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Winter Harvest
From the moment of her birth, Demeter, the second born daughter of Kronos and Rhea, lived in darkness, trapped inside her father’s stomach, always fearing that inside her body a monster lived and she had to keep it caged. This rage inside her didn’t cease or grow any weaker when she was freed by her youngest brother, nor when she and her siblings defeated Kronos and his allies during the Titanomachy, the war that forever changed Greece. It stayed under her skin, always reminding her of its presence but never gaining control.
All that changed when her precious only child, Kore, vanished from the face of earth and Demeter found herself alone in her quest to regain her daughter. Unable to contain her rage, she gives in to all she tried so hard not to become and begins a period of starvation that brings humanity to the brink of extinction as she embarks on a journey to find Kore, filled with humiliation, further betrayal and desperation which reshapes her Godhood and changes her in a way she never expected nor wanted.
Winter Harvest is a stand-alone feminist mythology retelling which explores Demeter’s place in the Dodecatheon and her harsh and painful life as she becomes a chthonic Goddess, linked with both death and life. The novel combines various myths about Demeter, shaped like a fantasy novel which focuses on Demeter as a female goddess, struggling to fit into the patriarchal status quo of Olympus while she is constantly changing her identity in an attempt to find her place in the world and what it means to be female.
All that changed when her precious only child, Kore, vanished from the face of earth and Demeter found herself alone in her quest to regain her daughter. Unable to contain her rage, she gives in to all she tried so hard not to become and begins a period of starvation that brings humanity to the brink of extinction as she embarks on a journey to find Kore, filled with humiliation, further betrayal and desperation which reshapes her Godhood and changes her in a way she never expected nor wanted.
Winter Harvest is a stand-alone feminist mythology retelling which explores Demeter’s place in the Dodecatheon and her harsh and painful life as she becomes a chthonic Goddess, linked with both death and life. The novel combines various myths about Demeter, shaped like a fantasy novel which focuses on Demeter as a female goddess, struggling to fit into the patriarchal status quo of Olympus while she is constantly changing her identity in an attempt to find her place in the world and what it means to be female.
290 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2023
16 people are currently reading
2145 people want to read
About the author
Ioanna Papadopoulou
9 books55 followersIOANNA PAPADOPOULOU is a Greek fantasy and speculative fiction author based in Scotland. Other than writing, she is passionate about art history and museology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
November 25, 2023
I am so very, very excited to see my debut novel, "Winter Harvest", coming out into the world in 2023. "Winter Harvest" is a perfect fit for readers who enjoy mythology retellings and adult fantasy in the veins of "The Witch's Heart" by Genevieve Gornichec and "Circe" by Madeline Miller.
In this book you will find:
- A vengeful Goddess
- Dragon companions
- Motherly rage
- Dysfunctional family dynamics (could it be Greek mythology without it?)
This novel was born as a mixture of my own understanding of Greek mythology while growing up in Greece and my disappointment when I understood that the world didn't seem to view Demeter as I did. Some years back, I went through a phase when all I wanted to read were Greek mythology retellings and in nearly none of them did I see Demeter the way I had imagined as a child. A powerful Earth Goddess, the Corn mother and one of the few Gods that had managed to technically win against Zeus in their battle of will. I slowly began researching Demeter and the cult around her, finding unknown to me myths and facts. One of my favourites is that Demeter rode winged serpents, the Ancient Greek dragons. Most of he myths I found were short descriptions without expansion, and my Demeter and her harsh journey of transformation began to take shape. She became this insecure, angry creature that committed terrible sins but was somehow not a fully fledged monster.
I decided to write her story and focus on the patriarchy of Olympus, drawing elements from the Greece I grew up in, filled with stereotypes about women and mothers. In the end, "Winter Harvest" became the story of an angry Goddess, whose journey lead her to be linked with death, to take into her cult chthonic elements, which at the beginning of her story, Demeter could never imagine embodying.
In this book you will find:
- A vengeful Goddess
- Dragon companions
- Motherly rage
- Dysfunctional family dynamics (could it be Greek mythology without it?)
This novel was born as a mixture of my own understanding of Greek mythology while growing up in Greece and my disappointment when I understood that the world didn't seem to view Demeter as I did. Some years back, I went through a phase when all I wanted to read were Greek mythology retellings and in nearly none of them did I see Demeter the way I had imagined as a child. A powerful Earth Goddess, the Corn mother and one of the few Gods that had managed to technically win against Zeus in their battle of will. I slowly began researching Demeter and the cult around her, finding unknown to me myths and facts. One of my favourites is that Demeter rode winged serpents, the Ancient Greek dragons. Most of he myths I found were short descriptions without expansion, and my Demeter and her harsh journey of transformation began to take shape. She became this insecure, angry creature that committed terrible sins but was somehow not a fully fledged monster.
I decided to write her story and focus on the patriarchy of Olympus, drawing elements from the Greece I grew up in, filled with stereotypes about women and mothers. In the end, "Winter Harvest" became the story of an angry Goddess, whose journey lead her to be linked with death, to take into her cult chthonic elements, which at the beginning of her story, Demeter could never imagine embodying.
November 24, 2023
I do love mythology, but I have to say, I’ve slowed up on the Greek variety for quite a while now. I think perhaps I’d overindulged in my teenage years and then I immersed myself in Irish mythology in the years that followed and became obsessed with that.
However, that being said, I do have a soft spot for Greek myths. So, when I saw Ioanna’s book from the viewpoint of Demeter, I jumped at the chance to read it. I have to say, as a way to reacquaint myself with a mythology that I hadn’t read in a while, this novel was absolutely perfect.
Winter Harvest was the perfect choice because it is a classical retelling and stays very close to the original myths. I felt myself remembering much of what I had learned before, but very much enjoying that it came from Demeter’s POV rather than Zeus or Hades.
I also really enjoyed the fact that Ioanna wrote Demeter as a goddess, not as a human character. This allows both the good side of her and the ‘monster side’ to be explored properly.
Because, of course, much of the story revolves around the two pivotal events in her life: being eaten by her father alongside her other siblings – and the kidnapping of her daughter. Both these unhappy events cause great changes within Demeter, but how far she is willing to go to be free and then to find her daughter goes further than I’d expect any human to be capable of.
The writing is beautiful and I flew through the story. I really enjoyed Demeter, her inner thoughts and her interactions with the other gods and goddesses, which shows how the rivalries between them began. The early chapters inside her father’s stomach were riveting too, even though that seems unlikely. How the siblings interact with each other is pivotal though and sets the scene for how they interact later on in the story.
If you are a Greek mythology fan, you will love this novel. If you are like me and perhaps haven’t read much in this area since you studied it at school, this is the perfect novel to reignite your passion.
However, that being said, I do have a soft spot for Greek myths. So, when I saw Ioanna’s book from the viewpoint of Demeter, I jumped at the chance to read it. I have to say, as a way to reacquaint myself with a mythology that I hadn’t read in a while, this novel was absolutely perfect.
Winter Harvest was the perfect choice because it is a classical retelling and stays very close to the original myths. I felt myself remembering much of what I had learned before, but very much enjoying that it came from Demeter’s POV rather than Zeus or Hades.
I also really enjoyed the fact that Ioanna wrote Demeter as a goddess, not as a human character. This allows both the good side of her and the ‘monster side’ to be explored properly.
Because, of course, much of the story revolves around the two pivotal events in her life: being eaten by her father alongside her other siblings – and the kidnapping of her daughter. Both these unhappy events cause great changes within Demeter, but how far she is willing to go to be free and then to find her daughter goes further than I’d expect any human to be capable of.
The writing is beautiful and I flew through the story. I really enjoyed Demeter, her inner thoughts and her interactions with the other gods and goddesses, which shows how the rivalries between them began. The early chapters inside her father’s stomach were riveting too, even though that seems unlikely. How the siblings interact with each other is pivotal though and sets the scene for how they interact later on in the story.
If you are a Greek mythology fan, you will love this novel. If you are like me and perhaps haven’t read much in this area since you studied it at school, this is the perfect novel to reignite your passion.
July 27, 2024
If my daughter stayed in the Underworld, then I would kill everything, so I could become, by force, a Goddess of Death and gain passage to the Underworld. Then I would walk down there and face her abductor so I could take her back myself. (p. 150)
I'm sure you have heard of Hades x Persephone, but may I interest you in the POV of Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture, aka the goddess who went feral over the loss of her daughter and starved the world until she got her back? Although I wasn't immediately hooked by the story, I really enjoyed reading it in the end and would recommend it as a Greek mythology retelling.
I'm sure you have heard of Hades x Persephone, but may I interest you in the POV of Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture, aka the goddess who went feral over the loss of her daughter and starved the world until she got her back? Although I wasn't immediately hooked by the story, I really enjoyed reading it in the end and would recommend it as a Greek mythology retelling.
February 5, 2024
Actual rating: 4.5*. Main TW: rape.
I have read quite a few Greek Myth feminist retellings, including ones covering goddesses. I think this one outshines others on one major front: the complexity of the main character Demeter. IP has crafted a character that truly doesn't feel human. And as this felt very much like a character-driven tale, which many retellings are, this is so important. By the end, I can honestly not say if I liked Demeter or not (as a 'person', not as a character). I felt so much for her, but at the same time she harbors a darkness and cruelty that fits well with the fact she is an Olympian. She is strong but is also a victim, is kind but can be really cruel, she is possessive and at times controlling but also very loving. It's that complexity that makes her not just a great character, but also a great protagonist of a feminist story (as others have sometimes relied too heavily on one or two women being a kind of saint, while other women in the same book can be caricatures). I don't know if it's because IP is Greek and has a different understanding of Greek Mythology then the other, predominantly Anglo-Saxon writers, but I think there's a lot of value in having more Greek voices telling the story (as goes for any country/culture/etc.).
The story itself is also beautifully presented and retains a strong sense of mystery throughout, even though the myth it is based on is quite well known by now. IP's writing is super atmospheric and, in another great deviation from other retellings, this book has a very gothic and kind of horror-like vibe to it. It's quite gruesome at times but it never feels like the violence is just there for shock-value.
The .5* lost is for two small things. 1) the men (male Olympians) in the book did feel a bit too 'evil', though in hindsight I think this comes mostly due to how Zeus and Poseidon are. 2) the use of the word divinity became a bit too much for me, though I don't see how else it could have been described.
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A Greek mythology book written by a fellow Greek?? SIGN ME THE EFF UP!
I have read quite a few Greek Myth feminist retellings, including ones covering goddesses. I think this one outshines others on one major front: the complexity of the main character Demeter. IP has crafted a character that truly doesn't feel human. And as this felt very much like a character-driven tale, which many retellings are, this is so important. By the end, I can honestly not say if I liked Demeter or not (as a 'person', not as a character). I felt so much for her, but at the same time she harbors a darkness and cruelty that fits well with the fact she is an Olympian. She is strong but is also a victim, is kind but can be really cruel, she is possessive and at times controlling but also very loving. It's that complexity that makes her not just a great character, but also a great protagonist of a feminist story (as others have sometimes relied too heavily on one or two women being a kind of saint, while other women in the same book can be caricatures). I don't know if it's because IP is Greek and has a different understanding of Greek Mythology then the other, predominantly Anglo-Saxon writers, but I think there's a lot of value in having more Greek voices telling the story (as goes for any country/culture/etc.).
The story itself is also beautifully presented and retains a strong sense of mystery throughout, even though the myth it is based on is quite well known by now. IP's writing is super atmospheric and, in another great deviation from other retellings, this book has a very gothic and kind of horror-like vibe to it. It's quite gruesome at times but it never feels like the violence is just there for shock-value.
The .5* lost is for two small things. 1) the men (male Olympians) in the book did feel a bit too 'evil', though in hindsight I think this comes mostly due to how Zeus and Poseidon are. 2) the use of the word divinity became a bit too much for me, though I don't see how else it could have been described.
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A Greek mythology book written by a fellow Greek?? SIGN ME THE EFF UP!
July 26, 2024
A captivating portrait of a goddess who is too often revealed in only one dimension across many myths. Achingly captured. Easily one of the most memorable and resonant retellings of any mythological figure that I've yet read.
April 5, 2024
a 'taking of persephone' retelling that actually gives demeter character besides helicopter parent??? sign me the fuck up
October 25, 2023
This was such a great retelling that really made Demeter shine as a complex goddess, full of female rage.
Ioanna Papadopoulou did a fantastic job of capturing the arrogance and superiority of all the Deities, and their almost alien nature. Somehow, the premise of "God eats his kids and they live in his stomach" didn't come across as too silly to take seriously - it was a sombre and emotional introduction to our main character and her siblings.
I love the development of Demeter's character throughout, as she tries to gain control over her destiny, and how my feelings about her changed so often! Definitely one to read for fans of a morally grey main character! I also loved the contrast between the sisters: Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, and how they each dealt with their traumatic childhood and the challenges of gaining and holding power as female deities who are treated as lesser beings by Zeus.
Thank you to Ioanna Papadopoulou, Ghost Orchid Press, and Netgalley for this ARC!
Ioanna Papadopoulou did a fantastic job of capturing the arrogance and superiority of all the Deities, and their almost alien nature. Somehow, the premise of "God eats his kids and they live in his stomach" didn't come across as too silly to take seriously - it was a sombre and emotional introduction to our main character and her siblings.
I love the development of Demeter's character throughout, as she tries to gain control over her destiny, and how my feelings about her changed so often! Definitely one to read for fans of a morally grey main character! I also loved the contrast between the sisters: Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, and how they each dealt with their traumatic childhood and the challenges of gaining and holding power as female deities who are treated as lesser beings by Zeus.
Thank you to Ioanna Papadopoulou, Ghost Orchid Press, and Netgalley for this ARC!
November 22, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
Winter Harvest is a really ambitious dark fantasy novel, inspired by the myth of the Greek goddess Demeter, written by a Greek author, Ioanna Papadopoulou, and published by Ghost Orchid Press. A goddess with a rich story which is often ignored in favour of her hungry power brothers, and which Papadopoulou uses to create an exciting story about family, motherhood and feminine rage.
From her birth, Demeter, daughter of Kronos and Rhea, was trapped in the darkness of her father's stomach; fearing that the same monstrous character lived inside her, a thing that she should keep repressed. Even after being freed by Zeus, her younger brother, or after the Titanomachy was won, establishing the new Olympic order, that rage was still inside of her; a constant element in her life until she birthed Kore, her daughter (even if the conception was traumatic due to the tyrannical nature of her brothers).
Kore brought the light to her, a happiness she hadn't experienced while in the company of her siblings; a bliss that only enhanced her powers as a life related goddess. However, when Kore disappears from the earth, she finds herself alone in the quest of finding her; none of the Olympics wants to help her, finding herself alone and humiliated. All the rage inside her is finally liberated, changing her divine nature to darker ways that she never expected.
A story that puts on the spotlight Demeter, an often forgotten goddess of the Greek pantheon despite how relevant her field was; her quest for recovering Kore will take her to finally confront the patriarchal structure established by Zeus in his rise of power after the Titanomachy, just substituting one tyrant by another. What started being a goddess of life becomes a chthonic divinity, embracing death as a part of herself just to protect her dearest daughter Kore.
I kinda liked Papadopoulou's prose, but felt a bit conflicted with the mashup done with a more epic way of telling and expressions that felt anachronic with the setting; said that, the world-building is excellent, with Papadopoulou interpreting and mixing several myths to create a cohesive story.
Winter Harvest is an excellent feminist retelling of Demeter and Persefone myths; an excellent read if you like mythology inspired fantasy. A strong debut which only makes me want more books by Papadopoulou.
Winter Harvest is a really ambitious dark fantasy novel, inspired by the myth of the Greek goddess Demeter, written by a Greek author, Ioanna Papadopoulou, and published by Ghost Orchid Press. A goddess with a rich story which is often ignored in favour of her hungry power brothers, and which Papadopoulou uses to create an exciting story about family, motherhood and feminine rage.
From her birth, Demeter, daughter of Kronos and Rhea, was trapped in the darkness of her father's stomach; fearing that the same monstrous character lived inside her, a thing that she should keep repressed. Even after being freed by Zeus, her younger brother, or after the Titanomachy was won, establishing the new Olympic order, that rage was still inside of her; a constant element in her life until she birthed Kore, her daughter (even if the conception was traumatic due to the tyrannical nature of her brothers).
Kore brought the light to her, a happiness she hadn't experienced while in the company of her siblings; a bliss that only enhanced her powers as a life related goddess. However, when Kore disappears from the earth, she finds herself alone in the quest of finding her; none of the Olympics wants to help her, finding herself alone and humiliated. All the rage inside her is finally liberated, changing her divine nature to darker ways that she never expected.
A story that puts on the spotlight Demeter, an often forgotten goddess of the Greek pantheon despite how relevant her field was; her quest for recovering Kore will take her to finally confront the patriarchal structure established by Zeus in his rise of power after the Titanomachy, just substituting one tyrant by another. What started being a goddess of life becomes a chthonic divinity, embracing death as a part of herself just to protect her dearest daughter Kore.
I kinda liked Papadopoulou's prose, but felt a bit conflicted with the mashup done with a more epic way of telling and expressions that felt anachronic with the setting; said that, the world-building is excellent, with Papadopoulou interpreting and mixing several myths to create a cohesive story.
Winter Harvest is an excellent feminist retelling of Demeter and Persefone myths; an excellent read if you like mythology inspired fantasy. A strong debut which only makes me want more books by Papadopoulou.
December 28, 2023
This was dark and refreshing and quite different from all the Greek mythology retellings I've read to date.
We need more Greek mythology stories published by Greek authors.
We need more Greek mythology stories published by Greek authors.
October 24, 2024
The knowledge is clearly all there: Demeter's various aspects, epithets, cults, myths in which she features, etc. The author clearly knows her stuff (finally, a retelling which features Despoina!).
Unfortunately the characters are severely underdeveloped, the writing style is not there (grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, contrived sentences, needless repetition, the use of words like "OK" in fiction - this is not the modern world! - and "females" to describe women - Demeter is not an incel, right?) and severe cases of telling not showing (only 300 pages to fit in all these myths was a choice). It reads like a first draft. I am perhaps way too harsh on this author, but because this book should have been an instant favorite of mine I am all the more disappointed.
I could say much more, but lastly for other readers: this is once again a retelling of Demeter as a controlling mother. Sure, she gains some insight at the end of the book, but just once I would like a modern retelling with a different interpretation of mainly the Homeric hymn to Demeter/motherhood.
EDIT: I did like the beginning of the story - interesting to start it with Demeter being devoured by Kronos. The claustrophobic descriptions of her time in his stomach were quite well done! Would have loved that amount of detail in the rest of the book.
Unfortunately the characters are severely underdeveloped, the writing style is not there (grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, contrived sentences, needless repetition, the use of words like "OK" in fiction - this is not the modern world! - and "females" to describe women - Demeter is not an incel, right?) and severe cases of telling not showing (only 300 pages to fit in all these myths was a choice). It reads like a first draft. I am perhaps way too harsh on this author, but because this book should have been an instant favorite of mine I am all the more disappointed.
I could say much more, but lastly for other readers: this is once again a retelling of Demeter as a controlling mother. Sure, she gains some insight at the end of the book, but just once I would like a modern retelling with a different interpretation of mainly the Homeric hymn to Demeter/motherhood.
EDIT: I did like the beginning of the story - interesting to start it with Demeter being devoured by Kronos. The claustrophobic descriptions of her time in his stomach were quite well done! Would have loved that amount of detail in the rest of the book.
January 12, 2024
This retelling of the Greek goddess Demeter was a really fun read and one of the most authentic retellings I’ve read.
In this novel, Demeter is at once goddess and person, both relatable and not, likable and at times, really not. But I think my feelings toward her and her decisions were were very real, I either loved or hated her, and that in itself was a unique reaction and one that seemed very realistic to me.
Her story is profound, full of meaning and color and texture, extremely raw and violent, modern in its issues but incredibly old and aged in feeling. This is a story that is truly about female rage as you’ve never read it before, a rage a mother feels on behalf of injustice done to her child and by extension, herself. It’s a feeling any mother knows at her core. And it’s about the darkness and light that lives in each one of us women. Only by embracing all parts of us can we truly accept ourselves and find our power.
I found also the author’s connection to Greece enriched this retelling and made it sound like the Greek myths of old that I’ve read. All in all, though I didn’t always like Demeter, I understood and cheered for her — and that to me is what makes a stellar retelling.
In this novel, Demeter is at once goddess and person, both relatable and not, likable and at times, really not. But I think my feelings toward her and her decisions were were very real, I either loved or hated her, and that in itself was a unique reaction and one that seemed very realistic to me.
Her story is profound, full of meaning and color and texture, extremely raw and violent, modern in its issues but incredibly old and aged in feeling. This is a story that is truly about female rage as you’ve never read it before, a rage a mother feels on behalf of injustice done to her child and by extension, herself. It’s a feeling any mother knows at her core. And it’s about the darkness and light that lives in each one of us women. Only by embracing all parts of us can we truly accept ourselves and find our power.
I found also the author’s connection to Greece enriched this retelling and made it sound like the Greek myths of old that I’ve read. All in all, though I didn’t always like Demeter, I understood and cheered for her — and that to me is what makes a stellar retelling.
October 1, 2023
Demeter is goddess of the harvest, of food and growing things. But when her beloved daughter Kore is taken from her, she finds she is also a goddess of famine and of lack.
This book has FLAWS, and we will get to that, but I loved so much about this book and will never again think of Demeter without thinking of this Demeter.
This Demeter is the goddess of divine feminine rage. The rage of being minimized, dismissed, abandoned, swallowed up, raped, confined, and controlled by men. The rage of living in a system of oppression that you did not sign up for or consent to, but that you cannot opt out of. The rage of having a body that is viewed as a receptacle, an object, a source of male pleasure and a site of male violence before it is viewed as a dwelling place. The rage of female relationships torn apart by men wedging themselves between, pitting women against each other, making it unsafe for women to commiserate or even warn one another, creating a world where women must rely on men to survive, never mind get anything done. The rage of women despising other women and themselves for the things they do and the ways they shrink themselves to survive the patriarchal world they cannot seem to change.
This book is a justification of that rage, but not of the harmful effects it can have on bystanders and innocent parties. Demeter is deeply unlikeable and, in some ways, deeply unsympathetic, but she’s fascinating to watch.
Okay, now for those flaws I promised. This book suffers from a lack of editing and, I suspect, a lack of practice in craft. Papadopoulou has written some short fiction, but this is her debut novel, and it shows. The plot isn’t just slow-moving and meandering—that alone will never get criticism from me—but it sometimes feels aimless, even random. Demeter’s actions don’t always align with her motivations, and there’s a lot of repetition in her arc—now there’s a monster in me, now it’s coming out, now I’m more the monster than I’ve ever been, even though I’ve said that seven times in this book…You get the picture. Much is told in narrative summary that absolutely should have been shown in scene, which takes away from the impact of those moments, and character feelings and motivations are always, always explained by our narrator. The prose is often awkward (which, if you regularly read my reviews, you know is important to me, so let it be a testament to how much I loved what I loved that this book is still rated so high) and is littered with typos. I really, really wish this book had been allowed to germinate longer, to really mature into what it could have been, and then been subjected to rigorous editing. This could easily have been a five-star new favorite if it had been.
All in all, I have to recommend this book if you’re interested in Greek mythology. This retelling gives such fresh, new perspectives on the gods and their mythos, and is cathartically full of rage. It’s poignant and harrowing, and the beginning—when the Olympians have been swallowed by their father and are living in his stomach—will stick with me. There’s much to love and a lot of skill and dedication here, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Papadopoulou does next.
ARC provided by Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has FLAWS, and we will get to that, but I loved so much about this book and will never again think of Demeter without thinking of this Demeter.
This Demeter is the goddess of divine feminine rage. The rage of being minimized, dismissed, abandoned, swallowed up, raped, confined, and controlled by men. The rage of living in a system of oppression that you did not sign up for or consent to, but that you cannot opt out of. The rage of having a body that is viewed as a receptacle, an object, a source of male pleasure and a site of male violence before it is viewed as a dwelling place. The rage of female relationships torn apart by men wedging themselves between, pitting women against each other, making it unsafe for women to commiserate or even warn one another, creating a world where women must rely on men to survive, never mind get anything done. The rage of women despising other women and themselves for the things they do and the ways they shrink themselves to survive the patriarchal world they cannot seem to change.
This book is a justification of that rage, but not of the harmful effects it can have on bystanders and innocent parties. Demeter is deeply unlikeable and, in some ways, deeply unsympathetic, but she’s fascinating to watch.
Okay, now for those flaws I promised. This book suffers from a lack of editing and, I suspect, a lack of practice in craft. Papadopoulou has written some short fiction, but this is her debut novel, and it shows. The plot isn’t just slow-moving and meandering—that alone will never get criticism from me—but it sometimes feels aimless, even random. Demeter’s actions don’t always align with her motivations, and there’s a lot of repetition in her arc—now there’s a monster in me, now it’s coming out, now I’m more the monster than I’ve ever been, even though I’ve said that seven times in this book…You get the picture. Much is told in narrative summary that absolutely should have been shown in scene, which takes away from the impact of those moments, and character feelings and motivations are always, always explained by our narrator. The prose is often awkward (which, if you regularly read my reviews, you know is important to me, so let it be a testament to how much I loved what I loved that this book is still rated so high) and is littered with typos. I really, really wish this book had been allowed to germinate longer, to really mature into what it could have been, and then been subjected to rigorous editing. This could easily have been a five-star new favorite if it had been.
All in all, I have to recommend this book if you’re interested in Greek mythology. This retelling gives such fresh, new perspectives on the gods and their mythos, and is cathartically full of rage. It’s poignant and harrowing, and the beginning—when the Olympians have been swallowed by their father and are living in his stomach—will stick with me. There’s much to love and a lot of skill and dedication here, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Papadopoulou does next.
ARC provided by Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2023
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
Full review here.
This is one of those books that at the beginning I wasn't sure that I would like (a part of it is because of the prologue, which the book would probably be better off without), but by the end, it really grew on me.
This is the story of Demeter (who I admittedly didn't know much about, so I had no preconceptions of what the story should be like), from her childhood (if you can even call it that), to many of the conflicts during her godhood, the most significant being the disappearance of her daughter Kore.
As expected from any Greek mythology retelling, there's a lot of terrible people (or gods and godesses I guess) and terribly disfunctional family dynamics involved in the story. One of the things I'd worried about before getting far into the book was the worry that while everyone around her was depicted as terrible (or at least nuanced, with good and bad parts both), I thought Demeter wouldn't be like that, I thought she'd be too perfect, without much flaws, but I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that it wasn't the case. The depiction of her character here is full of nuances and she's one of those really flawed characters that are still easy to root for.
The prose of the story is rather simplistic and straight to the point, at first it bothered me a bit, but by the end, it felt right, it made the story feel more visceral and primal, and if the prose had been more poetic or beautiful, the book wouldn't feel quite that way.
Overall, even though it didn't blow me away or anything like that, it was still quite an impressive book, especially for a debut novel. Definitely worth reading for anyone looking for more Greek myth retellings.
Full review here.
This is one of those books that at the beginning I wasn't sure that I would like (a part of it is because of the prologue, which the book would probably be better off without), but by the end, it really grew on me.
This is the story of Demeter (who I admittedly didn't know much about, so I had no preconceptions of what the story should be like), from her childhood (if you can even call it that), to many of the conflicts during her godhood, the most significant being the disappearance of her daughter Kore.
As expected from any Greek mythology retelling, there's a lot of terrible people (or gods and godesses I guess) and terribly disfunctional family dynamics involved in the story. One of the things I'd worried about before getting far into the book was the worry that while everyone around her was depicted as terrible (or at least nuanced, with good and bad parts both), I thought Demeter wouldn't be like that, I thought she'd be too perfect, without much flaws, but I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that it wasn't the case. The depiction of her character here is full of nuances and she's one of those really flawed characters that are still easy to root for.
The prose of the story is rather simplistic and straight to the point, at first it bothered me a bit, but by the end, it felt right, it made the story feel more visceral and primal, and if the prose had been more poetic or beautiful, the book wouldn't feel quite that way.
Overall, even though it didn't blow me away or anything like that, it was still quite an impressive book, especially for a debut novel. Definitely worth reading for anyone looking for more Greek myth retellings.
November 27, 2023
A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Ghost Orchid Press for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book incorporates Greek myth starting from the birth of the Olympians, to the marriage of Persephone and Hades, as told by her mother, Demeter. I thought it was very interesting to get into the mindset of Demeter, as despite being the goddess of the harvest, we can see how much rage and control she desires for herself and her own life - as well as her daughters’. I enjoyed getting into Demeter’s head, as there were multiple instances of the Greek myths I had never considered, and this gave a personal in-depth view of the situations and the emotions tied to them.
The story starts with Demeter being swallowed by her father, and we spent a lot of time in that dark place with her and her siblings. I really enjoyed this, as I had never considered the relationship of the gods and goddesses in their father’s stomach, and the differences in their relationships to each other versus with Zeus. I also enjoyed how calculating Demeter could be, with asserting that she would have more power than her sisters and that she would become a mother but not a wife.
When Kore is captured, we can feel Demeter’s pain as she stops the harvest and poisons the world, almost killing all life on earth in the process. I also thought it was interesting how, while she considers herself different from her brothers, she in many ways thought of and treated humans and lesser immortals the same, if only in a different way. She feels her pain is larger than anyone else could experience, and only her pain matters in the grand scheme of things. Personally, I really liked this selfish take on Demeter, as it helped the reader to understand that even though her pain and emotions are similar to ours, she is still a goddess and considers herself such.
Honestly, I was a bit worried about how the story of Kore/Persephone was going to go, as in this story she was kidnapped without her consent, but the evolution of Kore into Persephone was well done. I liked how originally Hades wished to marry Demeter, but when he found Kore he realized he loved her rather than her mother, and even though he “kidnapped’ her, he did technically go through the proper channels for a marriage by asking her father for permission. And then even after she was kidnapped, he waited until Kore accepted him as her husband and transformed into Persephone, becoming a different goddess altogether, with her newfound power.
If you like Greek mythology focused on the women in the storytelling, and always liked the retellings of Persephone and Hades, but always wondered what her mother felt about it all (other than forcing the changing of the seasons in her grief), this is a great book to read. The characters in this book are both realistic and larger than life, showing that while the gods and goddesses have the same emotions as humans - they are still divine and do not adhere to the same rules.
This book incorporates Greek myth starting from the birth of the Olympians, to the marriage of Persephone and Hades, as told by her mother, Demeter. I thought it was very interesting to get into the mindset of Demeter, as despite being the goddess of the harvest, we can see how much rage and control she desires for herself and her own life - as well as her daughters’. I enjoyed getting into Demeter’s head, as there were multiple instances of the Greek myths I had never considered, and this gave a personal in-depth view of the situations and the emotions tied to them.
The story starts with Demeter being swallowed by her father, and we spent a lot of time in that dark place with her and her siblings. I really enjoyed this, as I had never considered the relationship of the gods and goddesses in their father’s stomach, and the differences in their relationships to each other versus with Zeus. I also enjoyed how calculating Demeter could be, with asserting that she would have more power than her sisters and that she would become a mother but not a wife.
When Kore is captured, we can feel Demeter’s pain as she stops the harvest and poisons the world, almost killing all life on earth in the process. I also thought it was interesting how, while she considers herself different from her brothers, she in many ways thought of and treated humans and lesser immortals the same, if only in a different way. She feels her pain is larger than anyone else could experience, and only her pain matters in the grand scheme of things. Personally, I really liked this selfish take on Demeter, as it helped the reader to understand that even though her pain and emotions are similar to ours, she is still a goddess and considers herself such.
Honestly, I was a bit worried about how the story of Kore/Persephone was going to go, as in this story she was kidnapped without her consent, but the evolution of Kore into Persephone was well done. I liked how originally Hades wished to marry Demeter, but when he found Kore he realized he loved her rather than her mother, and even though he “kidnapped’ her, he did technically go through the proper channels for a marriage by asking her father for permission. And then even after she was kidnapped, he waited until Kore accepted him as her husband and transformed into Persephone, becoming a different goddess altogether, with her newfound power.
If you like Greek mythology focused on the women in the storytelling, and always liked the retellings of Persephone and Hades, but always wondered what her mother felt about it all (other than forcing the changing of the seasons in her grief), this is a great book to read. The characters in this book are both realistic and larger than life, showing that while the gods and goddesses have the same emotions as humans - they are still divine and do not adhere to the same rules.
October 23, 2023
Winter Harvest is a beautiful and heartbreaking Greek mythology retelling focused on the goddess Demeter. Papadopoulou starts at the very beginning with Demeter's birth and the titanomachy, all the way through the loss of and eventual reunion with her daughter. There are well known myths, like the story of Hades and Persephone, and so many lesser known myths woven together in this debut novel.
This story does not shy away from the brutality and darkness of the original myths, including widespread abuse as well as incest. Ancient Greek mythology was not kind to its women.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy this novel and still find myself thinking about it a week after finishing. I love Greek mythology, and Papadopoulou's care for Demeter's story is evident in the writing. Other fans of Greek mythology and of Hades and Persephone's story will enjoy this. Though prior knowledge of Greek mythology definitely adds to the experience, other fans of mythology and retellings in general will also likely enjoy this.
Papadopoulou does not shy away from the challenge of writing an immortal goddess, someone entirely inhuman. The story is balanced between the external struggles Demeter faces and her internal struggle against the monster within. She goes through several periods of change as she attempts to find her place in the world, and especially when searching for her daughter. Papadopoulou captures the overwhelming grief and righteous fury of a mother and goddess in a way that both delights and horrifies, and shows us the chthonic and oft-forgotten side of the deity of agriculture, one that can take life as easily as give.
Some readers may find Papadopoulou's style simplistic or heavy-handed, but, personally, I found the voice to be an excellent match to this story. The style is different from what many readers might be used to, but does a good job of portraying an immortal being and makes the passage of time feel fluid - days could be passing, maybe years, decades, or centuries. Why would something as inconsequential as time matter to an immortal?
If I am going to offer criticism, I will say I did not enjoy the prologue. Despite being very short, it felt unnecessarily jarring and I do not feel that it added to the story. The topics in the prologue are covered again later in the book, and in a way that feels more fitting with the narrative. I do think the prologue can be skipped.
There were also times where the pacing could have been further refined. For the most part, the story progressed quickly and was easy to consume, but there were places where it lagged. Grief is not generally an active emotion, and can be very hard to get right in terms of pacing. There were a few places where I found myself feeling antsy and wondering when the story would move on.
Thank you to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for making the DRC available to me. All opinions are my own.
This story does not shy away from the brutality and darkness of the original myths, including widespread abuse as well as incest. Ancient Greek mythology was not kind to its women.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy this novel and still find myself thinking about it a week after finishing. I love Greek mythology, and Papadopoulou's care for Demeter's story is evident in the writing. Other fans of Greek mythology and of Hades and Persephone's story will enjoy this. Though prior knowledge of Greek mythology definitely adds to the experience, other fans of mythology and retellings in general will also likely enjoy this.
Papadopoulou does not shy away from the challenge of writing an immortal goddess, someone entirely inhuman. The story is balanced between the external struggles Demeter faces and her internal struggle against the monster within. She goes through several periods of change as she attempts to find her place in the world, and especially when searching for her daughter. Papadopoulou captures the overwhelming grief and righteous fury of a mother and goddess in a way that both delights and horrifies, and shows us the chthonic and oft-forgotten side of the deity of agriculture, one that can take life as easily as give.
Some readers may find Papadopoulou's style simplistic or heavy-handed, but, personally, I found the voice to be an excellent match to this story. The style is different from what many readers might be used to, but does a good job of portraying an immortal being and makes the passage of time feel fluid - days could be passing, maybe years, decades, or centuries. Why would something as inconsequential as time matter to an immortal?
If I am going to offer criticism, I will say I did not enjoy the prologue. Despite being very short, it felt unnecessarily jarring and I do not feel that it added to the story. The topics in the prologue are covered again later in the book, and in a way that feels more fitting with the narrative. I do think the prologue can be skipped.
There were also times where the pacing could have been further refined. For the most part, the story progressed quickly and was easy to consume, but there were places where it lagged. Grief is not generally an active emotion, and can be very hard to get right in terms of pacing. There were a few places where I found myself feeling antsy and wondering when the story would move on.
Thank you to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for making the DRC available to me. All opinions are my own.
October 13, 2023
I finished this book in about three days and I haven’t stopped thinking about it throughout that time.
I really enjoyed that we got to see Demeter’s side of things. I couldn’t justify or approve of some things she has done but when reading the book we do get some insight in to why she did those things and even though we cannot relate we can understand her actions to a certain degree. I have always been fascinated by Greek mythology but I sometimes find these books hard to get into, something I didn’t struggle with at all when I read this book. I also loved that the book wasn’t divided in chapters but by seasons.
Overall thoughts after having read this book:
++ loved the writing style
++ loved the topic and how it has been told
- - There were some typos but I didn’t find them too ���distracting”
I really hope to see more of this author in the future and will be pre-ordering the physical copy!
Thank you to Ghost Orchid Press and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are mine.
I really enjoyed that we got to see Demeter’s side of things. I couldn’t justify or approve of some things she has done but when reading the book we do get some insight in to why she did those things and even though we cannot relate we can understand her actions to a certain degree. I have always been fascinated by Greek mythology but I sometimes find these books hard to get into, something I didn’t struggle with at all when I read this book. I also loved that the book wasn’t divided in chapters but by seasons.
Overall thoughts after having read this book:
++ loved the writing style
++ loved the topic and how it has been told
- - There were some typos but I didn’t find them too ���distracting”
I really hope to see more of this author in the future and will be pre-ordering the physical copy!
Thank you to Ghost Orchid Press and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are mine.
May 2, 2024
3.5 stars. I was drawn to this book for two reasons: 1) a Greek woman retelling a Greek myth (something the genre severely lacks imo) and 2) it’s focusing on new aspects of Demeter that I haven’t explored before.
I enjoyed the book overall and I will definitely be recommending it to friends who are interested in these myth retelling types of books! however, I do think the writing was a bit stiff, and the first half of the book doesn’t quite work as well with the sectioning style as the back half does. also my copy had some pretty noticeable typos, so it doesn’t seem like the editing process as as thorough as it could have been.
in the end, it’s an interesting debut for this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her works in the future :)
I enjoyed the book overall and I will definitely be recommending it to friends who are interested in these myth retelling types of books! however, I do think the writing was a bit stiff, and the first half of the book doesn’t quite work as well with the sectioning style as the back half does. also my copy had some pretty noticeable typos, so it doesn’t seem like the editing process as as thorough as it could have been.
in the end, it’s an interesting debut for this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her works in the future :)
February 22, 2024
I felt this book was very well researched and there were many surprising elements to Demeter's story that I didn't know previously...however I felt like these myths did not lend itself well to novel format. The pacing was too slow, the plot too rambling, and the different myths strung together too loosely.
September 26, 2023
Title: Winter Harvest
Author: Ioanna Papadopoulou
Date Reviewed: 9/26/2023
Length: 290 Pages
Genre: Reimagined Mythology
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
(include picture of the cover of the book)
When her beloved daughter Kore vanishes, Demeter is distraught. Suspecting betrayal and mistrusting of her family, she searches across the world, unable to come to terms with such a loss. But Demeter is one of the original goddesses of Mount Olympus, and a force not to be underestimated. She is determined that she will find her daughter, even if it means destroying humanity in the process.
Winter Harvest is a brand-new, dark reimagining of the tale of Demeter and Persephone by Greek author Ioanna Papadopoulou. Steeped in lore and with a deep understanding of the many different facets of Demeter’s personality, this retelling will change your perspective on one of the most well-known stories of Greek mythology.
Obligatory Arc Statement: I was provided an ARC copy of Winter Harvest by Ioanna Papadopoulou via Netgalley and Ghost Orchid Press in return for an honest review
Review:
Yall I have read many-a greek mythology retellings, but all of them pale in comparison to this one. It is so very rare that we get a book that isn’t about one of the more famous olympians so to have one that is not only about Demeter BUT ALSO AMAZING was a treat. I loved how this book really takes you from the very beginning of Demeter's journey from being born and then subsequently eaten by her father to the very end of Demeter finally reuniting with her daughter. Oftentimes when people do mythology retellings they just focus on one particular story so it was very cool to see the actual beginning of the olympians and their war with the titans.
The way the author works in not only the duality of Kore/Persephone but also Demeter is amazing. I feel like everyone talks about Persephone's good and evil sides but they never delve into Demeter who could quite literally kill all the humans if she wanted to. I also really love how the author portrayed that struggle within Demeter of wanting to be good but also getting tired of being trampled on. I also really enjoyed the way that the author didn’t make it a big point to try to humanize the gods in this story. I feel like in a lot of modern retellings they try to make the Gods not as bad but this book really does show just how awful they were.
I honestly learned so many new things from Winter Harvest, I was constantly doing google searches while reading the book. I don’t know why but it never really occurred to me that Demeter might have had more children.
My only real complaint about Winter Harvest is that I really had no sense of the timeline so sometimes I would read something and be confused, but other than that this book was amazing.
Author: Ioanna Papadopoulou
Date Reviewed: 9/26/2023
Length: 290 Pages
Genre: Reimagined Mythology
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
(include picture of the cover of the book)
When her beloved daughter Kore vanishes, Demeter is distraught. Suspecting betrayal and mistrusting of her family, she searches across the world, unable to come to terms with such a loss. But Demeter is one of the original goddesses of Mount Olympus, and a force not to be underestimated. She is determined that she will find her daughter, even if it means destroying humanity in the process.
Winter Harvest is a brand-new, dark reimagining of the tale of Demeter and Persephone by Greek author Ioanna Papadopoulou. Steeped in lore and with a deep understanding of the many different facets of Demeter’s personality, this retelling will change your perspective on one of the most well-known stories of Greek mythology.
Obligatory Arc Statement: I was provided an ARC copy of Winter Harvest by Ioanna Papadopoulou via Netgalley and Ghost Orchid Press in return for an honest review
Review:
Yall I have read many-a greek mythology retellings, but all of them pale in comparison to this one. It is so very rare that we get a book that isn’t about one of the more famous olympians so to have one that is not only about Demeter BUT ALSO AMAZING was a treat. I loved how this book really takes you from the very beginning of Demeter's journey from being born and then subsequently eaten by her father to the very end of Demeter finally reuniting with her daughter. Oftentimes when people do mythology retellings they just focus on one particular story so it was very cool to see the actual beginning of the olympians and their war with the titans.
The way the author works in not only the duality of Kore/Persephone but also Demeter is amazing. I feel like everyone talks about Persephone's good and evil sides but they never delve into Demeter who could quite literally kill all the humans if she wanted to. I also really love how the author portrayed that struggle within Demeter of wanting to be good but also getting tired of being trampled on. I also really enjoyed the way that the author didn’t make it a big point to try to humanize the gods in this story. I feel like in a lot of modern retellings they try to make the Gods not as bad but this book really does show just how awful they were.
I honestly learned so many new things from Winter Harvest, I was constantly doing google searches while reading the book. I don’t know why but it never really occurred to me that Demeter might have had more children.
My only real complaint about Winter Harvest is that I really had no sense of the timeline so sometimes I would read something and be confused, but other than that this book was amazing.
October 26, 2023
First thank you to Ioanna for making this available on Net Galley and thank you Net Galley for making this a Read Now!!! I’m so thrilled I was able to read this.
If you are a fan of Greek mythology you should read this. If you love the mythic of Persephone or perhaps you are familiar with Lore Olympus, you should read this.
Ioanna does such a beautiful job of introducing Demeter, in her own right, as an amazing and formidable Goddess, with a capital G.
I loved the interactions between characters. I loved learning about the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were completely unknown to me prior. I loved Demeter’s arc. She’s so rich, complex, unexpected.
I would love for every literature class that explores Greek mythology to incorporate this book.
My only complaint was pacing, and that is a personal preference. At times, things felt slow, but that was limited to less than a quarter of the book and mostly took place near the beginning.
If you like Greek mythology and you want to learn more about Demeter this is a great read!
If you are a fan of Greek mythology you should read this. If you love the mythic of Persephone or perhaps you are familiar with Lore Olympus, you should read this.
Ioanna does such a beautiful job of introducing Demeter, in her own right, as an amazing and formidable Goddess, with a capital G.
I loved the interactions between characters. I loved learning about the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were completely unknown to me prior. I loved Demeter’s arc. She’s so rich, complex, unexpected.
I would love for every literature class that explores Greek mythology to incorporate this book.
My only complaint was pacing, and that is a personal preference. At times, things felt slow, but that was limited to less than a quarter of the book and mostly took place near the beginning.
If you like Greek mythology and you want to learn more about Demeter this is a great read!
November 30, 2023
This book really surprised me! When I started it, I wasn't sure how I felt about the writing in the beginning, but as the story went on, it made more and more sense why it was written the way it was. That being said, Winter Harvest has become one of my favorite reads this year!
After so many retellings of Hades and Persephone, hearing from the perspective of Demeter, Kore's mother, was an interesting change.
Ioanna Papadopoulou writes Demeter's story in First-Person POV. There's a lot of repeating in the beginning of the book, but I thought to myself, this is her birth and how her life started inside the stomach of Kronos, the titan. She is a very powerful being, who has just been swallowed by her father. She experienced the world in one moment and has never known the love of a parent or taught anything. Not only that, but she doesn't know who or what she is, it's no wonder her thoughts are repetitive. As she becomes more powerful and aware of who she is inside, her thoughts become more stimulating. Her journey from birth to after she creates the seasons and deals with the aftermath of trying to get her daughter back, is excruciating! The things that female Goddesses go through compared to their male counterparts is atrocious, but as this is Ancient Greece, I am not surprised. The book is dark like mythology tends to be. The author does not sugarcoat how difficult and disturbing those myths are, with more details in-between. There are instances of rape, child abuse, child abandonment, and relationships between the God-siblings. If you do not shy away from these themes, I strongly recommend you read Winter Harvest. Having finished the book, I wouldn't change anything the author wrote or her style. Ioanna wrote Demeter exactly how I imagined her and I devoured every page! Demeter's path is a hard one, but reading about her struggle and growth was empowering. I cannot imagine loosing my child, I would be devastated! Demeter had to change inside and out to be strong enough to face her brothers and get Kore back. I also would do anything for my son and this book shows that a mother's love knows no bounds!
🍁Tropes🍁
▪️Greek Mythology Retelling
▪️Motherly Rage
▪️Winged Serpents
▪️Vengeful Goddess
▪️Dysfunctional Family Dynamics
▪️Dark Themes
After so many retellings of Hades and Persephone, hearing from the perspective of Demeter, Kore's mother, was an interesting change.
Ioanna Papadopoulou writes Demeter's story in First-Person POV. There's a lot of repeating in the beginning of the book, but I thought to myself, this is her birth and how her life started inside the stomach of Kronos, the titan. She is a very powerful being, who has just been swallowed by her father. She experienced the world in one moment and has never known the love of a parent or taught anything. Not only that, but she doesn't know who or what she is, it's no wonder her thoughts are repetitive. As she becomes more powerful and aware of who she is inside, her thoughts become more stimulating. Her journey from birth to after she creates the seasons and deals with the aftermath of trying to get her daughter back, is excruciating! The things that female Goddesses go through compared to their male counterparts is atrocious, but as this is Ancient Greece, I am not surprised. The book is dark like mythology tends to be. The author does not sugarcoat how difficult and disturbing those myths are, with more details in-between. There are instances of rape, child abuse, child abandonment, and relationships between the God-siblings. If you do not shy away from these themes, I strongly recommend you read Winter Harvest. Having finished the book, I wouldn't change anything the author wrote or her style. Ioanna wrote Demeter exactly how I imagined her and I devoured every page! Demeter's path is a hard one, but reading about her struggle and growth was empowering. I cannot imagine loosing my child, I would be devastated! Demeter had to change inside and out to be strong enough to face her brothers and get Kore back. I also would do anything for my son and this book shows that a mother's love knows no bounds!
🍁Tropes🍁
▪️Greek Mythology Retelling
▪️Motherly Rage
▪️Winged Serpents
▪️Vengeful Goddess
▪️Dysfunctional Family Dynamics
▪️Dark Themes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2023
Winter Harvest 🌕🌕🌕🌕/5
Are you a fan of fictional Greek mythology? I am. If you are a fan of Circe you’ll love this!
Warning Triggers: rape, incest.
Most of us are familiar with the story of Persephone but this novel is based on the life story of Demeter, her Mother.
Demeter is the goddess of harvest, creator of the Seasons, sister to Hestia, Hera, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon.
Demeter shares her life story with us here. Her origin, divinity, unbound love for her daughter, immense sorrow and the darkness that dwells within her.
After her daughter Kore is abducted she becomes grief incarnate. Her strong will, daring acts and anger are unleashed upon her brothers and all humanity until she can be reunited with her daughter. The ever radiant goddess of life becomes darkness and death.
She yields a power unlike any Olympian woman, mother or goddess.
What I Liked:
Demeter as the narrator emotionally connects the reader to her character.
Demeter’s abilities as a divine goddess and transformative dual nature.
She is iron-willed, unshakable and defiant in the face of cruelty, misogyny.
The world building is imaginative and believable.
What Could Have Been Improved:
More involvement between Hades, Persephone and Demeter
The story could have been extended to include a glimpse of the Underworld and the powers Persephone yields there.
A map would be quite helpful to navigate the landscape.
Thank you to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for the DRC in return for an honest review.
Are you a fan of fictional Greek mythology? I am. If you are a fan of Circe you’ll love this!
Warning Triggers: rape, incest.
Most of us are familiar with the story of Persephone but this novel is based on the life story of Demeter, her Mother.
Demeter is the goddess of harvest, creator of the Seasons, sister to Hestia, Hera, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon.
Demeter shares her life story with us here. Her origin, divinity, unbound love for her daughter, immense sorrow and the darkness that dwells within her.
After her daughter Kore is abducted she becomes grief incarnate. Her strong will, daring acts and anger are unleashed upon her brothers and all humanity until she can be reunited with her daughter. The ever radiant goddess of life becomes darkness and death.
She yields a power unlike any Olympian woman, mother or goddess.
What I Liked:
Demeter as the narrator emotionally connects the reader to her character.
Demeter’s abilities as a divine goddess and transformative dual nature.
She is iron-willed, unshakable and defiant in the face of cruelty, misogyny.
The world building is imaginative and believable.
What Could Have Been Improved:
More involvement between Hades, Persephone and Demeter
The story could have been extended to include a glimpse of the Underworld and the powers Persephone yields there.
A map would be quite helpful to navigate the landscape.
Thank you to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for the DRC in return for an honest review.
October 11, 2023
Winter Harvest is the story of Demeter, from her birth and entrapment in her father’s stomach to the loss of her daughter, Kore (Persephone), and her attempts to find her. Papadopoulou’s writing is compelling and I was immediately drawn into the story, mostly due to Demeter’s first person narration. The characterization of Demeter and how she navigates relationships, especially with Zeus and Hera captures the petty nature of the Greek Gods so well. Papadopoulou deftly navigates the distinction between god and human, and simultaneously had me rooting for Demeter and wondering why she doesn’t see that she’s being her own worst enemy. She’s so desperate to prove that she’s not like her brothers or their sons, and yet she often mirrors their behaviors.
What I focused on most while reading, was wondering why Demeter never considers what Kore (Persephone) wants. She treats Kore like an extension of herself, always referring to her as “my girl.” In a way, Demeter is like her father by keeping her child completely under her control. I found myself wondering if the story would have turned out differently had Demeter given Kore more autonomy. The way Papadopoulou treats this part of the story brings up so many interesting things to consider regarding parent/child relationships. Not to mention the treatment of women in general.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of retellings of Greek myths!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing a copy to review!
What I focused on most while reading, was wondering why Demeter never considers what Kore (Persephone) wants. She treats Kore like an extension of herself, always referring to her as “my girl.” In a way, Demeter is like her father by keeping her child completely under her control. I found myself wondering if the story would have turned out differently had Demeter given Kore more autonomy. The way Papadopoulou treats this part of the story brings up so many interesting things to consider regarding parent/child relationships. Not to mention the treatment of women in general.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of retellings of Greek myths!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing a copy to review!
November 24, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Ghost Orchid Press for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve read a lot of Greek Mythology retellings, and this is absolutely a standout. Demeter is a goddess that doesn’t often get as much attention as her brothers in fiction, and I adored reading this from her perspective. Demeter is a wonderfully complex protagonist, and I greatly enjoy the exploration of her darker side and her feminine rage. The pacing is wonderful, each scene flows into the next, even if the time between each episode is left purposefully ambiguous. The choice to divide by seasons instead of chapters was great, and serves a narrative purpose as well. Easily a five star read!
I’ve read a lot of Greek Mythology retellings, and this is absolutely a standout. Demeter is a goddess that doesn’t often get as much attention as her brothers in fiction, and I adored reading this from her perspective. Demeter is a wonderfully complex protagonist, and I greatly enjoy the exploration of her darker side and her feminine rage. The pacing is wonderful, each scene flows into the next, even if the time between each episode is left purposefully ambiguous. The choice to divide by seasons instead of chapters was great, and serves a narrative purpose as well. Easily a five star read!
November 27, 2023
Absolutely Amazing
This book was a fantastic rewrite of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. It was feminist in the way the original hymn was, in that it embraced Demeter, her power, and her love for Persephone. It didn't soften the original myths but it did offer agency to all the women in a way they were sometimes denied in the original stories. I pre-ordered it the second I heard about it and devoured it in about two days. Papadopulou's connection to Greek culture added something other retellings always lack. A definite favorite, something I will reread and be proud to have on my bookshelf.
This book was a fantastic rewrite of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. It was feminist in the way the original hymn was, in that it embraced Demeter, her power, and her love for Persephone. It didn't soften the original myths but it did offer agency to all the women in a way they were sometimes denied in the original stories. I pre-ordered it the second I heard about it and devoured it in about two days. Papadopulou's connection to Greek culture added something other retellings always lack. A definite favorite, something I will reread and be proud to have on my bookshelf.
December 13, 2023
I’ve always disliked Retellings where Demeter is portrayed a villain and this book is such a beautiful telling of the anguish, pain and bitterness of a mother separated from her daughter. How when the daughter grows, though the love is there, the bond between a mother daughter changes forever, and neither of us can ever go back.
December 25, 2023
My favorite modern telling of the myth of Demeter and Kore. Perfect, perfect, perfect!
November 23, 2023
Man this was an incredible retelling. Full review to come! 💚
(FINAL REVIEW): This was a stunningly dark and incredible retelling of the myth of Demeter, goddess of the harvest. I will admit that I was never particularly interested in this goddess when doing my deep dive into Greek mythology as a child, but this book has made me really rethink this formidable deity. 🥀
I just loved how dark this retelling was. Papadopoulou wasn’t afraid to get down to the nitty gritty of this goddess and how traumatic her upbringing was and how dysfunctional the gods are. She showed how petty they could be and I really felt like Papadopoulou portrayed them in a way that the Ancient Greeks saw them which were beings of incredible power, but also being some of the worst aspects of humanity on blast.⚡️
Demeter was made out to be more than the crazy mother-in-law, overbearing mother, and emotional woman. She was a goddess of complex emotions, and capable of a darkness that isn’t often shown in goddesses in recent retellings. Her relationship with her siblings were both what I came to expect with the children of Kronos and Rhea, but also still tender at times. Zeus and Poseidon were finally shown as the monstrous a-holes they are instead of more palatable version that some retellings will make them out to be. I also loved how Papadopoulou showed the progression and evolution of the deities as they changed from one aspect of their divinity to another. 🌾
I also found the fact that the author is Greek herself to be something that really added another level of complexity to this amazing story. I’ve noticed that there’s been a cultural element missing from the retellings done by primarily white British women; with those retellings, it felt more like a fantasy that could can be easily imagined while this felt like something that’s been lived for centuries. . . . If that makes any sense. 🖤
The one and only thing that stood out to me rather negatively (and even that is minuscule to how much I loved this book) was the interaction of Demeter with Despoina. While I can never understand the complex feelings of looking upon a child created from a traumatic rape, I still felt like it was a bit harsh. 🌱
All in all, I loved this book so much! It should definitely be on every Greek mythology lover’s radar, and even more exciting is that there’s a special edition of the book coming from Twisted Retreat. Definitely take a look at this! 🍂
Big thank you goes to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for approving my request for an honest review, and to the lovely author, Ioanna Papadopoulou, for writing such a beautiful and dark story! 💛
Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW): This was a stunningly dark and incredible retelling of the myth of Demeter, goddess of the harvest. I will admit that I was never particularly interested in this goddess when doing my deep dive into Greek mythology as a child, but this book has made me really rethink this formidable deity. 🥀
I just loved how dark this retelling was. Papadopoulou wasn’t afraid to get down to the nitty gritty of this goddess and how traumatic her upbringing was and how dysfunctional the gods are. She showed how petty they could be and I really felt like Papadopoulou portrayed them in a way that the Ancient Greeks saw them which were beings of incredible power, but also being some of the worst aspects of humanity on blast.⚡️
Demeter was made out to be more than the crazy mother-in-law, overbearing mother, and emotional woman. She was a goddess of complex emotions, and capable of a darkness that isn’t often shown in goddesses in recent retellings. Her relationship with her siblings were both what I came to expect with the children of Kronos and Rhea, but also still tender at times. Zeus and Poseidon were finally shown as the monstrous a-holes they are instead of more palatable version that some retellings will make them out to be. I also loved how Papadopoulou showed the progression and evolution of the deities as they changed from one aspect of their divinity to another. 🌾
I also found the fact that the author is Greek herself to be something that really added another level of complexity to this amazing story. I’ve noticed that there’s been a cultural element missing from the retellings done by primarily white British women; with those retellings, it felt more like a fantasy that could can be easily imagined while this felt like something that’s been lived for centuries. . . . If that makes any sense. 🖤
The one and only thing that stood out to me rather negatively (and even that is minuscule to how much I loved this book) was the interaction of Demeter with Despoina. While I can never understand the complex feelings of looking upon a child created from a traumatic rape, I still felt like it was a bit harsh. 🌱
All in all, I loved this book so much! It should definitely be on every Greek mythology lover’s radar, and even more exciting is that there’s a special edition of the book coming from Twisted Retreat. Definitely take a look at this! 🍂
Big thank you goes to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for approving my request for an honest review, and to the lovely author, Ioanna Papadopoulou, for writing such a beautiful and dark story! 💛
Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️
December 26, 2025
this ate. i ADORE the depiction of the deities,, the way all of them were written rather conceptual with greatly delivered atmosphere-descriptions to each god/goddess present. i don‘t think i‘ll ever get too much of greek tales from the perspective of goddesses and women.
„why did i have to choose between the darkness of his stomach or the rage of his eyes? why hadn‘t anyone asked me if i wanted any of this?“ when the rage of his eyes never left her again.
„why did i have to choose between the darkness of his stomach or the rage of his eyes? why hadn‘t anyone asked me if i wanted any of this?“ when the rage of his eyes never left her again.
December 5, 2023
I picked this up and could not put it back down.
I really enjoyed Demeter's story from start to finish as she struggled with the loss of her daughter and the betrayal of loved ones. From the beginning, Demeter develops a great deal as she matures and experiences more than mere mortals like me, could ever fathom. The sheer force of her feminine rage was so compelling and heartwrenching to read, and Ioanna Papadopoulou wrote it all exquisitely.
Quick thank you from NetGalley and Ioanna Papadopoulou for letting me read an Advanced Copy that I thoroughly enjoyed!
I really enjoyed Demeter's story from start to finish as she struggled with the loss of her daughter and the betrayal of loved ones. From the beginning, Demeter develops a great deal as she matures and experiences more than mere mortals like me, could ever fathom. The sheer force of her feminine rage was so compelling and heartwrenching to read, and Ioanna Papadopoulou wrote it all exquisitely.
Quick thank you from NetGalley and Ioanna Papadopoulou for letting me read an Advanced Copy that I thoroughly enjoyed!
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