The BookBrowse Review

Published July 31, 2024

ISSN: 1930-0018

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Contents

In This Edition of
The BookBrowse Review

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Editor's Introduction
Reviews
Hardcovers Paperbacks
First Impressions
Latest Author Interviews
Recommended for Book Clubs
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Literary Fiction


Historical Fiction


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Essays


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Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History


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True Crime


Travel & Adventure


Other


Young Adults

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Extras
  • Blog:
    The New York Times Best 100 Books of the 21st Century: How Does BookBrowse's Coverage Compare?
  • Wordplay:
    It's R C A D
  • Book Giveaway:
    Smothermoss by Alisa Alering
Book Jacket

Hera
A Novel
by Jennifer Saint
13 Aug 2024
400 pages
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Critics:

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.

"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

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.

Other books by this author at BookBrowse:

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