While I love the Greek Gods, and the Hades/Demeter/Persephone story, DNF’d this because it wasn’t what i was looking for in this retelling. There was nothing wrong with the writing that i found; this retelling simply wasn’t for me. I can see that it would be very popular for certain audiences, and I hope it does well.

The writing style of this one was absolutely beautiful and kept me immersed in the narrative. I only have a vague knowledge of Greek mythology, but this book, though a retelling, makes me feel like I have a better understanding of it now as much of it is based in the lore. I found myself down a Google rabbit hole like “wait is that really the connection?” and being like “woah, it is”. My knowledge is basically just the movie Hercules. I grasp knowledge when it’s fed to be like this and not through like an encyclopedia.
I’m seeing that people (outside of this book) think Demeter is the worst— though not as bad as Zeus. He ranks top. But I think this book gives a different perspective on Demeter’s life, all the love she’s lost, the grief, and her keeping Core/Persephone close wasn’t as a punishment but just a mother’s love in not wanting to lose the only thing she has left that she loves. The book shows all the sacrifices she has made, and the evil of the gods she has seen that Core knows about but had not witnessed.
When Hades abducts Core/Persephone, it switches from Demeter’s POV to Core’s and how she’s adjusting to the underworld and also how she takes on the name Persephone. Meanwhile, Demeter is wreaking havoc on Earth looking for her daughter and demanding her return, much in the way a mother would when they learn of their child being kidnapped. She’s just being a mom— she just also has infinite power.
The end also touches on the lore of the seasons, with Persephone traveling between the underworld and earth, and therefore the transition of winter and spring and the other seasons.
This book put it in a way that’s easy to understand all the horror and atrocities and just plain cruelty that occurred with the Greek gods in a storytelling way that I think will stick with me than any other way that I have tried.
This was a book I didn’t realize I needed but am so glad to have read.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the read!

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book in the sense of getting Demeter's back story and POV. I feel like we are all so familiar with the persephone and hades storyline but we never get Demeter's side of it all. That alone really drew me to this book. I really enjoyed how this story was told. It was captivating and held my attention. I found all the little details to really shape this into a good book. the only bad thing is that it was so long. I felt like there were times when it was so descriptive and too many inner thoughts. towards the end i was still enjoying the book, but kept checking what percentage i was into it. overall, very happy with this book and will seek out this author again.

This is my year for Greek mythology retellings. In Daughters of Olympus by Hannah M. Lynn we hear Demeter's story and her daughter's. Demeter's daughter, Core (Persephone) is precious to her so she keeps her hidden away. This also prevents Persephone from being able to explore the world as she wants. Demeter suffers greatly - she is sexually assaulted by her brother, Zeus. This results in birth of her daughter and her twin brother. Demeter eventually falls in love with a human, and that cannot end well. Demeter is endlessly self-absorbed, so much so that she does not pay attention to her daughter all day, and only looks for her as the sunsets. One day, Core does not return. Demeter searches the earth for her daughter and the witch goddess, Hecate, helps her discover that Hades has taken her daughter to the underworld. This story is told from two perspectives, first Demeter and then Core. Once in the underworld, Core becomes Persephone. She grows into her power encouraged by Hades. She stands up for herself to her formidable mother, her father and to Hades - all things she had not previously been capable of doing. She is a very interesting goddess and I wish we got to spend more time with Persephone. I want to thank Net Galley #netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advance reader copy.

Here is Hannah Lynn’s latest historical fiction title. Fans of retellings of famous Greek stories and myths will want to take a look at this one.

This is the story of Demeter and Persephone and many others. It is a story of the gods with both heroines and villains to be found in these pages. In many ways, this is a tale of parental love. The obstacles that the characters face are not ones that readers will experience but, nonetheless, they can relate to wanting to care for and protect a loved one.

Daughters of Olympus is a novel filled with events, some violence and engaging depictions of its time. The plot is involving and readers will enjoy this new way of looking at a classic story.

I very much enjoyed this title. It will be liked by those who have read books by Natalie Haynes, Jennifer Saint and Clare North among others. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.

Greek myth retelling?? Persephone retelling??? sign me up. I highly enjoyed reading this, Usually I'm used to the Hades/Persephone being the core (haha pun not intended) focus, but the mother/daughter relationship was so refreshing.

I really enjoyed the story and the overall working style used by this author. I will definitely be reading more from her in the future. Thank you for the ARC!

I love Greek mythology retellings! I especially have a fondness for Persephone and hades retellings and I loved how close this stuck to the original mythology stories! This was so much fun to read from Demeter and Persephone’s POVs and discover another version of the gods and their rule. I feel like I need more Greek myth retelling books now

⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Hannah Lynn, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

Daughters of Olympus retells the story of Demeter, ancient Greek goddess of the harvest, and her daughter Core.

The first half of the book is told from Demeter’s POV, recounting her life and the violence she endures before ultimately deciding to leave Olympus and live a reclusive life in hiding with only her daughter and some faithful nymphs. But when Core is kidnapped by Hades and taken to the Underworld, Demeter must face her fears and leave the safety of her island to get her daughter back.

The second half focuses on Core, daughter of Demeter. She doesn’t share the same fears as her mother and is instead curious to see the world. After centuries of feeling held captive on their island, Core is finally given freedom to leave the island, as long as she’s back by sundown. This freedom ultimately leads to a new captivity when Hades, King of the Underworld takes her as his Queen, and encourages her to take a new name, Persephone.

I love all things Greek mythology and historical retelling, so I couldn’t wait to dive in to this book. The writing is beautiful and descriptive. It was easy to feel like you were right there in the story. The story is also deeply emotional, depicting violence, love, heartbreak, and loss, and I felt moved as the reader by Hannah Lynn’s writing.

The only negatives I found with this book was the slower pacing and the repetition after the POVs switched. I’m usually able to get through these types of books quickly, but this one started slow for me, until a little after the halfway mark.

Overall, I really enjoyed and would recommend this book. This is perfect for fans of Greek/Roman mythology retellings, especially those told from the perspective of women.

*Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me a digital copy*

I cannot emphasise how much I loved this book. Daughters of Olympus tells the myth of Demeter & Persephone, who goes by Core through the majority of the book. Demeter is one of the Olympians, who was rescued by Zeus from the belly of her father. Her freedom of being in the world is soon cut when she is assaulted by her brother which results in the birth of Core.

There are three parts to the book. The first is Demeter’s point of view and we see how Zeus’s assault has impacted her life for centuries. She’s lost her sense of freedom and spends all her time with her daughter & nymphs. The only time she tries to stand up to her brother ends in the death of the man she loves and she decides to leave Olympus for good.

The second part of the book is told from Core’s perspective. We see that she yearns to experience the world but is prevented by her mother’s fear. When her mother gives permission she is able to see all the joys and wonders of the world which includes the greatest of all, love. With love also comes loss and we see Core chose a different way to deal with her grief.

The third section of the book covers both mother & daughter and is my favourite in relation to Core’s character development. In the Underworld, she is able to have closure with the one she loved while discovering her own power as a goddess and choosing her own name. The aspect of the story I really loved is showing Persephone as not a young helpless girl but someone who has lived a long time and has experienced loss. While Hades did take her unwillingly I enjoyed how he shows respect for her wishes and pushes her to embrace her new role as Queen and being her own person away from her mother.

4.5 ⭐️

This is a story of 3 parts: Demeters life and how she came to live away from olympus, Core and how she found her freedom and lastly how Core became Persephone. Each part is beautifully written, and at it's core the book is about character development.

Definitely check the content warnings. A big part of the story is the SA that demeter experiences. It's not descriptive, but it's hard to read nonetheless. I do think it was dealt with well, and how it affects her in the aftermath is well written.

Then we have Core, her POV shows us her adventures when she leaves the island and we get to watch her find her freedom. Both parts 1 and 2 deal with love and grief, and we see how each of the goddesses deals with it. You really feel their pain. It was brilliantly done.

Part 3 is my favourite part. Not just because this is one of my favourite renditions of Hades but because I enjoyed seeing core claim her power and become Persephone. Hades in this book is shy and awkward and truly just in love with her. I like that their romance took a back seat to her realising that actually she can be a take charge powerful goddess.

All in all, I enjoyed the book, and the scenes of them reclaiming their power are very strong. The writing is beautiful, and I'll definitely be checking out some of the authors' other works in the future.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, Hannah Lynn, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This book had a slower start, I found that the first half was harder to get through. Once I got the halfway mark I was way more invested, and found that the characters had really grown on me. The story line/premise was intriguing and captivating, but definitely took more concentration to follow, so I’d say it wasn’t exactly an easy read but it was still great!

This is a very interesting and intense book to read adn one I really enjoyed. Greek Mythology at its best this book is the story and retelling of Persephone and Demeter. And what a story it is. It is emotional, deep, dark at times but is also easy to read and follow which makes a story like this much more enjoyable to read.

Well written and a great retelling this is a book that any Greek Mythology lover would enjoy reading. I would give it 4 -4.5 stars for sure.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5* Rounded Up
I have always loved Greek mythology and I love a good retelling. This book reminded me of one of my favorites, Circe, in that it explores the women goddesses and their existence in this male dominated ancient time. I loved the exploration of immortality, love, grief and humanity that this book provided. I also enjoyed how it was split pretty evenly between Demeter and then Core’s POV’s which made it tie together nicely. I wished it had been a tad bit longer as it was pretty slow in the beginning and then rushed towards the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy the book Daughters of Olympus by Hannah M. Lynn. It's a captivating retelling of the Hades and Persephone (Core) myth, but what sets it apart from other versions is its inclusion of the unique perspective of Persephone's mother, Demeter, and also explores the story of Demeter's lover, Ione. These additional narratives enrich the story, making it a deeply engaging and multifaceted read.

I think most of us have at least some memory of Demeter and Persephone from our school days, but of course… this version of the tale is fleshed out and told in a way that is emotionally compelling.

As with so many Greek mythology stories, though, I’d give content warnings for rape, incest, kidnapping, traumatic childbirth scenes, and infant deaths.

The first 40% of the story is told entirely from Demeter’s perspective. At first she has admiration for her younger brother, Zeus, as he has rescued her and their other siblings from the belly of their Titan father. But then Zeus rapes her, and she has two offspring from this incident, Iacchus and Core.

Demeter still lives near her other siblings on Olympus, but she raises her kids alone. While Iacchus leaves Olympus, Core (meaning maiden) stays with her mom. At a wedding between a mortal and a deity, Demeter falls fast for a mortal and they have one night together. Zeus kills him, in front of everyone, and Demeter decides to leave Olympus. Core and a few loyal nymphs leave with her.

Demeter spends centuries in mourning. She is usually very interested in humans, and helps them by providing good harvests, but her attention is limited during these years. Unbeknownst to her, Core helps out. She is patient with her mother for a long time, but starts to yearn to see some of the world herself.

Core eventually starts exploring beyond the island, although she takes the nymphs with her for safety. Until one day, when she does not return, and Demeter finally has to leave her isolated island to look for her.

Demeter faces more danger and tragedy during her search… but then we move to Core’s version of the story.

While exploring in the human world, Core falls in love for the first time. Her lover is a young woman named Ione, married to a man much older than herself. But time moves faster for the humans, and about 30 mortal years later, Ione dies. Core, bitter about her mother being in mourning for so long, decides to have all memories of Ione erased from her mind.

She is then kidnapped by Hades, and taken to the Underworld as his bride. Hades is not a egotistical deity, but rather a little awkward around Core, who he has been enamored with from afar. He took her with Zeus’s blessing, though, and did not know that Demeter did not know about the arrangement.

There are many descriptions of the darker Underworld, and of Core adding her own flora to the landscape there. I sort of envision this whole section as looking like a Tim Burton movie.

Through the months she is there, Core learns her way around the palace and beyond. She strikes up a friendship with Hades, who always treats her well and never forces himself on her. She remembers, and then finds, Ione. Hades encourages her to use her powers, and she experiments with them and grows in confidence. She eventually realizes that being under her mom’s thumb had been keeping her from cultivating her own talents.

Hades even allows her as much time with Ione as she wants, with a condition of changing her name. He wants her to pick her own name, one fit for a powerful queen, and she picks Persephone.

Meanwhile, in the Land of the Living, Demeter wants Zeus to get Core back. At first he refuses, so she freezes the whole world. Humans are dying in huge numbers, and not giving their usual tributes to the Gods. Eventually, this forces Zeus’s hand. He and Demeter both travel to the Underworld to retrieve Core, but instead find a more powerful Persephone who isn’t entirely sure she wants to leave.

This was a gripping tale of longing, mourning, love, bitterness, and carving one’s own path.

I think this was a very strong re-telling of Persephone's origins and life, although it did feel very "Lore Olympus" at times. However, I am always a sucker for men whose whole personality is "I love my powerful wife," so I enjoyed this book thoroughly.

Thanks to Hannah Lynn, Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC!

This is a story that I was not totally familiar with given that I did not know Demeter's perspective. The writing was good and easy to follow, and I liked that we got some back story and learned more about Demeter, then switched perspectives to learn more about Core. Mentions of other characters from common myths were fun and overall this was an enjoyable read.

Ended up listening to this instead of reading it.

From the beginning the story is heartbreaking. You have Demeter who just wants to have a plethora of children and to not be raped by other gods. I think out of the four Greek myth retellings this was my least favorite. I got about 50% into the story and then we switch to Kore/Perspehone's perspective of her and her mother's lives together (even though we just read it) and honestly we didn't need a recap. Especially since we're still getting Demeter's POV sprinkled throughout. This ended up being a stopping point for me. As much as I would have loved to continue I'm already struggling and gods and goddesses being miserable isn't something I can handle right now.

As always Hannah Lynn is a wonderful writer and author.

I am absolutely obsessed with Greek mythological retelling and this was no exception. Hannah Lynn has such a poetic form of writing and I am looking forward to promoting this book to my friends and coworkers!

Tw to some readers because unfortunately with many of these myths there is mention of assault and sa , abuse and death.

I def recommend this story and I look forward to her next work!