A really approachable and compelling exploration of Hera's story!! I've gotten gotten lost in books on the Greek Gods but this drew me in and kept me engaged right until the end! Fantastic storytelling!

Scorned, angry and vengeful. That is how Hera, the Queen of the Gods, Goddess of Wives and Marriage and Zeus’s wife is often portrayed. The punishments she inflicts on her husband’s many lovers and their offspring form the backbone of many a myth. But in Jennifer Saint’s Hera we get to see the person behind the veil.

Hera in Jennifer Saint’s telling, isn’t just a despotic mad woman, desperate to get revenge for being made a cuckold, she’s a Goddess with her own hopes and aspirations. She’s someone who thought she and Zeus could be partners. They were the son and daughter of Cronus meant to bring about his downfall after all.

Saint shows us what becomes of these hopes and how they shape Hera moving forward. We get to see how Hera becomes something between the Goddess of myth and what she wanted to be, and we get to see the why. In the first third of the book, Saint’s look into Hera’s inner mind and her reactions to so much of what Zeus does and does not do to her, is what makes the reader feel for her.

But, in the second third, Hera’s spite, her anger and her desire for revenge—or is it justice?— left me wondering how to view her. On the one hand, I wanted to yell at her for being so foolish and short-sighted. Ares, Hephaestus and the countless others she discarded for not meeting her standards, could have made a difference to her goal. That she could feel something when Typhon and his brood appeared on the scene made her actions towards her other children all the more sad.

It is in the final third, after the devastation that book-ended a seminal period in Greek myth, that we see Hera evolve into something more. The anger is still there, but there is also contemplation and curiosity. She wants to learn more, she wants to be more and it is in that that we see true growth and perhaps even happiness for this goddess who for the longest time wandered alone.

Jennifer Saint has done a simply phenomenal job bringing Hera to life. Through giving us a direct look into Hera’s psyche, Saint allows us to see Hera not as the simple tyrant of myth, but as a fully formed person-or goddess-with hopes and fears and desires.

Simply put, this is a fantastic work and I urge you all to buy it.

Hera is out on 23rd May.

A fantastic book that gives the long-slandered Queen of Olympus a chance at redemption. Once again, Saint's gorgeous writing-style conjures the most beautiful images of an ancient world ruled by magic and mythology. Unlike her other books that tell tales of the interactions of mortals and gods, 'Hera' focuses on the interactions between the gods themselves and the other mythical creatures that haunt this ancient world. With 'Hera' generally occupying the periphery of these tales it's great to finally see her taking the centre-stage and having her own story told.
In much of the mythology Hera is presented as having an overwhelmingly self-preserving, impulsive, and callous nature. But this mythology is a series of stories in which men are always the heroes and women are all too often the monsters that need to be slain. Saint does a wonderful job of delving into these stories deeper, investigating motives and presenting a more well-rounded image of the Queen of the Gods.

I loved this book so much!

This is such a perfect retelling of Hera's story and brings the goddess to life in such a beautiful way that really made me think about how she has always been portrayed and perceived before. In a lot of Greek myths and modern retellings Hera is the villain, the bitter wife always acting against the interests of your favourite hero by Jennifer Saint does such an excellent job of capturing the woman within the myth and the traumas she is forced to endure by Zeus. It also does such a great job of telling many Greek myths from the female perspective.

A must read for anyone who enjoys Greek myths but also perfectly told for those with no knowledge of them to enjoy as well, I have not read any of Jennifer Saint's previous work and am so excited to read them now.

Here we have Hera, Queen of Mount Olympus. You think you know her, think again. I’ve always seen Hera as a vengeful bad ass, constantly being cheated on by Zeus and taking hollow revenge on everyone, but Zeus. Well, well, well. Here I am changing my mind! Yes, Zeus is a cheating, misogynistic, jealous god but Hera doesn’t just roll over and take it. This talks us through Hera’s story but also the history of the gods. It’s probably the most comprehensive backstory of the Greek myths that I’ve ever read and elevated from her other works. I was in awe. The last few chapters brought the entire novel to a satisfying conclusion. Just as Hera is Queen of the gods, Saint is Queen of the Greek myth retellings.

hera, by jennifer saint - review 💛
(from someone who knows very little about greek mythology)

i always enjoy jennifer saints retellings, and this didn’t fail me! i do think this is my least favourite of hers but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as i still gave it 3 stars 🌟

hera is a complex character and i don’t think i really liked her overall. the whole story is essentially about her trying to kill off all of zeus’ kids so it does get quite repetitive.

overall, i did learn a lot about heras life but i didn’t feel very connected or seem to care that much.

"She was born to be a queen."

Jennifer Saint never fails to inspire with her Greek myth retellings. Hera, in my opinion, has to be one of the hardest goddesses to reinvent, yet Saint finds a way. She breathes new life into Hera as Prometheus and Athena once breathed life into humanity. Hera's point of view opens a new door into Olympus, we see a goddess wronged, betrayed and silenced yet she does not become a victim to her suffering. Saint magically keeps Hera as fierce and as frightening as we have always known her to be, yet she also shows us a new perspective, one that, although, may seem harsh, becomes understandable.

Saint magically tells the entire timeline of the Olympians with Hera's interest at the forefront of the retelling. We watch as Titans fall, divine offspring rise, rebellions ascend the mountain and how feuds stir within. The connection between sisters, mothers and daughters is a beautiful point to focus on within the novel but what I felt was done best was the friction between the male and female divinities.

Hera is a stunning retelling which focuses on the ambition of women who aren't willing to be good girls, who are eager for more and who won't let anyone stand in the way of their power, or their birthright whilst also discovering the importance of family bonds and the human condition. Hera as a goddess and as Saint's protagonist now holds a place in my heart.

I have read a few Greek mythology retellings however none about the goddesses and gods. As someone who doesn’t know much about them, this book really helped me learn the names of more and understand the relationship between many of them.

This book did feel very repetitive after a while. Zeus would rape different women, they would become pregnant, and then Hera would scheme to kill the child (and sometimes the woman as well). All she wanted to do was to destroy Zeus and yet every plan she had failed.

I felt like some of the characters had no purpose. Gaia gifted Hera with the pregnancy of Typhon, who she believed would help destroy Zeus however he died so quickly leaving me to wonder what purpose he truly had and why he was a gift from Gaia in the first place.

This book felt quite slow at times, the chapters were quite long and there was a lack of action. Every plan of Hera’s failed which takes up the majority of the book. Hera wasn’t really the strong, badass character I had hoped she’d be.

Despite all the negatives, there were some parts I did like. I absolutely loved Gaia, the description of her was so beautiful. The best part of this book for me was when the gods and goddesses came together to watch over the battle of Troy. I really loved the ending, although it wasn't a consequence of Hera, it was still a perfect ending.

Thank you Netgalley, Headline and Jennifer Saint for this ARC.

I generally enjoy modern retellings of Greek mythology and I was not familiar with the goddess Hera at all so was happy to receive an ARC of Hera from Jennifer Saint. Having previously read Atalanta, I knew I enjoyed Jennifer Saint’s writing. The issue that I have with Hera, is that the scope of her existence as an immortal goddess is huge and the novel had a lot of ground to cover. As a reader, we quickly learn of the injustices and misogyny the female goddesses must put up with and how difficult it is for them to forge their own path without careful manipulation. Hera is raped by Zeus and forced to marry him. She is made the goddess of marriage even though she has no say in her own and must suffer the humiliation of Zeus’ infidelities and illegitimate children. This is the backdrop to Hera’s involvement in many of the Greek myths we are familiar with as she tries to even the score with Zeus - but the content is huge (the number of children Zeus has alone is a lot to keep track of) and at times it feels almost like a list as we work through them all and repetitive when Hera’s plans are thwarted. I may have enjoyed a narrower time period in Hera’s life better but there is no doubt that this is a comprehensive retelling of a perspective I was not familiar with.

If you want to dip your toe into Greek mythology retellings but want an all powerful Goddess at the forefront , Hera is one for you!

There are elements about Saint's 'Hera' I really enjoyed, a focus on some of the lesser known Olympians and other deities, the strong female relationships whether between sisters or Hera and other creatures/monsters was also beautiful to see.

Sadly however, the book leaned a little too much into a full run through of her life and whilst I appreciate the nuance Saint was trying to show in this retelling the prose felt like a challenge to get through. Probably a great one for those new to the retelling genre and who need a little more context and points of reference.

Overall, a 2.75 from me!

This was a well-written and interesting retelling of the story of the goddess Hera. Jennifer Saint tells the story from Hera’s perspective as a feminist tale of vengeance for her rape and forced marriage to Zeus. An interesting angle. However, the issue with this and other mythological retellings featuring the gods as opposed to the mortal heroes of mythology is that the characters are explored as though they have the depth and emotions of humans. But the magical and fantastical realm they inhabit along with some of the more bizarre behaviours and details from the myths (e.g. Cronos eating a swaddled stone believing it to be the infant Zeus) which work perfectly well as myths are at complete odds when we are being asked to suspend disbelief and ascribe mortal emotions and behaviours to the same beings. After reading this and Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes, I’m realising that this sort of retelling just doesn’t work for me, but if you like that book, you’ll probably really enjoy this.

Jennifer Saint's portrayal of Hera in this captivating read breathes new life into well-known stories while offering a fresh perspective on this multi-faceted goddess. Through thoughtful dialogue and the inclusion of lesser-known tales, Saint depicts Hera not only as Zeus's vengeful wife but also as a free-spirited goddess who roamed forests, took down titans, and stood as Zeus's equal yet unwilling partner as Queen of the Heavens.

While some reviews have noted a wish for Hera's success instead of her repeated failures in her attempts to overthrow others—and I can understand the desire to see her occasionally vindicated or successful—I view these as testaments to her absolute strength and fortitude. Despite setbacks, Hera's resilience and unwavering belief in her vision and goals, for better or worse, are evident throughout the narrative. Saint skillfully weaves Hera's tale, allowing readers to glimpse the thoughts behind her actions. Surprisingly, these actions often stem from intricate motivations different from those typically attributed to her, adding complexity to her character.

I particularly admired the way the author made us understand Hera and her choices without necessarily making us agree with them. Saint doesn't attempt to make Hera likeable, nor does she shy away from Hera's vengefulness, but instead presents it in a nuanced way that allows readers to see the changes in her character throughout the narrative. As an example, i was able to see hypocrisy that i hadn't seen before, in the way she was worried or sad that Zeus was using her as a reason to instill fear in the nymphs and goddesses, like Asteria, to that being reversed in her treatment of Echo and Leto, wishing to inspire that fear and cement it. This reminded me of Stephen Fry's ability to bring the gods and goddesses to life, showcasing their personalities, feelings, and quirks

Fierce and uncompromising, Hera is portrayed as fallible yet steadfast, her complexity and determination adding depth to this often overshadowed goddess. I found the exploration of her character to be both enlightening, engaging and at times poignant. I highly recommend this book to mythology lovers,new and seasoned alike, as Saint's fresh perspective breathes new life into even the most familiar tales

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline books for giving me an ARC copy of this in return for an honest review.

Hera is a difficult goddess to ask a reader to support - often, to a modern reader, she comes across as a completely unlikeable figure. This book, in the way it really leans in to the very slow characterisation of Hera over thousands of years, really helps show her as someone who has been disappointed and manipulated time and time again. She bites back and, to her unending disappointment, she fails to bite back sharply enough to really make a difference.

I enjoyed this, but it is a very slow read. I think that's what Hera needs, but as a novel I think it began to drag in the middle.

I really enjoyed some of the final third - the gods using the Argonauts and Troy as a reality show in particular seemed like a perfect explanation of how they preside over these stories.

Overall, I think this is an excellent character study for those already very interested - it plays with the mythical tradition to give Hera some nice depth and a slightly newer, more independent story. It just probably not gripping enough for uninfected readers to buy into it.

Jennifer Saint continues to amaze me with her fantastic writing and unique perspective. Saint never leans away from the absurdity of the Greek myths and for that I love her. Her portrait of Hera is a breath of fresh air, never shying away from the complexity of her character. I cannot wait to hear her talk about her process while writing this book. I will be recommending this to all of my customers!!

I’ve read and enjoyed all of Saint’s other books so far and when I saw her next one was going to take on the Queen of the Gods herself, Hera, I couldn’t wait to read it so I was very glad to be approved for this eArc.

Hera has made an appearance in most of the Greek mythology based books I’ve read, usually shown to be punishing some poor girl that Zeus has set his sights on. Whilst Saint doesn’t erase this side of Hera she does seek to offer more of an explanation and softens some of her sharp edges somewhat.

Saint’s writing is stunning. She grabbed my attention and kept me gripped til the end. I ended up gobbling this up in the space of a few days, I was that enthralled.

I definitely got a new understanding of Hera from this and really felt for her, feeling forced into a role she never wanted instead of getting the status she felt she deserved.

If you enjoy tales of Greek mythology with a more feminist slant this will definitely be for you.

I've been disappointed in a number of the recent feminist retellings of Greek mythology. The storytelling has been poor and the material stretched thin as the drive to create something new and original gets ever more difficult.
Jennifer Saint's choice of Hera as her central character is a fascinating one. She never really seems to have a story of her own, instead appearing as the vengeful wife in other's tales. She often makes life difficult for our heroes and is hard to warm to.
This story shows the reasons why she is so angry, highlights the appalling misogyny of the Olympian gods and looks at her complex relationship with Zeus and her children.
I particularly liked the first third of the book as Saint explores the fight against the Titans, what it means to be a god, the establishing of the Olympian dynasty, and Hera's role as a mother of monsters. I did feel it dragged a little in the middle as we got onto more familiar territory. Hera really is hard to like when she punishes the innocent because she isn't strong enough to punish Zeus.
But the ending was thought-provoking and satisfying, dwelling on the changing relationship between gods and mortals and what happens if gods cannot adapt.
All in all a very enjoyable read that shows there is still room for something new in this genre.

I'm a sucker for greek mythology, especially when it's written by the wonderful jennifer saint. ariadne and elektra were two of my favourite reads of 2022, atalanta was one of my faves of 2023, and now hera is one of my faves of 2024!


hera is a greek goddess who's story I've never really looked into, I've only heard about her from tales of her anger at her cheating husband being misdirected at women, so although I was excited for a new jennifer saint book, I wasn't excited for a hera book. but I LOVED this. hera is such an interesting figure, this book explores who she was & how she ended up being the unlikeable character she became.


thanks to netgalley for an arc of this book, which will be published may 23rd<3

I like Greek mythology books, even though I know nothing about the mythologies before I start!

This was an interesting one, I obviously had no idea what was going to happen but I knew it was a feminist retelling. And from the cover, it looked like Hera was a badass who was going to take what she wanted with violence and take no shit. It… was not like this at all 😂 there was a lot less action than I thought there would be, and the schemes that Hera had actually didn’t turn out that good most of the time.

This was my main problem with the book, was that after the beginning, Hera would come up with a scheme and then it would fail, and then she’d come up with the next idea, and it would fail or some unintended consequence would happen because of it and she still would not be happy. I was hoping that in the end she’d come up with a really clever plan that would work but she didn’t! She kind of got what she wanted in the end, but it wasn’t because of anything she’d done 😂 so I was a bit disappointed.

But I did enjoy the story and I liked the ending and the writing was beautiful. But I would’ve liked to see Hera being powerful like she looks on the cover. Overall this was a good read, the chapters were a good length and it was well paced.

Hera is the Queen of Goddesses. Wife of Zeus and cruel and jealous in her protection of her status - isn’t she?

This is a fabulous and epic exploration of life through Hera’s eyes. Following her birth to Rhea she is whisked away to safety by Gaia to rescue her from her father Cronus who has eaten all of his other children to avoid the prophesy that his child will overthrow him.

Hera returns to Crete to join her brother Zeus, and other siblings once freed, to take part in the epic battle of the Olympians against the Titans, before the rise of the Olympians.

As Zeus grows in power, Hera’s once partner on the battlefield becomes her husband against her will. So begins her quest for vengeance.

I really enjoyed this. I loved Stephen Fry’s Mythos and the canter through the entirety of Greek mythology was wonderful, especially when seen through the eyes of a female goddess (I have no idea how I hadn’t fully realised just how awfully the male Gods treated women?!).

It also reminded me a little of Maleficent and other retellings where we see behind the cruel, vengeful mask, and understand the experiences that shaped the behaviour.

It was such an enjoyable read and I loved it when little tales I’d read weave their way in, such as the quest of Jason and the Argonauts, (especially loved the brief reference to Atalanta).

My favourite quote is this:
‘All she knows is that he leaves a trail of broken women in his wake, and she is the most broken of them all.’

Another brilliant read from Jennifer Saint and one I think I’d reread again and again to spot new nuances and insights.

Thank you to netgalley for the free readers e-copy.

Following the story of Hera, Queen of Olympus, goddess of marriage and mother of deities, this retelling has easily become an all-time favourite of mine.

As a widely despised character, it was very interesting to finally read a representative novel exploring Hera's dire rage, obsessive nature and desperation for power. At times her character could be so sensitive she was almost human, but Saint did a fantastic job of maintaining Hera's divine nature - she isn't human, we cannot expect her to act as such, however cold or detestable that may make her.

It's not often that retellings focus on the lives of the Olympian gods themselves, but I think the lyrical, illustrative prose of the novel created a perfect atmosphere to explore the otherworldly nature of these figures. The lines between the gods and the humans were so stark at the beginning of Hera's story, making the ending even more profound.

I wish we'd seen a little more of Hera's relationship with her grandchildren. The story focuses so heavily on the immense hardships of her life that a little more reprieve would have gone a long way. Apart from this, I found this book flawless and I cannot wait to re-read it.