Member Reviews
Liked this a lot. Another good retelling of a classic Greek/Roman myth. And it's not a myth that I've seen a lot of retellings of, either, which is refreshing. If any of that is your jam, this likely will be, too.
Not as graphic or violent as some of the others I’ve read, which was a nice change.
I am barely familiar with the original Psyche and Eros myth, so honestly I went into the book without any particular expectations which is probably good because it's my understanding that McNamara had changed quite a few details (which she did address in an Author's Note at the end and I found helpful to learn about her thought process). While it certainly wasn't a perfect story, I did enjoy it. McNamara had changed up some of the relationships of characters within the mythology, so I enjoyed seeing particular characters come up who wouldn't have otherwise. And I'm thankful that I have read a handful of the Greek retellings that are so popular right now because I was able to recognize some characters and be aware of how some of their stories may end. I find it interesting that I've seen some reviews complain about how this is a feminist re-telling and they don't like Psyche's new heroic backstory, but I liked it. She could feel whiny at times, but I thought her having trained with Atalanta was an interesting twist. And I hate a damsel-in-distress story. My biggest complaint is that for some reason McNamara chose to give Odysseus the nickname "Odd" and that drove me crazy! Otherwise, I found this book to be an entertaining read.
I really wanted to love this book because Psyche and Eros is my favorite myth. However, I found this book to be very different from the myth. I did not like that this book took place during the Trojan War. It made more sense if it was set earlier. I also did not like that Psyche was an only child. The sisters played an important role in the myth, and should have been included. Thus, this novel had potential, but not executed well. Nevertheless, I recommend this novel for fans of Greek mythology!
I'm not super familiar with the tale of Psyche and Eros and in that respect I cannot comment on whether this retelling stays true to the original but I can tell you that this was an easy and entertaining read. I found the overlap with the Trojan war surprising but like I said, I have no idea about the original tale. That part felt a tad slower for me just because I already know more about the Trojan war and about Helen. But I appreciated how this demonstrated that a lot of Greek Myths overlap even if we don't necessarily realize they do. I liked Eros a tad more than Psyche 🤔, I think he had some good character development. Overall, this was an easy, enjoyable read. I started with the ebook but ended up switching to the audio just because I needed my hands for things 😂. The audiobook was also excellent!
A big thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
For someone who likes greek mythology but hasn't immersed herself in it, I thought this was a really interesting read. I struggled with the beginning of the book, and then the end felt rushed.
The writing was really good, and I felt connected to Psyche more so than I did with Eros. There were parts that were funny, but mostly a kind of heartbreaking book. I was fully expecting it to have an unhappy ending like most Greek mythology retellings, but I was pleasantly surprised when Eros and Psyche ended up together.
i'm not super familiar with the tale of psyche and eros, but that means i can't personally comment on how this particular retelling compares to the original. While I did enjoy this story it was not a number one for me. Maybe I will stick to more familiar mythology from now on.
PSYCHE AND EROS, though well written, was not what I was expecting. I knew it would be a romance, but I think I was hoping for more lore and mythology. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this one no matter how hard I tried.
I really enjoyed this book. As a Greek Mythology nerd, I did have to try to forget what I already knew about Greek Mythology to really get into this book. I loved Psyche and Eros as they grew from being pretty selfish and egoistic characters. I appreciated that it was told in a whole new way compared to other Psyche and Eros retellings.
First off, let me start off by saying I am not too familiar with the tale of Psyche & Eros. I enjoyed this story and cried. Was a lie worth it??
If you’re a stickler for retelling followings the original closely, they may not be the book for you. However, I really enjoyed the liberties taken and the way McNamera blended multiple characters from the original into one in their retelling. She also reworks the events of the original to fit the narrative of their story, which I enjoyed overall, but again if you’re a fan of the originals and like things to stay “cannon”, this may be a negative.
Unfortunately I had to DNF this story. The writing style was not for me. I appreciate the opportunity and apologize for not being able to complete the story. I wish the author the best of luck!
Rating: 3/5 Stars
I am starting to have a love-hate relationship with Greek Mythology retellings because most of them are starting to feel similar.
Psyche and Eros has a great premise and is focused on two figures in Greek Mythology that I know little of. However, the book was prolonged, making it hard to stay focused and enjoy. If it were faster-paced, then maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
For the characters, I enjoyed the dual povs to get to know Psyche and Eros with their complexities. They were fleshed out well and the world was well crafted.
If this book were more concise and faster-paced, I would have relished Psyche and Eros more.
An interesting story and a myth that I haven't read or learned as much about as some of the others. The characters were developed in depth without too much taken from the main plot which helped keep my interest and helped keep me in the story without too much prior knowledge of the Greek Gods needed.
4 stars!
I love Greek Mythology and therefore love Greek Mythology retellings, and so was excited to read this. I think some people are bothered by how at times this strays from the myth, but I was not personally upset by that, and I thought the writing was very engaging and interesting!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Although I couldn't really get into this book and had to stop, I see where it has a great set up that many other readers may enjoy. I plan to add this to our collection to suggest to readers looking for more greek mythology readings!
This was okay. I've read a lot of greek retellings and Psyche and Eros is a favorite, so I was curious to see how this author would take the tale and make it her own.
This wasn't for me. I think I'm just deeply exhausted with stories where FMCs have to become badass warriors in order to be "strong" and it just didn't work for me with this particular myth. It felt deeply incongruent. A lot of the characters, for me, felt pretty one dimensional. There was nothing about this tale that stood out from any other retelling.
That said, the author can clearly write. She has a skill with description. I'd be willing to give more works by her a chance, I just think that ultimately this one wasn't for me.
I didn't like the characters in their fantasy read. I truly thought that it was going to be something else like a challenge or mission. And it wasn't what I was expecting. Didn't enjoy this book as much.
I wasn’t really sure about this at first because these days Greek Myth retelling isn’t appealing for me but wow. This was a breath of fresh air. Finally a worthy love story set in Ancient Greece, where the man (in this case, a God) knew how to treat a woman right.
The story started way back to the creation of the first primordial gods, to cover the origin of Eros. And then there’s Psyche, a mortal princess who the Oracle had prophesied to be a great hero. Several feuds between goddesses, Eros found himself enamored with Psyche, but not without a condition. It’s basically a story of romance torn apart by curse.
The writing style isn’t pretentious like the usual Greek Myth retelling, but I actually like it better. It’s easier to drift into the story. And it’s also a good thing that I haven’t known about Psyche & Eros before, so the story felt new to me. Overall it’s very enjoyable and I liked it.
The story is a wonderful reimagining of Psyche and Eros. The author lengthens the original tale, explores the variations, and intersects the characters' lives with other iconic greek characters. But more than anything, it examines how being a hero can vary, that women can be strong in different ways, and do much more while weaving a delicate story of unexpectedly falling in love.