Many thanks to my friends at @simon.audio and @scribnerbooks for #gifted free copies of this book.  

Some books lend to the very best of discussions.  And this one made for some of the best that I’ve had all year! 

 

Evocative.  Dark.  This modernized reimagining of Hades & Persephone had me cringing at the same time it had me deep in thought.  

 

Cory, our naïve Persephone, on the precipice of adulthood is easily lured by a rich older man with money.  And he, Rolo- our Hades, is eager to use his power to indulge and manipulate.

 

This is a fever dream of a storyline riding bizarre streams through a hazy consciousness.  And given the themes of indulgence, particularly with drugs and alcohol, that felt fitting. 

 

Yet, for me, the writing never quite enticed, and I can’t honestly say that I enjoyed this read.  

 

Ah, but the messaging... absolutely impeccable!!!  Lyon deftly explores themes of power, wealth, extravagance, and consumption. And that exploration led to some of the deepest and best conversations with book friends. 

 

Not many books leave me as perplexed as this one.  I didn’t enjoy the journey.  But I greatly enjoyed dissecting the modern implications of these themes.  

 

🎧 For those of you, like me, that need proper punctuation, the audiobook is absolutely the way to go.  As a bonus, it’s dually narrated by two of the best:  Carlotta Brentan and Joy Osmanski.  Where my enjoyment waned in the storyline, these performances, filled with tension and emotion, kept me engaged.