John Wiswell is such a master at balancing humor with pathos. When I started "Wearing the Lion," I was most impressed with how funny it was. Then it sucker punched me with feelings. It's an unusual book, in its structure and especially in its male protagonist. Wiswell's previous book played with gender, but Wearing the Lion presents a kind of tender masculinity in its iconic lead that I kept thinking about. Heracles is dedicated to "Auntie Hera," in how he cares about others. He, in a way, shows the goddess of mothers a way to care again. I'm going to be thinking about and recommending this book a lot.

I didn’t love this like I hoped to, but could just not have been in the right headspace. This book has a comedic and relatively gentle tone that centers around found family. Hera curses Heracles to fight monsters as a punishment for being born of her (dipshit) husband’s infidelity. Instead of slaying the monsters, Heracles befriends them. Heracles and Hera both need to figure out how to move forward after doing terrible things, and see themselves as deserving of care.

I do think this will appeal to a lot of people, Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes comes to mind for having a similar tone of voice. Unfortunately it sort of dragged for me and I struggled to pick it up.

For a book that starts out with infidelity and the rage that it incites, this book had a surprisingly tender message about family–who, what, and where it is. Although there was some foul language throughout the book, I did feel that the tone changed throughout the novel and it served as a way to show the changing nature of Hera. I began the book thinking that Heracles was naive and oblivious. How could anyone miss so many clues that he is not liked by the goddess he has devoted himself to? How could he expect her to be proud of him when he was a walking billboard that her husband had strayed? As Heracles faces challenge after challenge with kindness in his search for peace I began to see him differently. He is repeatedly referred to as broken by senseless violence, which may be true, but I also see in him someone who will not continue to perpetuate harm. He heals those he encounters and offers them a place to be themselves and be welcomed. Heracles shows everyone around him that they are of worth, worthy of love, and that you don’t have to be related to be a family.

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Think you know the intricate and captivating story and characters that make up Heracles's tale in Greek mythology? Think again! John Wiswell masterfully transports readers into a modern retelling of Heracles that not only revisits the classic narrative but also brings forth new reflections, thoughts, and profound emotions about the story, its characters, and the transformative journey from beginning to end. Wiswell’s interpretation allows readers to engage with the themes of strength, identity, and morality in ways that resonate deeply with contemporary audiences.

The characters, while familiar to those who have studied the original myths, are presented in a manner that feels both unique and refreshingly modern. Heracles, often portrayed as the epitome of brute strength, is reimagined with a depth that explores his vulnerabilities, fears, and aspirations. His counterpart, Hera, traditionally seen as a figure of jealousy and wrath, is given a voice that reveals her internal struggles and complexities, showcasing her as a dynamic character whose motivations are as layered as Heracles's own. The interplay between these two main protagonists, through their alternating chapters and perspectives, captures the reader's attention from the very start. Their strong emotions and conflicting ideologies provoke thought and discussion about what it truly means to be strong, to embody goodness, and to navigate the murky waters of morality.

In addition to Heracles and Hera, the side characters, such as Athena, add richness and depth to the narrative. Athena's presence injects humor, wisdom, and unexpected twists that keep the story engaging and lively. Her interactions with the main characters provide a balance of levity amidst the more serious undertones of the tale, reminding readers that even in the most challenging of journeys, there is room for laughter and camaraderie.

The atmospheric settings of Olympus, Thebes, and various other locales are vividly described, offering readers a window into the world of the Gods, Goddesses, mortals, and mythical creatures that populate this retelling. Wiswell's detailed descriptions of these environments create a sense of immersion, transporting readers right alongside the characters as they navigate their trials and tribulations. The tension within these settings reflects the broader themes of the narrative, illustrating the complexities of divine and mortal interactions and the ever-present challenges that arise from ambition, jealousy, and the quest for identity.

The writing itself is reflective, descriptive, immersive, and deeply emotional, allowing readers to not just read the tale of Heracles but to fully inhabit the worlds of Greek mythology, heroes, and the concept of found families. The plot follows Heracles as he embarks on the monumental journey of completing twelve tasks, each infused with modern twists that both pay homage to the original myths and provoke readers to contemplate timeless themes of love, family, and the true essence of strength.

Wiswell's retelling is rich with lessons about resilience, the importance of found family, and the dangers of judging others based on fleeting impressions or rumors. It encourages readers to look within themselves to discover their true purpose and calling in life, emphasizing that strength is not merely a physical attribute but also encompasses emotional and mental fortitude.

Ultimately, John Wiswell transforms a classic hero's tale about a demi-god endowed with immense strength and courage into a beautifully relatable and humorous narrative that explores the ups and downs of life, the nuances of family dynamics, and the profound realization that true strength lies not only in outward appearances but also in the inner resolve to reflect, learn, grow, impact others, and move forward even in the face of overwhelming odds. Through this modern retelling, readers are invited to reconsider what it means to be a hero in today’s world, making the story of Heracles not just a tale of ancient mythology, but a relevant exploration of the human experience.

Thank you Netgalley, Author, and Publisher for a E-ARC copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This retelling of the myth of Heracles/Hercules as a found family tale was delightful. The way the labors/hero's journey becomes a way of finding the weirdest family ever is a fresh take on this. And the characterization of the Greek gods as fallible, but still able to learn and improve was delightful, as too many myths have them with all the human flaws, but none of the good parts of being human, like growth and change.

Absolutely incredible. This retelling of the myth of Hercules is an emotional rollercoaster that broke me into pieces and then slowly put me back together. I love reading retellings of Greek mythology and Wearing the Lion is the best one I’ve read since Circe - and that’s saying something. John Wiswell explores the grief and guilt entrenched in the story of Heracles in such a unique way that wrecked my feelings in the best possible way.
In an absolute masterclass of writing, the book starts off funny and raunchy before becoming heartbreakingly tragic, exploring the psyche of Hera and Heracles after the death of Heracles’ children, and ends with a heartwarming discovery of a new family for Heracles to help him move past his trauma. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book this short that takes you through such an intense gauntlet of emotion with such beauty. Wiswell’s writing is filled with subtle choices that blow me away with their elegance and convey emotion that I’d never expect. The prose as a whole is gorgeous, and Wiswell has an amazing ability to put you in the shoes of his characters and to make you feel their pain, love, and grief.
The character development of both protagonists is beautiful and seeing them change and grow throughout the novel was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Seeing Hera transform from the cruelhearted mythological figure she tends to be portrayed as into someone willing to take accountability for her actions and try to make up for her mistakes was inspiring and a refreshingly unique take.
The inversion of each of the labours of Heracles from acts of violence to those of love and acceptance were heartwarming and were such a unique way of bringing Heracles a new family to help him heal from the trauma of losing his first one.
Wearing the Lion is an incredible book from an incredible author and I can’t wait to read more from Wiswell in the near future.

Greek mythology was not what I expected coming up next from John Wiswell after "Someone You Can Build a Nest In" but I am 100% here for it. "Wearing the Lion" is unlike other current Greek mythology novels, for it is less of a retelling and more of a reimagining of known myths. Still, if mythology retellings (think Madeline Miller or Jennifer Saint) are not your thing, I wouldn't recommend this one either, because all these books do have the same basis after all. So do expect a lot of Greek Gods and Goddesses and their schemes, mythical monsters and the heroes that are sent to slay them, and mortals with big families whose stories span many, many years.

This story follows Hera and Heracles as equal protagonists in alternating chapters. Hera, Queen of Olympos and Goddess of Family, is sick of her ever cheating and child-siring husband, so she decides to focus all her anger on Zeus' latest insult to her: the demigod Heracles. Heracles, however, is completely unaware of his aunt's hate towards him and is even a devout follower of hers. Honestly, that made for one of the most interesting dynamics I've ever read about, and I think that both characters were very well developed. Heracles starts out as a bright-eyed himbo of sorts but is soon changed by tragedy. Hera, who is supposed to watch over mothers and families and children, is hate-filled towards Heracles since the day he was born and wants to cause him harm. But when she ultimately goes too far in her actions, she is feeling guilty and doesn't really know how to act upon it. Instead of answering Heracles' prayers she sets up the 12 labors, so he might never learn the truth. I really liked how both characters changed but still stayed true to themselves in some way. Although he has every reason to, Heracles is not looking for revenge but for answers. He doesn't turn violent, and so he doesn't fight the monsters he's supposed to but helps and befriends them instead. The result is a strange but very lovely found family of misunderstood creatures. Hera's family (aka the Gods of Olympos) was very interesting as well. While she is Queen of the Gods and commands many of them, she is also mostly frustrated by them and has only few confidants. I wasn't the biggest fan of Hera's crude language that's a result of her constant annoyance, but I think I prefer it to the Gods speaking super posh or all lyrical or something. (But for real: According to my kindle the phrase "my dipshit husband" was used 41 times, and that's at least 40 too often if you ask me.) The portrayal of Godhood itself was great as well, with the fast passage of time, the shapeshifting into basically everything, and the overseeing of the mortal realm. And I loved the way how the Gods worked their domains and how they could switch from watching from above to walking among the humans in an instant. With things like these, the book really held my attention throughout the entire story. And even though the story didn't span Heracles' entire life, everything wrapped up nicely and provided closure in the end. Truly a great read for me.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another outstanding book from John Wiswell! This is the inside scoop on all the drama on Mt. Olympus - mythology always did kind of read like a reality show and now we've got front row seats. The labors of Heracles were nowhere near this interesting, or this human, when I studied them in school. Wiswell gets into the whys of all those wild stunts, and makes them personal and relatable in ways you never expect. A healthy dose of quirky monsters rounds out the cast of narcissistic Olympians, flawed humans, and one unwilling hero. Both funny and touching, the book takes its readers on as wild a ride as its characters. I can't wait to read it again!

Taking a story everyone thinks they already know and re-interpreting it in a way that feels both fresh and familiar is an impossibly difficult task. One might even call it Herculean. Puns aside though, I loved this story and the amount of heart Wiswell brought to his motley crew of found family made their adventures endlessly charming and joyful to read.

Like all great stories, this one touches on incredible tragedy and the CWs should be taken to heart; but as a person who is usually extremely sensitive to CWs such as these, I thought the care and attention given to the nuances of this particular grief made its depiction exceptionally well done.

The various characters were developed well and while mythology itself often casts them as two dimensional, Wiswell does so much to flesh them out and make them much more nuanced. I loved the interactions between these various figureheads of mythology and loved especially seeing their characters develop and change throughout the story.

Wiswell seems to deeply understand the role mythology plays in people not just being entertained, but also learning about their own humanity through the lens of gods and monsters. This story had me cackling with its irreverence and crying with its raw depictions of grief and just about everything in between. I loved John Wiswell’s first book and loved this one at least as much, if not more. I can’t wait to see what he comes out with next!

Thank you to John Wiswell and DAW for this ARC in exchange for my review.

☆ Fun Factor 5/5
☆ Writing Style 5/5
☆ Characters 5/5
☆ Plot 4/5
☆ Setting 4/5
☆ Feels 5/5 (It made me laugh, it punched me in the guts, then it kissed my booboos better)
☆ Spiciness 1/5 (some fun stuff with Aphrodite and Ares)

If this were a movie it'd be rated: PG-13 for lots of swearing, scary situations, and mild violence

☆FOR FANS OF: Disney's Hercules, Greek Myths, and tongue in cheek sense of humor comedy (This isn't my usual genre please don't be mad at me that I don't have book recs)

Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆/5

☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ Tied between Heracles and Hera and a big shout out to the characterization of Apollo as a domain stealing god because it's so true.

Review: Heracles with a lot of heart

One thing about me that all my friends know is that I hate, hate, hate retellings with a fiery passion. It is RARE that I would ever want a retelling of myths, and especially the Greek myths so near and dear to my heart.

THIS ONE THOUGH. This one is funny and has a heart of gold. I really loved this one. It doesn't take itself seriously at all and is written in a really quippy, zany style. Hera calls Zeus her "dipshit husband" and has so much contempt for her fellow Olympians, I was actually laughing outloud for that first 25%. Then if you know the myths of Heracles, you know it gets dark. I WAS GUTTED. But then it all gets better. You're not going to pass an exam on the Labors of Heracles from reading this, but this particular retelling of it paints Heracles as someone who wants to be gentle and to heal from his pain.

Also the Nimean Lion is named Purrseus, please. That's one of the greatest things I've read in along time. I'll be recommending this to friends with a sense of humor, for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this early ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

Very enjoyable greek myth retelling. It feels modern and yet, still respectful of the original material. Wiswell has a knack to mix humour with horrific things, as well as writing characters who do thing we condone and still managing to make us care about them (here, Hera).

The story structure and reinventing of Heracles tasks were well done, making the story interesting with nice twists, refreshing a story I know very well. The tone is light without shying from hard things, showing trauma and anger as well as being broken very well. Hera's arc was convincing too. Like I said, I struggled with her at first, with her actions and positions. I still struggle with her but I understand how she could make the choice she did. The other gods were great too. Some are more on the scene and developed better, other were more in the background, making it easy to follow. Their relationships was funny and tense, with scheming and secrets, keeping my attention.

Heracles was cute. Good hearted, strong willed, wanting to do good. And yet, not too mellow or soft either. He has that stubborn pacifist vibe, which was really redreshing in a way I wasn't expecting.

This story should appeal to people loving mythology, well thought and light (but not only) story !

Wiswell demonstrates absolute mastery of the literary smash cut a number of times, always to great effect. This is a kind, hopeful retelling of the story of Heracles, diverging from the classic myths in ways that don't change the overall arc but do impact the emotional core and give the characters more depth, complexity, and growth than mythology allows

4 stars!

John Wiswell is shaping up to be a reliably charming author! This is truly a greek myth retelling like you've never seen before.

Heracles is quite possible the bane of Hera's existence, but blind to this Heracles worships her incessantly. When Hera's rage finally pushes her to meddle in his life, Heracles attempts to rebuild his family from the ashes in his wake. Are we doing cozy greek myth retellings now? Is that a thing? Anyway, this was delightful and full of the humor I expected based on Wiswell's debut novel. I do think I preferred Someone You Can Build A Nest In by a slight margin just because generally the horror elements in that are more up my alley than greek myth retellings which definitely aren't my favorite. Still, the shifting perspectives, references to second person, and at some points experimental writing lend some artistic flair to this otherwise pretty simple premise. I think it dragged a little in the middle but there's some truly gorgeous writing at the beginning and ends of the book.

Super cute and I can't wait to see what John Wiswell writes next!

Thank you to John Wiswell and DAW for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

Wearing the Lion is a masterfully written and deeply introspective retelling that not only captures the essence of Greek mythology but also adds new layers of meaning to the characters we thought we knew. Wiswell’s work is a must-read for anyone who loves mythology and enjoys a beautifully crafted story with heart.