GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN  – BEA FITZGERALD 👑
 
A much-needed feminist retelling of Persephone and Hades’ story with a twist. This book pulled out all the stops. A 5 ⭐️ read for me- it literally ticks every aspect of what I love to read (see bio!!)
 
📖 The Gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying. The real story is much more interesting. Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped.
 
☁️ I’ve followed @chaosonolympus for ages because I adore her Greek mythology TikTok’s, so if you haven’t checked them out yet, you’re in for a treat. Bea has been promoting her story so well because I KNEW I needed to read it.
 
💕The romance between Hades and Persephone was such a gentle development. Hades broody and stand-off exterior melting away as we come to understand him. He is drawn to Persephone but respects her power, unlike her mother or father. The push and pull with a sneaky marriage of convivence had me kicking my feet with happiness.
 
The romance is A+ stuff but Persephone’s fierce and determined nature stole the show. Persephone is unapologetic in her views and a welcomed change amongst the horrors of Greek Mythology. I was pulled in from the first few pages and I adored how she found her inner Queen to fight for her own fate.
 
A stunning YA fanatasy debut novel and one I strongly recommend for Greek Mythology retelling fans.  I’m so excited to have the physical copy arrive on the 20th July 🥰
 
Thank you to @penguinplatform , Bea and @netgalley for an giving me access to an early copy!

I read this book so fast, I could not put it down. Persephone is wonderful and you can really see her grow throughout the book. Hades is Hades but a king with a heart of gold. A fabulous book with a bitter sweet ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for early access to an EPUB in exchange for an honest review.

Despite being an avid reader of the new Greek myth movement, I had yet to find a Persephone and Hades retelling so reading Bea Fitzgerald’s “Girl, Goddess, Queen” was like an ambrosia.
Fitzgerald has framed the novel from Kore/Persephone’s perspective so we’re with the young Goddess throughout, from falling into Hades to falling for Hades himself, and it does an excellent job of humanising her, making her instantly more relatable for us readers.
Many key moments from the original myth are present but it definitely reads as a modern take for a modern YA audience, even though the male dominance/subjugation is a tale as old as time.

It was purely joyful to experience Persephone’s bright and witty foil to Hades’ dark and brooding self, wonderfully not overdone or rushed into (which is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to romances); and who doesn’t love a tenuous agreement that leads to more? Irresistible.

Overall I found “Girl, Goddess, Queen” to be a fun novel, it’s a bit silly, it’s a bit serious, and it’s a little bit sexy; it’s both relatable and fantastic. I never wanted to stop reading because, even though I was familiar with the myth, I loved the characters so much that I just had to know! Many a bus stop was nearly missed.

Girl, Goddess, Queen is currently available for pre-order and will be published July 20th (UK) by Penguin.

Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital arc of this book.

So I went into this book expecting it to be similar to some of my favourite Greek retellings… and it was not this. Instead I got a modern, witty romance which whilst is not usually my thing at all I really enjoyed. I felt the author did rely on pre required knowledge of Greek mythology, Persephone and Hades a lot to support her story but I liked the romance element and also how Persephone had ideas and interests of her own that flourished. This book would be perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Scarlet St Clair. On StoryGraph I rated this book 3.25 stars.

3.5 stars

This was a fun read! I’m a fiend for anything to do with Greek mythology, especially a Hades/Persephone retelling, so I was immediately intrigued.

I enjoyed the snarky interactions between the characters and seeing how their relationship developed over time. I also thought the insight into more serious issues such as toxic masculinity was an interesting addition.

What dragged the rating down for me was the constant misunderstandings that I feel went on for too long. I found it pretty frustrating and just wanted them to use their words! I also found some of the language a little jarring at times, using terms like “bestie” and “Get it, girl.”

Overall, it was a fun new take on the myth, and I think it’ll go down very well upon release.

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!

You think you know the history, but this is her-story and Persephone was nobody's pawn.

To hell with love, this goddess has other plans...

Considering its Goodreads title is ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen: A Hades and Persephone fantasy romance from a growing TikTok superstar’ you might be surprised that I hadn’t actually heard of Bea and her stardom before. I don’t have TikTok and I went into the book after falling prey to a pretty cover and then being hooked by the blurb. That isn’t to say I had no expectations, a Hades and Persephone retelling- count me in! I love a good retelling, but it sets the bar high, especially Hades and Persephone which we’ve all seen before, so when I say I loved ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen’ I honestly cannot recommend this story enough.

Kore (Persephone) is facing an arranged marriage with whoever outbids the rest to marry (own) her, the illustrious flower goddess who has been locked away on Island to help ensure her purity (value and obedience). Yet, there’s one God with no tales of rape, bestiality and other ‘fun’ Godly pastime to his name and with one trick up her sleeve, he might just be her way out of this. It’s time to visit hell. Featuring slow-burn romance, a badass FMC and so much banter I loved Hades and Persephone’s ARC.

More than that though, this book is female rage done right. So often I feel like women aren’t allowed to be angry, in life and in books, too often the FMC has to come to terms that she won't always get what she wants, she can be upset and frustrated but she can’t let it out. But Persephone is angry, and she doesn’t understand why her mother and others aren’t, she’s done with others telling her that her path as a female is just how things are done. I loved following her journey, it fed something in me I didn’t realise I so desperately needed to see.

Bea is an excellent writer, the ease at which multiple myths and tales were weaved into the story, adding depth whilst still being easy to consume was amazing. The complexities of politics, history and religion all being at the forefront of family bonds (when it comes to Greek Gods it does become one and the same) all became brought to life. I loved the exploration of belief and the power of the believer, over the Gods and vice versa, highlighting as well, the importance of stories. As well as non-romantic, familial relationships. Persephone may hate what her mother was forcing her to do, but she was still her mother, and nothing is ever that simple. Bea also challenges toxic masculinity and masculine ideals, there’s bisexual representation and a full list of content warnings at the front of the book (this book just keeps checking things off my list). I need more books like this please!

If you liked Trista Mateer’s ‘Myth and Magick' collection, Nikita Gill’s ‘Great Goddesses’ or ‘Lore Olympus’ I would definitely suggest ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen’ be next on your shelf. I also think I’ve found another auto-buy author!

I gobbled this book up.

It was lighthearted and fun on the surface but the more you read and pulled back the layers the more depth the book had. Challenging both masculine and feminine stereotypes.

The characters were loveable and had me both laughing and crying.
My only little pet peeve was that there were a couple of chapters in the middle of the book that felt very repetitive to me. But it didn't take away too much from the over all book.

This is a very easy read that I would definitely recommend. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC, these views above are my own and are freely given

I absolutely loved Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald!
It was so much fun to read and I really loved the writing as well as the romance.
This really was a great debut by the author and I'm really excited to see what they will write next!
I highly recommend this book!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this so much. It was fun to read and I was hooked from the first few pages. The only thing that didn't quite hit for me was how long it took Persephone and Hades to actually admit their feelings. I loved the snark and the wanting but I got frustrated at them not actually communicating.

Overall, a brilliantly fun read.

This book was incredible! What an amazing debut by Bea Fitzgerald, I already want to read her next ten books.

I’ve not read a Hades and Persephone retelling before, but if they’re all as good as this, I will be! Persephone is incredible and proof that girls are so much more than just sunshine and flowers.

I loved seeing her take the reins of her own life and stand up for what’s important. Plus, Hades was a perfect golden retriever partner who helped push her forward without holding her back. Eugh, just thinking about it makes my heart go all warm and fuzzy.

I’m really hoping this is the start of a long series and that I get to enjoy more of Bea’s writing soon.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.

I've got very mixed feelings about this book. The trigger warning at the start of the book completely thew me, as anyone who knows anything about Greek mythology knows that it was a brutal, bloody and shocking era. The first half of the book however was very good and fast paced. The character development of Kore/Persephone and Hades was engaging. Once Persephone had made her mind up to marry though, everything slowed down and became repetitive and I found myself wondering why there were still over two hours left in the book. The perpetual sassy girl-boss narrative was wearing. This read very much as a YA novel because of its tone, though that wasn't something I was aware of when I requested it (maybe the trigger warning should have been a clue). This could be a great way to get younger readers into Greek mythology, but I'll be sticking to Madeline Miller, Natalie Haynes and Jennifer Saint myself. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review of the book.

Wow… I’ve not really read any retellings of Greek mythology before and this one was incredible!

I went in kinda blind as my only knowledge of Persephone and Hades story was from watching Hadestown on Broadway last year!

I absolutely devoured this over two days and loved the enemies to lovers trope and the built up tension between the two protagonists. I appreciated the fast paced chapters and although the end did feel a little bit rushed, I think it’s cos I just didn’t want it to end!

3.5 for sure - it would have been 4 but I think it started to drag around the 60% mark. The first half was well paced, easy to read and pretty fun. It’s very well researched and a great take on the traditional stories, but I think it just dips a bit before the ending. I enjoyed the ending and conclusion a lot. Overall pretty trashy but fun, and I’m sure a lot of people will enjoy it.

Thanks to netgalley for an early review copy.

Funny and romantic retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth, interwoven with mythical family dynamics. Persephone is no shrinking violet and it's great to see such a strong female character who's not afraid to be ambitious (and vulnerable, when it comes to the vagaries of love!) The 'will they, won't they' romance with Hades is appealing - one can't help but swoon - and the fraught relationship with her parents is well written. This will appeal to many of our S3+ readers.

I found this book on Tiktok, and I immediately knew I had to read it. I'm a sucker for a Greek myth retelling, and this was such a refreshing one. It's an incredibly fun read, and perfect for fans of Lore Olympus.

While this is a romance, it's mostly Persephone's story of taking her life into her own hands, empowering herself, and taking agency. She makes the choice to go to the Underworld to avoid having to get married, and she boldly decides to redecorate and make herself at home, which was inspiring and hilarious in equal measures. Persephone is a main character who will steal your heart and who will make you root for her.

Thanks to Netgally for giving me the opportunity to read this book before release!
This book was a delightful read and I devoured it in a day it was so easy to read.
The YA audience will love this book as it brings together popular mythology in a modern writing style. Whilst this is excellent for YA audiences or struggling readers this may discourage a more mature audience depending on their preference.
However, you can’t please everyone and I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was brought into the world and didn’t want to leave.
Can’t wait to read more from Bea Fitzgerald!

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin, for the chance to read the ARC of this book!

There are many things to like about this book. It's taken into account every myth about Persephone and Hades and turned them on their head. As we start the book, Kore is still trying to get out of her marriage, and going to Hades to invoke Xenia is the only way she knows how to delay things. As the book progresses and they become friends and allies, Persephone comes into her powers and figures out how to stay bound to the underworld and the person she has grown to love.

The book is super fun and very easy to read. I read in the span of a night. There are a whole host of interesting characters, and they're all rooted in greek mythology. I LOVED LOVED LOVED that Sappho reference (at least, I hope I'm not being an idiot and that was a Sappho reference). In general, I really liked how the author referenced greek mythology and how she had her own interpretations of what happened. It really is a fun book. But if you are reading the book, you should know that it's not very Song of Achilles, or Cassandra, or A Thousand Ships; it's incredibly modern in writing style.

That's also sometimes the book's most significant drawback; it's sometimes just so modern and just so girl-bossy that it can feel very shallow. Things are so spelled out that you're wondering if you really are the right audience for it or not. It's classified as coming of age on amazon, but when it's greek mythology, you should expect older readers (and not just YA readers) to pick it up.

This book will surely be a hit on BookTok and Bookstagram, not because of the author but because it is undoubtedly a fun, light read. However, the author can develop her style to produce books that are more mature (and I really don't mean smut wise). I will be reading more by Bea Fitzgerald!