The Palace of Eros is a gender-bent retelling of Eros and Psyche. This is my favorite myth so I'm always excited to see a reimagining!

I thought the book had an interesting premise. It's a pretty "straight" (hehe) retelling in that it's set in ancient Greece, the Greek gods are sometimes present, and the general story beats hit the same. Eros in this book is primarily a woman but can shape shift into a man, or sometimes parts of a man as she wishes. This gave me intersex vibes in a way that I have never read before, which was interesting to see.

It kind of fell apart at the end for me when Psyche's trials kept switching POVs and took up maybe 10% of the book. I would have liked a little more time spent there, but I'm typically more of a plot than romance reader. There is a whole lot of spice if you're looking for that!

This ended up not being my favorite, but I'd give it a read if you're intrigued. 2.5 stars from me rounded up to 3. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC, my thoughts are my own!

Romantic as helllllll. Eros and Psyche are some of my favorites from mythology, so I was really looking forward to this reimagining. I'm so glad I wasn't disappointed. The story was beautifully told and I really liked the writing in this. There's a lot of themes explored in this, so I do think that some things weren't fully fleshed out (this book probably should've been a teensy bit longer), but all in all, it was a really beautiful read and nice to see this story told through a queer lens.

I’m an avid reader of myth, particularly Greco-Roman mythology. I’ve read all the big names, Circe, The Song of Achilles, Galatea, Clytemnestra, etc. I was really hoping to love this just as much as I did the other books i mentioned. However, to my disappointment, this story was simply just okay. I spent a good portion of my time skimming through the lines, I blame the writing style for this it was too descriptive and “flowery” for my taste. The story may still resonate with many readers of myth, it just didn’t with me, due to the fact I couldn’t focus enough on it to appreciate the message… the pacing was to blame as well for this.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy. She was a lot spicier than I thought she'd be so fair warning to y'all. But I found a good message in here about accepting and embracing yourself as you are, which gave this novel quite a hopeful feeling. I wasn't sure how I was going to rate this book, but overall it was an enjoyable read, great writing and positive messages. Four stars!

I'm an avid reader of mythology retellings and I was looking forward to reading this book but I found it to be just okay. The writing is beautiful but the story's message fell a little short, unfortunately. I still recommend it to those interested in mythology as it might resonate more with them than it did with me.

The Palace of Eros was just okay. I followed the story easily, but the writing was densely purple at times and I didn't feel compelled to finish the book at any point. If it hadn't been playing while I was doing other things, it would have been a DNF.

When I first started reading The Palace of Eros, it was clear that the author poured a lot of emotion and reflection into this work, and I ran to get the audiobook to accompany the read. The audio is performed by the author, which is rare for fictional work (in my experience). The result was a wonderous reimagining of Greek mythology with insights into the modern feminine and queer experience.

The Palace of Eros envisions Eros as female-presenting goddess of desire with the ability to alter her physical form outside of the gender binary. The story is told in alternating POV between Eros and Psyche, a mortal woman cursed by Eros' mother, Aphrodite, for her beauty. When Eros falls in love with Psyche, she whisks her away to a secluded palace where Psyche seeks to understand her purpose and what the future has in store for her.

De Robertis' writing style is lyrical overall, while maintaining a realistic voice for Psyche as she experiences the events in the story. I have no gripe with the writing (save one technical error that missed the editing stage). That said, I feel that the message of the book was muddled, and I'm not sure exactly what the author wanted the reader to take away from the story. Is Eros meant to be a hero or a villain? It was spun in a way to cast her as a hero, but her actions told a very different story. Psyche and Eros as a couple were at times exhausting, and I think their relationship could have been better represented if they made better effort to communicate with each other. Instead, they were reduced to sex-obsessed strangers who don't have the willpower to have much conversation that desperately needed to happen. Also, the fig tree situation was very strange and detracted from the story. I would be remiss to say there was too much spice, because this is a romance story, but I think a story with the potential for reflection on the historical feminine experience could have used more substance.

Overall, I give The Palace of Eros 3.75 stars and would recommend it generally, and especially to readers seeking LGBTQ and WLW romance interests and representation, and/or reenvisioned Greek mythology . Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC of The Palace of Eros, which is available now.

Having enjoyed Cantoras (also by Caro De Robertis) and books like Circe and Song of Achilles, I wanted to enjoy The Palace of Eros so much more than I did. Following the story of Eros and Psyche, this book had some beautiful moments of self-exploration and reflections on what it truly means to be free and your fullest self. But between these beautiful moments I found myself beginning to skim because it felt overly wordy. While I read it relatively quickly, I found myself picking up my kindle not because I was excited to get back to the book, but because I wanted to finish and move on to my next read.

Overall, this book gets 3 stars from me, as it wasn’t bad by any means, but it probably won’t stand out in my memory.

This is a beautiful, lyrical retelling of the story of Eros and Psyche that really stands out from all of the Greek mythology retellings that have become so popular lately. I think it would really appeal to people who like The Song of Achilles. De Robertis fluidly lets us into Psyche's inner world with poetic prose that gives the story a mythical gravitas.
Cursed with beauty that makes her objectified and controlled, and isolates who from others in her life, Psyche is rescued by a mysterious savior and taken to a magical paradise. But what happens when you become safe enough to desire more than just comfort and safety? Psyche has to end up face trials of her own, and De Robertis explores the mythical nature of desire in a captivating manner.

"Every woman is cursed as long as the laws are bent in our diminishment. The laws of men, the law of the gods. They curse us, and I want to break them all." (pg 298) - The Palace of Eros

If there is one thing I can definitely say as truth as I reflect on this book is that Robertis truly had a great understanding of Eros and Psyche and the world of Olympus and their Gods. The characters felt fully fleshed out, and the development of both our protagonists felt natural and organic. The story was delivered in a way that roped you into a world of the Gods while also giving you a chance to reflect and understand the world you are in yourself, it was beautiful.

But that leads me to the writing style of this book. The book is written in two different narratives for both the characters. Eros perspective is third person and Psyches is written in First person. For some this switch in narrative may be distracting and honestly disruptive, but I thought the different was purposeful and made the story more captivating, and at the end I had a deeper understanding of their relationship and their dynamic because of the opposite narratives. The writing in this book can be described as overly flowery and poetic to a point where the overall understanding of what is trying to be said can fly over the reader's head, and often can get repetitive, or simply sound like its saying nothing at all, but I did find once I got into the story it was easier to handle. I can understand though how the writing can be a dealbreaker because I definitely had moments of "AHHHHH AHHHRRRGG!!"

Overall, this was out of worldly and incredibly unique and bridged on tough topics of women and our role in the world in a way that felt it was taking me by the shoulders and shaken me (I loved it)

They are some parts that did alter my perception of the book, like the incorporation of a phallus in sapphic novel, but once you take a step back to observe the bigger picture and the over arching message of the book, every aspect bad or good falls into place in the tangle of the world Robertis created.

Overall 3.5 stars

This book was such an amazing retelling of this myth. This touched upon so many themes about women being seen as objects and how they have so much more power than men give them credit for, but also this examined the idea of gender as a construct. This book did a really great job of discussing the idea that gender is not two choices, and that everyone is valuable and okay even if they don’t fit into the two boxes of gender that society tends to make us want to fit into. More than anyone, this book was about a love so pure and how love really is the most profound and beautiful thing in this world. I loved this book.

The Palace of Eros is a breathtaking fusion of myth and artistry, where love itself seems to come alive. From its grand entrance to its intricate mosaics, every corner of the palace tells a story of passion and desire. The architecture, with its sweeping arches and delicate columns, is a visual feast, while the murals—depicting the Greek god Eros—evoke the full spectrum of love’s emotions, from tender affection to burning longing.

Inside, the atmosphere is palpable. Soft light filters through stained glass, casting shimmering patterns on marble floors, while lush gardens surrounding the palace offer a tranquil contrast to the intensity of the interior. Every chamber invites deeper reflection on love’s complexities, from fleeting joy to heartbreaking sorrow.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

Not my typical read but I did enjoy it and I know quite a few friends that would enjoy it even more than me.

As a LGBTQIA+ community member and lover of Greek Mythology, this book as it all. The retelling was well-done and felt so inclusive while I felt it stayed true to the original story in a way that really modernized the tale. I recommend it to all my friends and followers! Thank you for the ARC opportunity.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the eARC! Strangely, this is one of two sapphic retellings of Eros and Pschye to release this yera. I found that this book just wasn't for me. Overall, I think I'm not into retellings, however the prose was lovely and the love story was passionate and tender. I think fans of mythology and retellings will love this - it just wasn't for me.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of *The Palace of Eros* by Caro De Robertis, as I have a deep love for mythology. This retelling of the classic tale of Psyche and Eros is beautifully woven, exploring themes of desire, freedom, and the complexities of love. Psyche is a captivating character—headstrong and yearning for independence—caught in a world of expectations. The dynamic between her and Eros, the nonbinary deity, adds a fresh perspective that enriches the story. Their secretive romance, filled with passion and tension, kept me eagerly turning pages.

De Robertis’s lyrical prose brings the myth to life in a way that feels both timeless and relevant. I’m grateful for the opportunity to review this exquisite novel; it’s a truly brilliant and luminous exploration of love and identity. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates a reimagined mythological tale!

Interesting story with characters I've never heard of being gay or queer before. One of the main characters was annoying and seemed so unrealistic with her thoughts and actions.

This was a refreshing take on a classic myth: I enjoyed the tension and discussions of gender throughout the story.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. This was very much the story of Psyche and Eros without moving the setting or changing much of the myth but still compelling. Having Eros able to change her gender presentation as she is the goddess of desire and does not conform to expected norms gave the myth new life. Having the story viewed from both perspectives and seeing how they came together gave it life and made it more interesting to see the intersection of soul and desire. I'll admit I did skim some bits but overall was very enjoyable. 3.5 stars.

I'd like to formally request that Caro De Robertis writes at least ten more retellings because this was perfect! Eros's has one of the most interesting stories and to see it expanded like this was amazing.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.