If you, like me, were a die hard Percy Jackson fan as a child, Jennifer Saints retellings are pretty much guaranteed to fill the greek mythology void in your life.

Hera, the immortal goddess and daughter of the Titan Cronos, helps her brother Zeus overthrow their tyrannical father, hoping to rule alongside him. However, as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera begins to question whether Zeus is as ruthless as the father they betrayed. Born to rule, Hera faces a dilemma: continue the cycle of violence and cruelty or break free and create a better world.

By weaving together various Greek myths, Saint presents this tale in a way that is accessible to readers who may be new to these ancient stories. The book doesn’t seek to redeem Hera but rather to provide a deeper understanding of her motivations. It invites readers to see Hera not just as a controversial figure but as a goddess who was betrayed by those closest to her.

The prose is both lyrical and powerful, offering a complex portrayal of Hera that goes beyond the traditional depictions of her as merely a jealous wife or vengeful goddess. Saint’s narrative is rich with feminist undertones, painting a picture of Hera as a multifaceted figure who was more than just the spiteful deity of myth.

Saint’s portrayal of Hera echoes the experiences of countless women and girls whose voices have been silenced, whose pain has been ignored, and whose struggles have been minimized. It speaks to the fear, frustration, and resilience of women who have been degraded, dismissed, and left to carry the burdens of the world.

I listened to this book on audio, and I absolutely devoured it! The narration gives it a whimsical feel, and really sucked me in to the story. If you’re an audiobook enjoyer and Greek mythology enthusiast, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

An interesting feminist take on the Greek Gods that I appreciated. I didn't know much about Hera but appreciated her populist message to take down the powerful and uplift the weak.

Jennifer Saint has done it again! For me, this was her best book since her debut. It gave me all the same feelings. The setting and world-building were so well-done. All the characters felt so real. The plot was paced perfectly to drive the narrative. Everything flowed so well and I couldn't put it down. I was so invested and it made me think about the mythology in a whole new way. I'll continue to read every book by this author. I just love her writing and her ability to craft such compelling retellings. The narration was done so well, the perfect voice for Hera and tone for the story. I absolutely loved this. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: August 13, 2024

3.75 stars
I really enjoyed that this book brought so many short Greek myths together into one, cohesive timeline and narrative. It was nice to see how things changed over time with the Greek Gods and another perspective on all them but especially on Hera and why she may have done the things she did.

The narrator did a really nice job with this as well.

Wow i’ve read so many books on Greek mythology and I just cannot get over how amazing Jennifer Saint has the sway with creating This world that so many people have heard of, but in a new way in a new light. I loved reading Ariadne that book had me in a chokehold for months. I felt dread and joy all at once, this book. somehow I never thought in my life that I would be able to connect with Hera ever! But here I am at 11:04 pm In shock with how much I see myself in her. I can see (obviously not exactly every single thing that she had been through), but just her characteristics and who she wanted to be and who she is. Also her feeling stuck, feeling not sure. Trying to figure out who she was and where shes been placed! Wow, her journey as a mother to feel so much conflict with her children and love which I hadn’t really read about before was so amazing to hear. I hope this is not Jennifer‘s last book in this genre . I am definitely reading the last two very soon because they’ve been on my TBR for sometime, but I got the arc of this and I could not resist starting soon. This is a absolutely five star book ! Never was I bored or waiting for more constantly I was loving her as thoughts and actions. Sad to have finish but happy to continue with the rest

This book really has a way of transporting you right there within it. In the wasteland with Typhon to the ruins of Olympus stood face to face with an ashen once-was king. The ending had my heart seized. I look at Hera as so much more than a jealous bride now

Hera

By ~ Jennifer Saint-I've read Ariadne, Elektra, and Atalanta-all 4/5 ⭐ reads

Genre ~ Greek mythology, historical fiction, fantasy, retelling

Setting ~Mount Olympus

Publication date ~ August 13, 2024, Read ~ August 13, 2024

Audio length ~ 13 hours 48 minutes

Narration ~ Naomi Frederick voices all characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Hera, Zeus, and Athena. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🙏🏽Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

POV ~ single, 3rd person

Tropes~ feminism, marriage, family drama, secret pregnancy

⚠️TW ~ SA, abuse, incest, murder, misogyny

Hera is the Queen of gods and goddesses, and together she and her brother Zeus overthrow their cruel and power-hungry father Cronus to rule Olympus. Little does Hera know that Zeus is just like their father enacting cruelty and violence to his own purposes. He ascends the throne when Hera thought they would rule together. He makes her his wife and Hera shares her tale of frustration and powerlessness against the patriarchy.

I've believed the narrative about Hera as a jealous wife who got revenge on Zeus' mistresses and illegitimate children. This novel put it all into perspective. She was still cruel at times, but knowing the reasons made me sympathize with her and all Zeus' victims. This felt like an origin story for the gods and goddesses Gaia created. It showed the forming of the council of the gods, demi-gods, and their offspring. Hera became a reluctant wife and mother who dealt with her husband's cheating and plotted her revenge on him. I enjoyed the story of Typhon, how and why Ares treated Hera, and how Hephaestus was underestimated by both Zeus and Hera.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC of HERA!

I hate to say it but traditionally Hera has been my least favorite of the Olympian gods and goddesses. I found her to be a cold, cruel and jealous goddess. So when I saw that Jennifer Saint was featuring Hera next, I was excited to learn more about her from Hera’s own POV.
Saint does for Hera what she’s done for all of the goddesses and heroines featured in the books. She’s taken a misunderstood (and sometimes hated) character and made her actions understandable (and even relatable.)

Hera thought that by conquering the Titans at Zeus’s side she would be given what was rightfully hers. Instead he forces her into marriage to him and then pigeonholes her into being the goddess of marriage, women and childbirth.

Hera’s story is one of betrayal and scheming. She just wants the power that should have been hers. And instead of being a loving husband, she is forced to sit by and watch Zeus have affairs with goddesses, nymphs and women all across their world. Making a mockery of their marriage and her role as goddess of marriage. I would be furious if I was her too! But Hera also has great love for her children sired by Zeus, especially Typhon, even if she births them in hopes of overthrowing Zeus.

While this wasn’t my favorite of Saint’s books, I really enjoyed it and it gave me a fresh perspective to think about Hera the next time I read Greek mythology or a book inspired by it.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6731790869
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-nW2rsvHfE/

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Hera is definitely one of my least favorites of the Greek pantheon. However, I have to say that Jennifer Saint did a wonderful job taking an unlikable character and giving them not only a fleshed-out backstory, but also making them appear relatable. Hera was the daughter of Cronus, and we get to see her story from the beginning as she joins her brother Zeus to take down Cronus, all the way to the end as the gods disappear from the world.

One thing I really liked about this was the progression of her character alongside the myths surrounding the gods. However, unlike some of the other gods we see, I had issues with Hera being too passive. She relies on others to do her dirty work most of the time and then gets upset when things don't go her way and blames everyone else except herself.

I have always hated Zeus, but this book really nailed how much of an a-hole he really is. Again, the relationship between her and Zeus is just her blaming him for everything, and -- just like in the myths -- she blames the women he assaults instead of blaming Zeus himself. And I'm sorry, there was just no way that that can be rationalized for me.

Overall, I enjoyed this. It was slow, and Hera needed a good swift kick to the rear, but between the storytelling and the audiobook narrator, this was both well written and entertaining.

I am thoroughly enjoying all of these books! This one is no exception. Ms. Saint has a wonderful way of telling these stories in an engaging and heartfelt manner. All of the characters are well thought out and add their own flavor to the story line. I loved how Hera recognized her flaws and how she dealt with that. I can't wait for the next one!

I enjoyed Jennifer Saint's previous books: Atalanta, Ariadne, and Elektra. But those 3 were just the warm ups for the stellar gut-punch that is her novel, Hera!!!

Obviously, Hera is a huge character to write, and I was nervous to see what Saint would do. But, wow! Her story is creative, and both redemptive and damning. Hera is simultaneously relatable and hateable. And since her story encompasses all the other gods' stories, this book felt like an ode to readers who have been reading the retellings.

It's narrated by actress Naomi Frederick, and is perfection! I definitely recommend the audiobook, though a trophy for your shelves is a must too <3

I received the audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. Thank you!

4.5 rounding up! I absolutely loooved this retelling! Beautiful writing centering Hera who is usually a caricature of a jealous wife mentioned in stories of Zeus’s conquests. It was so cool to get her perspective.

Greek myth retellings are having a MOMENT! This book features, Hera, queen of the Olympic gods and Goddess of Wives and Marriage. When Zeus, Poseidon & Hades divide the worlds between themselves, Hera wonders where and how she can fit in with ruling. She is relegated to Zeus's wife after a brutal rape and even though she is queen, she never stops trying to overcome her plight.
There are many stories being retold within Hera's, including the Trojan War, Jason and the Argonauts and the 9 Labors of Hercules. Hera is a goddess to revere and revisiting these stories within her own will leave you wanting more.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

I absolutely adored this book. Hera is a goddess that I haven’t really seen many novels Touch on and this one did it spectacularly. I loved her perspective, and she had such a good narrative voice.

With beautiful writing and poignant storytelling, this tale of resilience will leave you feeling everything alongside Hera and all the characters who’s lives were altered by the god’s greed and cruelty. Mirroring the lessons of greek mythology, this book is a reflection on the consequences of greed, lust for power, and vengeance. I could keep talking about this amazing read but I will just finish by saying, if you love greek mythology, this book is for you.

I always find it interesting to try to understand the perspective of an unlikeable character. For example, June Hayward/Juniper Song in Rebecca Kuang’s Yellowface. Or Amy Dunne in Gone Girl.Even Walter White in Breaking Bad (who in the beginning, I liked). And Hera, the all-powerful Queen of the Gods, wife and sister to Zeus, daughter of Cronus, Goddess of Marriage... and possibly the gnarliest of them all.

Hera is often vilified in Greek mythology, due to her jealousy and vindictiveness towards Zeus' lovers and their children. She frequently punished Zeus' mistresses/victims and their offspring, even though it was her husband who was the philanderer, sexual predator and rapist.

But before Hera was a vengeful deity, she enjoyed hanging out in the forest with river gods, shapeshifting and winning wars against the Titans etc. you know, the regular. Jennifer Saint’s retelling highlights who Hera was vs. how she got to be that way.

For people unfamiliar with where the root of her wrath began, it had a lot to do with the pain that kindled inside her following Zeus pretending to be an injured bird, then surprising Hera and raping her. That’s just the beginning, there is a lot more that unfolds after these first chapters which I won’t spoil for people who aren’t familiar already.

Notably, this retelling isn't going to redeem Hera’s actions. Yet it will humanise her as someone grappling with subjugation, suffering, ridicule and betrayal, without absolving her. More than anything, it’s probably going to make you despise the patriarchy and Zeus AKA the Greek god version of Harvey Weinstein, more than you already did.

You'll meet a lot of the famed gods, demi-gods and their divine offspring (mostly Zeus'). Some are cameos but it's still cool. I learnt a lot. One of my favourite things I learnt while reading this was also about the monsters of Greek mythology, such as Ekhidna, Typhon and the Hydra. And Jennifer Saint made me empathise with them and see a rounded perspective of their story.

Whether you’re a Greek mythology rookie, dabbler (⬅️ me), or expert/classicist, I’d recommend this for a more holistic perspective of Hera. Although some scene transitions were slightly disjointed, overall the third-person narration was emotionally evocative and lyrical and I felt connected to it.

You'll have to mind your triggers should you choose to read this, because the Greek Gods didn’t know that No Means No and Jennifer Saint does not shy away from lack of consent in ancient times. The Greek Gods can ALL get in the bin. Yep, you too Apollo, you're one of the worst.

My heartfelt thanks to Hachette Australia & New Zealand | Wildfire for the advanced digital review copy, and also to my GR friend, Persephone's Pomegranate, who is a Greek mythology expert and gave me some contextual background knowledge before I dove in. You can read her entertaining Greek mythology reviews here.

Zeus can get in the bin. Thoughts processing on Hera. RTC.

Interested to see if Jennifer Saint can keep pace with Greek mythology retelling queen, Madeline Miller. My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital review copy.

Jennifer Saint's Hera is everything I've ever wanted in a Greek mythology retelling. The gods, including the titular protagonists, are depicted as relatably flawed and messy, but on a massive scale. This is one of the few retellings I have found that seemed to capture the complexity, grandeur, and dysfunction of the Olympian gods.

While many are tired of Greek and Roman mythology retellings, I would argue that this book was an incredibly fresh take on the trend as the novel is told from the perspective of Hera, the common villain in many of the myths. Saint brings Hera to life beautifully, honoring the classic works she was included in while also giving her added dimensions. Rather than white washing the character's actions, Saint gives additional motivations to Hera's choices. Rather than being the one-dimensional jealous wife and wicked stepmother, she is a woman forced into a role she never wanted only to be humiliated again and again. Striking out at her husband and brother only leads to her own failure. So she aims her attacks at easier and more innocent targets: Zeus' illegitimate children and the women he assaults or seduces. Seeing Hera depicted as a heroine in the war against the Titans, a victim of assault and oppression, a vengeful wronged wife who terrorizes women and children, a protector of women, a champion of heroes, etc. all at once was so refreshing.

In addition to Hera's excellent characterization, I also loved how the other female characters were handled. There's a tendency to depicted women as either helpless or all powerful with very little middle ground. Either depiction is reductive, in my opinion since both types leave out complexity and humanity. That's not the case here as even the side characters have layers to them. All of the female characters are unique with their own strengths and challenges. Their relationships with Hera are just as complex as they can be mentors, rivals, friends, enemies, and allies, some of them fluctuating between the roles depending on the circumstances of the moment.

My only complaint about the novel is that we didn't get very much of Hera's life before and during the war against the Titans. Seeing that would have given a firm picture of what Hera was forced to give up while bring forced into the role of wife. That wasn't enough to ruin the book for me though.

I'm rating this a solid five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read a book yet that has solely focused on Hera and i am so grateful that Jennifer Saint gave Hera her moment. We see Hera from her time of escaping her father Kronos to how she carries on. We are literally taken through Hera's life in her POV. From her navigating the new life of being a goddess and the Queen of Gods, dealing with Zeus and his shenanigans/offsprings, her relationships with other Gods, and the struggle of seeing where she fits in the bigger picture. I felt like we finally got an understanding of this character that we have only gotten bits and pieces of in all the other stories we know so well. Hera has always been one of my favorite greek gods, so this book definitely did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the last few chapters the most because the author did such an outstanding job of the God's roles adapting as humans start to overtake their world. Where did the Gods go? What did they do? What did she do? It is all tied together so well and I loved it. This book was such a beautiful tribute to Hera, and I will highly recommend it to all my fellow greek mythology friends. the narrator was also wonderful!!!

I am new to reading novels based on Greek Mythology, but author Jennifer Saint writes of Hera in a way that vindicates her from the light she is always portrayed in—a Hera that lives life on her own terms.

If you’re new to reading fictional books based on Greek mythology, don’t be discouraged. I found myself wanting to read Saint’s other books, inspired by the other other Greek Goddesses such as Ariadne, Electra, and Atalanta. This novel is more plot-drive, and while I tend to prefer character-driven plots, Saint did not dissappoint.

Thank you for blessing us with your talent, Jennifer. A special thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for sharing this audiobook with me. I have to get the physical copy and re-read this one soon!

Hera is a fascinating goddess. I've read a lot of snippets about Hera in other Greek mythology retellings, but this book gave me a deeper understanding of her (as well as the family dynamics of the Olympians).

Unlike other books, this one makes you feel the passage of time more like the immortal gods than any mortals. It briefly covers the war between the Olympians and Titans, how Zeus came to rule the heavens, and how he denied Hera her rightful place. We also see many other conflicts, both among immortals and mortals, leading to the decline of the Olympians. This isn't just an origin story; it spans centuries of mortal time, never lingering too long in one era. This suits Hera, who is less concerned with mortals than her fellow Olympians.

The book made me feel furious and indignant at the injustices towards Hera, but overall, it's a drama and action-packed story about a powerful goddess struggling to find her place under Zeus's rule and disrespect. Hera isn't always likable, but understanding the context of her life makes her acts of jealousy, pettiness, and anger more understandable.

I enjoyed the audiobook so much! I can't wait to get my physical copy. This book is out on August 13th. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance copy of this audiobook!