I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and was so excited to get my hands on this retelling of Hera’s story – she is one of the major players in the world of Greek gods and has multiple aspects to her story – from her childhood to her relationship with her brother/husband and all her children. The cover of this book is sublime and will for sure help to sell the story. Alas, in my opinion, Jennifer Saint does such a poor job. I cannot count how many times I rolled my eyes while reading the book – it felt like I was reading a “simplified re-telling” aimed at teens (beware: some queasy attempts at 18+ scenes). And it kind of makes sense – Jennifer Saint is (was?) a teacher so perhaps she imagines her former students as her audience? I felt Hera’s story was told in chosen facts, there was no depths, no passion to the story. The characters read like caricatures and the narrative… It was all about telling, not showing: “Hera did that, Hera flew there, Hera drank ambrosia”.

I have a feeling Ms Saint wants to write as many books on Greek mythology as she can, it seems she found her “niche” and wants to cash in on it (are the publishers pushing?). I much prefer works of Natalie Haynes – she writes brilliant books on Greek mythology!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review.

It wasn’t very emotive but I was very impressed at how much narrative was crammed into this book. Loved the way Zeus was depicted with all of his weaknesses and the way all the tales flowed from one to the next.

This is possibly Jennifer Saint's best book yet! (Or at least it's tied with Atalanta in my mind). Unlike her other books, there's not one or two central myths that provide the structure for the plot, and the protagonist is immortal, allowing this to take on a life of its own as a richly character-driven novel,
Hera is remembered by modern culture in a largely unsympathetic light – jealous, proud, cold – but this novel slowly picks that image apart, introducing her when she's still young and has the whole world at her feet. The trauma and violence that she is exposed to at a relatively young age is treated with so much care and sympathy, and the limits of her agency are interrogated without. The result is a powerfully humanizing portrait of a goddess, and a nuanced exploration of what it takes for a woman to heave power in a patriarchal world – is it worth it? Does it do any actual good? Are generational cycles inescapable in such a world?
As always, Saint's prose is evocative and lyrical, conjuring up an Olympus that is both magical and haunted. The passage of time from an immortal perspective is captured so effectively, and although the cast of characters is sprawling, the key players are memorable and distinct enough to stand out. I absolutely loved the ending.
Any fan of mythology would do well to make room on their shelf for this one!

Wow this book was incredible and by far my favourite Jennifer Saint book to date- Hera's story is massive and because of that this book is such an engaging page turner because there's simply so much ground to cover, having said that it never feels messy or chaotic it flows so well. I have always loved Hera and I think Jennifer Saint gave us Hera in all her dimensions and sides not all of them are likeable but most are justifiable.
Thank you for bringing this powerhouse Goddess to life!

Hera is the Goddesses story - retold from her perspective. Her volatile marriage to the powerhouse Zeus and her reckoning with her place among the Gods.

Saint gives Hera her voice back, not exactly rewriting her history but allowing for her perspective to be told. We finally see Hera’s side of the story - how she is forever shunned by her siblings, forced into an unlovable and manipulative marriage to Zeus and stripped of any ‘worthy’ purpose. Her identity is tied up with being the goddess of marriage and childbirth, two things which Zeus continually makes a mockery of. Saint does well at highlighting this to the reader, showing how Hera - always portrayed as the jealous and obsessive wife - came to be known this way.

Hera’s story is one that I wasn’t overly familiar with and this book is certainly a digestible answer enjoyable way to learn some more about Greek Mythology. However, I will say it didn’t move me in ways that other retelling have. Although, that may be because Hera’s story I didn’t connect with as much.

I loved this one and the opportunity to hear about a character I didnt know much about. Hera is a fascinating and thought-provoking retelling of a classic myth. It offers a fresh perspective on a well-known character and is a must-read for fans of Greek mythology and historical fiction.

In her previous novels, Jennifer Saint has retold the stories of several women from Greek mythology including Ariadne, Elektra and Atalanta. Her new book, Hera, as the title suggests, is a retelling of the life of Hera, Greek goddess of marriage.

The novel opens with Hera helping her brother Zeus to overthrow their father, the Titan Cronus, in a great war. With Cronus and the other Titans defeated and banished, Zeus divides control of the world between himself and his two brothers, Poseidon and Hades. Hera wants nothing more than to rule beside Zeus, so while her sisters Demeter and Hestia find new roles for themselves as goddesses of the harvest and the hearth respectively, Hera ends up marrying her brother. She isn’t able to gain the power she desires, however, and begins to grow increasingly resentful of Zeus.

Zeus makes Hera the goddess of marriage, presiding over weddings and childbirth, but their own marriage is far from perfect. Zeus is an unfaithful husband, cheating on Hera with nymphs, mortals and other goddesses, producing a multitude of children who either join the gods on Mount Olympus (such as Artemis and Apollo) or become heroes in the mortal world (Heracles and Perseus). Hera is determined to take revenge, but is this really her best route to happiness?

Hera is usually depicted in Greek myths as vengeful, jealous and vindictive and although Jennifer Saint has clearly set out to paint a more nuanced picture of her here, she doesn’t really do much to change that overall impression. I could certainly have sympathy for her as she’s repeatedly betrayed and treated badly by Zeus and struggles to achieve what she sees as her rightful position as his equal, but Saint’s Hera is still not an easy character to like. Her actions often seem petty and spiteful, taking out her frustrations not just on Zeus but on his children and their mothers, despite the fact that most of those women were actually raped or tricked by Zeus.

Hera is involved in many of the key moments and incidents from Greek myths and I felt that Saint tried to include absolutely everything in this book. Some episodes are fascinating and gripping, but I think others could probably have been left out. My favourite parts of the book were Hera’s visits to the caves inhabited by Ekhidna (usually spelled Echidna), the half woman-half snake who is mother to many of the most famous Greek monsters including Cerberus, the Hydra and the Chimera. In this version, Hera is the mother of Typhon, a monstrous snake-like giant, whom she gives birth to secretly and gives to Ekhidna to raise without Zeus’s knowledge.

This isn’t my favourite Jennifer Saint book – that would probably be Ariadne – but I did find it quite enjoyable and it was interesting to see Saint writing from the perspective of a goddess rather than a mortal woman for a change. Ultimately, though, I was left with a feeling of sadness because Hera seemed so bitter and unhappy; I wished she could have carved out her own path in life like Demeter and Hestia instead of allowing Zeus to do it for her. I’ll be interested to see who Saint writes about next; I would love a whole novel about Ekhidna and her monsters!

i love greek retellings, reframing them in ways that are kinder, more true towards women, and for putting a different spin on them. i loved the writing style

Hera is beautiful, elegant and has a lyrical flow that is so mesmerising you instantly fall into the world she has created, refusing to stop reading until the very last word! And that is exactly how I felt about Hera.

Knowing the least about Hera than the other deities, I went into this without any preconceived notions of what to expect and I’m pleased I did.
I loved and loathed Hera in equal measure. Walking side by side with her, you absorb the emotions she goes through helping you to understand, (not excuse), her vengeance and cruelty. At times my heart ached for her and at other times I was screaming at her but, that highlights the power of a fascinating & ferocious woman.

I fell in love with Elektra. Adored Atalanta and now admire Hera. The ultimate goddess.
(Yes, I know she wrote Ariadne first but I’m yet to read it). This was stunning, provocative, heartbreaking and beautiful.

Jennifer Saint’s retellings are exquisite.

Thank you so much, Headline/Wildfire & NetGalley, for the arc. I’m only sorry it took me so long to read.

I love Jennifer Saint. Her writing style is so engaging and I love how she writes the stories of these Greek women. Especially when she takes on the challenge of writing the POV of someone that is historically unliked. SO GOOD

Hera was an incredible read and I love how the author wrote about a well known unlikeable character. Before reading this book, I didn’t know much about Hera but it was intriguing to read this feminine retelling. Jennifer Saint’s retellings are always packed full of action and they are so easy to read.

In this retelling, we got to read about Hera when her and Zeus are overthrowing their father, so the start of her story. It was heartbreaking to read about how Zeus treat her and their children. It can be easy to see how Hera can be an unlikeable character because of her rage towards Zeus, but she has a reason to act this way, in this book. Jennifer Saint shows how Hera justifies her actions by trying to survive amongst the other Gods.

I loved reading how the family dynamics between Hera and her siblings and how they find their places on Olympus. The ending of the book was satisfying and I thought the book told Hera’s story in a thrilling and exciting way. I also love how captivating Jennifer Saint’s books are and how much can be learnt! I will always recommend these books and I’m excited to see what story we will get next.

Jennifer Saint's "Hera" offers a fresh and compelling perspective on the queen of the gods, inviting us to reconsider her motivations and complexities. Saint masterfully weaves a tale that humanizes Hera, portraying her not as a jealous shrew, but as a woman navigating a patriarchal world with strength and resilience.

The novel vividly captures Hera's journey from a young goddess filled with ambition to a powerful queen grappling with betrayal and heartbreak. Saint's prose is rich and evocative, will immerse students in the vibrant world of Mount Olympus and the mortal realms below.

WOW! Hera is a book I absolutely adored. Really no secret considering Jennifer Saint’s incredible talent, Hera was written with such tenderness, brutality and it made for an extraordinary novel. The book opens with Hera standing in the battlefield right after defeating the Titans gave me chills and put me in awe of her, so I got hooked from the first chapter.

I think I would honestly read anything Saint writes, she covers Greek mythology with clarity and deep research, so not only does the book read like a modern feminist retelling but I always feel like I’ve learnt so much more about ancient Greece.

Thank you so much to the publishers for this advance copy!

Ancient Greek-inspired books have always attracted me, and Jennifer Saint's "Hera" is a brilliant contribution to the genre! I've always been captivated by the intricate, sometimes misinterpreted characters found in Greek mythology, and Saint's rendition of Hera's tale is nothing short of extraordinary.

We get to explore the life of the formidable goddess in "Hera," not only as the jealous spouse or the spiteful god that many legends depict her as, but also as a sovereign in her own right, battling the harsh realities of betrayal and power. Hera is portrayed by Saint in a complex and captivating way that offers a new angle on this well-known character.

"Hera" is a must-read if, like me, you find great pleasure in the enchantment of classical Greek mythology!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although full disclosure rewrites of mythology are my bag! I love the way this author enables you to understand previously vilified characters through the use of believable, emotional back-story. A satisfying read and one I recommend. 4/5

I don't know that I should be allowed to continue writing reviews for JS's work. She could write me a speeding ticket and I'd give it five stars. I loved how she took a pretty universally unliked character and gave her a back story and didn't try to re-write all of her misdeeds, but instead made us understand them a little more. I read a ton of greek mythology and Hera is always the butt of the jokes and easy to villainize so it's hard to change my perspective when its been drilled in so consistently, but she did it. And I grew up watching Hercules where Hera was the primary villain with the peacock eyes on screen so thats a pretty big deal.

Lovely story showing a different side to Hera. Usually she is portrayed as a jealous and vengeful wife so it was nice to see her with dreams and ambitions. Really enjoyed this book and love the author.
Thankyou to netgalley for sending me a arc to read and review.

Book review 📚
Hera by Jennifer Saint
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I can, hand on heart, say that I will not ever be disappointed by Jennifer Saint and her Greek Mythology books. I have read every single one of them and each time I think that it will be hard to beat. But yet, somehow, she does.

Saint has such a beautiful writing style, throwing mythology out there without it feeling as if you cannot contain all this information at once. She makes it so easy to keep up with what she is telling us, in this case Hera, and all the details that follow suit. It's hard to become burdened with so much "information" in a book, but Saint always succeeds.

She creates such vivid imagery which transforms the whole book, both with character and world building. It is a skill she possesses and I dread the day when she stops writing Greek Mythology books. Maybe she could move onto Nordic Mythology?

Anyway, this book is beautifully crafted and Saint has clearly put a lot of time and attention into yet another masterpiece.

I’m a big fan of Greek mythology retellings, and Hera was no exception. Reading about significant events, such as the fall of the Titans, the dividing of the realms, and the Trojan War, through Hera was insightful, and you really get a feel for how much time her life spanned.

Hera is far from perfect, she’s known to be cruel, jealous and vengeful. Whilst nothing can justify the horrific acts she goes on to take, we do get to see how this version of Hera came to be. Despite being Zeus’’ closest ally in overthrowing the Titans, Hera was forgotten when it came to having any claim to the realm, instead being offered the domain of wife hood. And she can’t think of anything worse.

I’ll never get bored of learning more about the strong women of Greek mythology, and I’m planning to read Jennifer Saint’s other retellings asap.

I really don't think I'm ever going to think about this book again. This is my first Jennifer Saint book and I'm really disappointed. I feel like there's been so much social media hype over this author and this just wasn't it.

Everything felt fairly surface level. There was no deeper feelings that were stirred in me to sympathise or relate with her regardless what happened to her or with her.

I loved the concept of seeing these ancient stories from the female perspective when it has been so male dominated for centuries. For me this just wasn't executed well.

I liked how Zeus was shown to be a whore and sleezy and I liked how he "died" at the end.