This was a unique retelling!

I did think it is attempting to trail onto the path of TSOA, and it didn’t quite get there, but overall it was an enjoyable story.

There were a lot of aspects of the myth that were changed. Some I didn’t mind, others I didn’t understand how they better suited the story? Those are my only real hang ups.

The authors prose is incredibly done, and the overall verbiage used is poetic and delightful. I also really liked the dual POV. Brava! I had fun.

This was an enjoyable book based on the Greek mythology of Psyche and Eros were both have challenges that they need to face together. I don’t know much about Greek Mythology and its history so I’m not sure how accurate the information is. Though if you don’t care about its accuracy then this would be a great book to read. McNamara is a fantastic writer and I loved the way they described the world they have written. Everything was very specific and the world-building was well-built. Though there were points my brain would trail off when the historical stuff came in, I did like the many conflicts the author included in the story. The story was way more interesting than I thought it would be. But for this book, I was expecting a lot of romance and sadly it was very light in this book. Overall the story was greatly written in was written in dual perspectives.

Psyche is the FML whose duty is to marry and have children though she wants to be a warrior. I enjoyed the character she was built to be and how she wanted to be the hero. She was annoying at times but her development made up for it. Then there is Eros the god of love whose mission goes bad. I absolutely loved his character and he was my favorite in this book. His story and character development was so well written that I just wanted more of him. There are many side characters in this book and I loved how involved they were with the story. It was the perfect amount though Aphrodite was annoying. There is LGBTQ+ rep but the tropes in this book is forced proximity. The romance was cute but I wish the story was more romance-based then it was.

The ending was well done and readers get a cute epilogue of the characters. This story was well written but I know that some will disagree if they are into mythology. Psyche and Eros are my favorite Greek mythology gods so I was excited to read this book. I totally recommend reading this book if you are into historical Greek mythology romance that is mostly character development with a bit of romance

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a bit of Madeline Miller’s writing, which I love. I am such a fan of Greek mythology, and this was a great book to read when wanting that category!

There were a few points that lagged for me, but overall, I enjoyed this story and the journey it took me on.

This book is a treasure. A true love conquers all heroic tale. I was enraptured from the first page and couldn’t put it down. An epic in its own right about a rarely told tale of Eros and Psyche. A tale of a hero, forbidden love, and forgiveness! I was very pleasantly surprised at the intensity and depth of this book, everything flowed so well from both Eros and Psyche’s point of view… so much so that I am dying for another!I think I found a new favorite author and can’t wait to see what else she releases soon!

I'm not overly familiar with the myth of Psyche and Eros (and Greek myths, in general), but from what I know (and what I've seen in other reviews) this retelling definitely takes a big departure from the source material. That fact didn't bother me while reading this, however after sitting with this for a while I feel quite lukewarm about this book. The writing was good, although the pacing was both slow and fast at the same time. Some events would take place over the course of only a few pages, but overall it felt like nothing was really happening. I think my biggest issue with this is that it's labeled as a feminist retelling, but really they just went ahead and made Psyche a warrior and bam! Now you're a feminist. Yes, she's given more agency, but at the end of the day her story is based around the fact that she's the wife of Eros. And even their relationship felt forced and lackluster. I felt like they more had an obligation to each other rather than real love for each other. I did like the characters, but at the same time they felt shallow. Add in the fact that I want a Greek myth retelling that's actually a fantasy and not something that feels more like a historical fiction, and this just wasn't for me.

Y'all know that mythology retellings are my jam, and this one gives us a lesser known story but one that touches upon a lot of the major events and characters well known to us. Eros is the god of desire, going about the world shooting arrows that lead to intense love. He is generally uninterested in mortals until he is tasked with delivering a curse to mortal princess, Psyche. Psyche has been training under Atalanta and angered Aphrodite with her lack of reverence and respect. Eros has his first misfire and ends up cursing himself. He is forever doomed to not look upon Psyche, who is now the object of all of his desires. The two find away around the curse for a while but when they first gaze upon one another, they are forced apart seemingly forever. Psyche, not one to lay down and accept her fate sealing a deal with Aphrodite to lift it if she can complete three impossible tasks.

This one started off a little slow for me, perhaps because I'm a frequent mythology reader and some of the groundwork needed here gives you lots of back and side stories to familiarize the reader with the world. It does pick up mid-way and I really enjoyed Psyche as a character. The quests were epic and entertaining. 

Thanks to William Morrow for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Thanks to William Morrow for the copy of this book!

I chose to DNF this one - the storyline is a little too far from the original mythology for my liking.

Twisty and dark and everything wonderful about the story of Psyche and Eros. A new to me author but not my last time reading her.

Read if you like
🇬🇷 Greek Mythology
♥️ Romance
✨ Fantasy
📚 Retellings

I have to preface this review with the fact that I really don’t know much about Greek mythology but I found this one so fun and captivating!

I loved the fantasy and romance aspects in this story as I felt it truly brought it all together so well.

I loved the tie with the Trojan war in this one as I feel like that is close to the extent of my Greek mythology understanding so it definitely brought in things I was familiar with to enjoy this one!

Thanks so much William Morrow for my ARC in exchange for my review!

𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘳𝘰𝘴 is a Greek retelling of Psyche and Eros (duh) and it involves a curse arrow gone wrong as in Eros can't ever see Psyche or else he dies.

- ~ -

Apparently the myth surrounding the pair was heavily misconstructed to the point that it barely resembles the original version.

I however do not know any better and was lost in the storyline.

A little disclaimer, I do not enjoy Greek myths much (Hades and Persephone being the exception) and for some reason thought it was a MODERN retelling. So it is safe to say, this review is a teeny bit biased.

But aside from my indifference towards Greek mythology, this was well written but again I do not know how much of it was the real deal.

- ~ -

3.34 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

To start off this review, if you're very knowledgable about the Psyche and Eros myth and Greek mythology overall, then I'd recommend not reading this book. I'm not personally against author's taking liberties with the text (take Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati or Circe by Madeline Miller for example), but there's a difference between creative liberty and simply butchering the original text. Psyche felt like a completely different character to the one portrayed in myths. She's a warrior princess, and last I checked Psyche is not known for that AT ALL. Clytemnestra or Atalanta—even Artemis—are prime examples, but Psyche has never been a part of this Greek heroine club. Just something felt odd about this change—as if traditionally feminine women are not allowed to exist in Greek mythology.

Also, a ton of random fact changes were made. Penelope and Helen are sisters instead of Clytemnestra and Helen. Aphrodite's decision to punish Psyche involved jealousy instead of divine rights infringed upon, and even then, Aphrodite isn't even Eros's mother because apparently he existed before the Olympians even did? Which if we want to get somewhat technical—Aphrodite also existed before the Olympians depending on the myth. I wouldn't think Aphrodite or Eros would be close if not for their familial nature... so this just felt like an odd choice. Then, my biggest issue... Psyche becomes a goddess by illegally taking a potion made by Hecate. How?? How???? It makes zero sense, and I know for a fact Zeus would have known immediately and cut her into pieces within seconds. Nothing goes past him or the other gods when it comes to immortality, so this decision felt haphazard and not thought out at all.

I have plenty of other issues with this book, but I've come to the conclusion that it is meant for those unaware of Greek mythology.

Book review editing space

Title: Psyche and Eros
Series: N/A
Author(s): Luna McNamara
Genre: General Fiction, Romance, Fantasy
Date Published: June 13, 2023
Date Read: DNF
Format: eBook
Free?: ARC from NetGalley

Overall Rating: ⭐️ / 5

Spice Rating: 0 / 5
Fluff Rating: 0 / 5
Tear Rating: 0 / 5
Humor Rating: 0 / 5

I really, really wanted to like this book. The premise was definitely right up my alley, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get through it. While I don’t feel like every book should take 20 pages to describe a single event, it did feel like I was rushed through everything that I read — whole events that would normally span several pages (if not a chapter) were covered in 1 page or less; new characters were introduced with almost no background context; and the dialogue left much to be desired.

I thought the idea of Psyche being the granddaughter of Perseus and Andromeda was an interesting plot point, given that from what I can recall of Greek mythology, Psyche’s origin is only listed as being born to royal, unnamed parents. However, at least as far as I read, that ancestry was touched upon so lightly that I didn’t get a chance to explore the writer’s interpretation of their stories.

I’m not saying it’s a bad book. Others have enjoyed this book and the story it tells. What I am saying is this: if you’re looking for a Greek retelling that has rich world-building with immersive storytelling, then this probably isn’t the book for you.

I don't know if this was just too modern of a take or if I just don't vibe with this author but I could not get into this book and retellings are usually my bread and butter.

thank you NetGalley for my copy of Psyche and Eros !

i am not at all familiar with the story of Psyche and Eros. I have only read one other retelling, so I am not too picky with the liberties taken with the story. since it is a retelling, i like seeing how the story can manifest itself into a different narrative.

overall, the book was a nice read & since i have lightest dabbled into greek mythology retellings, it was very enjoyable!

Burb: In this utterly transporting reimagining of Greek mythology, the god of desire is cursed to fall for a spirited young mortal woman, but if she looks upon his face they will be parted forever—an epic adventure and love story for the ages, sure to satisfy fans of Madeline Miller and V.E. Schwab

Who said true love is a myth?

A prophecy claims that Psyche, princess of Mycenae, will defeat a monster feared even by the gods. Rebelling against her society’s expectations for women, Psyche spends her youth mastering blade and bow, preparing to meet her destiny.

When Psyche angers the love goddess Aphrodite, she sends Eros, god of desire, to deliver a cruel curse. After eons watching humanity twist his gifts, the last thing Eros wants is to become involved in the chaos of the mortal world. But when he pricks himself with the arrow intended for Psyche, Eros finds himself doomed to yearn for a woman who will be torn from him the moment their eyes meet.

Thrown together by fate, headstrong Psyche and world-weary Eros will face challenges greater than they could have ever imagined. And as the Trojan War begins and divine powers try to keep them apart, the pair must determine if the curse could become something more . . . before it’s too late.

A joyous and subversive tale of gods, monsters, and the human heart and soul, Psyche and Eros dazzles the senses while exploring notions of trust, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be a hero. With unforgettably vivid characters, spellbinding prose, and delicious tension, Luna McNamara has crafted a shimmering and propulsive debut novel about a love so strong it defies the will of Olympus.

I don't know Greek Mythology very well, so I don't know much of retelling or if it's true to the stories. That being said, I enjoyed this story and rate it a 3.5 stars because it was entertaining.

This one was not as I expected and I truly struggled with it. I found it went a bit too far off of the classic mythology that it was hard to digest. If you have never read any of the prior stories, this one may be very enjoyable.

My college library has purchased a copy of this novel to assist with sophomore or freshman Greek legends courses.

Bound by the curse, Eros is fated to fall hopelessly in love with Psyche, only to be forever separated if she ever gazes upon his face. Eros, burdened by the weight of his curse and the mistakes of his immortal kin, undergoes a profound transformation throughout the story, making him a compelling and sympathetic figure. The chemistry between Psyche and Eros crackles with intensity, and their forbidden love unfolds with delicious tension. With its intoxicating blend of Greek mythology, unforgettable characters, and lush prose, this book is destined to become a classic in its own right.

Release date: 06.13.2023
Review date: 05.18.2023

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

Who said true love is a myth? A prophecy claims that Psyche, princess of Mycenae, will defeat a monster feared even by the gods. Rebelling against her society’s expectations for women, Psyche spends her youth mastering blade and bow, preparing to meet her destiny. When Psyche angers the love goddess Aphrodite, she sends Eros, god of desire, to deliver a cruel curse. After eons watching humanity twist his gifts, the last thing Eros wants is to become involved in the chaos of the mortal world. But when he pricks himself with the arrow intended for Psyche, Eros finds himself doomed to yearn for a woman who will be torn from him the moment their eyes meet. Thrown together by fate, headstrong Psyche and world-weary Eros will face challenges greater than they could have ever imagined. And as the Trojan War begins and divine powers try to keep them apart, the pair must determine if the curse could become something more . . . before it’s too late.

I've come to the conclusion that once you've read one modern retelling of a Greek Myth you've read them all. Will that stop me from reading every new one that interests me? No.
I didn't really know anything about the story of Psyche and Eros going into this aside from what is featured in Lore Olympus so I didn't know what to expect. In general I did enjoy my time with this, but I did have some complaints.
As I have mentioned I've read a few Greek Myth retellings in the recent years and so have encountered some of the characters that were featured within this story. One thing that I didn't like was the changes to characters that were part of the Trojan war, Clytemnestra and Iphigenia were much different than what I had read in previous novels and I found that annoying, also apparently that wasn't even the correct setting for the main characters anyway. And siblings were even changed which is taking creative license a little too far in my opinion.
I think this 3 star is generous.

First, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this e-book for me to review.

I will admit that this is my first Greek mythology, retelling book, and honestly, I believe it’s a perfect beginner, friendly book to begin with. It wasn’t too complicated with the back history of the various characters that range between psyche, Zeus, Medusa, Atlanta, and many others, and provided really great brief introduction to the characters and the mythology overall.

From what I’ve read in my own research about Psyche and Eros is that this is a very loosely translated retelling of their story. I see that there has been some major changes to their story but overall, if you look at this book as a standalone for these two characters — I believe it works. This story basically tells us about a mortal female, who has great feminist qualities that make her a great protagonist and main character and then the story of a slightly narcissistic Greek god named Eros. Eros was basically demanded by Aphrodite, to bring a curse to Psyche , but with his clumsiness, he accidentally casts the curse on himself.

I believe this book could’ve done a bit more emphasis on the relationship building for the two characters because it did not pull on my heartstrings like I wanted it to. There was a great chance to really make a wonderful love story, but I believe that was missed. The pacing of the book was great as I was completely sucked in by chapter 2, so the writing is definitely top notch there. Overall I believe this is a solid effort for the retelling of these two characters, but would’ve like to see a bit more swoon worthy prose to make the reader fall in love with the characters.