Fantastic story. A retelling of Hades and Persephone that explores stereotypical gender roles and yet doesn't feel feminist in a preachy way.
Kore was a wonderful character with her subtle manipulations and controlled rage whilst Hades was the biggest cinnamon roll without being emasculated.
The plot, the banter and the chemistry all just made it so much better.
Loved it.

Girl, Goddess, Queen is a powerful, evocative coming-of-age novel that takes readers on a deeply emotional and transformative journey through the life of its protagonist, set against a backdrop of lush, complex relationships and a strikingly vivid world. Bea Fitzgerald’s debut is a captivating exploration of identity, womanhood, and the ties that bind—whether with family, society, or the self.

The story follows a young girl named Verity, who is growing up in a world where power dynamics, magic, and tradition intertwine. The novel is structured in a series of chapters that span different moments in Verity’s life, blending the fantastical with the deeply personal. Fitzgerald’s prose is rich and poetic, and she weaves intricate narratives about love, loss, and self-discovery, creating a world that feels both real and magical.

One of the standout elements of the book is Verity’s evolution. Her character arc is stunning, and readers will find themselves invested in her growth as she navigates a world that often feels beyond her control. The relationships in her life, especially with her family and the women around her, are complex and often fraught with tension, yet they also offer profound moments of connection and understanding.

Fitzgerald’s exploration of the themes of goddesshood, femininity, and how women are shaped by the world they inhabit adds layers of depth to the story. The magical elements of the world feel natural rather than fantastical, and the novel’s atmosphere is dreamlike yet grounded in the emotional reality of its characters.

Girl, Goddess, Queen is an unforgettable read for those who enjoy character-driven stories that combine lush, imaginative worlds with poignant explorations of personal and social transformation. Fans of thought-provoking and beautifully written fiction will find this novel a deeply moving experience, one that lingers long after turning the final page.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to access an eARC.

What a brilliant book that is written so well! I am a sucker for Greek myth retelling and I have read many of them and I really enjoyed this one! The characters were very well written and I think were the reason I felt really immersed in the story. It detailed really complex relationships that are more than just romantic ones. I really think that this is a brilliant Young Adult book for girls and young women as the author seems to really enjoy,power her main character.

This was a fun and unique take on the story of Hades and Persephone (which is a tale I absolutely adore). I really liked Fitzgerald's take on these characters and it was nice to see Persephone fight for what she wanted and believed in. I also really enjoyed how Hades was written and I'm here for a softer Hades!
I will admit that I think this book was absolutely bit underwhelming for me and that's most likely due to the hype that surrounded it. Still a fun read and I'm excited to read her next book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't really my cup of tea although I can recognise and recommend it to other people. I think I've maybe just read too many other books to compare this theme too and it just wasn't for me this time. Did not finish.

This was so enjoyable!!

The relationship between Hades and Persephone was gorgeous and so refreshing. I loved the interrogation of stereotypes it presented.
The story itself was fun and the writing paced beautifully.
I think it would make a great read for a YA girl in particular. It handles female desire and consent in a great way. I would definitely recommend.

This was an unexpectedly fun read! A retelling of the myth of Persephone and Hades with real character. I loved how the relationship between the two developed – it felt fresh and compelling. This book reinvents their story to a passionate love story. Peresphone is a character to be reckoned with and takes control of her own destiny; she absolutely seemed capable of overthrowing Zeus.
I was surprised by the name change - this was something that I did not know about the myth. Reader may well know this myth, but I think they will be pleasantly surprised by this version. It feels modern and applaudable reinventing Persephone as powerful rather than victim.
The introduction starts with trigger warnings – their passion is quite graphic in places, but I don’t think there is anything that a YA market will feel alarmed by.

A confident and charismatic retelling of the mythological story of Persephone, Girl, Goddess, Queen, brilliantly captures the original story while giving much-needed agency and power to Persephone herself in a way that is a breath of fresh air.

The romance is also incredibly swoon-worthy - Hades and Persephone were meant for each other.

There is a tale that Hades kidnapped Persephone or fored her to live in the Underworld, causing much distress to her Mother, Demeter, and Father, Zeus

However, here we get the real story, where Kores parents are trying to force her into a marriage, and it'll likely be the one to benefit them most, not Kore

So Kore makes a bold move, she literally jumps into the Underworld and ensures Hades be nice to her using Xenia, an ancient hospitality law

But little do either of them know what Kores presence in the Underworld will do, and how it'll affect everyone, including to two of them...

I enjoyed this story so much! Definitely one of the best Hades and Persephone retellings I've read so far. I loved growing (No pun intended) with Kore and finding her place in the (under)world

Can't wait to read the new book by Bea with a new retelling!

I loved this book! I didn't have the highest expectations, thinking it would be a generic YA fantasy as popular on TIkTOk. However, this was a really well written, nuanced, beautiful piece of work. I loved the take on Hades and Persephone. I adored the feminist tones, the attack on the patriarchy, the discussions around dealing with difficult parents, the kindness and empathy expressed in every one of Hades lines. Ah- delightful! I can't wait to read her next book!

I don't know why it took me so long to pick up this novel, it was phenomenal. But it was also nothing like I imagined it was going to be. Somehow I'd already created a plot for this book in my head and it didn't fit at all, it was definitely ten times better. The chemistry was just otherworldy, I could barely cope to put this down, I was just desperate for the lovers to actual fall in love and to declare their love. I was addicted to this book until the end. I honestly can't wait for the next book the author releases, there is high expectations but I genuinely believe Bea can accomplish them.

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did but was so so glad that I did.

Being a Hades x Persephone retelling is quite a difficult thing to do especially given that most Greek mythology retellings feature this specific couple. And although I have read a few, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.

Bea Fitzgerald had a way of making this book unique it it's own way while still staying true to a Hades x Persephone story.

Persephone as a main character in this book was fabulous. She was strong and confident and I immensely enjoyed reading about this version of her. It set this book aside in it's own way and really contributed to its enjoyable nature.

The slow burn in this book was perfect. It was almost Mariana Zapata paced especially given the Marriage of convenice that took place in this book. The pining and will they/won't they in Girl Goodess Queen was so much fun to read, especially since it was quite apparent how much Persephone tried to excuse her attraction to Hades for something else.

Overall, I thought this book was a fun yet introspective retelling of the classic Hades x Persephone retelling. It was definitely one that I would recommend.

Read if you love:
Hades x Persephone, Ya fantasy, Marriage of convenience, Slow burn romances.

Couldn’t put this down, what a fantastic and fresh retelling.

The writing absolutely transports you, everything is so descriptive it feels like you are there recreating new parts of the underworld with Persephone - just stunning.

The banter was everything, the side characters fantastically written (Styx is by far my favorite character) and the political intrigue in the courts fascinating.

Overall it was fun, it was unique and fresh and just a greek mythology retelling of Hades and Persephone like you haven’t read before! Highly recommend!

I'm not very familiar with the Hades and Persephone original story, the extent of my knowledge is the Starcrossed but I really enjoyed this version. I loved the characters and the girl power feel that it had to it, you could also tell even with my limited knowledge that the author has done a lot of research, I'm looking forward to seeing what more is to come from her.

Couldn’t put this down, what a fantastic and fresh retelling.

The feminism, hard girl boss style going from Kore who has no options but to marry to Persephone, Queen of Hell. This book just annihilates toxic masculinity and that was amazing to read. This is the first retelling where Hades’ personality was painted so differently and while we all love a dark Hades, this soft, artistic beautiful and kind Hades was a breathe of fresh air! I really enjoyed this concept of him being the more quiet and preferring paint brushes over war god. What a twist.

The writing absolutely transports you, everything is so descriptive it feels like you are there recreating new parts of the underworld with Persephone. Absolutely stunning.

The banter was everything, the side characters fantastically written (Styx is by far my favorite character) and the political intrigue in the courts fascinating.

Overall it was fun, it was unique and fresh and just a greek mythology retelling of Hades and Persephone like you haven’t read before! Highly recommend!

Super fun read - not usually one for the Greek myths but the work put behind this book has been huge that it was hard to miss!

Girl, Goddess, Queen is a really interesting fake dating (my favourite trope!!) retelling of Hades and Persephone and I found it to be interesting right from the start! It was also really refreshing to see Hades in a different light, a softer Hades and I absolutely loved his character! I really enjoyed the descriptions of the setting as it really allowed me to immerse myself in to this world that Fitzgerald has created.

This entire book had me gripped and I can’t wait to see what Bea Fitgerald comes out with next!

I loved this so much more than I was expecting to! The popularity of Hades/Persephone as a romance has always disturbed me a little (incest, rape and abduction may be par for the course in mythology but it's definitely not something I'm going to hold up to teenagers as a template for love and romance), but I really enjoy the authors TikTok takes on Greek myth, so had to give it a go. I'm so glad I did - a thoughtful content warning at the start sets the tone for this modern, feminist take where the agency is given to Persephone. Both of the leads are well drawn and there are surprises aplenty even if you are familiar with the original story. The many. many issues rife in the familiar tale are cleverly and plausibly dealt with here, I hate it when reviews give too much of a plot away so I won't say more - only repeat that this is not the dubious romance you'd be forgiven for expecting. Whip smart and at turns funny and poignant this is well worth the read.

from the moment i knew that this was going to be a hades and persephone retelling of sorts, i just knew i had to get my hands on this book.

and boy was i not disappointed.

this story follows our two obvious protagonists, hades and persephone but there are some distinctions between this pair and the one we’ve come to know.

hades in this book was more of a “soft boy” and i was so enamoured with him. while still a brooding love interest (of course he is), i found his relationship with kore / persephone refreshing. the aforementioned on the other hand, was definitely a thorn in hades’ side and i was yearning to read more about them.

An instant 5 stars for this and top spot as both my favourite Greek retelling I’ve read and one of my favourite books of 2023. The writing is truly fantastic - witty and clever but thought provoking at the same time. It was almost like I FELT this story as I was reading it. It was one where I didn’t want to put it down but also never wanted it to end. So so good.