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Hades and Persephone Duology #1
Hades And Persephone: Curse Of The Golden Arrow
A Cursed Love...When Persephone is forced into the Underworld, she fears the Dark Lord who rules the shadowed kingdom. A curse has brought them together, and the Goddess of Spring wars against Hades, the King of the Dead. But as time passes, she begins to wonder if he is truly the monster she fears or if he may be the very answer her soul calls out for. Lies, jealousy and betrayal combine to keep them apart. Together, they battle against an unknown foe, but is there enough time to reveal the dark truths of the God before his kingdom falls?
428 pages, Paperback
First published January 13, 2020
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2239 people want to read
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March 14, 2024
I’m a long-time fan of greek mythology and definitely a fan of retellings. That being said, Hades & Persephone is a tale I know less well, so I came into this book with open expectations. The cover, synopsis and promise of illustrations were enough to push me to buy this book but I have to say, the execution did not let me down.
The story of these two was very much push and pull, hate and love. The descriptions of the underworld and its different lands within the world really conjured a great idea of life there. Persephone had such character growth in this book, from seemingly innocent forest goddess to a formidable Queen. The reveals in her story were pretty heartbreaking.
Hades was pretty likeable from the start. He had very little of the heavy-handed god about him and his genuine attachment to Persephone was endearing. Added to that was seeing his work as the god of the underworld, it showed him in a variety of lights, not all scary. There was a lot of chemistry going on between these two and it was a pretty slow-burn romance.
The greek mythology gods were pretty dramatic and there was a taste of this throughout the book with turns in the plot. The story was fairly fast-paced and it didn’t lose my attention once. The sinister beings existing in the dark nooks of the underworld were pretty creepy.
Reading HADES AND PERSEPHONE: CURSE OF THE GOLDEN ARROW was a full-on experience. I cannot express how much the illustrations brought this story to life and made it so much more than your average retelling. Compared to other books I have read with illustrations (like Folio Society books) there was an illustration every 10 or 15 pages, so considering this was a 428 page book, there were lots. I can’t speak for how the kindle book looks, but if you want to read this, I would definitely recommend the paperback format.
The writing, story and characterisation was great in addition the visual. I cannot wait to read more from this author and illustrator and I’m really hoping to see this particular story continue.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Re-read March 2024
Stood up so well to a re-read and thoroughly enjoyed again. Now I'm launching into book 2!
The story of these two was very much push and pull, hate and love. The descriptions of the underworld and its different lands within the world really conjured a great idea of life there. Persephone had such character growth in this book, from seemingly innocent forest goddess to a formidable Queen. The reveals in her story were pretty heartbreaking.
Hades was pretty likeable from the start. He had very little of the heavy-handed god about him and his genuine attachment to Persephone was endearing. Added to that was seeing his work as the god of the underworld, it showed him in a variety of lights, not all scary. There was a lot of chemistry going on between these two and it was a pretty slow-burn romance.
The greek mythology gods were pretty dramatic and there was a taste of this throughout the book with turns in the plot. The story was fairly fast-paced and it didn’t lose my attention once. The sinister beings existing in the dark nooks of the underworld were pretty creepy.
Reading HADES AND PERSEPHONE: CURSE OF THE GOLDEN ARROW was a full-on experience. I cannot express how much the illustrations brought this story to life and made it so much more than your average retelling. Compared to other books I have read with illustrations (like Folio Society books) there was an illustration every 10 or 15 pages, so considering this was a 428 page book, there were lots. I can’t speak for how the kindle book looks, but if you want to read this, I would definitely recommend the paperback format.
The writing, story and characterisation was great in addition the visual. I cannot wait to read more from this author and illustrator and I’m really hoping to see this particular story continue.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Re-read March 2024
Stood up so well to a re-read and thoroughly enjoyed again. Now I'm launching into book 2!
May 5, 2021
My rating: 3.5 stars
Word of advice, if you plan on finishing this book at early morning hours, don't. I made the mistake of doing that at 3 am & was so annoyed/pissed off, I almost lost my will to sleep.
I want to start this review by saying, I was absolutely excited for this book, from the blurb to the beautiful cover/illustrations and I'm so damn sad at the way it turned out because for a good chunk of it, I actually quite liked the story.
To be even more precise, I refuse to acknowledge the existence of Chapters 22 to 29.
"Hades And Persephone: Curse of the Golden Arrow" by Heidi Hastings is a take on the myth for Hades & Persephone that had potential but ended questionably & super messy (no joke, I still have questions why tf it ended like that & what it even means).
The plot: (you know the deal, kinda, but some twists exist)
Persephone is the Goddess all nasty Gods suddenly are obsessed with & kept trying to make her their wife. The worst of them all, Ares, wants her to marry him & Zeus (the douche) has given him his blessing. Enter Hades who has no choice but to kidnap Persephone because he is pierced by one of Aphrodite's golden arrows & cursed to suffer great pain until Persephone falls in love with him.
My problems with the book:
- Persephone herself:
Throughout the whole book she kept getting on my nerves, so many times she put herself in great danger by deciding not to heed a simple warning (from her mother, from Hades), you'd think after the first two times she got into trouble, she would fucking listen & just behave, but no.
I genuinely admire the patience Hades demonstrated time & time again, so many times he put his needs on the back burner/chose to deal with the pain of the curse instead of acting on the dark thoughts and desires it instilled in him. He put up with so much BS from Persephone, it's unreal.
Not only was P a stubborn baby that kept trying to rebel just because, she was also quite the hypocrite that went from "Ah, Hades, I would never, EVER want to stab ya with this dagger that has the power to greatly hurt Gods" to "I wish I had that dagger so I can stab Hades in the back because he didn't tell me something immediately".
(For context: Persephone had a first love that she met through letters, she spent years believing the boy turned out to be a monster that *rapеd* her. Turns out Hades was writing the letters, he was the boy she loved, but somehow Ares found out about their correspondence, so before H could go & get Persephone so they marry, the God of War showed up instead of Hades & posed as the secret love then assaulted P resulting in her getting pregnant (she lost the child later on). Ares made her write a letter saying she hates H & how he's a monster she doesn't want to see ever again. When Hades finally arrives at the meeting spot, he reads the letter & in despair drinks from the Lethe so he forgets he ever allowed himself to love anyone).
(For context 2, Hades' background from the book: Firstborn, shallowed by Cronos & forced to experience him raping his mother Rhea over & over and while imprisoned getting punished by demons or whatever in C's body. Hades then tries to kill his father with a BLUE sword that has the power to end Gods, but his mother throws herself into his blade, so he "doesn't become a monster like his father" by killing him. Zeus & his douche relatives then punish Hades for "killing" their mother. They make it seem like they're dividing duties and not punishing their brother when in reality Hades is absolutely miserable and blames himself for killing Rhea. He actually believes he's a monster.
His whole life Hades hasn't allowed himself to love anyone or have been loved by anyone, until one day he sees Persephone from afar, he starts to write her letters and plans on making her his Queen.)
For a good chunk of the book Hades didn't remember his past with Persephone (he had forgotten everything thanks to Lethe), when he eventually found out the truth, he took some time to tell P because he had no clue if he can trust her, was worried she might be playing him & had no clue about Ares' assault.
Now, when Persephone accidentally discovered he is the boy from the letters, she flipped, blaming everything on Hades, even accusing him of working with Ares. She knew about his past, what he went through, how he had no one to love him. You can imagine how he felt when the only person he allowed himself to love and wanted to spend eternity with called him a monster with a letter. Telling him what he thought about himself all along, when he was ready to reveal himself to her.
Persephone didn't think about that tho. The whole time she kept ignoring his feelings, how he probably felt in that moment, only focused on what happened to her and how it broke her soul. And Hades... he took it all and basically allowed her to put the blame for her assault on him, because "he didn't show up on time to stop Ares".
I was ready to overlook this BS, all that hypocrisy because of how sucked into the story I was and because of Hades (who deserved so much better, by the way). But then... it got even worse.
- "The big twist" in Chapters 28,29 (what tf was that mess, really):
(For context: Hades & Zeus both had swords that can kill a God, the douche gave his (GOLDEN sword) to his son Ares.
Aphrodite was in love with Ares & wanted to put a love curse on him, so she cursed Hades with the arrow at the beginning. She made him pierce Ares with her arrow so he falls for her instead of ending him once & for all.
How this book went summed up in one single gif:
)
I still have no clue what actually happened in those two final chapters, simply because of how confusingly they were written:
Now, am I supposed to comb through all greek mythology lore to find out if Ares somehow found a way to possess Hades and if this is what actually happened in that scene?! Did he yeet Hades' soul out of his body & then entered said body?
***** Literally the worst twist/ending you can get out of this book was the only decent character (Hades) being taken over by Ares and then forcing us to read about Persephone having sex with the imposter & how she believes it's really Hades. (oh, and her also getting pregnant by Ares AGAIN, insinuated by "Hades/Ares"). *****
And if you wonder how we get a confirmation it's actually Ares at the end, not Hades: oh my, it's in such a "masterful" way!! He goes to Rhea's underground grave & pulls out a sword. A GOLDEN SWORD. And smiles at it. Remember, Hades' sword is BLUE. *cries* *why do him like that*
And then we get hit with "THE END" (very final sounding really). Who thought it's a good idea to end the book like that without any answers or even hinting at a sequel? Not that I can see myself even attempting to read the sequel after this.
- Remember how Ares got Persephone pregnant the first time?
Well, she gave birth alone in the woods, the baby wasn't crying, then a hooden figure showed up & took her son away. She was too exhausted to stop them.
At one point in the book we see that Hypnos (who's a hooden figure) had a man slumbering in his cave. So are we to assume this was Persephone's child?
Again, we got no explanation on that either, nothing really came out of the "the baby got taken away by a hooden dude" spiel. If you're not going to give us a sequel, at least tie all loose ends.
- Persephone was so obsessed with the tale of Eros and Psyche, constantly saying how they failed to trust each other & how they should have known better, yet she didn't learn anything from her favorite story and chose to mistrust Hades again and again, instead of just talking with him and admitting what happened with Ares in the past.
I'd call this a tragic fall/irony, but I doubt it went that deep.
- There were detailed descriptions of torturе and rapе, yet when Hades & Persephone finally got together, we got a rushed "intimate" scene. Needless to say, I'd rather read about them uniting at last (this is a romance novel after all) than her getting assaulted by Ares in greater detail. Not to mention it was questionable, if them having sex in a forest was even appropriate considering Persephone what happened with her & Ares in a forest. Triggers do exist, ya know. She could have gotten triggered.
Also, it was super nasty to have Hades probe P's memories & see the rаpe happen like he was there. Was it really necessary to be that edgy?
Also, also, keep in mind, said scenes might be triggering to some readers.
"Hades And Persephone: Curse of the Golden Arrow" is a book that would lure you in with a beautiful cover & illustrations but let you down with its rushed, confusing, messy, no-HAE ending that gets rid of the only likable character in the whole story, Hades.
Should have called the book "Ares And Persephone".
I'm left with mixed feelings about this book, I was truly taken with it until Chapter 22 and was willing to overlook how annoying, stubborn and childish Persephone could get at times until I was hit with all the bad decisions and writting off of the only character I was rooting for.
Status: Don't know if I would really recommend this one.
Word of advice, if you plan on finishing this book at early morning hours, don't. I made the mistake of doing that at 3 am & was so annoyed/pissed off, I almost lost my will to sleep.
I want to start this review by saying, I was absolutely excited for this book, from the blurb to the beautiful cover/illustrations and I'm so damn sad at the way it turned out because for a good chunk of it, I actually quite liked the story.
To be even more precise, I refuse to acknowledge the existence of Chapters 22 to 29.
"Hades And Persephone: Curse of the Golden Arrow" by Heidi Hastings is a take on the myth for Hades & Persephone that had potential but ended questionably & super messy (no joke, I still have questions why tf it ended like that & what it even means).
The plot: (you know the deal, kinda, but some twists exist)
Persephone is the Goddess all nasty Gods suddenly are obsessed with & kept trying to make her their wife. The worst of them all, Ares, wants her to marry him & Zeus (the douche) has given him his blessing. Enter Hades who has no choice but to kidnap Persephone because he is pierced by one of Aphrodite's golden arrows & cursed to suffer great pain until Persephone falls in love with him.
My problems with the book:
- Persephone herself:
Throughout the whole book she kept getting on my nerves, so many times she put herself in great danger by deciding not to heed a simple warning (from her mother, from Hades), you'd think after the first two times she got into trouble, she would fucking listen & just behave, but no.
I genuinely admire the patience Hades demonstrated time & time again, so many times he put his needs on the back burner/chose to deal with the pain of the curse instead of acting on the dark thoughts and desires it instilled in him. He put up with so much BS from Persephone, it's unreal.
Not only was P a stubborn baby that kept trying to rebel just because, she was also quite the hypocrite that went from "Ah, Hades, I would never, EVER want to stab ya with this dagger that has the power to greatly hurt Gods" to "I wish I had that dagger so I can stab Hades in the back because he didn't tell me something immediately".
(For context: Persephone had a first love that she met through letters, she spent years believing the boy turned out to be a monster that *rapеd* her. Turns out Hades was writing the letters, he was the boy she loved, but somehow Ares found out about their correspondence, so before H could go & get Persephone so they marry, the God of War showed up instead of Hades & posed as the secret love then assaulted P resulting in her getting pregnant (she lost the child later on). Ares made her write a letter saying she hates H & how he's a monster she doesn't want to see ever again. When Hades finally arrives at the meeting spot, he reads the letter & in despair drinks from the Lethe so he forgets he ever allowed himself to love anyone).
(For context 2, Hades' background from the book: Firstborn, shallowed by Cronos & forced to experience him raping his mother Rhea over & over and while imprisoned getting punished by demons or whatever in C's body. Hades then tries to kill his father with a BLUE sword that has the power to end Gods, but his mother throws herself into his blade, so he "doesn't become a monster like his father" by killing him. Zeus & his douche relatives then punish Hades for "killing" their mother. They make it seem like they're dividing duties and not punishing their brother when in reality Hades is absolutely miserable and blames himself for killing Rhea. He actually believes he's a monster.
His whole life Hades hasn't allowed himself to love anyone or have been loved by anyone, until one day he sees Persephone from afar, he starts to write her letters and plans on making her his Queen.)
For a good chunk of the book Hades didn't remember his past with Persephone (he had forgotten everything thanks to Lethe), when he eventually found out the truth, he took some time to tell P because he had no clue if he can trust her, was worried she might be playing him & had no clue about Ares' assault.
Now, when Persephone accidentally discovered he is the boy from the letters, she flipped, blaming everything on Hades, even accusing him of working with Ares. She knew about his past, what he went through, how he had no one to love him. You can imagine how he felt when the only person he allowed himself to love and wanted to spend eternity with called him a monster with a letter. Telling him what he thought about himself all along, when he was ready to reveal himself to her.
Persephone didn't think about that tho. The whole time she kept ignoring his feelings, how he probably felt in that moment, only focused on what happened to her and how it broke her soul. And Hades... he took it all and basically allowed her to put the blame for her assault on him, because "he didn't show up on time to stop Ares".
I was ready to overlook this BS, all that hypocrisy because of how sucked into the story I was and because of Hades (who deserved so much better, by the way). But then... it got even worse.
- "The big twist" in Chapters 28,29 (what tf was that mess, really):
(For context: Hades & Zeus both had swords that can kill a God, the douche gave his (GOLDEN sword) to his son Ares.
Aphrodite was in love with Ares & wanted to put a love curse on him, so she cursed Hades with the arrow at the beginning. She made him pierce Ares with her arrow so he falls for her instead of ending him once & for all.
How this book went summed up in one single gif:
)I still have no clue what actually happened in those two final chapters, simply because of how confusingly they were written:
Now, am I supposed to comb through all greek mythology lore to find out if Ares somehow found a way to possess Hades and if this is what actually happened in that scene?! Did he yeet Hades' soul out of his body & then entered said body?
***** Literally the worst twist/ending you can get out of this book was the only decent character (Hades) being taken over by Ares and then forcing us to read about Persephone having sex with the imposter & how she believes it's really Hades. (oh, and her also getting pregnant by Ares AGAIN, insinuated by "Hades/Ares"). *****
And if you wonder how we get a confirmation it's actually Ares at the end, not Hades: oh my, it's in such a "masterful" way!! He goes to Rhea's underground grave & pulls out a sword. A GOLDEN SWORD. And smiles at it. Remember, Hades' sword is BLUE. *cries* *why do him like that*
And then we get hit with "THE END" (very final sounding really). Who thought it's a good idea to end the book like that without any answers or even hinting at a sequel? Not that I can see myself even attempting to read the sequel after this.
- Remember how Ares got Persephone pregnant the first time?
Well, she gave birth alone in the woods, the baby wasn't crying, then a hooden figure showed up & took her son away. She was too exhausted to stop them.
At one point in the book we see that Hypnos (who's a hooden figure) had a man slumbering in his cave. So are we to assume this was Persephone's child?
Again, we got no explanation on that either, nothing really came out of the "the baby got taken away by a hooden dude" spiel. If you're not going to give us a sequel, at least tie all loose ends.
- Persephone was so obsessed with the tale of Eros and Psyche, constantly saying how they failed to trust each other & how they should have known better, yet she didn't learn anything from her favorite story and chose to mistrust Hades again and again, instead of just talking with him and admitting what happened with Ares in the past.
I'd call this a tragic fall/irony, but I doubt it went that deep.
- There were detailed descriptions of torturе and rapе, yet when Hades & Persephone finally got together, we got a rushed "intimate" scene. Needless to say, I'd rather read about them uniting at last (this is a romance novel after all) than her getting assaulted by Ares in greater detail. Not to mention it was questionable, if them having sex in a forest was even appropriate considering Persephone what happened with her & Ares in a forest. Triggers do exist, ya know. She could have gotten triggered.
Also, it was super nasty to have Hades probe P's memories & see the rаpe happen like he was there. Was it really necessary to be that edgy?
Also, also, keep in mind, said scenes might be triggering to some readers.
"Hades And Persephone: Curse of the Golden Arrow" is a book that would lure you in with a beautiful cover & illustrations but let you down with its rushed, confusing, messy, no-HAE ending that gets rid of the only likable character in the whole story, Hades.
Should have called the book "Ares And Persephone".
I'm left with mixed feelings about this book, I was truly taken with it until Chapter 22 and was willing to overlook how annoying, stubborn and childish Persephone could get at times until I was hit with all the bad decisions and writting off of the only character I was rooting for.
Status: Don't know if I would really recommend this one.
February 24, 2020
Oof. There is some yummy angst in this one. And I am all for it.
This debut novel is a re-imagining/retelling of the Hades and Persephone story (duh). I have a vague idea of the original. I know that Hades kidnaps Persephone and makes her eat some pomegranate seeds so she has to be in the Underworld for six months and that's why we have different seasons. lol - my synopsis is amazing! I also know that I love the "Death and the Maiden" trope, which is one of the reasons why I love Beauty and the Beast retellings as well, which I believe are just Hades & Persephone retellings too. So I feel like I was already set up to love this one.
This book really fleshes out the characters and gives them backstories that are detailed with emotion. I don't know my Greek mythology well enough to know what's actual stories and what's not, but there were some characters that I recognized. I loved the Underworld and Hades himself. Persephone was a solid character, and while she's good in nature, she wasn't so perfect to make me hate her. I like my characters to have depth and flaws and these two definitely did. I freaking loved them.
It was easy to read and the pacing of the plot was well done enough to keep me turning the pages. It is an illustrated book (by the author Heidi Hastings) and this makes it so much more enjoyable. I will admit that I was already a fan of Heidi's art (@thereylo333 on Instagram) and when I saw she was coming out with an illustrated book, I purchased it because I love her art. It was an added bonus that it was based on Hades and Persephone and an even bigger bonus that I loved the story and characters. I liked the depiction of the gods, etc in this too. It's grittier than other versions I've read and that makes it more interesting.
My only real criticism is that this story is told from both Hades and Persephone's point of views and it kind of flows from one perspective to another and that could be a little confusing at times when I didn't know right away who was talking. The story is told in third person though, so the confusion only lasted one or two sentences. Maybe some kind of dividing marks between those paragraphs could have made it more distinct. It's a small criticism though and obviously didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
Also, the ending. Oh boy. This is the first book in a series (I think it's going to be two books) and it was a bit of a cliff-hanger. And I think I know what's happening and I am not happy about it!! I can't wait to read the second book when it eventually comes out.
This debut novel is a re-imagining/retelling of the Hades and Persephone story (duh). I have a vague idea of the original. I know that Hades kidnaps Persephone and makes her eat some pomegranate seeds so she has to be in the Underworld for six months and that's why we have different seasons. lol - my synopsis is amazing! I also know that I love the "Death and the Maiden" trope, which is one of the reasons why I love Beauty and the Beast retellings as well, which I believe are just Hades & Persephone retellings too. So I feel like I was already set up to love this one.
This book really fleshes out the characters and gives them backstories that are detailed with emotion. I don't know my Greek mythology well enough to know what's actual stories and what's not, but there were some characters that I recognized. I loved the Underworld and Hades himself. Persephone was a solid character, and while she's good in nature, she wasn't so perfect to make me hate her. I like my characters to have depth and flaws and these two definitely did. I freaking loved them.
It was easy to read and the pacing of the plot was well done enough to keep me turning the pages. It is an illustrated book (by the author Heidi Hastings) and this makes it so much more enjoyable. I will admit that I was already a fan of Heidi's art (@thereylo333 on Instagram) and when I saw she was coming out with an illustrated book, I purchased it because I love her art. It was an added bonus that it was based on Hades and Persephone and an even bigger bonus that I loved the story and characters. I liked the depiction of the gods, etc in this too. It's grittier than other versions I've read and that makes it more interesting.
My only real criticism is that this story is told from both Hades and Persephone's point of views and it kind of flows from one perspective to another and that could be a little confusing at times when I didn't know right away who was talking. The story is told in third person though, so the confusion only lasted one or two sentences. Maybe some kind of dividing marks between those paragraphs could have made it more distinct. It's a small criticism though and obviously didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
Also, the ending. Oh boy. This is the first book in a series (I think it's going to be two books) and it was a bit of a cliff-hanger. And I think I know what's happening and I am not happy about it!! I can't wait to read the second book when it eventually comes out.
March 29, 2020
The storytelling is rich in this book and it was a delicious, sensual retelling. In one word: tantalizing. I absolutely LOVED this book and despite this being a well known Greek mythology story, there were so many intricate twists and turns, I was on the edge of my (well cushioned) seat the whole time! The characters are very compelling and the plot is immersive. The illustrations are a beautiful, dark accompaniment to the story, and this is the first book I have read of this kind that is illustrated like this. Can't wait for the sequel (fingers crossed).
March 8, 2020
5 stars! Well deserved! This is the best Hades and Persephone retelling I have ever read, and I have read alot. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and the Hastings sisters are extremely talented. I am so in love with these characters and I couldn't put this book down. The world building is incredible, so detailed and exciting. This story brings the myth to a new level. The ending leaves it open for more, so will there be more??? I hope so! I can't wait to find out!!
April 23, 2020
This is the Hades and Persephone retelling I have been waiting for. My heart is full and breaking all at once. I highly recommend.
April 19, 2020
First off I have to mention the illustrations! They are gorgeous and I think this is only book I own that has full page illustrations, and they were a contributing factor to me splashing out and buying a physical copy of this book.
I went into this book pretty blind, I hadn't read any reviews or anything, I saw it on book tube and thought I'd give it a shot and so glad that I did! The opening few chapters it felt as the story is being told to you (I could imagine it being read to me) it is written in third person which initially I wan't sure I was going to like. However, I soon forgot about all that and was sucked into the story with the drama, secrets and romance. I liked the internal conflict you see in a lot of the characters, particularly Persephone and Hades. I also loved the growth of Persephone's character through this book as she find her feet in the Underworld and in her feelings for Hades.
I don't know my Greek mythology well enough to know what's actual stories and what's not, but if you have read Sarah J. Maas' ACOMAF (a retelling of this mythology in a completely different way) you will see some of the similarities.
Overall the CURSE OF THE GOLDEN ARROW was a fast paced story with beautiful illustrations. I can't wait to read more and I hope we get to see more of Hades and Persephone as they navigate new challenges of ruling the Underworld and deal with the drama of the the other gods.
I went into this book pretty blind, I hadn't read any reviews or anything, I saw it on book tube and thought I'd give it a shot and so glad that I did! The opening few chapters it felt as the story is being told to you (I could imagine it being read to me) it is written in third person which initially I wan't sure I was going to like. However, I soon forgot about all that and was sucked into the story with the drama, secrets and romance. I liked the internal conflict you see in a lot of the characters, particularly Persephone and Hades. I also loved the growth of Persephone's character through this book as she find her feet in the Underworld and in her feelings for Hades.
I don't know my Greek mythology well enough to know what's actual stories and what's not, but if you have read Sarah J. Maas' ACOMAF (a retelling of this mythology in a completely different way) you will see some of the similarities.
Overall the CURSE OF THE GOLDEN ARROW was a fast paced story with beautiful illustrations. I can't wait to read more and I hope we get to see more of Hades and Persephone as they navigate new challenges of ruling the Underworld and deal with the drama of the the other gods.
Read
December 25, 2021DNF.
Purple prose.
Formatting errors.
Sluggish pacing.
Purple prose.
Formatting errors.
Sluggish pacing.
March 22, 2020
I have to wait and thing over this book. I feel many things...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, where do I begin?
I enjoy love stories that have a lot of interaction between the characters. I also enjoy when stories develop their love story by stages and the reader cannot help but to root for the couple. Mythology is a very interesting genre. However, I felt like this story didn't live to the expectations I had. Again this is a personal preference and has nothing to do with the author.
Hades was an interesting character. As the king of the underworld, he has a way of dealing and executing judgement upon the souls that come to his kingdom. He is spoken as a vile, unkind and monster in Mount Olympus. When in reality, he is a loving, just and kind king for his people. His darkness is supposed to unsettle and destroy but that is not the case. He becomes a pawn in a game that has nothing to do with him. He falls for the goddess and the goddess falls for him but the vile Ares intercepts their interactions and makes Persephone believe that he is the one she loves. He, Ares, rapes her and she becomes a fearful and cold woman.
She is another pawn in a game of schemes. Having to go to the underworld due to a curse, she starts seeing that the things said about the King of Death are far from the reality in his kingdom. However, Persephone wants nothing to do with the precious King and pushes him away consistently.
The book spends about 300+ pages developing the dynamic of their relationship. The tug war becomes monotone and the story looses its beauty due to that. Persephone's feelings are dragged throughout the story for the sake of adding drama and this causes the last 150+ pages to feel rushed. The pacing of the story is off and it drags in a way that the reader may become bored with the story.
Some of the words of choices could have been better and the fact that the dialogues are ancient as the gods are, modern words are used and the contrast takes a way the mystic aspects of the story. I understand that some words are used to show the reader the crude reality of the gods. Yet that crude reality could have been portrayed in a different way.
Overall, I am disappointed because it has so much potential but it fell short for me.
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Well, where do I begin?
I enjoy love stories that have a lot of interaction between the characters. I also enjoy when stories develop their love story by stages and the reader cannot help but to root for the couple. Mythology is a very interesting genre. However, I felt like this story didn't live to the expectations I had. Again this is a personal preference and has nothing to do with the author.
Hades was an interesting character. As the king of the underworld, he has a way of dealing and executing judgement upon the souls that come to his kingdom. He is spoken as a vile, unkind and monster in Mount Olympus. When in reality, he is a loving, just and kind king for his people. His darkness is supposed to unsettle and destroy but that is not the case. He becomes a pawn in a game that has nothing to do with him. He falls for the goddess and the goddess falls for him but the vile Ares intercepts their interactions and makes Persephone believe that he is the one she loves. He, Ares, rapes her and she becomes a fearful and cold woman.
She is another pawn in a game of schemes. Having to go to the underworld due to a curse, she starts seeing that the things said about the King of Death are far from the reality in his kingdom. However, Persephone wants nothing to do with the precious King and pushes him away consistently.
The book spends about 300+ pages developing the dynamic of their relationship. The tug war becomes monotone and the story looses its beauty due to that. Persephone's feelings are dragged throughout the story for the sake of adding drama and this causes the last 150+ pages to feel rushed. The pacing of the story is off and it drags in a way that the reader may become bored with the story.
Some of the words of choices could have been better and the fact that the dialogues are ancient as the gods are, modern words are used and the contrast takes a way the mystic aspects of the story. I understand that some words are used to show the reader the crude reality of the gods. Yet that crude reality could have been portrayed in a different way.
Overall, I am disappointed because it has so much potential but it fell short for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2024
CW/TW: Rape (previous, shown on page), Assault/Battery, False/Dubious Consent, death of Animal/Pet
3.5 - (edited) The mythology of Hades and Persephone has always been a favorite and I really looked forward to this book. Hades with his patience, compassion, and love for Persephone made this story. Persephone, on the other hand, was very frustrating. Her hatred, immature attitude, and lack of communication (or brain) made the first half of the book slow. It took too long for Persephone to realize that Hades wasn't the bad guy and that he too had been manipulated and forced into unfathomable situations. I do understand and empathize with Persephone due to the rape and resulting trauma. It broke my heart when she finally shared what happened. When they finally worked together and the truth was out, it was beautiful but short-lived.
This ends in what appears to be a cliffhanger and a very disturbing possible False/Dubious Consent scene. If there is a 2nd book, I most likely will read it as I liked the characters.
3.5 - (edited) The mythology of Hades and Persephone has always been a favorite and I really looked forward to this book. Hades with his patience, compassion, and love for Persephone made this story. Persephone, on the other hand, was very frustrating. Her hatred, immature attitude, and lack of communication (or brain) made the first half of the book slow. It took too long for Persephone to realize that Hades wasn't the bad guy and that he too had been manipulated and forced into unfathomable situations. I do understand and empathize with Persephone due to the rape and resulting trauma. It broke my heart when she finally shared what happened. When they finally worked together and the truth was out, it was beautiful but short-lived.
This ends in what appears to be a cliffhanger and a very disturbing possible False/Dubious Consent scene. If there is a 2nd book, I most likely will read it as I liked the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book. I was looking for a Hades and Persephone books and this book blew me away!! I read it in one day, I couldn't put it down.. it broke my hearts. It is a beautiful and tragic tell. If you love mythology retelling you will enjoy it. It has some sexy moments which is a plus. I enjoyed the authors writing.. and the illustrations they are Phenomenal!!!
I cant wait to read the next book if you love this couple i highly recommend it.
I cant wait to read the next book if you love this couple i highly recommend it.
October 1, 2020
5☆
But I am made of shadows, Dark Prince, and it is you who lights my soul. I will not leave you.
I've always loved Hades and Proserpine/Persephone ever since I read about their story in my reading class when I was in elementary. I was able to read more of their tale in my literature class when I was in college.
The premise of the story in this book is the closest to the original(I believe), and I loved it. I must admit, they are my #1 favorite mythology couple. No Hades and Proserpine's retelling piqued my interest before, until now, and it didn't disappoint. Cupid and Psyche have had many retellings, and Hades and Proserpine somehow fell into the backline, which was a shame because their story was worthwhile too, despite the darkness and malice.
Anyway, as I said, I loved this book. I didn't care about the ocassional typos and punctuation errors because I loved the characters and the worldbuilding immensely. The illustrations were captivating as visual representations of the characters. Almost everything was fascinating. And that ending, oh my god, I've so many questions. The author better be working on that 2nd book.
But I am made of shadows, Dark Prince, and it is you who lights my soul. I will not leave you.
I've always loved Hades and Proserpine/Persephone ever since I read about their story in my reading class when I was in elementary. I was able to read more of their tale in my literature class when I was in college.
The premise of the story in this book is the closest to the original(I believe), and I loved it. I must admit, they are my #1 favorite mythology couple. No Hades and Proserpine's retelling piqued my interest before, until now, and it didn't disappoint. Cupid and Psyche have had many retellings, and Hades and Proserpine somehow fell into the backline, which was a shame because their story was worthwhile too, despite the darkness and malice.
Anyway, as I said, I loved this book. I didn't care about the ocassional typos and punctuation errors because I loved the characters and the worldbuilding immensely. The illustrations were captivating as visual representations of the characters. Almost everything was fascinating. And that ending, oh my god, I've so many questions. The author better be working on that 2nd book.
April 10, 2020
Quiero dejar claro que estas cuatro estrellas son una puntuación muy subjetiva.
Este libro no va a ganar un premio nobel de literatura y es probable que a mucha gente no le guste. Tiene la forma de desarrollarse propia de un fanfiction escrito sobre la historia de Hades y Peséfone, en una especie de "retelling" de la historia original.
Supongo que es precisamente el hecho de que se parezca tanto a un fanfic y que sean dos personajes que siempre me han parecido fascintantes, lo que me ha llevado a leermelo ininterrumpidadmente entre la noche de ayer, la madrugada de hoy y esta última hora de la tarde. Admito que me enganché muy fuerte, pero es que siempre he sido bastante aficionada a los fanfictions románticos. Qué se le va a hacer.
Por otro lado, quiero dejar claro que este libro tiene carencias. Entre ellas, la forma en que trata algunos temas - cómo se imparte justicia, qué tipo de moral tienen los personajes, cómo se enfrentan a temas tan complejos como la violación y el aborto... -, pero no me supuso tanto rechazo como para dejar de leer. En absoluto.
Está también el tema del matrimonio forzado y las numerosas meteduras de pata de Perséfone, que de tanto en tanto me sacaron de quicio muy fuerte.
Sin embargo, me gustaría decir que es una lectura muy entretenida, bastante rápida y que se queda en un cliff hanger horrible a causa del cual ahora no sé qué hacer con mi vida. ¿Qué demonios es eso del final? En fin. A cualquiera que disfrute de un buen fanfic romántico y esté dispuesto a lidiar con giros extraños y un poco forzados de la historia, así como con el tratamiento de ciertos temas - la sensibilida de cada uno es la jueza en este sentido -, este libro le va a gustar, seguro.
Las escenas eróticas están bien escritas - aunque son menos de las que me esperaba, la verdad - y muchas reacciones y gestos a lo largo de la historia son sorprendentemente realistas.
Dicho todo lo cual, me retiro a esperar a que saquen una segunda parte donde se explique el final - porque, de verdad, ¿qué maldita sea significa ese final? - y le pongo cuatro estrellas porque yo me pasé una madrugada súper entretenida, practicando además mi nivel de inglés.
Este libro no va a ganar un premio nobel de literatura y es probable que a mucha gente no le guste. Tiene la forma de desarrollarse propia de un fanfiction escrito sobre la historia de Hades y Peséfone, en una especie de "retelling" de la historia original.
Supongo que es precisamente el hecho de que se parezca tanto a un fanfic y que sean dos personajes que siempre me han parecido fascintantes, lo que me ha llevado a leermelo ininterrumpidadmente entre la noche de ayer, la madrugada de hoy y esta última hora de la tarde. Admito que me enganché muy fuerte, pero es que siempre he sido bastante aficionada a los fanfictions románticos. Qué se le va a hacer.
Por otro lado, quiero dejar claro que este libro tiene carencias. Entre ellas, la forma en que trata algunos temas - cómo se imparte justicia, qué tipo de moral tienen los personajes, cómo se enfrentan a temas tan complejos como la violación y el aborto... -, pero no me supuso tanto rechazo como para dejar de leer. En absoluto.
Está también el tema del matrimonio forzado y las numerosas meteduras de pata de Perséfone, que de tanto en tanto me sacaron de quicio muy fuerte.
Sin embargo, me gustaría decir que es una lectura muy entretenida, bastante rápida y que se queda en un cliff hanger horrible a causa del cual ahora no sé qué hacer con mi vida. ¿Qué demonios es eso del final? En fin. A cualquiera que disfrute de un buen fanfic romántico y esté dispuesto a lidiar con giros extraños y un poco forzados de la historia, así como con el tratamiento de ciertos temas - la sensibilida de cada uno es la jueza en este sentido -, este libro le va a gustar, seguro.
Las escenas eróticas están bien escritas - aunque son menos de las que me esperaba, la verdad - y muchas reacciones y gestos a lo largo de la historia son sorprendentemente realistas.
Dicho todo lo cual, me retiro a esperar a que saquen una segunda parte donde se explique el final - porque, de verdad, ¿qué maldita sea significa ese final? - y le pongo cuatro estrellas porque yo me pasé una madrugada súper entretenida, practicando además mi nivel de inglés.
May 8, 2020
I am the Queen of Shades, the Queen of Death, and I rule the Kingdom of the Damned.
This book was incredible! This has got to be one of the best Hades and Persephone retellings I have ever read. In this version, Persephone is kidnapped and taken to the Underworld to be married to Hades after the king himself is struck with a love arrow. Persephone then has to stay in the Underworld and get used to it while still not being happy with Hades. But as time goes by she starts to wonder if she really despises Hades at all?
This book pulled me right in. I loved the descriptions of Asphodel, Elysium and of Mount Olympus. For anyone who likes mythology or romance, this book is for you. To mimic what others have said, the ending is sort of a semi cliffhanger so I look forward to there hopefully being a sequel!
This book was incredible! This has got to be one of the best Hades and Persephone retellings I have ever read. In this version, Persephone is kidnapped and taken to the Underworld to be married to Hades after the king himself is struck with a love arrow. Persephone then has to stay in the Underworld and get used to it while still not being happy with Hades. But as time goes by she starts to wonder if she really despises Hades at all?
This book pulled me right in. I loved the descriptions of Asphodel, Elysium and of Mount Olympus. For anyone who likes mythology or romance, this book is for you. To mimic what others have said, the ending is sort of a semi cliffhanger so I look forward to there hopefully being a sequel!
March 22, 2020
Absolutely love this, it's perfect in every way!
October 27, 2020
HOT HOT HOT😍😍🔥🔥 Not my usual read but a friend recommended it and I just couldn’t deny. I was hooked from the beginning. Persephone has always been my favorite goddess. 🌸🍁☘️
September 15, 2020
This retelling of Hades & Persephone was full of action, romance, drama and references of other Greek myths (Eros & Psyche and Orpheus & Eurydice). The trials these two lovers go trough had me at the edge of my chair. Persephone is the perfect Queen for Hades and the inhabitants of the Underworld with her compassion and kind heart. The illustrations were beautiful and so realistic.
SPOILER ALERT: The showdown between Hades & Ares was AMAZING!!!!
Thank you Heidi & Erica Hastings for HADES AND PERSEPHONE: CURSE OF THE GOLDEN ARROW.
SPOILER ALERT: The showdown between Hades & Ares was AMAZING!!!!
Thank you Heidi & Erica Hastings for HADES AND PERSEPHONE: CURSE OF THE GOLDEN ARROW.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2020
Found this book floating around on instagram and it is gorgeous. Does anyone know when the next edition will be released? What a magical tale. This book has quickly become one of my favorites. Persephone was well done (not perfect or clumsy in an annoying way). It was a slow burn romance and not erotica which I personally don't like - but hey if that's your thing ... Overall, Good plot and great characters.
August 14, 2024
FINALLY A HADES AND PERSEPHONE RETELLING WORTH READING
Hades And Persephone: Curse Of The Golden Arrow
Wowza, where to start. I bought this book after seeing it recommended on Facebook. I had never heard of the author, I believe it may be her/ their first publication. By that night I was several chapters in and kept the midnight oil burning long into the night! I finished it the next day because I just couldn't put it down. This plot is incredible , so many Gods brought into the mix and I absolutely loved the development and interactions of even the minor characters (especially Hypnos). This was such a fresh and unique retelling. Romance? Check. Character evolution? Check. Action? Check. Heart wrenching moments? Check. So glad I took the plunge and purchased this book. If you are looking for a dark, thrilling mythological romance I highly suggest this one. You won't regret it.
Hades And Persephone: Curse Of The Golden Arrow
Wowza, where to start. I bought this book after seeing it recommended on Facebook. I had never heard of the author, I believe it may be her/ their first publication. By that night I was several chapters in and kept the midnight oil burning long into the night! I finished it the next day because I just couldn't put it down. This plot is incredible , so many Gods brought into the mix and I absolutely loved the development and interactions of even the minor characters (especially Hypnos). This was such a fresh and unique retelling. Romance? Check. Character evolution? Check. Action? Check. Heart wrenching moments? Check. So glad I took the plunge and purchased this book. If you are looking for a dark, thrilling mythological romance I highly suggest this one. You won't regret it.
October 27, 2020
Finally getting around to reviewing this book. Wow... this was the Hades and Persephone book I've been looking for. I've had trouble finding a retelling (many of them I did not finish) I enjoy and this one took the cake for me. I HAVE FINALLY FOUND THE RETELLING OF MY DREAMS. Lol. There are dark moments, but this is Greek Mythology we are talking about. There is lots of character development, and I absolutely fell in love with them both. By the end of the book Persephone is a Queen. There was plenty of action and hey, lots of romance. The illustrations were absolutely stunning and make this book a well worth purchase alone, even in the kindle edition. Sigh... lets talk about Hades... SWOON. I can't wait for more... (please is there a second book??? I need to know!!) If you're looking for an excellent retelling of this myth look no further. 10/10 Recommend
October 27, 2020
5/5 - Absolutely loved
I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling. I have always enjoyed Greek myths and for me this hit all my points. The relationship between these two is both sweet and dark, shadowed and light. This story was full of complexity and has plenty of mystery... It's not just your typical trope and the themes in it are unique and rich. So many of the retelling are filled with clichés and characters who have made me yawn. This one kept me on the edge of the seat until the end, and actually at the very end! Lots of world building... I could picture the underworld and loved the descriptive details. The images were an added bonus that I just was, quite frankly, in love with. I've never read an illustrated book before and it was so unique to see the artist's take on the scenes. Well worth the read. Can't wait for more from this author
I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling. I have always enjoyed Greek myths and for me this hit all my points. The relationship between these two is both sweet and dark, shadowed and light. This story was full of complexity and has plenty of mystery... It's not just your typical trope and the themes in it are unique and rich. So many of the retelling are filled with clichés and characters who have made me yawn. This one kept me on the edge of the seat until the end, and actually at the very end! Lots of world building... I could picture the underworld and loved the descriptive details. The images were an added bonus that I just was, quite frankly, in love with. I've never read an illustrated book before and it was so unique to see the artist's take on the scenes. Well worth the read. Can't wait for more from this author
October 1, 2024
This has to be the best Hades and Persephone I've read yet. The Golden Arrow is a darker version of the Hades and Persephone myth and I'm all for the drama. I don't want to give too much away in my review but I enjoyed both characters and the depiction of the Underworld. Persephone was my fav (she’s feisty). The book really picked up for me around chapter 7 and I couldn’t put it down. The illustrations are an added bonus (such a beautiful book). I'm pretty sure there will be a 2nd book after this one but I can't tell.
Update: Re-read in 2024 (to prepare for the second book released this year) and it was still so, so good. One of my all time favorites
Update: Re-read in 2024 (to prepare for the second book released this year) and it was still so, so good. One of my all time favorites
January 4, 2021
A dark and deliciously seductive retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. This book has action, mystery, romance and more. I laughed, smiled and cried. I definitely recommend. The characters are well written. Persephone’s arc and development were well thought out and masterfully done. Hades was absolutely the tantalizing dark lord the reader craves in such a tale. The reader rides a roller coaster of emotions through their journey and I couldn’t put it down. And I’m hoping (fingers crossed) that there are more adventures ahead!
August 30, 2020
Stopped reading at 40% because it was so boring. The illustrations are 10/10 but the themes and topics and just the plain writing are not for me. Especially what comes on later in this book are not for me. Maybe in a couple of years. But for now, no. Didn’t enjoy anything but the illustrations, sadly. Also very annoyed at calling Hades “king of death” when he just the god/lord of the underworld. That’s like different things.
April 22, 2020
Absolute joy to read☺
What a beautiful book to read. I found it enchanting and quite well paced. The added illustrations are beautiful. I really hope there's more stories to come from this author. I would definitely love a sequel. If you like your Gods and Titans with a dose of romance and feisty heroines then I think you'll really enjoy this.
What a beautiful book to read. I found it enchanting and quite well paced. The added illustrations are beautiful. I really hope there's more stories to come from this author. I would definitely love a sequel. If you like your Gods and Titans with a dose of romance and feisty heroines then I think you'll really enjoy this.
July 5, 2020
I could not put this book down once I started reading... really loved this book, the retelling Of Hades and Persephone was done really well with the mythology of their love. The illustrations are so beautiful too.
There was some slight editing and formatting issues that needs to be addressed, but other than that, absolutely loved!
There was some slight editing and formatting issues that needs to be addressed, but other than that, absolutely loved!
January 23, 2020
A romantic adventure. If you're into dark romance I highly suggest.
April 25, 2020
The story itself would probably be closer to 3 stars for me. It was a good retelling but got a bit confusing in parts.
The art was STUNNING and bumped up the star rating to a 4 star for me.
The art was STUNNING and bumped up the star rating to a 4 star for me.
June 17, 2020
Great book, enough action to balance the drama.
August 8, 2020
Damn good book. Fished it in less than a day.
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