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Book Summary and Reviews of Hera by Jennifer Saint

Hera by Jennifer Saint

Hera

A Novel

by Jennifer Saint

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Published:
  • Aug 2024, 400 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Ariadne, Elektra, and Atalanta, a propulsive, empowering retelling of Hera, reclaiming her as a feminist hero

Even the gods must have their queen.

When the immortal goddess Hera and her brother Zeus overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side. But as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera begins to see that Zeus is just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed. While Zeus ascends, Hera is relegated to the role of wife and mother, a role she never wanted. She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?

In this enthralling retelling, Greek mythology's most famous and maligned goddess finally tells her own story, as power, passion, and divine strength collide in the heart of Olympus.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
  1. What was your sense of Hera before reading this novel? Has your understanding of her life and character changed? If so, how? Did you come away with a very different understanding of any of the other characters here? Discuss.
  2. As a goddess, Hera experiences time differently from mortals. How does Jennifer Saint capture that in these pages? How else does Hera uniquely perceive the world, compared to mortals?
  3. Zeus names Hera the goddess of marriage and motherhood. How does Hera's understanding of her role evolve over the course of the novel? What about her personal views of marriage and motherhood?
  4. Hera has very complex relationships with her children. What kind of mother is she? Why does she feel so differently ...
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Reviews

Media Reviews

"The gods of Olympus deliver Real Housewives–level drama in this juicy interpretation of Greek myth from bestseller Saint…As Hera strives to outmaneuver her self-obsessed, rage-filled husband, the unruly pantheon surrounding her engage in Machiavellian power plays, one-upmanship, and petty vendettas. Readers will savor the theatrics." ―Publishers Weekly

"In Hera, Saint recasts the goddess as a powerful, cunning deity in her own right, rather than just the petty, jealous wife of Zeus…Feels like a necessary and overdue corrective." ―The New York Times

"Jennifer Saint has such a distinctive stamp on the genre of Greek mythological retellings―the narratives are captivating and choose interesting new takes on familiar stories. Saint turns her eye to the Queen of the Gods in this nuanced take on misdirected wrath and humanizing a complex, otherworldly figure…Hera is another marvel of a mythological retelling." ―The Nerd Daily

"I didn't think I could love Jennifer Saint's books more... and then she wrote Hera. Hera is an exceptional achievement...One of the most original, thought-provoking meditations on ancient mythology I have ever encountered." ―Elodie Harper, author of The Temple of Fortuna

"Saint has a knack of making even the immortals relatable and she brings this most dysfunctional of families into vivid life in her thrilling depiction of a much misunderstood Goddess." ―Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Disobedient

"A sweeping, epic story of Greek mythology's most complex goddess. Saint weaves her own original threads into the ancient tales, resulting in a story that is subtle, nuanced, and utterly gorgeous." ―Sarah Underwood, author of Lies We Sing to the Sea

This information about Hera was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Jennifer Saint Author Biography

Photo: Katie Byram Photography

Due to a lifelong fascination with Ancient Greek mythology, Jennifer Saint studied classics at King's College, London. She spent the next thirteen years as an English teacher, sharing a love of literature and creative writing with her students. She is the #1 internationally bestselling author of Hera, Atalanta, Elektra, and Ariadne.

Link to Jennifer Saint's Website

Other books by Jennifer Saint at BookBrowse
  • Elektra jacket
  • Ariadne jacket
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