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hicrant's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
i gave the first one 4 stars bc i thought the build up the plot and set up was as fine for the first book but this just continued?? the same way? nothing new got revealed in my opinion and i definitely need more romance from a fantasy romance series
i skipped over most of the trials scenes bc somehow those were so much more detailed than the romance and i get it bc those are the plot basically but i needed more romANCE okay i like hades and persy and their moments i need more
i gave the first one 4 stars bc i thought the build up the plot and set up was as fine for the first book but this just continued?? the same way? nothing new got revealed in my opinion and i definitely need more romance from a fantasy romance series
i skipped over most of the trials scenes bc somehow those were so much more detailed than the romance and i get it bc those are the plot basically but i needed more romANCE okay i like hades and persy and their moments i need more
ewil6681's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hellis77's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the story line! It had so many twists and turns! I love any story with Hades and Persephone but this has slowly become one of my favorites! I love how the story flows. It has seemed like some stories are very choppy but this flows and you don’t get lost while reading. It shows the good bad and ugly of the Greek Gods World. I am falling in love with the series and have been working to finish the final book to see what happens to Persephone!
math_chan's review against another edition
4.0
L’auteure a écrit plusieurs séries sur la mythologie en YA et NA. Les deux genres se différencient par l’ajout du pseudonyme « Rose Wilson » lorsque le roman contient des scènes de sexe. Actuellement seuls ses romans YA sont traduits en français.
Persy, étudiante et barista sans histoire, se fait enlever par Zeus à New-York. Il la conduit à Olympe afin qu’elle participe aux « épreuves d’Hadès » qui testent la force, la loyauté, l’intelligence et l’hospitalité des candidates. La gagnante se verra offrir l’immortalité absolue mais surtout deviendra la Reine des enfers .
Persy découvre alors qu’elle est plus qu’une simple mortelle étudiant avec comme passion la botanique. Elle a visiblement été bannie de l'Olympe il y a 26 ans mais personne ne se souvient d’elle hormis les douze régnants et ils ont pour ordre absolu de ne surtout pas évoquer son passé. Elle découvre la cruauté des olympiens et des habitants des royaumes qui se réjouissent de la mort, de la torture et de la souffrance en divertissement. Elle est aussi choquée devant l’apparence et la psychologie de celui qu’elle est censée épouser à la fin des épreuves. Il est effrayant à ses yeux, entouré de noirceur alors qu’elle est lumière. Elle ne comprend pas non plus qu’elle est supposée l’avoir aimé de tout son cœur. Comment une femme qui prône la vie pourrait aimer le Dieu de la mort ?
L’écriture est fluide et la trilogie se lit facilement, sans prise de tête. C’est le type de lecture que j’apprécie entre deux romans coup de cœur ou saga.
J’ai une affection particulière pour la mythologie grecque et j’ai été servie ici, en outre les personnages principaux on retrouve énormément de mythes et j’ai adoré tous ces clins d’œil aux histoires que j’ai étudié au lycée. Et puis Perséphone et Hadès quoi… ❤
En outre, Eliza Raine a écrit aussi d'autres livres sur d'autres dieux grecs! Il me tarde de les découvrir!
Persy, étudiante et barista sans histoire, se fait enlever par Zeus à New-York. Il la conduit à Olympe afin qu’elle participe aux « épreuves d’Hadès » qui testent la force, la loyauté, l’intelligence et l’hospitalité des candidates. La gagnante se verra offrir l’immortalité absolue mais surtout deviendra la Reine des enfers .
Persy découvre alors qu’elle est plus qu’une simple mortelle étudiant avec comme passion la botanique. Elle a visiblement été bannie de l'Olympe il y a 26 ans mais personne ne se souvient d’elle hormis les douze régnants et ils ont pour ordre absolu de ne surtout pas évoquer son passé. Elle découvre la cruauté des olympiens et des habitants des royaumes qui se réjouissent de la mort, de la torture et de la souffrance en divertissement. Elle est aussi choquée devant l’apparence et la psychologie de celui qu’elle est censée épouser à la fin des épreuves. Il est effrayant à ses yeux, entouré de noirceur alors qu’elle est lumière. Elle ne comprend pas non plus qu’elle est supposée l’avoir aimé de tout son cœur. Comment une femme qui prône la vie pourrait aimer le Dieu de la mort ?
L’écriture est fluide et la trilogie se lit facilement, sans prise de tête. C’est le type de lecture que j’apprécie entre deux romans coup de cœur ou saga.
J’ai une affection particulière pour la mythologie grecque et j’ai été servie ici, en outre les personnages principaux on retrouve énormément de mythes et j’ai adoré tous ces clins d’œil aux histoires que j’ai étudié au lycée. Et puis Perséphone et Hadès quoi… ❤
En outre, Eliza Raine a écrit aussi d'autres livres sur d'autres dieux grecs! Il me tarde de les découvrir!
thewordslinger's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I'm going to be less forgiving with this book than I was in book 1. We're in book 2 of 3 (and these books are short, under 300 pages). Things should be changing and evolving at a much more rapid rate.
For most of the book, Hades continues to be contradictory. "I want her to stay"/"she can't stay here". Persephone's feelings don't evolve either--she just gets hornier. She still hates the underworld. Still sort of sees Hades as a monster. Still wants to return to NYC.
The "trials" are confusing and really seem pointless... you know what--here. I have a few notes:
1. In chapter 11, Persephone gets all bent out of shape about losing one of the trials and not gaining any tokens. We're told time and again that she's SUPPOSED to fail... That it's what's best for Hades and herself. That it's her only ticket home. So why does she get so angry at failing?
2. Chapter 12: I need more of the moments where we see that Hades isn't a monster. That he loves and misses Persephone. All this lust is great, but it's resting on this flimsy excuse--this mysterious bond--rather than an actual, real connection between two people who know, trust, and care for each other.
In fact, it seems obvious that the feelings--particularly from Persephone's perspective--are entirely manufactured by this bond. Every time she speaks of caring for him or being jealous or wanting him--it has something to do with the bond between them and not because he's earned her affections back or because she's decided and made the choice to love him or need him or want him or respect him or whatever else.
3. Chapter 13: I am more than tired of Persephone being so timid and a pacifist. She's grossed out by Hades' power. She's afraid of it. She's revolted by him in the moments he uses his power, even when it's directed in her defense. I want a badass warrior, damnit! Not somebody who gets queasy at the sight of blood!
4. It is sometimes difficult to tell whether or not Persephone is speaking in her mind to Skop or Hades. Most of THEIR sentences are italicized, but Persephone's never changes. I feel like there could have been something else done to help differentiate.
5. Chapter 17: I still don't see how this is a competition. Persephone doesn't see Minthe at all in this book. We're just told Minthe got 5 tokens and she's apparently the one to beat. I like the idea of the trials to find Hades a queen, but I wish the competition aspect wasn't a thing. I wish it had been designed as a way for Persephone to earn her powers and status as a goddess back.
6. Also in chapter 17, I really like this notion of standing up to bullies and learning to stand up for yourself. I think this is a GREAT message.
7. Chapter 23: It's clear that there's a bond that exists already between Hades and Persephone. Persephone just hasn't accepted it fully yet. We're also told that Gods only marry once, and that divorce isn't a thing. So, theoretically, Hades and Persephone are still a thing, right? So how is this trial even taking place? How is Zeus planning to marry Hades off again?
8: There are times where it becomes awkwardly apparent that the author's British. Using words like gorgeous to describe something that tastes good. Using "randy" instead of "horny".
I wouldn't usually have an issue with this sort of thing--except that Persephone is American. Born and raised in NYC. She wouldn't express herself using these sorts of words and phrases.
9. We don't learn anything more about Persephone's past and why she was sent to live a human life. I was hoping we'd solve more of the mystery but alas. We hear only the tiniest bit more of what I assume is some sort of prophecy tied to Persephone's past, but it comes in the last 2 pages of the story. So it feels like a wasted book, really.
Over all these are very easy to read, and I will finish the third in the series. However, I don't think the pacing is very well done, and I don't think the story progressed much in this book at all. There are elements to the story (the competition) that don't make a great deal of sense, either and I think they could have been modified to suit what's going on better.
For a day-read, it's got enough intrigue to keep me going, but if you're looking for something with more substance that makes better sense, this will likely frustrate you as it did me.
For most of the book, Hades continues to be contradictory. "I want her to stay"/"she can't stay here". Persephone's feelings don't evolve either--she just gets hornier. She still hates the underworld. Still sort of sees Hades as a monster. Still wants to return to NYC.
The "trials" are confusing and really seem pointless... you know what--here. I have a few notes:
1. In chapter 11, Persephone gets all bent out of shape about losing one of the trials and not gaining any tokens. We're told time and again that she's SUPPOSED to fail... That it's what's best for Hades and herself. That it's her only ticket home. So why does she get so angry at failing?
2. Chapter 12: I need more of the moments where we see that Hades isn't a monster. That he loves and misses Persephone. All this lust is great, but it's resting on this flimsy excuse--this mysterious bond--rather than an actual, real connection between two people who know, trust, and care for each other.
In fact, it seems obvious that the feelings--particularly from Persephone's perspective--are entirely manufactured by this bond. Every time she speaks of caring for him or being jealous or wanting him--it has something to do with the bond between them and not because he's earned her affections back or because she's decided and made the choice to love him or need him or want him or respect him or whatever else.
3. Chapter 13: I am more than tired of Persephone being so timid and a pacifist. She's grossed out by Hades' power. She's afraid of it. She's revolted by him in the moments he uses his power, even when it's directed in her defense. I want a badass warrior, damnit! Not somebody who gets queasy at the sight of blood!
4. It is sometimes difficult to tell whether or not Persephone is speaking in her mind to Skop or Hades. Most of THEIR sentences are italicized, but Persephone's never changes. I feel like there could have been something else done to help differentiate.
5. Chapter 17: I still don't see how this is a competition. Persephone doesn't see Minthe at all in this book. We're just told Minthe got 5 tokens and she's apparently the one to beat. I like the idea of the trials to find Hades a queen, but I wish the competition aspect wasn't a thing. I wish it had been designed as a way for Persephone to earn her powers and status as a goddess back.
6. Also in chapter 17, I really like this notion of standing up to bullies and learning to stand up for yourself. I think this is a GREAT message.
7. Chapter 23: It's clear that there's a bond that exists already between Hades and Persephone. Persephone just hasn't accepted it fully yet. We're also told that Gods only marry once, and that divorce isn't a thing. So, theoretically, Hades and Persephone are still a thing, right? So how is this trial even taking place? How is Zeus planning to marry Hades off again?
8: There are times where it becomes awkwardly apparent that the author's British. Using words like gorgeous to describe something that tastes good. Using "randy" instead of "horny".
I wouldn't usually have an issue with this sort of thing--except that Persephone is American. Born and raised in NYC. She wouldn't express herself using these sorts of words and phrases.
9. We don't learn anything more about Persephone's past and why she was sent to live a human life. I was hoping we'd solve more of the mystery but alas. We hear only the tiniest bit more of what I assume is some sort of prophecy tied to Persephone's past, but it comes in the last 2 pages of the story. So it feels like a wasted book, really.
Over all these are very easy to read, and I will finish the third in the series. However, I don't think the pacing is very well done, and I don't think the story progressed much in this book at all. There are elements to the story (the competition) that don't make a great deal of sense, either and I think they could have been modified to suit what's going on better.
For a day-read, it's got enough intrigue to keep me going, but if you're looking for something with more substance that makes better sense, this will likely frustrate you as it did me.
scinfaxi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bee_reading_books's review against another edition
4.0
Book 2 of 3 and we have a bit more action!
The trials have been intense and scary as!
Hades and Persephone have had more time together and have shown their connection is more than skin deep.
Really enjoyed this sequel. Its ends on quite a cliffhanger, so right on to book 3 now!
The trials have been intense and scary as!
Hades and Persephone have had more time together and have shown their connection is more than skin deep.
Really enjoyed this sequel. Its ends on quite a cliffhanger, so right on to book 3 now!