For 9000 years, Persephone has split her year between the Earth and the Underworld. However, this spring the world is different. Roads are being laid through farmland, crops aren’t growing and her mother Demeter, the goddess of the harvest is powerless to stop the devastation. Persephone finds herself joining a group of protestors while her husband is desperate to drag her back beneath the earth. I thought that this book was really interesting in its attempts to blend mythology and contemporary issues such as climate change and industrialisation. In this book, the gods have more of a spiritual than a physical presence, as they seemed to inhabit contemporary characters rather than actually appear in their true forms, giving it a magical realism slant. I thought it was an interesting look at how the modern world is encroaching on nature and the changing ways of human life. It was actually quite jumbled and confused in its delivery but I thought the idea behind it was really thought-provoking.

I am a huge lover of mythology retellings but I didn't realise that this was a modern day retelling and I was so surprised. Unfortunately I have come to realise that these modern day retellings are not for me personally and I feel like the cover did mislead on this because whilst it's beautiful, it definitely gives off historical vibes. The characters were a little peculiar in the things they did and said and I felt like they weren't real in any way. I'm glad I gave it a go but I'm not convinced by ever trying another from this author or this kind of retelling.

While retellings of myths and legends are everywhere right now and I am enjoying them a lot this one was a little different as it brought the characters in to the 21st Century and used the story of Persephone and Demeter as an analogy to the way the world is dying through climate change.

I thought it was an interesting take on this new genre but for me I'd have rather had a full analogy or a proper retelling as I just couldn't quite suspend my disbelief in the mix of the two worlds - especially at the end.
While it wasn't entirely my cup of tea I think it will make a great book for book groups as there was lots to discuss in there

3.5/5
Objectively this was very impressive - from the decision to focus on motherhood and especially centralise the exploration of these myths around the relationship between Demeter and Persephone was superb, and the multifaceted exploration throughout the novel always felt careful, tender and in depth, while never feeling moralistic, one note, or as though it was siding with either one of the goddesses. This was such an original take on Greek myth and really brought it into the modern world (special mention to tying it into themes of urbanisation, deforestation and climate change, which felt particularly relevant in connection to these two goddesses). The eating disorder representation in this was incredibly woven in (albeit done a little bit too well, so definitely be aware of it before going into the novel, as I have to give a big TW for it).
What also got the wheels in my little brain spinning was the way the origins of these myths often feel so far away for these protagonists that they start to lose hold of the truth and their memory of events is altered by the telling and retelling of the stories over millennia - either the myths as humanity passes them on, or the smaller narratives of their own lives that they tell to themselves until their reality feels like the only reality.
The writing is stunning and lyrical, with enough gravitas to warrant a story such as this, but also approachable enough not to make reading the book a chore. I'd also say this is one you can jump into if you're curious without having any real prior knowledge of the Greek myths.
Not sure if I'd necessarily say I enjoyed this for the most part as much as I'd thought that I would when I first picked it up, but I still respect its merits.

I felt a little misled by the classical cover art as this story takes place in modern day. While this is a compltely unqiue retelling of the Persephone story I found myself not really caring (and she is my favourite myth). While the writing had pretty descriptions of nature I found myself confused when the narrative would suddenly switch to the past and back to the present, causing me to pause so I knew where we were in the timeline. The inclusion of activicm and environmental change was again a unique idea, but I felt irritated by this part of the story and didn't like the activits it introduced. Leading to the characters. There were good ideas (Demeter being an old vegetable garden lady & Zeus being a gross aged rockstar/groupie?) but the execution wasn't engaging. Effort went into Persephone and Demeter, but I still don't get them as characters due to the shifting narratives. THe other characters wer just empty talking shells to me with one track on their mind, particularly Snow.
I feel cheated that this great idea didn't fuful what I expected from it. A fun fast pace Ancient Greek story in the modern day. Instead I got a slow sluggish book about characters with Greek myth names but nothing fantastical about them.

Ran out of time to read this before it was archived but loved what I had started!! Will be looking out for a physical copy for sure. Very sorry to have missed this opportunity. - thank you so much for the ARC!

Persephone divided her time between her husband and mother for the last nine thousand years. But this year, when she returns to the surface, she finds the surrounding world different. The underground river is flooding, the crops fail, and the seasons seem out of Demeter’s control. Also, there are people in the woods protesting against the new road that would go straight through Demeter’s house...

No Season but the Summer takes the popular myth of Hades and Persephone into our modern world. The novel stands out from the other retellings as it shifts the focus towards the relationship between mother and daughter. It also looks at the story from a new perspective— climate change. With the seasons in chaos, the spring would probably arrive without godly intervention, making the deal between Hades and Demeter void. When it comes to Persephone, she is looking for something that would define her not as someone’s wife or daughter but as herself. What I enjoyed in this book is a woman's voice finally building her own narrative, independent from the possessive husband and the overprotective mother. The novel diverts from what I understood as the original myth, but it is a fascinating story.

I’ve read quite a few books based of Greek mythology but this one is a real stand out with a unique take.

The myth of Hades and Persephone is retold but the book mostly focuses on continuing Persephone and Demeter’s story in a modern day Oxford. The Greek Gods no longer have the powers and I really enjoyed the glimpses the book offers into what some of them would be getting up to now, and felt their portrayal was incredibly true to much of their characterisation in mythology!

While the relationship between between Hades and Persephone is the focus of many retellings, what I enjoyed most about this book is how the relationship between Persephone and Demeter takes centre stage instead. The story is told from both of their points of view and explores them as individual, complex women and their complicated dynamic as mother and daughter.

Modern day environmental activism is also a strong theme of the book. With Greek gods being so linked to the natural world, hung them to explore the environmental issues the world faces today truly makes perfect sense.

This book deals with some heavy topics but it never felt too bogged down by it. With that in mind, there are quite a few trigger warnings so please check them out before reading.

Not sure about this Greek retelling. It’s a wonderful idea to modernise the gods and their stories but this feels more like an add-on to the story. It’s a tad confusing jumping back and forth between old and new but it’s interesting to see the god interact in our modern world. The gods we know and love to hate, this book shows a different side to them all.

i have seen so many rave reviews around this book and i am an absolute sucker for a greek mythology retelling, never mind the fact that persephone and hades are one of my favourite mythological couples.
i have never read a greek myth set in the current day- it took me by surprise reading about these ancient characters holding a sainsburys bag for example! i thought the relationships were written really well, especially the mother-daughter one.
i would have loved a tiny bit of magic injected into the story.

I am conflicted in my views on No Season but the Summer. I enjoyed the fresh aspect of ancient gods Demeter, Persephone, Hades, Zeus living in current day Oxford and the conflicts they face. It added a different level to these characters. Especially Hades. He was given a revamp that made him almost animal-like. Not sure how I felt about that but it worked here in context. Zeus...hilarious. Spot on!

But, given Demeter and Persephone have been doing this seasonal dance for thousands of years it just seemed tired? I didn't especially click with either of them and didn't feel invested in their fight (though in principle I am always against tearing down ancient, mature trees to put in a road). Demeter for all her protestations re: Hades and 'the deal' didn't seem too keen on her daughter when she was with her. She just cracked on with her veg patch and ignoring 'progress'. And Persephone just seemed wet, a cardboard cutout of a character. She belonged nowhere and didn't seem happy regardless where she was. The activist angle was interesting but it felt pointless. I wanted our gods to correct the imbalance of human existence somehow. I was worn down by the constant rehash of past events over and over again. Therapy would have helped them all immeasurably.

Persephone spends six months of the year with her husband in the realm of Hades and the rest with her mother, Demeter, on Earth. It has been this way for nine thousand years and drives the seasons. However this year is different, the weather is wrong and Demeter seems to be losing her power. As Persephone expands her horizons she begins to realise that all this time she hasn't had a choice, and now she has.
This is a modern interpretation of an age-old myth and offers a refreshing slant on the current obsession with Greek legends. The updating to include climate change and over-development is interesting and the strong feminist slant is welcome.

This is such an interesting take on the Hades and Persephone myth wherein 9000 years after everything happened, the gods find themselves in the present day and a world in which nature, corrupted by humans, is no longer in the power of the gods. And without Demeter’s threat to starve the humans, the deal that has seen Persephone split her time in the underworld and on earth for the last few millennia is ready to be renegotiated.

I loved this idea and my favourite thing about the book was the fierce examination of what that arrangement actually means: nine thousand years of never feeling settled, being tossed from person to person, mother and husband, and always being the one leaving and never the one left behind. Persephone is tired, checked out and resigned to her existence. It’s a nice parallel to the powerlessness a lot of us feel in the face of climate change and it’s encountering a group of protestors that sparks the desire in Persephone for something in her own life to change too. All the gods have faded, losing their powers and living quaint lives in an ever changing world but this summer, something is changing.

There’s a lot in here about cycles and nature, about food and harvest as an act of love but also, for Demeter, as a way of enacting her power over both the world and her daughter. And it’s incredibly immersive - transporting you to the British countryside where you can almost feel the kettle on and the trees falling outside.

For a book that tackled a lot of big topics, it felt particularly introspective and almost peaceful examination of taut relationships - which felt fitting for characters who after 9000 years are used to taking their time. A very different, original and insightful examination of the myth!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Scribe UK for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: eating disorders, mentions of rape and sexual assault, death, violence, pregnancy

I've never read a book like "No Season but the Summer" before but I absolutely adored it. This is a Greek mythology retelling spanning nine thousand years from the ancient world of mythology to the modern day of England. For nine thousand years, Persephone (goddess of spring and the Queen of the Dead) has spent six months of the year with her mother, Demeter, and the other six with her husband, Hades. So much time has passed that Persephone is uncertain of what really happened, just as Demeter- goddess of the grain- is convinced of the stories she spread in the years she spent searching fruitlessly for her daughter. Things are different this year when Persephone returns in spring to find that a brand new road is to be built on her mother's land. Demeter is unconcerned, she has lived through worse like the creation of farming technology, but soon protestors protecting the environment descend on the land. With it comes the warning from Hades himself, Demeter's control over the seasons means nothing in a modern world, and soon he will be coming for Persephone for good. In the middle of this, Persephone meets a protesting man named Snow and realises that for nine thousand years, she's had no say in the conflict between her goddess mother and husband.

I can't begin to describe how incredible this book is, weaving mythology and history seamlessly together with a story about the damage humanity has done to the world. At its heart is the relationship between mother and daughter- Persephone who ran into the dark with Hades and sought out the dead and Demeter, who loves so fiercely that she pulls in everyone close to the point they have no freedom. They're so old and tangled that Persephone struggles to remember if she went willingly, while Demeter puts everything she has into hating Hades and refusing to give up her daughter again. I loved the representation of the other Greek gods too, as they're coming to realise they have no purpose either; the scene with Zeus at Download music festival is definitely one that will stick with me. To know this is a debut novel makes the storytelling all the more incredible and I can't wait to see what this author might write next.

Unfortunately as much as I love a Greek Myth retelling, this one just didn't really work for me.
I think my main issue was the writing style. To me, it felt like it was trying too hard to be flowery and poetic, but it just came off as a bit clumsy and disjointed. Dual perspectives didn't help either, as it really hindered the flow of Persephone's story. Also, although I don't mind a mother/daughter dynamic, it's not my favourite kind of relationship in stories - especially when there's an emphasis on 'children make your life complete'.

Also, while I got that the author wanted to put across a message regarding climate change and the current state of the world, I didn't think this came across in as impactful a way as it could have. A lot of the same points kept being repeated.

An interesting idea, but I don't think it quite achieved what the author wanted it to for me.

This is the retelling I've been looking for - it is excellent.

I love the resurgence of love for the Greek myths, but many of them seem to lose the spark of true brilliance and I had been getting a little fed up of them. Enter No Season But The Summer.

The author has taken her time writing and editing this book for over a decade and it SHOWS. The writing is that incredible kind where you forget you're reading. The world building and set up of these ancient gods in modern day Oxford is so believable that every time you meet one you're like 'yes, that's EXACTLY who you would be now'. The thought and attention to detail that has gone into the characterisation and the development of the sense of time and setting and place just makes this a joy to read.

Is it odd to think of Demeter planting a veg patch and feeding chickens in Oxford? Yes. Once Leyser introduces you to this idea of who she would be now, do you start thinking of similar women you've met wondering about their potential immortality? Yes. It works. It works because this book has clearly been written so carefully and passionately that the reader is fully pulled into it.

The book is something like Lore Olympus meets American Gods meets David Attenborough's A Life On Our Planet. Its a combination I didn't know I needed but could not put down. I read till 2am to finish it because I didn't want to look away. I felt like I was down in a hollowed out tunnel making a stand against Hades - how would I have gotten to sleep?

The thing I love most though is that this is a fully activist retelling. The words 'feminist retelling' get slapped on every cover when often what the book contains is...a story with a female narrator. They aren't the same thing. This book stands firmly and proudly as one which actually delves into, struggles with and tries to change issues of female independence, the growth of a person, the desperate need for environmental activism and the pain and love contained in the life of a mother.

This is the best retelling I've read in so, so long. Pick this one up, it's excellent.

2.5 rounded to 3.

I love a Greek myth retelling and I was excited for a story on Persephone and Demeter but I have mixed feelings on this book.

The concept was really interesting and the decision to set the story in the present day was different to what I’ve seen in Greek myth retellings. As well as the decision to implement current issues such as climate change - this was a big one and the main theme of the novel alongside mother/daughter relationships. The execution of this didn’t really work for me.

I read Greek myth retellings for the mythological aspects and this novel was really lacking in that. It was too… human.

I’m also not a fan of any kind of pregnancy trope - I don’t relate to it and don’t care about it.

And SNOW, oh my god, why was he even a character? He was the worst! So self involved and self righteous. I did not care about the relationship there and there was nothing good about it? I would literally roll my eyes whenever Snow made an appearance.

Some good ideas and great themes in the novel but ultimately fell short of my expectations.

I don’t know if it’s the emo in me but I would die for Hades.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

A new take on a well known Greek myth, bringing it a new life for the modern community with two POV's which made for an incredibly enjoyable read.

I love Greek myth retellings so when I saw this up for request on Netgalley I immediately wanted to read it! Told in dual POVs between Demeter and Persephone, ultimately this book is about a mother's love for her child, and it was really beautiful. There is also a strong theme of climate change and global warming, which I haven't seen touched upon in a Greek myth retelling before and thought was really powerful.

This story spans from nine thousand years ago to present day England, and I have to admit that I did find myself lost at times as to what timeline we were in - the story does jump about quite a lot which was confusing. I also found some of the side characters to be, for lack of a better word, annoying, particularly Snow, but I could see what the author was doing with that character.

I also found that the author retells the setting of the Underworld in a way that I haven't seen before; it becomes very claustrophobic and trapping in this story, entirely in the dark, entirely lonely, and so I thought the scenes set there were so interesting because you could really feel Persephone's anxiety at being there. I also really loved Persephone as a character; she's been living two lives for the past 9000 years, and now it is finally her turn to figure out what she actually wants out of life, and I loved going on that journey with her.

I think that Matilda Leyser is definitely going to be a new big name in Greek myth retellings and I can't wait to see what she does next!