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WHO WAS PERSEPHONE before she was the Queen of the Underworld?
She was merely A CHILD NAMED KORE.
KORE, THE GODDESS OF SPIRING and daughter to Demeter, had kept few secrets from her mother.
One beining the true extent of her divinity and the other being her few chance meetings with the King of the Dead.
It was upon one of these secret meetings, on her seventeenth year that the God of the Underworld gifted Kore a simple crystal from his realm.
Determined to pay the King a visit of her own, along with overhearing some unfavorable news Kore soon finds herself fleeing to the Underworld in hopes of gaining sanctuary with the King.
What seemed like a simple journey at first, quickly turns into a fight for her immortal life. Facing cyclopes, monstrous shades, and vengeful Gods of the realm, Kore soon realizes the journey through the Underworld is not the safest for one such as the Goddess of Spring.
OR IS IT?
She was merely A CHILD NAMED KORE.
KORE, THE GODDESS OF SPIRING and daughter to Demeter, had kept few secrets from her mother.
One beining the true extent of her divinity and the other being her few chance meetings with the King of the Dead.
It was upon one of these secret meetings, on her seventeenth year that the God of the Underworld gifted Kore a simple crystal from his realm.
Determined to pay the King a visit of her own, along with overhearing some unfavorable news Kore soon finds herself fleeing to the Underworld in hopes of gaining sanctuary with the King.
What seemed like a simple journey at first, quickly turns into a fight for her immortal life. Facing cyclopes, monstrous shades, and vengeful Gods of the realm, Kore soon realizes the journey through the Underworld is not the safest for one such as the Goddess of Spring.
OR IS IT?
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2022
397 people are currently reading
5225 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
April 19, 2025
I found this book/series randomly on the home page of my Kindle app and purchased the entire series and the novels as well to give the books a proper chance.
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This book follows Kore, who is the daughter of the Goddess of the Harvest. She has been keeping secrets from her mother, Demeter, including the true depth of her divinity and a few chance meetings with the God of the Dead.
What Kore doesn't realize is that a choice to meet the God of the Dead after she finds out about her mother's deception to marry Kore off to Ares changes her life forever in ways she never could have imagined.
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I feel like this book isn't normally my vibe, which is fine with me. I felt myself going crazy at the incredibly slow burn between Kore and Aidoneus, though. It was driving me absolutely insane. I wanted a quicker burn, honestly.
I guess I've been reading too many Greek myth retellings because that's what I've become used to. I did like the changes I feel the author made with this retelling. I felt like I liked this portrayal a bit more than others I've read, even if I also felt like this book isn't normally my jam.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book because I did. I stayed up longer than I normally would on my day off (I work night shift) to finish this book so I feel like that says a lot about the book. lol I meant that in a good way, of course.
I want more so I know I'll be continuing the series, especially with the ending we got with this novel. I'm so glad we get a direct continuation with the next book. Or, at least, I'm hoping we get a direct continuation, anyway.
I took my time with going through this book and I felt like that worked in my favor in the long run. I wanted to take my time with this book since I feel like I've been reading like it's a race lately. I wanted to take more time to enjoy what I'm reading, which seems to have worked in my favor.
Yes, I would recommend this book. The fact that the author is BIPOC is even better, in my opinion. I want to support indigenous and BIPOC writers more and this book/series is a definite step in the right direction.
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This book follows Kore, who is the daughter of the Goddess of the Harvest. She has been keeping secrets from her mother, Demeter, including the true depth of her divinity and a few chance meetings with the God of the Dead.
What Kore doesn't realize is that a choice to meet the God of the Dead after she finds out about her mother's deception to marry Kore off to Ares changes her life forever in ways she never could have imagined.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I feel like this book isn't normally my vibe, which is fine with me. I felt myself going crazy at the incredibly slow burn between Kore and Aidoneus, though. It was driving me absolutely insane. I wanted a quicker burn, honestly.
I guess I've been reading too many Greek myth retellings because that's what I've become used to. I did like the changes I feel the author made with this retelling. I felt like I liked this portrayal a bit more than others I've read, even if I also felt like this book isn't normally my jam.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book because I did. I stayed up longer than I normally would on my day off (I work night shift) to finish this book so I feel like that says a lot about the book. lol I meant that in a good way, of course.
I want more so I know I'll be continuing the series, especially with the ending we got with this novel. I'm so glad we get a direct continuation with the next book. Or, at least, I'm hoping we get a direct continuation, anyway.
I took my time with going through this book and I felt like that worked in my favor in the long run. I wanted to take my time with this book since I feel like I've been reading like it's a race lately. I wanted to take more time to enjoy what I'm reading, which seems to have worked in my favor.
Yes, I would recommend this book. The fact that the author is BIPOC is even better, in my opinion. I want to support indigenous and BIPOC writers more and this book/series is a definite step in the right direction.
February 20, 2022
Was it entertaining?
I’m a sucker for a Hades x Persephone retelling — especially one where Persephone does the choosing, and running away, and thwarting of Demeter or Zeus or whoever. I’m not really capable of being impartial about these kinds of fantasy romances but I can say I appreciate it not being another modern attempt at the story. Give me Classical era Greece and the divine pantheon to go with it — incest, family drama, magic, and all. 5/5
Was it enjoyable?
Not by any stretch of the imagination. First of all, mixing tenses with an omniscient narrator? Absolutely unforgivable. The use of modern language like “sis” and “mom” alongside terms like “ichor” and “chiton”? I am…so frustrated with this book. And while we’re talking about the word “ichor” I would like to humbly suggest using thesaurus dot com for the next one. I don’t have a problem with self or independently published books but it’s not an excuse for eschewing the work of a good editor when it’s so obviously and desperately needed. This should never have been over 400 pages of vaguely, albeit pretentiously, poetic and purple prose that says almost nothing in the end.
Furthermore, I know how the original myth works but I don’t ever want to read someone’s Lolita flavoured fantasy retelling of anything. There’s literally no reason for a 17-19 year old to be the aggressor in a relationship with an hundreds, if not thousands, of years old deity. It’s especially egregious when the older partner is constantly fending off the apparently uncontrollable teenager and apologizing for it. It’s gross and I only avoided a DNF because I skipped the chapter entirely. It’s fantasy and it’s fiction — you can and should do better as an adult. 0/5
Was it well-written?
No. The writing doesn’t flow, there’s an infuriating combination of run-on and incomplete sentences, and the lack of an editor is glaring. Repetitive use of certain words, staccato dialogue, inconsistent pacing…it’s just all bad except for the spelling. 1/5
Overall, I’m extremely disappointed in something I was actually quite excited to read for a lot of reasons. I won’t be picking up the next one. 2/5 stars
I’m a sucker for a Hades x Persephone retelling — especially one where Persephone does the choosing, and running away, and thwarting of Demeter or Zeus or whoever. I’m not really capable of being impartial about these kinds of fantasy romances but I can say I appreciate it not being another modern attempt at the story. Give me Classical era Greece and the divine pantheon to go with it — incest, family drama, magic, and all. 5/5
Was it enjoyable?
Not by any stretch of the imagination. First of all, mixing tenses with an omniscient narrator? Absolutely unforgivable. The use of modern language like “sis” and “mom” alongside terms like “ichor” and “chiton”? I am…so frustrated with this book. And while we’re talking about the word “ichor” I would like to humbly suggest using thesaurus dot com for the next one. I don’t have a problem with self or independently published books but it’s not an excuse for eschewing the work of a good editor when it’s so obviously and desperately needed. This should never have been over 400 pages of vaguely, albeit pretentiously, poetic and purple prose that says almost nothing in the end.
Furthermore, I know how the original myth works but I don’t ever want to read someone’s Lolita flavoured fantasy retelling of anything. There’s literally no reason for a 17-19 year old to be the aggressor in a relationship with an hundreds, if not thousands, of years old deity. It’s especially egregious when the older partner is constantly fending off the apparently uncontrollable teenager and apologizing for it. It’s gross and I only avoided a DNF because I skipped the chapter entirely. It’s fantasy and it’s fiction — you can and should do better as an adult. 0/5
Was it well-written?
No. The writing doesn’t flow, there’s an infuriating combination of run-on and incomplete sentences, and the lack of an editor is glaring. Repetitive use of certain words, staccato dialogue, inconsistent pacing…it’s just all bad except for the spelling. 1/5
Overall, I’m extremely disappointed in something I was actually quite excited to read for a lot of reasons. I won’t be picking up the next one. 2/5 stars
March 31, 2022
Didn't like this representation of Persephone. She doesn't feel like a real character. Also not fond of the fact that it pushes a romance when she's as young as 14.
January 8, 2022
“Tell me, Lord Hades, is it love you fear or love lost, due to betrayal?” She quizzed, stepping toward him. “I do not fear love.” He breathed. She took another step closer.
Man doesn't that you want to read more?! I have finished this book a few hours ago and I AM OBSESSED! I am so thankful I discovered this book. It took me a while to finish this book because I was sick and injured, but this weekend I DEVOURED IT.
This is one of the BEST...I CANNOT say this enough the BEST retellings and much more accurate retellings of Hades x Persephone I've ever read. Reading this was like walking into a meadow of lavender and it was beautiful. I had a LOVELY time. It was just beautiful and poetic. It focuses more on the romantic aspect of their story.
I laughed, my fluttered like a high school kid and I think my husband thought I was insane lol shouting at kindle when things got intense. I HAD A FREAKIN BLAST! I sent voice memos to my friend like a crazy person who just broke up with their boyfriend and they laughed. It was an emotional rollercoaster.
It was like a chronological anthology? Where the couple meet each other in increments and It was sweet and I love following their journey and I appreciated it greatly. But later on, they get to be with each other in the story so well you gotta read the book. It is super worth it. I promise you.
She understood the assignment. I am fucking broken now, guys. You can tell because I have repeated this so many times. I'm very candid when it comes to reviews. This is definitely A MUST READ FOR 2022. When I finished the book I automatically preordered Hades book 2. Just like that. No questions asked. She's my new auto-buy author. Hands down.
The Hades in this series is HOT... Okay? He is "My King" Didn't get the reference? Read the book :D
Absolutely 5 stars read
Smut: 💀💀💀💀 4/5
Man doesn't that you want to read more?! I have finished this book a few hours ago and I AM OBSESSED! I am so thankful I discovered this book. It took me a while to finish this book because I was sick and injured, but this weekend I DEVOURED IT.
This is one of the BEST...I CANNOT say this enough the BEST retellings and much more accurate retellings of Hades x Persephone I've ever read. Reading this was like walking into a meadow of lavender and it was beautiful. I had a LOVELY time. It was just beautiful and poetic. It focuses more on the romantic aspect of their story.
I laughed, my fluttered like a high school kid and I think my husband thought I was insane lol shouting at kindle when things got intense. I HAD A FREAKIN BLAST! I sent voice memos to my friend like a crazy person who just broke up with their boyfriend and they laughed. It was an emotional rollercoaster.
It was like a chronological anthology? Where the couple meet each other in increments and It was sweet and I love following their journey and I appreciated it greatly. But later on, they get to be with each other in the story so well you gotta read the book. It is super worth it. I promise you.
She understood the assignment. I am fucking broken now, guys. You can tell because I have repeated this so many times. I'm very candid when it comes to reviews. This is definitely A MUST READ FOR 2022. When I finished the book I automatically preordered Hades book 2. Just like that. No questions asked. She's my new auto-buy author. Hands down.
The Hades in this series is HOT... Okay? He is "My King" Didn't get the reference? Read the book :D
Absolutely 5 stars read
Smut: 💀💀💀💀 4/5
April 14, 2023
The book was alright and enjoyable in a lot of parts. However, it felt like the plot was stagnating at a lot of points maybe due to the style of writing by the author.
Kore was an interesting character while Hades felt really flat and one dimensional. We aren't shown much of him past Kore's rose tinted glasses. She clearly has a liking for him and that is obvious in every sentence she thinks about or speaks to him which is great. Us as the audience, on the other hand, are left hanging. All we get about him is that he is young and hot compared to his brothers and he is a good and noble king different from how the rest of the world thinks of him. We don't get much else from him.
He and Kore barely speak and when they do it's mostly silence and misdirections or is about really irrelevant stuff. While their interactions are very sweet, I would have liked more depth to them. Their progress from near strangers who have crushes on each other to them saying 'I love you's’ was also rushed to the point it was unbelievable.
A major complaint I have is that the author includes a lot (and I mean a looot) of Greek words and phrases without explaining what they are anywhere in the book. It seems she assumes we all know these things when they are not common knowledge in the least. I had to stop reading at multiple points to Google what they were so I knew what was being mentioned every other page. It took me out of the book multiple times and at some point I simply gave up and read on without looking anything up, simply hoping I'd get whatever it is she meant in context. Most times I didn't.
I think some footnotes or a page dedicated to explanations/translations at the very beginning of the book would have been nice.
Kore was an interesting character while Hades felt really flat and one dimensional. We aren't shown much of him past Kore's rose tinted glasses. She clearly has a liking for him and that is obvious in every sentence she thinks about or speaks to him which is great. Us as the audience, on the other hand, are left hanging. All we get about him is that he is young and hot compared to his brothers and he is a good and noble king different from how the rest of the world thinks of him. We don't get much else from him.
He and Kore barely speak and when they do it's mostly silence and misdirections or is about really irrelevant stuff. While their interactions are very sweet, I would have liked more depth to them. Their progress from near strangers who have crushes on each other to them saying 'I love you's’ was also rushed to the point it was unbelievable.
A major complaint I have is that the author includes a lot (and I mean a looot) of Greek words and phrases without explaining what they are anywhere in the book. It seems she assumes we all know these things when they are not common knowledge in the least. I had to stop reading at multiple points to Google what they were so I knew what was being mentioned every other page. It took me out of the book multiple times and at some point I simply gave up and read on without looking anything up, simply hoping I'd get whatever it is she meant in context. Most times I didn't.
I think some footnotes or a page dedicated to explanations/translations at the very beginning of the book would have been nice.
April 28, 2023
Pages: 423
Chapters:
Publisher: Indie Published
Series: The Taking of Persephone
Genre: Mythology/Fantasy, Hades X Persephone Retelling
Format: Ebook
"𝙳𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚐 𝚖𝚎, 𝙶𝚘𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜." 𝙷𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚜 𝙶𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚍.
"𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚗, 𝙸 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝." 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍.
As far as Hades X Persephone retellings go this wasn't my favourite but it did have some great bones to it that I did love! It had so much more back story than a lot of H&P stories, we get way more information from Demeter, Hades and Persephone, as well as all of their different perspectives.
One of my favourite things about Kore was watching her come into her powers, her personal growth and self-awareness were great!
Hade's character was amazing, at this point I think it would be a harder challenge to find a Hades that I didn't like lol, a sexy, dark, brooding, misunderstood god. tell me you have daddy issues without telling me you have daddy issues.
If you love a good love story where the girl is in love with the MMC from a very young age, and we get to skip to key points in her life where she keeps encountering him until she is finally an adult then you'll definitely like this series! that being said understandably that's not everyone's cup of tea.
Chapters:
Publisher: Indie Published
Series: The Taking of Persephone
Genre: Mythology/Fantasy, Hades X Persephone Retelling
Format: Ebook
"𝙳𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚐 𝚖𝚎, 𝙶𝚘𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜." 𝙷𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚜 𝙶𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚍.
"𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚗, 𝙸 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝." 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍.
As far as Hades X Persephone retellings go this wasn't my favourite but it did have some great bones to it that I did love! It had so much more back story than a lot of H&P stories, we get way more information from Demeter, Hades and Persephone, as well as all of their different perspectives.
One of my favourite things about Kore was watching her come into her powers, her personal growth and self-awareness were great!
Hade's character was amazing, at this point I think it would be a harder challenge to find a Hades that I didn't like lol, a sexy, dark, brooding, misunderstood god. tell me you have daddy issues without telling me you have daddy issues.
If you love a good love story where the girl is in love with the MMC from a very young age, and we get to skip to key points in her life where she keeps encountering him until she is finally an adult then you'll definitely like this series! that being said understandably that's not everyone's cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2022
Oh wow… where to start? This is my favorite retelling of the Persephone/Hades story, and I will be counting down the days til the next book in the series is released. The story had me captivated with every page. The description of the world was beautiful and the characters were perfectly written and represented. Kore’s story was given justice and more, as she was a flawed, curious, complicated heroine that you rooted for the entire time. Hades was the perfect tall, dark and handsome broody love interest you want to read more about. And Hermès! Ahh he was so funny and what a ray of sunshine! It’s nicely paced and has so many funny, sweet, thrilling and heart warming moments that I’m sure to go back to time and time again. Definitely recommend! (Oh and the spice was nice - not fade to black 🌶🌶/5)
November 23, 2021
The Taking of Persephone: Kore is a well thought out retelling of the Persephone, the Goddess of Spring and Hades, the God of the Underworld myth. Ambrosia R. Harris is a good story teller and she brings a sassy Kore to life, along with other mythical characters who walk through the pages of her debut book. The story spans over 18 years and is told through the eyes and voice of Kore aka Persephone. It is a story of curiosity, friendship, adventure, devastation, and love. The Barnes and Nobles version of this book, release date 12-15-2021, also boasts a fun bonus chapter staring Hermes a god know for his mirth and merriment in addition to his other godly duties.
August 5, 2022
I heard many people say that this was the ultimate Hades and Persephone retelling. That is a bit of an exaggeration.
Pros:
I appreciate that while Persephone is innocent in many ways she isn't simple and weak. She has secrets, fears and depth making her more than some man's love interest.
I appreciate that everything is from a single perspective allowing you to really sink into how the character thinks and feels about things.
Cons:
I was raved to about the writing style and how it was so good, I feel those beliefs were a misunderstanding. It wasn't a fast read because it was so good, it was fast because the author is tediously repetitive. If you have gone to a field of asphodel the next sentence doesn't need to state that you can smell the asphodel, you just say something about the scent surrounding you. When you then use the flower name for a third sentence in a row you come off as a student who doesn't have enough content to finish their assignment adding filler in hopes it won't be noticed. I would also point out that most paragraphs were under for sentences long leaving empty space on the page that wasn't necessary.
I feel that if we had Hades' POV in this book he was actually up to something all along that Persephone lacked the experience to recognize.
Pros:
I appreciate that while Persephone is innocent in many ways she isn't simple and weak. She has secrets, fears and depth making her more than some man's love interest.
I appreciate that everything is from a single perspective allowing you to really sink into how the character thinks and feels about things.
Cons:
I was raved to about the writing style and how it was so good, I feel those beliefs were a misunderstanding. It wasn't a fast read because it was so good, it was fast because the author is tediously repetitive. If you have gone to a field of asphodel the next sentence doesn't need to state that you can smell the asphodel, you just say something about the scent surrounding you. When you then use the flower name for a third sentence in a row you come off as a student who doesn't have enough content to finish their assignment adding filler in hopes it won't be noticed. I would also point out that most paragraphs were under for sentences long leaving empty space on the page that wasn't necessary.
I feel that if we had Hades' POV in this book he was actually up to something all along that Persephone lacked the experience to recognize.
November 6, 2021
I was lucky enough to be a beta reader and I absolutely loved this book! I have read a lot of Hades & Persephone retellings and this one ticks all the boxes for me. It is written in a very respectful way, I loved the way Persephone was portrayed and this approach was really interesting. I can't wait for the next book!!
September 30, 2022
HARD PASS. I wish I DNF this at 20%. The writing was mediocre and there were so many incredibly redundant chapters. This quote by Aesop sums up how I feel about this book: "After all is said and done, more is said than done."
January 30, 2022
Very much a sucker for Hades and Persephone. I cannot wait for book 2.
June 1, 2023
I love a Hades x Persephone retelling and this one isn't bad but the issues I did have with it only allow a 2.5 rating.
I had two major issues with the story, the first of which is the age part. She becomes obsessed with this grown man starting at the age of 8 and really highlighted again at 14 and the story leaves off at 18-19. Most of her character motivation at 14 is centered around meeting Hades and wanting to see him in the underworld. She goes after him hardcore and it doesn't really feel warranted or earned. This isn't to say that its normal or reasonable for teens to have crushes on men but this is a fantasy/romance story and I don't see the reason to make her to young in the first place. It actually made me really uncomfortable in parts. I don't see why she has to be a child for most of a romance story.
The other major issue I had was this felt like a poorer copy cat of another recent, popular hades and Persephone story. I know it all comes from the same myth and its different versions but there were a lot small details, dynamics, and story beats that felt it was plucked out of that other story. I don't think the author did this on purpose, I could just be reading into it.
Thoughts outside of this. I think if these issues don't bother you then you should read it! Characters outside of Kore were very meh and one-dimensional for how long the book was but that is just me. It does have a bit of a weird modern feeling when the story tries to be centered in past Greece. I think the story really picked up about 2/3 of the way in and I was able to finish it. I do love the agency this story gives Kore. It has interesting action scenes. In the authors note it talks about how personal this story is and I think that is cool. I listened to it on audiobook and I think reading it would be the better way to go.
I had two major issues with the story, the first of which is the age part. She becomes obsessed with this grown man starting at the age of 8 and really highlighted again at 14 and the story leaves off at 18-19. Most of her character motivation at 14 is centered around meeting Hades and wanting to see him in the underworld. She goes after him hardcore and it doesn't really feel warranted or earned. This isn't to say that its normal or reasonable for teens to have crushes on men but this is a fantasy/romance story and I don't see the reason to make her to young in the first place. It actually made me really uncomfortable in parts. I don't see why she has to be a child for most of a romance story.
The other major issue I had was this felt like a poorer copy cat of another recent, popular hades and Persephone story. I know it all comes from the same myth and its different versions but there were a lot small details, dynamics, and story beats that felt it was plucked out of that other story. I don't think the author did this on purpose, I could just be reading into it.
Thoughts outside of this. I think if these issues don't bother you then you should read it! Characters outside of Kore were very meh and one-dimensional for how long the book was but that is just me. It does have a bit of a weird modern feeling when the story tries to be centered in past Greece. I think the story really picked up about 2/3 of the way in and I was able to finish it. I do love the agency this story gives Kore. It has interesting action scenes. In the authors note it talks about how personal this story is and I think that is cool. I listened to it on audiobook and I think reading it would be the better way to go.
May 16, 2022
4.2⭐️ Almost gave it 5 stars but I think the story could have been a teeny tiny bit shorter . Some details I could have lived without it, and some details I wanted more of. Other than that, I enjoyed the story thoroughly and the was she wrote the characters especially Kore. All of the retelling I have read, Hades is more of the aggressor but in this story he was actually a softy. Kore on the other hand said “I know what I want and I’m going for it”. You truly see Kore in a different light in this book where she was trying to be less dependent on what a man or anybody wants and I loved that. Sis was kind of bratty actually. Also, you only see a relationship bloom literally only at the end so not overly spicy, but spicy nonetheless. I’m sure we’ll get more spice later. Definitely for fans of the Song of Achilles and a Touch of Darkness in terms of story and writing style!
January 7, 2022
If I knew there would be a huge cliffhanger at the end I would have waited to read this after “Hades” is published, which won’t happen until December 2022 😭 It seems I have a knack for starting each new year reading retellings of Persephone and Hade (I did this last year too). This is by far the best retelling I’ve ever read. It’s even (the tiniest bit) better to me than Lore Olympus. The world building is phenomenal, I love the characters, and I couldn’t put this one down. 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this book overall into the backstory of Kore before she becomes Persephone and her upbringing. I also found it really refreshing for Demeter not to be the villain of the story and simply wishes to keep her daughter safe and nurture her growth/powers as she grows from an infant to an adult. I also really liked the idea of Kore not knowing of the darkness that lives in her that is Persephone but Kore isn't aware of it, only the power she has to decay and create life.
Her relationship slowly happens with Hades as she finds him intriguing and is called to him the way other divines arent. When Hades' told her he never loved her and it was all a lie, i think my heart broke a bit. Really looking forward to reading an ARC of Hades as I cant wait for the 2nd and 3rd book
Her relationship slowly happens with Hades as she finds him intriguing and is called to him the way other divines arent. When Hades' told her he never loved her and it was all a lie, i think my heart broke a bit. Really looking forward to reading an ARC of Hades as I cant wait for the 2nd and 3rd book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2023
Some general things before I get into my review:
The formatting of the kindle version is atrocious. No matter how I tweaked my settings, there were often pages with a single paragraph, huge gaps and blank spaces, which made for a horrible reading experience.
This needed an editor. There were typo's and grammatical errors, as well as the random inclusion of the linguistic quirk of "'Tis" halfway through the story.
I found Kore's character to be insipid. The separation of her "dual" into a separate character that she has no access to makes her less interesting. I personally prefer a deliberately vengeful version of this character. Additionally, everything happens to her. She seems to have no agency in her own story and the discrepancy of her powers bothers me. She can capture another God with her vines, but is literally powerless without them.
Hades is the most interesting part of this story, and he is the only reason that I started reading book 2.
The formatting of the kindle version is atrocious. No matter how I tweaked my settings, there were often pages with a single paragraph, huge gaps and blank spaces, which made for a horrible reading experience.
This needed an editor. There were typo's and grammatical errors, as well as the random inclusion of the linguistic quirk of "'Tis" halfway through the story.
I found Kore's character to be insipid. The separation of her "dual" into a separate character that she has no access to makes her less interesting. I personally prefer a deliberately vengeful version of this character. Additionally, everything happens to her. She seems to have no agency in her own story and the discrepancy of her powers bothers me. She can capture another God with her vines, but is literally powerless without them.
Hades is the most interesting part of this story, and he is the only reason that I started reading book 2.
October 7, 2023
It was an easy read that scratched the greek mythology itch.
But boy, did I get tired of "smell of cypress, smoke and spice" quickly. Also, how many more concussions are you going to give Kore? Girl has cracked her skull on half of the underworld by now. Hermes using terms like "sis" and "yea" was pretty dreadful.
I read a few comments about Kore being the aggressor in this relationship is bizarre and makes absolutely zero sense. And I couldn't agree more. A 17 year old girl who knew 5 people, one of those people, including her mother and lived in a meadow her entire life--made little to no sense for her to be the aggressor vs a deity who was born thousands upon thousands of years ago.
I can appreciate a self-published author... but this book was redundant and desperately needed to visit an editor. This 400-page book should have been reduced to 200 pages.
But boy, did I get tired of "smell of cypress, smoke and spice" quickly. Also, how many more concussions are you going to give Kore? Girl has cracked her skull on half of the underworld by now. Hermes using terms like "sis" and "yea" was pretty dreadful.
I read a few comments about Kore being the aggressor in this relationship is bizarre and makes absolutely zero sense. And I couldn't agree more. A 17 year old girl who knew 5 people, one of those people, including her mother and lived in a meadow her entire life--made little to no sense for her to be the aggressor vs a deity who was born thousands upon thousands of years ago.
I can appreciate a self-published author... but this book was redundant and desperately needed to visit an editor. This 400-page book should have been reduced to 200 pages.
February 12, 2023
"Just be cautious dear. He is not just a god. He is a king, and they are most unpredictable."
After one false start and twelve days later, I have finally finished my first book of February. Although, this was not in my rotations, I was over the moon to pull it from my TBR pile. After discovering Lore Olympus back in early 2022, I became entranced by the legend of Persephone and Hades.
Kore is an insightful and masterful re-telling of the greek gods. I truly cannot wait to read the rest of the series as the book leaves you on a cliffhanger that makes you want to scramble to read more.
After one false start and twelve days later, I have finally finished my first book of February. Although, this was not in my rotations, I was over the moon to pull it from my TBR pile. After discovering Lore Olympus back in early 2022, I became entranced by the legend of Persephone and Hades.
Kore is an insightful and masterful re-telling of the greek gods. I truly cannot wait to read the rest of the series as the book leaves you on a cliffhanger that makes you want to scramble to read more.
March 19, 2025
This story from beginning to end was delightful. Descriptive and beautifully written, between the worlds and the character dynamics , the push and pull, are all worth the build up. For me it was a page turner, being a lover of otherworldly storytelling and the like, I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. The style portrayed as the story of Kore and Hades, left me wanting more... The cliff hanger is just that, leaving you wanting more
December 20, 2021
Amazing World building!
I enjoyed this retelling. The pacing was on par and sets the stage for the rest of the series. I love that it was Persephone's choice to go to the underworld, and was excited to read about her discovering her strength. Major cliffhanger yes, but I am excited to reread this a few times until the next book is out.
I enjoyed this retelling. The pacing was on par and sets the stage for the rest of the series. I love that it was Persephone's choice to go to the underworld, and was excited to read about her discovering her strength. Major cliffhanger yes, but I am excited to reread this a few times until the next book is out.
August 1, 2022
I am just a sucker for Hades and Persephone retellings and this was such a good one. I enjoyed this very much and though this isn’t the most accurate to the myth (like most retellings) it is a version I prefer over the kidnapping.
June 5, 2022
It may changed when the second book comes out. This was not what I expected and that is on me.
May 23, 2025
2.75 ⭐️
finally got interesting during the last handful of chapters just to end on the dumbest cliffhanger bye
finally got interesting during the last handful of chapters just to end on the dumbest cliffhanger bye
March 14, 2022
i love the idea of it but i dunno how I feel about the execution- still a good book but not INCREDIBLE
January 4, 2022
This was an excellent introduction into The Taking of Persephone series. This book is definitely for fans of Greek mythology and Hades x Persephone retellings, as the execution was immaculate. The way the storyline and setting was described was full of imagery and detail. Persephone is characterized exactly how I envisioned her in my mind to be like--sweet and caring yet brave and strong-willed. I even enjoyed the side characters, especially Hermes! The story left off at a cliff-hanger with me begging for more...so I can't wait till the next book! Overall I give Kore a 5/5 stars and a 1/5 on the spice scale.
August 18, 2024
Very fun experience on what her life was like before she came into her full powers and became Queen of the Underworld.
2/5🌶️
Tropes: retellings; age gap; love at first sight; reluctant love; secret golden retriever boy
2/5🌶️
Tropes: retellings; age gap; love at first sight; reluctant love; secret golden retriever boy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2023
Disappointed
I stuck this one out to the end, and after finishing it, I'm sitting here like THAT'S IT?
The story plodded along at a ridiculously slow pace, only to finally pick up about 75% in, at a pace that was rushed and unsatisfying. Hades was aloof, almost brotherly/paternal for the majority of the book. When their relationship finally takes off in a blaze, it just doesn't feel earned. Then after all that nonsense, we have the aggravating trope of "I'm going to pretend that I don't love you to push you away b/c I know what's best for you" hurtful manipulation when Kore has to return to the mortal realm...
Not related to the plot, but just a general annoyance: I'm all for unique words that help with the world building in a story, but the Greek words/phrases thrown in here (a LOT) just don't fit. You're writing a novel that's entirely in a language (English) that differs from its subject matter (Greek). It doesn't make sense to throw in random Greek phrases for perfectly common items like a bed or a jug that can be perfectly well explained/described in English. Juxtaposed with all of the glaring grammatical errors in the book (I'm not a grammar Nazi, but simple verb agreement?! Come on now...), it just feels like a clumsy attempt to throw excerpts from a Greek phrase book in the prose as a point of show.
I stuck this one out to the end, and after finishing it, I'm sitting here like THAT'S IT?
The story plodded along at a ridiculously slow pace, only to finally pick up about 75% in, at a pace that was rushed and unsatisfying. Hades was aloof, almost brotherly/paternal for the majority of the book. When their relationship finally takes off in a blaze, it just doesn't feel earned. Then after all that nonsense, we have the aggravating trope of "I'm going to pretend that I don't love you to push you away b/c I know what's best for you" hurtful manipulation when Kore has to return to the mortal realm...
Not related to the plot, but just a general annoyance: I'm all for unique words that help with the world building in a story, but the Greek words/phrases thrown in here (a LOT) just don't fit. You're writing a novel that's entirely in a language (English) that differs from its subject matter (Greek). It doesn't make sense to throw in random Greek phrases for perfectly common items like a bed or a jug that can be perfectly well explained/described in English. Juxtaposed with all of the glaring grammatical errors in the book (I'm not a grammar Nazi, but simple verb agreement?! Come on now...), it just feels like a clumsy attempt to throw excerpts from a Greek phrase book in the prose as a point of show.
April 1, 2022
This is a beautiful retelling of the Hades/Persephone greek myth but prepare yourself for a slooooooooooooow burn (especially if you're reading this for the spice). While it does take awhile for sparks to fly (the book starts when Persephone is 8 years old), I did enjoy getting more story of Persephone's upbringing in present time instead of just past tense as so many retellings do; just matured Persephone remembering her childhood or telling others stories of her time with her mother. I enjoyed the author's version of Persephone. A wonderful balance of innocence, naiveness, maturity and "street smarts". She created a spectacular character. As well as a spectacular Underworld! Loved her vision for this realm and she paints it beautifully!
Other reviewers commented it ends on a cliffhanger, however, for me, it was more of an abrupt conclusion. I don't mind cliffhangers but, personally, there was no winding down. When I read the last sentence, I genuinely though my kindle had messed up and didn't download the complete book.
Overall, highly recommend to any greek mythology lovers! A worth while read!
Other reviewers commented it ends on a cliffhanger, however, for me, it was more of an abrupt conclusion. I don't mind cliffhangers but, personally, there was no winding down. When I read the last sentence, I genuinely though my kindle had messed up and didn't download the complete book.
Overall, highly recommend to any greek mythology lovers! A worth while read!
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