I was so glad to receive an early copy of Hera, being a huge historical fiction fan, and a huge lover of mythology. I love Jennifer Saints writing, I felt truly immersed into the world of the Gods.

What to expect:
Gods and Monsters
Mythology
Greek History
Unspeakable actions of Gods

Hera is not a likeable character or figure. But this book helps us to see her in a more human way.
I was so intrigued to read about her before she became Zeus wife, a fate she did not want and was forced in to. You feel for her, one womans plight to another. However it doesn't excuse all her spiteful and wrathful deeds to punish those who were also victims of Zeus, or innocent children whom she tested relentlessly.

The book does speed through a large chunk of history so be prepared for this, sometimes time jumps quite rapidly. But as the Gods lives span thousands of years this is to be expected and didn't take away from the story for me. I was hooked to see how the Gods weaved and interfered with the lives of the humans they had created.

In my opinion Jennifer Saint has done it again. Any fans of her previous books are sire to love this. And I highly recommend picking it up.

4.5 ⭐️

It was interesting to read about the backstory of Hera, Queen of the Gods and how she came to be. As someone with only a basic knowledge of Greek mythology, it was also interesting to hear the backstory of other gods, demigods and monsters of Greek mythology. This is split into five parts and it starts with the Olympians defeating the Titans, then covers Hera marrying Zeus, all of their children, Zeus's affairs/ other children and battles in ancient Greece. Zeus really is the worst but I think we all knew that!

This was my first book by Jennifer Saint and I'll definitely be checking out her other ones!

I so wanted to love this book.

What's better than a Retelling of the Goddess Hera.
Unfortunately this was just flat for me. I wanted Hera to come across as some powerful entity. Yet she just came across as a whiny petulant child.

I was so intrigued to read this book, as Hera has often been portrayed as one of the more unlikeable female Greek figures in literature. Truth be told, her tendency to punish the women Zeus involves himself with, rather than Zeus himself is a difficult quality for Saint to contend with, but Saint traces Hera's life from young girl in the forests to betrayed woman. This is a beautifully written vengeful novel.

This is my first read from the author's work and Greek mythology is something I love to read over and over as each time I get a new perspective to the history. The writing style was very interesting and initially it took some time to settle down with the background and plot but once I was comfortable it was a delightful ride throughout the book.
I will be looking forward to read more work of the author now .

Hera, a clearly unlikable character amongst a set of pompous and petty Olympian Gods, takes us on the journey that turned her from the powerful young Goddess who helped overthrow the Titans to the (rightly) bitter wife of the serial r*pist Zeus. Let's get things straight: you won't like her, she's a pretty awful character, but you'll enjoy her story and understand why she's fundamentally unhinged.

I have to admit that this is the first time I'm hearing Hera's story in full, with the retellings I've read in the past being focused on other aspects of Greek mythology & Hera being a side player. Saint tells Hera's story with captivating prose, taking us on a swift yet thorough history from her early days on Olympus to the Gods' ultimate downfall.

One thing that I loved about this book was the general overview we were given of the history of the Olympians. I was missing chunks of their story and this retelling really filled in some gaps and made a lot more sense of the parts I knew, giving me chance to set things in chronological order.

If you're looking for a great introduction to Greek mythology then this would be an excellent place to start!

This work of fiction draws on Greek mythology to create a story of Hera. It attempts to explain the reasons and motivations for what she is most famous and feared for - her jealous and vengeful nature.

We first meet Hera as the joyful and confident warrior who fought alongside her siblings to overthrow the rule of the Titans. She takes her place next to the other victorious gods on Mount Olympus, aware and proud of her significant contribution to their victory. With alarm she witnesses Zeus’ power grab as he divides the world, taking the Heavens for himself, the Seas go to Poseidon and the Underworld to Hades. Zeus fears Hera’s challenge and forces her into marrying him to curb her rebellion, knowing that together they are a formidable force. Hera’s initial disbelief turns into anger and resentment, she feels trapped and powerless and plots revenge. As his wife and queen, she is also the custodian of marriage, which only adds insult to injury, given Zeus’ endless adulterous affairs and numerous illegitimate offspring. With all hopes of power-sharing gone and reduced to the position of the wife of the all-powerful Zeus, she puts all her resources into bringing him down.

All her attempts seem to be doomed to fail and, in the end, help comes from an unexpected source. Zeus had become a tyrant like his father and his father before him; and like all tyrants he feels secure in his own self-belief, not capable of understanding the shifting zeitgeist. The world is changing and the reign of the Olympian gods is coming to an end. Whilst Zeus, living in denial and not being able to adapt simply petrifies, Hera immerses herself in the human world and finally becomes the ruler of her own destiny.

This book is not simply a re-interpretation of a mythical figure, it also covers highly relevant themes like male dominance, the corruption of power, domestic violence and rape, difficult family relationships like sibling rivalry and generational conflicts. It is also a battle cry for the right of self-determination of women.

I enjoyed re-visiting so many of the old Greek heroes and heroines, meeting them in a different context that shed a new light on them. Plenty of food for thought.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Wildfire / Headline Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.