus, very matter-of-fact and lacking in emotional intelligence, but more awkward. It pulled at my heart strings when he realised he did want love, affection and romance, not the coldness and bluntness he thought suited him better through Athena. Part of me really wanted Aphrodite to fall for him eventually, especially when he showed how selfless he was in saving his brother and how he didn’t even hesitate, but Aphrodite would never have gotten over the fact that she was married to him against his will and only still married to him because he refused to free her. It was a shame nonetheless. I found the remaining supporting characters a bit lacklustre. Ares just used the word fucking in every sentence, I suppose to make him seem angry and hot-headed, but I didn’t feel a true chemistry with Aphrodite at all. So when Ares betrayed her truth to Zeus, I just didn’t really have a reaction to it. Athena just felt like a cross between Hephaestus and Prometheus, choosing logic over feeling, but lacked a uniqueness because of it. Many of the other POVs had the same issue, for example dialogue-wise I couldn’t really differentiate between Hera, Thetis, Apollo, Artemis or Demeter. I wasn’t sure they needed dedicated POVs, really. Helen and Achilles felt like Harmonia and Cadmus written again, and all were written about too briefly to get a true gauge of them. All in all, my favourite aspect of this book was that the Gods were written exactly as they were in Classical Greece - FLAWED! Impulsive, petty, vengeful, manipulative. Just like the humans they created.

🗺️World-Building:🗺️
I have never read the Iliad, so wouldn’t have been able to take issue with fact versus creative license to begin with, but I think the author’s notes on her changes from the source material (or at least the blending of a few different sources) was totally valid. For example, making Aphrodite pose as Zeus’ daughter while actually being the product of Ouranos, and her manipulating her own origin story to be surfacing from the sea on a shell instead of being created from Ouranos’ testicles, were genius ways of harking to multiple origin stories. The book covered the Primordials, the Titans, the Gods, the Demigods, the Heroes and the Humans. There was also mention of nymphs - naiads and nereids - which could have been explained a bit better because it was often confusing. Same with the Fates - Aphrodite being one herself - because it wasn’t clear why she was a Fate and not just a normal Titan. From my own research after reading, the Fates were apparently the children of Nyx called the Moirai, which definitely isn’t where book Aphrodite came from. I have a feeling the Moirai were actually mentioned, possibly her Fate sisters who appear later, but I forget. It also wasn’t clear what the threads of Fate actually were as a collective entity - was it a Primordial born from Chaos like the others? Or a monster of theirs? The Primordials and their world were a bit glossed over generally, describing the sky and sea only being divided after Ouranos’ castration, but what was the world before that? Did they all live fully underwater? Could the Primordials be interacted with like the Titans and the Gods, did they control their respective elements (e.g Earth) or just let all of their relatives do stuff and just ignore it? It was all a tad unclear. The Gods lived on Olympus which was of course at the top of a mountain on the Earth (exactly where that issue comes in, are they all living on Gaia? Unclear.), while many of the Titans were banished to Tartarus. The underworld was poorly explained too, Asphodel only being mentioned later on with no real introduction. It therefore wasn’t immediately obvious that Hades’ underworld was divided into sections for a reader without prior knowledge. The Humans and Heroes later on had their cities, with those mentioned being Troy, Thebes and Ithica. The origin of the Humans was written well, basically being a play-thing for a bored, restless Zeus. Troy was built under the eye of Apollo, but the creation of Thebes and Ithica wasn’t gone into much. Overall, I found the family trees surprisingly easy to follow, as in who gave birth to who or who married who, but the powers everybody had, or their form of existence, were less so.

📝Prose/Plot:📝
This is where the book lost several stars for me. The autobiographical style, with the sarcastic footnotes? Great, loved it. The modern colloquialisms? Like a god being described as sus? Horrendous. Certain characters spoke like Londoners or even from the American South, gave horrid nicknames like Frodi or Foamy, or Ro-Ro. Destined to age this book like milk. I liked the addition of written letters, but there were inclusions of advertisements? That was a bit off considering I’m fairly certain the Gods didn’t need to trade for goods. As mentioned earlier only certain characters had distinct dialogue styles, others merged into one. I also found certain dialogue lines lacking in clarity, not understanding what they were actually trying to say. A conversation between Zeus and Eros left me confused, for example. Plot wise, Aphrodite’s deception and infiltration was great. Her manipulation of the Trojan war was entertaining in its roadblocks. Other plot lines were less effective, like her escape from Tartarus. She was there for about thirty seconds before blasting out with Zeus’ lightning bolt. It had already been questioned in the book how she could use it, not being a God, so this horrendous prison didn’t seem very perilous when she managed to get out straight away. I felt the Hero and Human plot lines were very rushed, too. The open endings were very unsatisfying, especially the big question of what happened to the Gods after Olympus fell. They can’t die? The ending, I have mixed feelings about. Aphrodite becoming Venus works in a way, with Aphrodite’s ability to manipulate her history in human rhetoric and lie about her identity. But the year given for the fall of Troy in sources versus the recorded start of the Roman Empire was literally hundreds of years apart. Rome couldn’t have possibly been the New World her son Aeneas was making, with him not being immortal. So that felt a bit shoe-horned. Could have worked, but not in the vague way it was presented. Overall, if you want to read a decently funny depiction of a Greek Goddess that gives Desperate Housewives, then this is for you. If you want serious highs and lows of emotion, mature and thrilling drama, or meticulously accurate re-telling, maybe less so. I would definitely consider reading more work from this author.

[Cai · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Aphrodite as a figure in greek mythology has always been one of my favourites, so it’s no surprise to me that I loved this. It had all of the drama expected from a retelling of the goddess of love, with many touching moments and heartbreaking betrayals. I was lucky enough to receive a proof of this book, and needless to say, it is now one of my most prized possessions.

One thing I will say, since I know it’s something that a lot of people hate in mythology retellings, is that there is a fair amount of modern language and phrases throughout the book. Personally, I didn’t mind it but just as a warning to those who dislike it.

[Katy Brigden]

Sorry but I simply did not vibe with this, it’s a DNF ☹️

[Katelyn C · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars

I am honestly blown away with the amount of detailed lore that was compiled into this story. This writing style is very different than what I'm used to. It reads as unserious and silly at times yet stays mostly true to Greek Mythology. This book takes you from the birth of the Gods to their demise and is packed with humor, tragedy and inspiration. While the plot revolves mostly around Aphrodite, there are multiple other POV's introduced with each having their own characteristics. I learned a lot through this, and I appreciated the informative storytelling.

In this book, Aphrodite is told as a Fate masquerading as a Goddess. She is very cunning and selfish yet motivational and innovative. I definitely recommend this for those that are wanting to learn more about the ancient lore revolving around Aphrodite and those around her. I love how Rogerson condensed so many contradicting myths into one cohesive story. I'm thoroughly impressed!

[megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

phoenicia rogerson you’ve done it again! this would be six stars if i could give it. i LOVED herc but aphrodite cemented rogerson as one of my favourite authors, both of mythological retelling and generally - dare i say aphrodite was my favourite read of the year? its clear how much research and passion is poured into this book with the blending of the different myths and sources, and i can’t think of a better representation of aphrodite (my favourite deity along with apollo) and i can’t wait to read whatever she releases next! (please be an apollo book). the relationship of ares and aphrodite was so well written, him calling her foamy I DIED!!! jennifer saint i need this immortal heart more than i need air atp

[Carrie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to even start with this?? It’s a Greek mythology retelling but not as you know it.
Though if you’ve read Herc and enjoyed it, you’ll have some idea what to expect from Aphrodite.

I’m fully riding on the Greek mythology retelling bandwagon, but this is my first that features Aphrodite front and centre. I loved the rise and fall of Olympus from her POV (and the other characters along the way) and her take on all the main players in the Trojan war.

The interweaving of fate was a new angle for me, which made this fresh and original. The dialogue and narration is not going to be for everyone but give it a chance and you’ll absolutely never look at the Gods the same way again!

[Keelia Brynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️
I find it difficult to figure out how to review and rate this book for several reasons, but I shall attempt to regardless.

This book is incredibly ambitious. It encompasses literally thousands of years, and multiple point of views throughout the story. For that I must give it props, but unfortunately I think that the book suffered because of this ambition. As soon as I would get particularly enthralled by a certain story point, it would change and turn into something (or someone) else. Another aspect that I must commend is how much research the author put into these myths, there is so much lore encompassed in this work.
My biggest struggle is trying to figure out who the intended audience is for this book, because I wouldn’t recommend it to those who are just starting to read mythology retellings. There is far too wide of a scope for beginners to easily grasp. Yet I also wouldn’t recommend this book to those of us who are experienced mythology readers. In my opinion, this book lacks a lot of the deep emotional complexity that is featured in other feminist retellings. There are certainly moments of power and instances where I genuinely felt moved however often times I found those instances overshadowed by the attempts at humor and use of modern slang (ex: “sus”) coupled with the ridiculous nicknames (Zuesie, Prom, Artie, Frodi, etc). I found myself particularly drawn to Ares. His storyline kept me interested in finishing the book, which is unfortunate considering this is a feminist work emphasizing Aphrodite.
All that being said, I did enjoy parts of this, and once again I think that the author showcases a great deal of knowledge. Unfortunately I just think that this wasn’t for me.

Thank you very much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All words are my own.

[Anniek · Rating 2 out of 5]

het was beter dan Mij krijgen ze niet klein !!!

[Angus Quinn · Rating 1 out of 5]

A bit of a stinker and I don't buy the narrative choice to make Aphrodite a fate based on a single original source either.

[roibean · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have no words except phoenicia rogerson u absolute brilliant mastermind. i love a book with different POVS (sue me) but the way this was done was INSANE! i think something that is unique to phoenicia is the whole writing style changes depending on who is narrating - like how cool is that?! i can easily tell who is gonna be the main speaker by the beginning sentence, and that is a skill.

highlights include
- ares and aphrodite. i love them. i want them together forever and i wish they stayed happy. their agrument at the end of the book BROKE me because tihis version of them are so perfectly matched and i just love love and i just want them to be happy. let them be HAPPYYYYYY PLEASE
- eros, where did u go girl ong. i wonder if he just stayed with the bees or smth
- i hate zeus. i already hated him before, and i hate him now. more so, if that is even possible. what an absolute DICK.
- i like the cyclical nature of the start and end - aphrodite and zeus once friends, then family, now enemies. so very interesting. still hate zeus btw.
- patroclus and achilles mentioned as lovers = bonus points for loving this thank u
- TROJAN WAR CONTENT YIPPIE (fav myth here i am very happy)
- absolute sick narrative style i love u phoenicia AHHHHH
- PROM AND APHRODITE :( i love them, not romantically as i love ares and aphrodite (foamy) but as something that is like platonic soulmates, forever fated to be something that is undefined but always together. when she went ot vsiit him even after he turned to stone?????? guys this is real LOVE becayse only aphrodite could do that. MY QUEEN WHO CAN DO NO WRONG
- HARMONIA AND CADMUS AND ARES AND APHRODITE AS A FAMILY <3 ended far too soon for comfort i love them. also i HATE FUCKING ZEUS RAHHHHHHHH

n e ways, i think that's the end of my little summary. key thing to take away from this is that i love this book and it sits up there with Herc fr. phoenicia pls release another book NOW. thanks.

and thank yew netgally for the kindle version and thank you benny for the physical proof copy which i have morphed into my own and you will never get back ;) YIPPIE.

[W.S. Luk · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the dawn of creation to the fall of Troy, Rogerson traces the story of Aphrodite, goddess of love, as she grows disillusioned with and schemes against the gods of Olympus. There are some interesting riffs in how this story is told, such as its use of different fonts and unconventional text formatting, but I felt that its sweary, casual narration overstayed its welcome. Despite initially preferring it to the typical seriousness of myth retellings, as the story went on these DEADPOOL-esque attempts at humour became grating and hampered my emotional connection to the characters.

While some concepts in this book are cleverly imagined, such as emphasising Aphrodite's status as an ancient being predating the Olympians, associating her with the influence of fate, and foregrounding the more martial role she takes on as a patron of Rome, I also wasn't particularly engaged by Rogerson's characterisation. The depiction of male Olympians and heroes as monstrous, idiotic braggarts will be familiar to anyone who's read multiple myth retellings, while perplexingly for a novel about the goddess of love, none of the romantic relationships in this novel feel particularly well characterised. I couldn't help comparing this to my experience reading Anne Carson's DECREATION last week, where within a few pages she uses the story of Ares and Aphrodite being caught in adultery by Hephaestus to show how their romantic passion overcomes this attempt to humiliate them. If I remember correctly, Rogerson's reworking of the same sequence instead contents itself with making jokes about how being caught in the net is hurting Ares' balls.

[Rebecca Love · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️

You can really tell how much research the author did for this book. It covers 100s of 1000s of years and brings so many different myths together it's insane.

And so I'm quite sad that I really struggled with it. At first, I thought the way it was written was interesting and the humour was funny. It's written as if aphrodite herself is telling you her story. Theres even little footnotes, which in all honesty, I'm not sure i liked. It made it feel a little like a textbook, and the humour wore thin.

The issue for me came with all the other POVs. Theres so many that I kept getting lost. I do think that this would be amazing as a fully casted audiobook, though. I feel like the way it's written is just made for that.

Plotwise, the first half dragged, but once ares made his appearance, it picked up a little. Once we hit the Troy business, it really hit its stride. It was a very interesting exploration into the power of women and how people underestimate them. Aphrodite lies her way into high places.

Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me but there's definitely a group of people that im sure will absolutely devour it. I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.