Psyche

by Forrest Gladstone

Keep your own name and demand the gods say it.

Psyche of Crete is determined to marry with greater happiness than her sisters, but when rumors of Psyche’s beauty begin to affect temple tribute, Venus, the goddess of love, dispatches her son Cupid to nip the problem in the bud. Instead, Cupid is pricked by his own weapon, falling irrevocably in love with Psyche. The steps he takes to claim her, and the fall out from such, will set Psyche on a collision course with the gods, fighting not just for her life, but for a voice in a world that would silence her.

What makes a myth endure? The truth it holds, or the lie it comforts us with? In this arresting reimagining of the Greek myth, a young woman caught in a web of gods, violence, and expectations steps out of the shadows of story to shape her own truth. Psyche is a meditation on power and the stories we inherit . . . and the ones we choose to tell instead.

Genres: Fantasy

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2025

About the author

Forrest lives with her husband, kids, and cats in Richmond, Virginia. She earned her BA in Religious Studies and Anthropology from the University of Virginia, and her masters degree in Education from the College of William and Mary. She has taught language arts, theatre, and writing. Psyche is her first novel.

Reviews

[Rachel Doubek · Rating 4 out of 5]

An expansive story of Psyche and Cupid from birth to love. The author did a great job telling the whole story across time. The story grapples a lot with SA and I worried the ending wasn’t going to stick it. But 10/10.

I do wonder if the cover may scare people off because many Greek retellings lean more classic/adult and this is a cartoon cover. But the themes are very adult and women’s fiction. I hope it gets the attention it deserves. This isn’t an easy book to read, in terms of everyone ends up happy or the girl gets revenge in the end. There is suffering and hardship, but ultimately agency. I’m glad Psyche’s tale was told like this, the author did a great job.

Thank you to Bosque Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Haylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psyche is proof to never judge a book by its cover — while it was the beautiful cartoon that made me curious, I was a bit nervous after finding out this was a mythology retelling. But this was worth a read, and good one at that. I like how this also provided insight to the Olympians and their perspective on Psyche and Eros; especially Aphrodite as the goddess of love and as a mother

Thank you Forrest Gladstone, Bosque Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Leah McGeorge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an incredible retelling. I love the balance of the gods perspectives and Psyche's. I really enjoyed how Psyche grew through the book and learned to play a game she shouldn't have had to.

[John Richard Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 debut from first-time author

Lots of engaging fun characters with great dialogue.
The action starts quickly and pulls you along.
The focus here is on the story and the characters, but along the way it asks some important questions about how our society ever came to consider Cupid as a romantic figure.

[that.onebookgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley for access to this book!

I have read many retellings of greek mythology. As an avid reader of ancient myths and a former classics student, retellings have always been right up my alley. So many times, characters are side-lined, ignored, or silenced in these myths: both in ancient sources and in modern sources! Seeing how authors reinterpret these characters within our modern context is one of my favorite things.

Now I have read a lot of retellings, especially feminist ones. Many times, I have never felt compelled by these novels: usually because these retellings either favor the man, distort the original myth, or aren't faithful to the source material. When I started Psyche, I had hopes for it to turn well, but expected to be lightly disappointed.

Forrest Gladstone blew me out of the water.

Psyche follows the story of the infamous myth of Psyche and Cupid, taking place in a world in which the gods grapple with the new Roman world they now occupy. Gladstone weaves this growing political tension into the story of a young woman who is taken advantage of and suppressed by the Gods. Now, this story handles some sensitive themes: such as rape, marital abuse, and assault. Rather than shying away from the subject, or sanitizing it for the sake of the love story, Gladstone confronted these issues head-on and dealt with them in ways that were affirming of Psyche's experience. I thought the depiction was expertly handled and sensitive, well-done in a way that I have yet to see many other books handle these subjects. When so many of the greek myths depict assault and rape as major points in their story, I was proud that Gladstone addressed these issues head on and gave Psyche the voice that she has been lacking over the centuries.

The story is hypnotizing, and the writing is clever. You don't just follow Psyche, but the other characters that she interacts with. Rather than feeling like it detracted from Psyche's experiences, the extra perspectives only highlighted and added to it. The characters are compelling, steadfast, and the Gods are cruel and capricious. I can honestly say I have yet to read a greek retelling that has so expertly interacted with, addressed, and expanded upon the source material than Forrest Gladstone. I heartily recommended this book (with the content warnings in mind for any future readers) for anyone who wants to expand their library of greek retellings. Five stars!

[Torz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written retelling of the story of Psyche and Cupid.

Definitely puts perceptions of women, and how we cope with tragedy and day-to-day patriarchy under the microscope. The expectation that we just sweep things under the rug and get on with life - which we're strong enough to do but we shouldn't have to do.

This book makes you feel all the feels, a lot of rage, loss, insight and contemplation

Some of my favourites lines:

It was her cradle all over again, devotion that could kill her, only this time, her greatest protectors were gone.

Diana's smile was wicked. "I? I'd go with a classic: one jealous goddess attempting to bring down another. That one stands the test of time."

It occurred to Venus, in a distant corner of her ind, that the last time she had felt rage this intense had also been in Mercury's presence and also over an unplanned child.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've heard of "the original Beauty and the Beast" as my fairy tale and folklore professor put it, then you know that the tale of Psyche and Cupid has a happy ending. But what if it actually dealt with topics like SA and what the aftermath of it is, even if it takes you time to call it that? Being able to read this title on NetGalley, I was entranced with how strong Pysche is. Being able to stand up to your parents, your perpetrator, and the Greco-Romano gods takes a lot of guts, and she does it so eloquently. I loved seeing a more modern take on this myth and having it grapple with topics that today we are just only realizing shouldn't be as taboo as they seem to be.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique retelling about Psyche and Cupid that spanned from their childhood into their adulthood. I enjoyed the different perspectives of the gods and especially goddesses in the story and how they perceived the happenings. It certainly made me think about how the narrative of stories and myths are perceived. I felt like the author handled the themes of SA well and I felt like it did Psyche in the book justice. She suffered a lot throughout it and ultimately she grew a lot because of it. I really liked the relationship she had with her sisters and the important part they had in the story.

While I do like the cover I don't think it quite matches the story told and I almost expected something different.

[Peyton McCain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Forrest Gladstone for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! I am a huge fan of mythological adaptations or retellings, and this followed in the footsteps of Circe and Song of Achilles very well. The story of Psyche and Cupid is an interesting one in canon, and I feel that Gladstone adapted it into a very compelling novel.

One of my issues with Greek/Roman myths is the lack of agency female characters have, including goddesses. This novel gave its female characters that agency and the ability to make a difference in their own lives, while still emphasizing that those who had that agency were not the norm in their society and time.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the relationship posed between Psyche and her sisters, and the emphasis on how life and perception changes through womanhood, motherhood, and being a wife. Many myths lack complex female relationships, but those between Psyche and her sisters felt very realistic and raw.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Forrest Gladstone!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this from NetGalley for a honest review.

A refreshing take on a classic mythological story. I like that this book challenges the traditional (patriarchal) narratives of Greek mythology, giving the females agency and resistance against oppressive power structures at play.

[Halema · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reimaging of Psyche and Cupid is one of my favorite versions of the Greek mythology. The relationship between Psyche and her sisters was one of my favorite aspects in the book. The sisters in many versions are not as fleshed out, but with this one, it's important in the story. I did like Venus as well, Cupid's mom, because of being a mother and the struggles she went through. This book does go into depth about being a mother and being a woman. The expectations of how your life is destined to be, becoming a mother, and the struggles your body has to bear. All these women have different conflicts with their male partners. Cupid and Psyche's relationship is interesting because of how dynamically it changes throughout the story. This story is not as focused on the romance aspect but more on the characters' development and their advocacy for themselves. Gladstone's writing on mythology is one of the best I have read. I also really liked that they used the Roman version of the name instead of the Greek. I would recommend this book to lovers of Greek Mythology.

Thank you, Netgalley and Bosque Publishing, for the review copy.

[Poppy Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing retelling that swings between bland, childish prose, and serious topics that butt heads with the dry and unfeeling storytelling. There is no showing, only telling.

The Author struggles with pairing the historical truth of women and marriage at the time with the myth and glossing over the allegory behind it. Psyche is the depiction of the human soul, Eros, sexual desire, and together through struggles of 'Love' and 'Death' (Aphrodite and Persephone) they end up creating Hedone (the depiction of pleasure). It is confusing how the author mixes the roman depictions in the book with 'Psyche' who is greek, instead of her roman counterpart Anima.

It is impossible not to compare to Circe, which manages to both handle the reality of historical women with the author added allegory of immortality and humanity.

[Lindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Psyche by Forrest Gladstone is a beautifully written and surprisingly accessible dive into the myth of Psyche, perfect for readers who aren't well-versed in Greek mythology. Gladstone brings emotional depth and a modern sensibility to an ancient tale, making the characters feel human and relatable rather than distant or symbolic. The novel explores love, transformation, and resilience with a lyrical style that’s easy to follow but rich in feeling. Even without prior knowledge of the myth, the story unfolds naturally, drawing you in with vivid imagery and a heroine whose journey of self-discovery feels timeless. It's a compelling, soulful read that lingers long after the last page.

[Ellie Raddatz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Psyche is a retelling of the classic Greek myth and while overall the book was enjoyable, I didn't really enjoy the ending. Now I know that not every book can have a true happily ever after but I feel like for this day I can see why they had the ending they did, I wish it had a bit more of an uplifting ending and not just an ending that basically says that we are going to hide the truth to save face and you have to deal with the consequences. While it is a very Greek myth type of ending I feel like I wanted more from this story and to turn the myth on its head in a unique way.

[Lesley Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful retelling of a classic myth, with modern tweaks to make it relatable. Gorgeous writing. And, I particularly enjoyed the shared understanding among the female characters of what it means to be a woman in a man’s world, regardless of the character’s motivations for their actions. Highly recommend!

[Lilian Heil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really refreshing take on a classic story. The focus on femininity, family, and motherhood makes this story resonate in 2025! Worth the read!