Jennifer Saint continues to be one of my favourite Greek Myth authors and her latest book is no exception.
Hera was a magnificent read. Hera is a figure who is most often viewed as a jealous and vindictive wife and stepmother, being used by our patriarchal society as a tool to demonise the women rather than the men.
Saint takes this character and gives reason and explanation to her actions, and instead of only focusing on the negatives, she highlights the facets of Hera who is caring, compassionate and ultimately just a mother trying to give her children the best life they deserve when faced with a selfish and arrogant father. This is an incredibly interesting story that is written so beautifully it is incredibly easy to follow through with. It connects to more well known myths involving Hera as well as smaller and lesser known myths. I love how refreshing it is to read a Greek myth retelling where the woman isn’t instantly villainised.

I thoroughly enjoy a modern retelling of Greek mythology especially when told from a female perspective, even if the character isn't as likable as you’d want her to be. Jennifer Saint’s retelling is vast & intricate and her writing flowed beautifully & effortlessly. Highly recommend if you enjoy authors like Madeline Miller & Natalie Haynes

We’ve all heard the story of Hera. The mad wife of Zeus, vengeful and violent towards her husband’s lovers and children. But what’s the story behind her violent nature, where did this ruthless and cruel nature come from?

I loved this book! Hera is a strong goddess who has had all her choices taken from her through violence. She has many sides and Jennifer Saint has tried to capture the compassionate side to Hera as well as the truth behind the tales of violence.

Thank you to Hachette Australia, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a captivating story of the Queen of Mount Olympus, a Greek Goddess and the myths and history that surrounds her story. Sometimes books and stories like this can become boring but I never got bored and enjoyed in immensely. It covers Hera's life and the stories that revolve around it. It is most intriguing and interesting.

It is such a well written and researched book that adds some twist to many of the myths surrounding this Greek Goddess. It makes you want to learn more, read more and hear more about the famous Greek myths and legends. Now that is good writing.

Thank you Net Galley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for giving me the opportunity to read adn review this book.

🪶HERA✨

This is the story of the Queen of the gods.
Myths of Hera largely shape her as a vengeful and jealous wife of Zeus but this retelling gives us so much more of her story.

I loved this one. From the fierce warrior at the beginning overthrowing the Titans, to the many unfairnesses heaped upon her. The scheming and failures, the friends, family and foes among the growing number of gods. This story has it all.

I was wondering how this story would be wrapped up, and I am happy to report that for me, it worked really, really well. Solidifying Hera’s character arc in a satisfying way.

“She wonders where they see her - in rebellious wives, she hopes, in the iron souls of powerful queens, in resilient girls who find the strength to keep going.”

BIG thank you to @netgalley for an ARC of this one. It’s out now (I just bought a copy as a gift!), if you like a Greek myth retelling jump on this!

I really enjoyed this look at the Greek pantheon from the perspective of its queen, Hera. Her discontent with not being given equal power to her brothers, and impotent rage at being forced to marry the King of the gods, Zeus in order to keep any scrap of power for herself.

The story spans over the eons of Hera's life, the rise and fall of cities and heroes, and finally, the gods themselves. It is a satisfying, yet meandering story. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of Titan Cronos, helped Zeus overthrow their father so they could rule the world together. But as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus may be as cruel as their father and begins to question her role at this side. This retelling portrays Hera as a powerful queen, one who is ambitious and compassionate and will stop at nothing to be heard.

When I envision Hera, I picture her as a vengeful, powerful and wicked goddess and was really keen to see her portrayed in a different light, but this wasn't the case. I really found Hera as such an unlikable character and didn't have any sympathy for her whatsoever which I think is the opposite of what the author was pushing onto me.

I also really didn't like the constant push of incest and rape throughout, we get it, Zeus is her brother, you don't have to mention it every single time he rapes her... It gave me the biggest ick. Going off that, I found the whole story repetitive. Oh Hera is mad at Zeus again, shocker...

I don't know, while I found the whole story interesting, it just felt like Hera was a side character in the story and Zeus was still the main character, when the story is literally about her! I also wasn't a fan of the major gloss over of important events in Greek Mythology just to fit the woe is me story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette for sending me a copy of this one to review, unfortuately this was a miss for me...

I am a fan of Jennifer Saint’s retellings and Hera is another amazing addition. Saint does an amazing job of tackling the character of Hera, Queen of the Gods, who plays a central role in many well-known myths.

I loved how we get an orgainsed timeline of Hera’s life with specific characters and myths used to illustrate the passage of time and Hera’s character development. In pretty much all the myths Hera is shown as the jealous wife of Zeus who does all she can to get rid of the women he preys on and the children that are the result of these mostly non-consensual encounters. She is the villain in these stories.

When we are first introduced to Hera she is a fierce warrior who, alongside her siblings, defeated the Titians and rule equally alongside each other on Olympus. She knows she is powerful and has a purpose. Unfortunately for Hera, Zeus takes away her independence and free will and is relegated to be the goddess of marriage. The ideal ‘wife’ who is married to a man who repeatedly forces himself on other women. With this context, it is easier to understand Hera and not just paint her as a ‘jealous wife’.

I also liked how Saint used different/less popular versions of myths, particularly how Hephaestus gets kicked out of Olympus and how Paris comes to lure/kidnap Helen.

Overall I loved this retelling and can’t wait to see what other ancient Greek figures Saint chooses to give new life to next.

In this re-telling of Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage and women, we follow the journey of ups and downs during the rule of the Olympians. It can be picked up without prior knowledge of Greek mythology, and opens the gateway to intrigue for learning more as someone who personally has limited knowledge of Greek mythology.

Saint's writing is rich, painting effortlessly beautiful scene after beautiful scene and shares an appreciation for the smaller things in life before Hera's world is upturned. However, while visually vivid, this also brings a sense of distance in connecting emotionally with Hera, it's passive. We watch the story unfold through Hera's eyes... and that's about it. It feels as though she lacks motivations and action. As we move through the different eras and the more renown tales, each segment doesn't seem to hit as we breeze through them quickly - there's no journey, just a summary thus the detachment.

We know that the Greek gods and goddesses are not morally good, full stop. Here, there's a contradicting blend. Hera's morals are so dark grey and close to black as is with the other gods and goddesses on Olympus, she does not care particularly for the nymphs. She barely bats an eye at the humans. She likes to feel powerful by the tyranny she imposes yet judges Zeus for it.

Still, this re-telling has convinced me to lean into the appeal of the Greek mythology stories and seek other books on this topic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing me with the eARC and the opportunity to read and provide an honest review!

One of the reasons I was keen to see how Saint approached Hera’s story was that I’ve really only seen bits and pieces of her popping up in someone else’s story, and generally the portrayal is negative. She’s jealous, she’s mean, she’s spiteful, she cursed poor Heracles (I have recently read HERC so maybe more about that in another review). I think we know from real life that if those are the first things we notice about someone there is probably a story behind those sorts of behaviours, and that was something I was looking forward to exploring through this book. In Hera, Saint does really focus on the story behind the Hera we have seen before, in terms of her motivations and experiences, and the pain and grief that comes with what she loses to Zeus – and his children. I really liked the way Hera looks at that cycle of violence and cruelty and distrust that we see in Zeus, as mentioned in the synopsis, overthrowing Cronus and then sort of becoming him.

Where Hera fell a little bit short for me, compared to Saint’s previous works, was that I never felt a connection with Hera, or like I was immersed in her world. As I read, I always had the feeling of being held at arm’s length from Hera, and like I was watching her story unfold from a distance rather than seeing it through her eyes and being there by her side. I’m not sure whether this was a deliberate choice in how the story was told, or due to the book cover such a long span of time (from the victory over the Titans all the way to the fall of Zeus) that it has to skim the surface a bit in places. I’m really interested to hear what other readers think. The times when I felt closest to Hera were the bits about her children – especially Hephaestus and his children.

Overall I did still enjoy this, and I’m sure people with an interest in Greek myth will probably find plenty to like about it too. I think I would describe it as reflective rather than active, if that makes sense, as I didn’t find it very plot driven but there was a lot presented about Hera to think about.

🏺Hera by Jennifer Saint 🏺

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

long story short: adored it, my favourite Jennifer Saint yet & greek historical fiction lovers should buy this immediately when it is released.
🏺

there haven't been many books that i've read involving greek gods where i've had a lot of time for Hera. obviously, it can't be easy having a husband who jumps at any opportunity to sleep with another person (or creature or titan or god .... Zeus really needed a different hobby), especially as the goddess of marriage. however, in most books i've read, there have been very few redeeming qualities of Hera that make you even begin to like her. you also usually only get snippets of her as a character, and not a lot of her story, so there's not necessarily the time to find redeemable moments.

i can't say Hera was always likeable in this book either, but having the full scope of her story meant I saw her as Hera:
🏺fierce warrior and fighter who was key in bringing down the titans
🏺goddess who was forced to marry the man who SA'd her
🏺olympian who felt what power was owed to her had been taken from her, being forced into the background and betrayed by her family
🏺 woman that was repeatedly insulted by her husband's infidelity and the many children that were born from it

her reasons for acting the way she does become so much clearer and more understandable with the whole picture (even if her anger is misdirected in a lot of instances).

i also thought that the ending was so so good, and i loved seeing Hera's growth as a character and her understanding of her role/place in this world - even if it took a few millennia!

well-written, absolutely heart-wrenching at times, and a must for any greek myth fan.

🏺 to @hachetteaus & @netgalley - thank you SO much for the gifted e-ARC, it was a privilege to read one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 early 🤍

// as above, there is SA mentioned and scenes described in the book, tread with caution if this is something sensitive to you //

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette and Jennifer Saint for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes. The following review is my opinion, freely given.

Intellectually, I knew the story of Hera, and I was aware that Zeus was her brother. I just don't think I was prepared for how forcefully the author was planning to slam home the incest angle. I would like to say it was the authors intent to make you as the reader aware of just how brutal the betrayals and actions of Zeus were, however early in the book there is a line about "God's doing as they will" or something that seems to be trying to erase the incest piece as acceptable. Now this would be fine, if the author then went on to glaze over that piece - That would be fine, but instead, she agonises over it with Hera but dismisses it with Zeus and Demeter etc. So it makes Hera feel self important and a bit whiny. Either its acceptable in their world or it isn't - The author hangs most of Hera's bitterness and sense of betrayal off this piece which quickly makes Hera insufferable.

I read this to get to the end of the story - I wasn't transported into the story. This is the first Jennifer Saint Book I have read so I wasn't sure what to expect but this just wasn't for me. It is very dark and there are several triggers in this book that readers should be aware of. More than just the incest.

I have given this 3 stars because the author writes beautifully, her prose is lyrical and descriptive. The research into Hera's story seems to be deep and far ranging and there is very definitely an audience for this. If you go in knowing what you are getting, this is probably a really great read.

I am glad I had the opportunity to explore this authors work and I would cautiously read more of her work but maybe not as an ARC reader.

I wanted badass but I got ... mopey. Not quite what I wanted, and sadly kind of dull.

When I think of Hera, Queen of the Gods, I think of petty vengeance and ferocity. I think of her as bold, brave, and confident.

I was excited for a book that would take these things and show us a villain in a new light, but instead this book tries to make her something of a beaten-down heroine? It really didn't work for me.

I didn't like Hera as a character here at all, and I felt the story really washed her out and turned her into a victim. It seemed to be fighting so hard to tell a feminist story that it forgot women can be villains, too. Hera is well-known for her wrath and it was so washed out, here.

The storytelling was also to blame, I feel. It takes all the big stories from Greek mythology and mostly glosses over them all in a sentence or two - as though it was essential to include all these things but the author didn't really want to. I would have preferred less references in lieu of further detail. As a consequence of the sparse detail, it feels like nothing really notable happens - it's just the bland passing of time.

I just wanted so much more story than what I got. It was disappointing to get to the end and feel that I hadn't really felt anything at all.

An ambitious goal, but I do feel it fell flat. Others may appreciate this more sympathetic take on the famous Queen, but it didn't quite meet my expectations.

With thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC

*3.5 stars
This is my first book by Jennifer Saint and it definitely won’t be the last! Such beautiful prose and great descriptions of the Greek gods and goddesses as well as monsters! I liked how she described each of the relevant characters and their importance/role in Olympus (it really helped with Greek mythology knowledge). Hera is such an interesting goddess to read about as she is mostly well known for being Zeus’ sister and wife but this novel really highlighted her inner struggles and the constant betrayal she suffered. She is a strong woman whose main goal is to take down Zeus and regain her independence and power, no matter it takes. I did feel bad for some characters who got caught in the crossfire such as Zeus’ lovers as Zeus is the cheating bastard here but that’s Hera’s own personal way of getting back at him 😭

The ending actually made me kinda sad but it was bittersweet.

TW: rape

Thank you to netgalley and Hachette + Wildfire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨

I wasn't familiar with Hera's story before reading this, but I did know that I love a greek mythology retelling. Overall I found this story really well told and interesting to read. Hera was a written in a way that encouraged me feel both frustrated at times as well as deeply empathetic towards her. From some further research into her character I believe she is often depicted as a very unlikeable figure, and I believe Jennifer had an engaging way of still depicting Hera's vindictive, obsessive nature whilst also giving us a deeper understanding for why she was lead to be that way. Whilst her actions towards Zeus' lovers and their children was often cruel and horrific, seeing her side of things really made me understand why she felt justified in her actions, and in many occasions I really felt for her. She suffered greatly, and I'm so glad to know more of her story.

A feel this was an incredible exploration of how a powerful woman who was forced into silence and submission reclaimed her autonomy and fights for a world she believes in - even if her methods weren't honourable. It was also heartbreaking and frustrating reading about a woman who had suffered so greatly then punish other women so horrendously herself.

The pacing of this novel was for the most part everything I could ask for in a story that is expanding over centuries. It really captured the essence of just how brief our lives as humans are here on earth. I loved seeing the appearances of SO MANY other gods and demigods, and as someone who isn't closely familiar with the mythology, it was like seeing all the pieces of a puzzle come together as we follow this story of the rise of the Olympians to their downfall.

I think the writing style really suits the genre, but personally I did occasionally find it a little plain spoken which would remove a layer of emotional investment in the scene. Also being someone who isn't thoroughly across greek mythology, this novel had an incredibly large cast and I did find myself confused about who was being spoken about, what their relevance and role in the story was etc which did sometimes take away from the story.

Thank you to Netgalley + Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this.

Hera is a retelling of the story of the Greek God of the same name. The novel is wonderful in the way that it showcases not only the beauty of the gods but also the ugliness. From the beginning we see who Hera was before Zeus (a powerful, thoughtful, battle-experienced goddess) to after she is hurt time and time again by him (a vengeful, spiteful and reluctant wife). While Hera can never be called a likeable character, we are taught to understand the reasons behind her vengefulness by focusing on her human qualities and what drove her to these extremes.

As someone whose favourite class in school was Classical Studies, where I'd spend every minute digesting these myths, I was very excited to receive this ARC. Unfortunately, I was left underwhelmed. The stories of Hera’s vengefulness towards Zeus, his lovers and offspring are numerous, and while the author has tried to include all of these in here, it has left the story feeling over-encumbered by events that keep happening one after another. This leaves the narrative suffering as the story becomes one note rather than having peaks and valleys of tension and climax. Due to this, there were many times that I had to go back and re-read the last page as I had become lost. The speed at which scenes changed was just too fast for me to keep up. After I had read two-thirds of the story, I had to put the book down. My interest was lost and I was struggling to retain all of the events and characters. A slower pace and more detail which focused on a few events may have served the story better and provided a better platform for the plot and tensions to develop.

But in saying this, those who have a keen interest in Greek mythology will still find enjoyment from this novel. The beauty and horrors in which the world is described is unparalleled. The author is clearly well-versed in their knowledge of Greek myths, and it shows within the novel.

Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand, Netgalley and the author Jennifer Saint for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be the first to admit Greek mythology and classical studies isn’t one of my strengths. Perhaps that is why this book didn’t seem to click with me. It read more like an account of history than a story or a retelling.

I did like the exploration of a character who wasn’t always that likeable. I also found the lesser Olympian characters to be some of the more interesting.

This book may very well be my favourite read of the year. I have adored all sorts of mythology since I was a kid and now that I have re-discovered a love of reading I am greatly looking forward to getting around and reading more of these re-tellings and researching these mythologies in more depth.

Now Hera is a retelling of the Myths and legends that concern the Queen of the Greek gods.
I do believe there may need to be trigger warnings in this book concerning rape, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

This retelling is almost written as if it were autobiographical, that Hera herself wrote it, demonstrating that she is not this perfect representation of a powerful queen, but a deeply flawed and traumatised being. It makes her feel more relatable in a way, more human I suppose.
The plot begins at the final battle of the Olympians against the Titan Cronos, and progresses through Hera's ascension to Queen of the gods, her journey as a mother and wife and navigating all that was thrown at her, misguided as it was.
I enjoyed the way this book was written and the tale it told that allowed me to look at Hera with more compassion and understanding of the difficulties and situations she went through. Jennifer's writing worked really well at eliciting the emotions that Hera felt in myself as the reader. The feminine rage, the hurt and humiliation, and then the growing and healing past the trauma.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the connection I got from it and will probably be recommending everyone to read this.

I’ve read a couple of this author’s work now and I feel like her writing style may just not be for me.

I find it hard to focus and really get involved with what is going on which is unfortunate.

I find her books to more of a regurgitated history lesson rather than a unique, retold story.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity!

Have you ever wondered how the Queen of the Olympians, Hera, became the bitter goddess she is known as in most mythological stories? Well, Jennifer Saint's new book, Hera sums that perfectly well.

A fascinating aspect is that you see her personality change with every child that is born to Zeus' constant affairs with both mortal and immortal women. It would embraces Zeus' hypocrisy where he's allowed to consistently cheat on his wife, who he wanted to marry in the first place, yet she is not awarded the same allowance.

In our review, which is linked below, we give a wider look at Hera as well as the trigger warnings that come with this book.