Joined in 2023 
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You’re a woman now.’ What an arbitrary word. I don’t remember much of a transformation on my birthday but apparently the whole world saw one. ‘You’re too old for these tantrums. Promise me you won’t be like this when your father gets here.’ Much of that filler is just repetitive and appalling dialogue. Ie exposition heavy, circular, not really communicating anything, clearly there because the author wants to use a certain line. It was also clunky with phrases you'd expect to see on a modern teen drama or TikTok which considering the context was very jarring. You really can say more and far more meaningfully with less dialogue.
There needed to be more of a personality to Hades, actual communication, and a more believable development of the romance. Maybe some chapters from Hades's point of view would have worked better than just hearing from Persephone, or having it written in the third person. It didn't work well only hearing Persephone's view all the time. I tug at the ridiculous dress Mother has forced me into: a monstrosity of lilac silk, draped and twisted again and again, hinting at the body on offer while obscuring it enough to keep my modesty intact. It’s less an outfit than gift-wrapping.Persephone's hang-up over sex = rape might be slightly justified (thanks Demeter etc) but it's boring as hell to read. I also don’t think there was much chemistry between Hades and Kore. Hades basically warmed up to Kore at around 35% of the book and after that he was just boring. The God of Death and the King of the Underworld is meant to have some kind of bite to him and this guy was the equivalent to a fluffy rabbit. I wanted more from him and from Kore. There was little banter, tension or even believability. So in a reversal of the traditional myth, she goes to the Underworld of her own accord, seeing it as the only place to escape from marriage: “Mother owns the land. Father the sky. I do not trust my chances with a court full of grasping gods.” On arrival, she must win over the slightly startled Hades and convince him to support her plan to wreak havoc with the chauvinist gods. Thousands of years ago, the gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying. And I name you... Kore.’ My eyes widened as the meanings of the name ran through my head: Pure, Beautiful Maiden, Little Girl – apparently that was all I would ever be to him. ‘Goddess of the flowers and of beauty –’ Aphrodite made an almost imperceptible noise of discontent and Father continued, ‘In nature.’
You cannot stay a girl on an island forever.’ At least we agree about one thing. ‘I know you’re scared but I’m the goddess of vegetation. There is no place on Earth you could go where I will not be able to find you.’ I know that too. ‘You won’t be leaving us forever.’ This is story first, political issues second which is the way it always ought to be done. However it's also a pretty intelligent look at power, the desire for it and what it costs to be truly free.Detractors of retellings might argue that there is an unoriginality about them, but writers point out that myths and legends stem from a culture of oral storytelling, where tales were told over and over, each iteration bringing something new. I love a good Hades & Persephone retelling, but Girl, Goddess, Queen exceeded my expectations in every way and made me see these two characters in a new and unique way. Without smut, without pretences, these are the raw personalities of Hades & Persephone and Fitzgerald wrote them in such a beautiful way. Different topics are dealt with which makes the reader connect to the characters on a deeper and emotional level. Loose?’ Mother sneers, as expected. ‘What would that imply about her? No, a traditional look is best. She will look beautiful but still virginal, precisely what is needed.’
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