A review by renettereads
The Heroines by Laura Shepperson
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
The Heroines is a Greek retelling of Phaedra who initially falls in love with her stepson, Hippolytus, and then accuses him of rape when the feelings aren’t reciprocated. With this novel, Shepperson takes a few liberties with the myth and shapes it into a relevant message.
Though I really appreciated what Shepperson was saying with this novel – we are still dealing with victim blaming and shaming whenever sexual assault comes to the forefront – I couldn’t entirely immerse myself in the story. I think that was partly because of the many POV’s of this book. I felt as though some perspectives weren’t essential and switching as often, and with each voice being so different, the experience became more jarring, pulling me out of the story instead of making an impact.
I also felt as though the writing style in places wasn’t for me – I’ll be the first to admit that I want my prose flowery, especially when it comes to Greek retellings – and so this one just didn’t grip me as much I would’ve liked.
Though I really appreciated what Shepperson was saying with this novel – we are still dealing with victim blaming and shaming whenever sexual assault comes to the forefront – I couldn’t entirely immerse myself in the story. I think that was partly because of the many POV’s of this book. I felt as though some perspectives weren’t essential and switching as often, and with each voice being so different, the experience became more jarring, pulling me out of the story instead of making an impact.
I also felt as though the writing style in places wasn’t for me – I’ll be the first to admit that I want my prose flowery, especially when it comes to Greek retellings – and so this one just didn’t grip me as much I would’ve liked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence
Moderate: Murder