November 08, 2012

Review: Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis

Persephone
Author: Kaitlin Bevis
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Publication Date: July 6, 2012
Pages: 237
Source: E-Book for Review from Author

There are worse things than death, worse people too

The “talk” was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they’re a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn’t until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

Review: I really enjoyed this book! I've always loved books based off of myths, and I've always loved the Persephone myth in particular so I'm very happy I got the chance to read and review this because it was fantastic! I really enjoyed how this was a much different take on the myth! So from those of you who remember from school when you studied Greek mythology, you'll remember that the original myth says that Persephone was kidnapped, and that Demeter was so upset by this that everything died and it got cold (etc.) hence where winter came from. Thus making Persephone Goddess of Spring because when she got released until winter from the underworld everything started blooming, growing again (etc again) because her mother was so happy that her daughter was back. 

So in this telling of it, Persephone was still kidnapped and taken to the Underworld BUT Hades took her to save her life from Boreas, who is the God of Winter and tries taking her as well. But Demeter comes and visits Persephone in the Underworld after Hades took her and both Hades and Demeter tell Persephone she's free to go back to the living world as she wants, but that it would be safer for Persephone to stay in the Underworld until Spring and she agrees to stay for her own safety. While there she learns exactly what it means to be Queen of the Underworld and she even starts to actually fall for Hades. Meanwhile, in the living world Boreas will stop at nothing to find Persephone, even if that means luring her back to the surface. 

This is probably my favorite retelling of the Persephone myth that I've read to date! I really loved seeing Persephone have a choice in whether she stayed in the Underworld instead of being forced to. I also loved knowing that she had the choice to come and go to the Underworld as she pleased. Definitely made things a lot more interesting since she was always wanting to go back to the living world just to make sure those people that she loved were safe. I also found it really interesting how Zeus was somehow involved in everything but we don't know why! What I found the most interesting though, was how when Boreas lured Persephone to the surface (by kidnapping someone close to her), she was able to be rid of him so easily. It showed he wasn't really doing everything for his own reasons but for someone else's. And how we found out at the end that those that Persephone could use her charm on without a problem were those that had sworn fealty to Zeus. And that they were working against her. I was shocked to find out who was working against her but when you find out then it suddenly makes sense how some things had happened to her.  

The ending of this book was great and I think definitely sets up a good backdrop for its sequel! 

4 1/2 Stars!