I went into this book thinking I was going to hate Hera and for part of it I really did. She was petty, jealous and quite a monster. However, I also sympathised with her as her story with Zeus, and what she endured was horrific.

Overtime Hera’s character does change and grow and she becomes really likeable. She is trapped in an abusive marriage, been assaulted, witnessed her child and grand children killed, so it’s easy to understand why she was the way she was. There are many times I had to put down the book for the outrage I felt on behalf of Hera and many of the other characters in the book. It is not an easy read in some places, but that is to be expected with how the gods were.

I went through a rollercoaster of emotions reading this book. I really have a hatred for a good few of the male Greek gods and this just solidified those feelings.

Saint’s style of writing is very engaging and draws you into the story. If you enjoy Greek mythology retelling this is the book for you. I really recommend it.

Thank you to Jennifer Saint, NetGalley, Wildfire and Headline for this ARC

I have thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Saint's other books and this title did not disappoint. It is full of rich language and imagery as you would expect from her other books. Greek mythology isn't something I was ever particularly interested in until I discovered this books and they were brought to life for me. The rich characterisation really captivated me and the story of the gods was an absolute pleaure to read.

Went into it hating the Hera of greek myth. Left one of her biggest fans
Saint lyrically details Hera's story in a semi-biographical manner, pulling from a wide range of myths that many would know, delving into the mind and heart of the queen of the Gods.

I have loved all the books I have read by Jennifer Saint and Hera is now beloved by myself. Jennifer adds to much strength and courage to woman of Greek mythology and shows they are more worth more than just being know by their male counterparts,

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Headline for this ARC.

I am a big fan of Jennifer Saint's work; her novel Elektra is one of my favourite books full stop and I always read her new releases as soon as I possibly can. That being said, this was only fine for me. Don't get me wrong, I could certainly see what she was going for, but it just didn't wow me like Elektra did.

Hera is a mythical retelling of the life of the goddess, Hera, in the Greek tradition. Hera, queen of the gods, wife to Zeus, famed for her jealousy and spite, is often portrayed as an antagonistic figure, which Saint takes and reframes to somewhat explain some of her vengeful actions. This is very much a retelling in the tradition of Wicked, where it tries to add context that softens the crueller side of the chosen character, making them misunderstood rather than bad. In some ways, Saint was very good at this. She provides a solid basis and tended to be fairly consistent with her choices. For instance, she portrays a Hera that just doesn't value or care for mortals very much, and this doesn't flip flop around throughout the book. But personally, some of the choices she made weren't to my preference.

A significant portion of the book's reframing comes from positioning Hera as the victim of rape by Zeus whom she decides to marry to 'destroy' him from the inside. While I understand what the intention was with Hera's portrayal, it did not always work. It felt like Saint was trying to empower a survivor, only to then have her be disempowered and fail at every instance. Hera is queen of the gods but that doesn't seem to come with any actual power, and the things she is supposed to be the goddess of she shows no interest in, leaving her with very little she is actually doing other than monologuing about the wrongs that have befallen her (not unjustifiably). I just feel like, perhaps more could have been done if this was the direction that was chosen with the fact that Hera is the goddess of women and marriage, maybe having her experiences create a kind of fierce protectiveness for her charges, or even a sense of solidarity. It doesn't have to change the narrative events as something Saint does brilliantly is depicting the fact that the gods have a different notion of morality, that a 'kind' act from their perspective could translate as more of a curse for the mortals it has been bestowed on. I think this would have been more effective for the themes Saint is using.

I can see that she was trying to make the point that Hera's thirst for revenge twisted her so much that she could not enj0y anything, that it completely prevented her from moving on, but in a story about a woman marrying her rapist, this felt... well cruel. Like an exercise in futility and sadness. I did not get the same sense of catharsis from this novel that I got from Chapter 9 alone of Elektra.

However, what I will say is Saint did a great job of not sanding down the edges of her gods and goddesses. In the wake of Madeline Miller's Circe and Natalie Haynes' Stone Blind, I have noticed a trend of trying to make the goddesses relatable by essentially making them 'ordinary' girls for the reader to project onto. This was not a trap Saint fell into. The gods and goddesses felt different from when Saint writes human characters and their separateness from humanity was felt throughout which I really liked.

I think that a lot of people will really like this book, it just didn't hit for me. This interpretation of Hera just wasn't quite what I wanted, but it is a solidly written novel with a lot to like.

Hera is the Greek mythology book I have been waiting for!
A tale of the Olympic gods told from Heras perspective. Hera is always betrayed as wrathful but as her story is told her reasons behind her vengeful behaviour is almost understandable. As the wife of Zeus, forced into marriage with a husband who fathers multiple children and Gods with mortals and nymphs.
I found Hera to be slower paced compared to Ariadne, but it worked perfectly for this book.
I love Jennifer’s writing and cannot express my utter joy at reading her fourth Greek mythology book.

This was brilliant. Jennifer's writing and ability to tell a story, that many may already think they know but don't until they've read this, is incredible.

I've thoroughly enjoyed all of Jennifer Saint's novels and was eagerly anticipating her latest work. True to her style, she skillfully reimagines mythology from a female perspective, with her latest focusing on Hera. In this book, unlike many retellings, Saint provides a nuanced context that allows readers to empathize and comprehend Hera's actions. It's a compelling narrative that delves into the struggles of females, even goddesses, as they strive to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. I eagerly await more from Jennifer Saint. She is fast becoming one of my favourites.

I loved Atalanta, so was beyond thrilled to be approved to read an advanced copy of Hera.
Hera is another captivating retelling by this talented author who has portrayed the Goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth; sister and wife of Zeus, not just as a vengeful deity but as a complex and multifaceted character with her own desires and struggles. A absolute must-read for fans of mythological and historical fiction.

Ever since I picked up the Waterstones exclusive edition of Ariadne in 2021, Jennifer Saint has quickly become one of my all-time favourite authors. Her retellings of key women in Greek Mythology - many of whom typically have their accomplishments and adventures overshadowed by the men - has made waves in the market of mythology retellings. Each novel of hers has been devoured by me cover to cover in under 48 hours, speeding through with bated breath at the adventures us readers are about to witness. Hera is no exception. Admittedly, Hera is not one of my favourite goddesses in mythology; I’ve always seen her as spiteful and distributing unfair retribution to heroes and Zeus’ victims alike purely because she could.

Jennifer Saint’s retelling expands far beyond that. In Hera’s shoes, we are reminded that the loss of power can be just as devastating as having it.

I sat and finished the entirety of Hera in one sitting, all 352 pages taking up but a few hours. And then I re-read it the evening afterwards just as quickly. Saint’s typical fast-paced writing style is also up to 11 here, the overarching tale of the Goddess of Marriage being inundated with side stories of others who poke and prod her into reminding Hera of just who she is.

You feel like the gods themselves, almost. As if time is slipping away from you, but what changes when you don’t? What can we do when pushed into a role we didn’t want but try to reclaim part of ourselves any way we can?

Most of that, in Hera’s manner, is feminine rage. She lashes out at those she dislikes and is quite often demonised for it. In the few attempts she has against the other Olympians (mainly at Zeus and Athena), they fail and have long lasting effects - so that when someone else tries attacking the gods she is immediately suspected despite having no involvement.

But it is her interactions with the other gods, those she fought beside and those she fights throughout the narrative which makes Hera’s multifaceted approach so interesting to me. Hephestus’ interactions with his mother have always interested me; the relationship between Queen mother and her son was always so complex - not only for her motivations in wanting to have a child alone (and prove Zeus wrong in the process) but also for how Hephestus ‘fell’ from Olympus. Here, she loves her son, but it is her fear of retribution from Zeus that stops her from going to visit him at his forges.

(And how can I not be in love with Artemis’ small moment in the spotlight during Part 3; her brashness and approach to womanhood is so different to Hera’s that it was almost jarring to see her standing among the Olympians. She is Hera’s worst nightmare: a powerful child of Zeus and later an Olympian, but she is also a reflection of what Hera almost could have been. A woman with power and strength who took the future for herself on her own terms before a man determines what her life should be. A weaponless warrior watching the (for lack of a better term) next generation taking up arms.)

The ending was far more maudlin than Saint’s over novels, but I think it works in Hera’s favour. What happens when people stop paying attention to the gods, to their power? When the man in charge decides that they cannot, will not, change with the times and is instead left with their empty halls with their golden thrones but no love to show for it. Compare that to the others who thrive in their new roles, the paths they found for themselves: Artemis in the wilds, Hestia with her simple yet rewarding task of making sure everyone feels welcome, Hephestus with his love of creating things.

Many thanks for NetGalley and Headline Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My favourite book by this author so far. A true story of gods and monsters but who is which?

This book sweeps through centuries of time as we learn the story of Hera from when she fought alongside her brother Zeus to bring down their father Cronus and the other Titans, through all the well known Greek myths like Herracles, Jason and the Golden Fleece and the final battle involving the actions of the Gods - Troy. There is so much more to Hera than bitter jealousy of Zeus's constant infidelities. Definitely not the Hera portrayed in the myths.

Highly recommend.

I love reading Greek mythology books and was so excited to get stuck into this latest offering from Saint. 'Hera' is a spectacular re-telling of the queen of the goddesses, it is also a more sympathetic tale than others I have read, which made for refreshing reading and helped me to connect to the story. All of the key aspects of Hera's story are present in this and I enjoyed seeing how events that happen to her lead her to behave in certain ways later on.
Saint has really brought the gods and goddesses to life throughout this. All of their individual personalities were apparent and I enjoyed seeing them pop up throughout the story and interact with others around them.
I absolutely loved reading 'Hera', Saint has evoked the atmosphere as well as the gods, goddesses and stories they have to tell. If you like mythological reads then you will love this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy.

A story that encompasses the legends of the Olympians with a story of a battle against patriarchy and dictatorship

This is my first read of Greek mythology fiction and having limited previous knowledge of the gods and goddesses I thought I may be at a loss, but Jennifer Saint guides us through this world step by step. The story follows Hera and her journey through time as an Olympian Goddess. With divine power she should live beyond the control of everything and everyone, but Zeus rules with his thunderbolt and Hera’s power becomes restrained and tainted by the oppression and indiscretions of Zeus.

The book follows themes of women’s oppression by men under a patriarchal rule, Zeus as a dictator and the emergence of the mortal race. We learn about many of the gods and goddesses which was enthralling and educational

Many of the mythological stories are interwoven into the plot tying the whole story into a large lavish masterpiece. The insertion of countless Greek Mythology stories centres the book aswell and I enjoyed the retelling of them from Hera’s perspective.

The book has depth, feeling and heart. Hera is truly a multi-faceted character. She brings inspiration with her passion, stoicism, and fire for her revolts against patriarchy and the right for the Goddesses to equal the Gods. Yet she is also massively jealous, egoistical, vengeful and heartlessness with her disregard to anyone she deems of no use to her.

The plot works well, and at a fast pace, it often appears that events happen in very quick succession, almost like a constant hit of drama, but as we learn, mortal time is a blink of an eye for the Gods. All the characters serve a purpose and are well written and the language used sets scenes and atmospheres for the story to play out to. This is clearly a well-researched novel, and one that has piqued my interest in reading more in this area of fiction in the future. My one takeaway would be that for those of us with less knowledge on Greek Mythology, an index of characters and a form of family tree would have helped me remember who was who throughout the book as the sheer volume of gods, goddesses, demi-gods and nymphs was at time overwhelming.

Jennifer Saint’s fourth novel is told from the perspective of Hera. Hera helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, the Titan Cronus and she wants to rule by Zeus’ side. Hera starts to suspect Zeus is more like their father as they start to rule. Hera is often portrayed as a jealous wife or wicked stepmother but this retelling shows Hera and her many sides as she tries to forge a better world.

The writing of this was good as is expected when reading a novel by this author. Saint clearly knows her Greek mythology and it was easy to follow who was who. I can see people enjoying this and it was good to follow someone like Hera who we rarely see as a main character.

I am giving this 4 stars and to be completely honest I didn’t have the best time with it. I was expecting it to be 5 stars after loving all 3 of Saint’s previous novels especially Atalanta. This is definitely a personal issue but I was a bit bored with this and I think it’s because I read Mythos by Stephen Fry last year. Mythos covered the majority of the ‘characters’ in this novel and that meant I was bored with a lot of the events in here. It was just hard for me to sympathise with Hera because her story such as being subjugated by a man is very derivative of other things and it just doesn’t interest me. Also, I do think following a Goddess is tough because it’s hard to care when they are immortal and it all feels a bit pointless/empty. However, this is a personal thing and I don’t think other people will have this issue, it just wasn’t a favourite for me unfortunately. I loved Atalanta because things were happening, the reader followed the Argonauts but here things just happened to Hera and it was dull. There wasn’t really anyone to root for. I do think Greek Mythology retellings are just a bit overdone now and I personally won’t be reading many any more. You can only read so much of the same thing until you get bored and that’s me with Greek myth.

I love mythology and retellings so I was so happy to receive this arc from NetGalley
The author is one I’ve enjoyed in the past and this was just as beautifully written
The story was engrossing and absorbing from start to finish. The author brought the characters and settings to life while giving us Heras story and this is a must for all mythology fans
I loved this one and it is up there with the best retellings that are out there

Jennifer Saint you brilliant author!! I absolutely LOVED this book. In most retellings Hera never comes across very well at all and I am guilty of judging without actually knowing all of her story. Hera tells us of the struggles that females, even goddesses, face when trying to claim what is rightfully theirs. Does Hera misdirect her anger at Zeus and deflect it on his victims? Yes. Is she also just misunderstood and hurting? Yes.
An absolutely beautiful retelling that will make your heart hurt.

𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 𝘔𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴- 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘬-𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. - Hera from The Iliad, Book 4, lines 68-70.

Thank you Headline books and Netgalley for the arc!

Pub date- 23rd May 2024.

Hera by Jennifer Saint is a dazzling retelling of the immortal goddess Hera, daughter of the ancient Titan Cronus and wife and sibling of the sky and thunder God Zeus.

This was a devastatingly beautiful and emotive read. I was filled with feminine rage throughout. There's no denying that Hera is a difficult character to capture. She is vulnerable, repressed and tortured one moment, but also vicious and malevolent in another. I fell in love with her wicked edges as well as her compassionate side. I found myself justifying her acts of wickedness with concerning ease throughout.

This book is simply captivating. I was swept into a world I knew little about; however, I didn't feel overly bombarded or overwhelmed with the mythology. The book had a pleasant, lyrical flow which made the content very accessible and incredibly enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Headline books for the early access to Hera.

What I love most about Jennifer Saint’s writing was abundant in her latest work. The way she manages to make Greek mythology accessible is astounding.

Jennifer Saint has yet again shown the struggle of females, even gods, in the fight to get what is theirs. The ultimate fight to get what she wants. “She can be anyone.” And that she does.

A beautiful retelling, not to be missed.