The Dark Wife

“The Dark Wife” is a re-imagining of the Persephone and Hades story from Greek mythology. Essentially, Diemer takes what we know about the classic mythos and flips it on its head in order to create a young adult lesbian love story. Which, ultimately, I find charming because there just aren’t enough books for LBGT kids that speak and represent them. And I’ll be honest, this was my first time reading a love story like this, and I’m glad I did. In this tale, Hades is not a man, but a woman who is called “lord” of the Underworld as a slight by Zeus for preferring the company of women. Persephone is not tricked and whisked away to the Underworld where she is forced to stay there for part of every year like it is in the myth. Persephone chooses to go to the Underworld. She chooses Hades.

I’m going to come right out and say that I briefly studied Greek Mythology in college. It was one of those Freshmen GE classes you take for the easy A and then I loved the class so I kept taking the next and the next… That’s what first attracted me to this book, my intrigue over the reimagining of such a well-known myth. On that score, I have my mixed feelings. You rarely interact with any of the other gods outside of Demeter, Hermes, Zeus, and Hades so you don’t really feel all that immersed in Greece let alone an immortal community. You don’t see the other gods very much for them to feel much like an actual goddess of fertility and crops, besides Hermes flickering about, he doesn’t feel like the messenger or trickster he was meant to be, either. But, this isn’t really about them, it’s not even really about Olympus or the gods. It’s about Persephone and Hades falling in love, so I’m trying my best to ignore that the “reimagining” was rather selective and mild. Like I said, I’m really into this stuff, if you aren’t it won’t bother you at all.

I did really love how Diemer described Cheron, the ferryman, though. That I thought was superb and I liked the explanation given as to why Hades made him the way he is. I also enjoyed how Zeus was always spreading rumors that make mortals fear the Underworld because to me, when Greek Mythology only has the Underworld with no “heaven” and it’s such a punishing place, it makes sense that Hades would not want that so she tries to make it better, just to have everyone hate and fear her because of what Zeus has the mortals believe in life, that was a nice little twist too. I did think Zeus was a bit too, evil. I mean, he is ... not a nice guy in the mythology. But it doesn’t make sense that, at least in this story, he’s such a bully to his fellow immortals and not one does anything about it. Sure, he’s the king of the gods and gets what he wants, but Persephone ends up showing he’s not so tough so it leaves me wondering why, out of all the other countless gods and goddesses he abused (again, just in Diemer’s story) no one else rebelled before?

Persephone wasn’t as strong as I’d have wanted her to be either, she’s told to rebel and to run and be strong, but she doesn’t really seem to know what she’s rebelling for or from for the longest time. She comes off a bit weak and lost for large sections of the novel as well. Considering what Diemer has set up for her to do, I just would have preferred her to have a bit more spine throughout the whole book rather than just at the end I guess.

Diemer does have a very lovely and flowery way with words though. “The Dark Wife”, while it’s not the retelling of the classic myth I 100% wanted it to be, she does have a very lovely and poetic way of writing. A lot of time in the “traditionally” published books, editors like to cut that stuff because they view it as unnecessary, but I love it. Because there isn’t too much description of anything else beyond Hades it would seem, having Diemer’s poetic way of storytelling makes up for it. Even when she discusses her character having sex, it’s beautiful. Sometimes those scenes, if not done right, can make you uncomfortable, so it becomes a very fine line. But she’s not graphic or crude or anything, this love story is meant to be beautiful and pure and that’s how she writes the sex scenes. With bright and mesmerizing imagery that ends up making you smile with its sweetness.

So obviously there are going to be a couple of caveats here for the rating. If you DON’T like lesbian stories, don’t read this. If you DON’T like retelling of classic myths or fairy tales, stay away. If you DON’T like a bit of a sappy love story, you won’t enjoy this. For my part, I had fun with it and I think it’s fantastic that these kind of stories exist. I had my issues, but that was mainly around the mythology and some of the issues I had with Persephone’s personality. But for a self-published book, this was extremely well done! I can’t really give fraction of stars but I’d put this more at probably just under 4 stars, so I’ll just round up!

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Veronica speaks as Persephone as she tells the story before all has happened, and as it happened. Veronica does cracking voices full of emotion when the book notes it. She feels to speak with such love and emotion that draws my heart into the story. A stunning vocal performance from Veronica as she relates all the emotions through her voice, and draws me into them.

The story is told from Persephone's view, after it's all happened. We learn this in the beginning of the story.

Sarah's writing feels as though it's poetic with emotions strong in her words. The cadence of the telling, along with Veronica's vocals, felt to fit the old sway of words with the Greek gods and goddesses. The details and emotions invested into this story feel to be strong. There is such love written here. And in the voice! Veronica relates the strength of all the emotions present.

Persephone grows fonder and fonder of Hades. In their small connections it seems that Hades is healing, along with Persephone in heart and mind. They have both suffered some loses or torment from others that starts to heal with each other's presence.

We get a feel of the flip of good and evil where we would think to see it. Zeus and Hades, evil and good. Which is the one that has more compassion for people and souls? We see things from a different angle that opens possible thoughts of it all.

This story is told as Hades as a female, as is Persephone. They fall in love and it's beautiful. This book is all emotion. I didn't get a feel of strong prejudice from everyone present. It's natural to love and it doesn't matter who that love is directed to. Love is an amazing emotion and all should feel it. Though, there is one that's not thrilled with it as it's not him receiving the love as he feels he should. He is also one that seems to look down on a relationship between two woman, but that is only briefly mentioned. The story is mainly a gorgeous telling of Persephone finding her way in the world and finding love.

The story is very drawing with the words and Veronica's voice. But the one scene that touched my heart the deepest was when the dead villagers met others. You'll know the moment and who the others are when it happens. Beautiful.

If you thrive on lush descriptions of all around you and feelings, this is a great read for you.

Persephone and Hades has been one of my favorite stories ever since I had a children's book of Greek mythology so this retelling really appealed to me.

This is a pretty faithful take -- with a spunky Persephone, not-evil Lady of the Underworld Hades, and d-bag Zeus -- with some interesting side characters. I really liked puppy Cerberus, Pallas and seeing Hades' relationship with Gaia. I wasn't completely sold on the chemistry between Persephone and Hades but I really liked Persephone's journey towards becoming more independent. Of the two main characters, I thought Persephone was better developed than Hades, who was a tad bland.

The Dark Wife was as much about watching Persephone grow and make new friends as it was about the romance. I thought Diemer did a good job of working in other aspects of Underworld mythology -- a side story about the dead and the Elysian Fields -- to come up with a solution that feels believable, true to the original myth and gives Persephone agency in that awkward what-happens-once-she's-in-the-Underworld stage of the story.

*This book is a wlw retelling of Persephone and Hades and it’s glorious for that reason alone.

*The book has small mistakes and doesn’t really explain some things, which can be really irritating, but I think I was more lenient because I was so excited for a wlw Persephone and Hades retelling.

*Diemer does excellently in designing the Underworld; she makes it creepy but also mysterious and alluring. The twists on greek mythology are familiar but still different enough to maintain interest

*The book doesn’t have much of a plot, just the focus on romance and interactions between characters, but it’s oddly engaging and refreshing as it handles the well-known myth with fresh twists.

*The book isn’t perfect, but I really enjoyed it and loved how a lot of it was handled. If you’re looking for a short, romantic wlw story, this is the perfect book to pick up.

The Dark Wife is a fantastical story about a female protagonist who survives a serial abuser and who becomes the truest version of herself. Considering that this is a retelling of Greek myth, be forewarned that it does contain rape, abuse, and incest themes. Some people may be triggered by some of the descriptions (a paragraph depicting rape, several scenes discussing the ramifications of dealing with abuse/rape, some scenes that could construed as abuse/rape apologies, etc.), but most of these are brief and in keeping with the story being told.

This book certainly sits nicely in with YA lit in terms of coming of age stories. The first person perspective allows the read to really place themselves in Persephone's shoes. There are layers to the story that are introduced slowly throughout to give a better understanding of the characters involved. I absolutely rooted for Persephone, Hades, and so many other characters. I do feel that I had a few questions left unresolved by the novel, but I tend to be nosy about the motivations of characters who are not the protagonists. I adored the ending, and was able to put the book down with a smile.

"The Dark Wife" (2011) by Sarah Diemer is a somewhat interesting retelling of the Greek myth about the goddess Persephone. The traditional story is that Persephone was abducted by the Hades, lord of the dead. In this version Persephone flees to the underworld of her own volition and falls in love with Hades, who is a female. Beautifully written but tiresome at times due to an overemphasis on Persephone’s feelings, the second half, in which events actually happen, saves the novel from being bogged down in its own tedium. Barely recommended.

Kelvin L. Reed
Author of "Once a Month"

As Persephone comes of age, she's introduced to the gods of Olympus--and to Zeus, selfish, violent, and powerful. But when she meets Hades--to her surprise, not a god but a goddess--she discovers something new: choice, and freedom. The Dark Wife is a pointed lesbian revision of the Persephone myth, and desperately well-intended; it's also an amateur effort. As such, it's as often good as bad: Hades is compelling and inhuman but vulnerable (and like her, the Underworld is beautifully envisioned); Persephone's inner monologue leans bombastic, but her journey is fueled by self-determination and love. It's exactly the character arc I want, but it's all a bit too good: the morality is simplistic, Persephone's battle for choice is too explicit and grows repetitive, and the romance--although sensual and well-developed--is saccharine. It's good YA, reading swift and easy, containing the best intended messages of character growth, but it wants refinement: tighter editing to bring out the descriptive potential of Diemer's voice, and a story somewhat more oblique so that the good intentions can blossom around the reader than than battering her over the head. As it is, The Dark Wife has all the right components but it rings slightly hollow; I recommend it only moderately.

Very good book. Vividly written and I love the twist on the old mythological story. This was a 1000 times more interesting than the original. There was a lot of imagination here and it was enjoyable to follow.

The one thing is I was kind of waiting for Persephone to step into herself, into the role she was meant to take and be a more active character. I also got that Hades and Persephone were into each other but their interactions were a little flat, perhaps because the mood was always so serious. It'd be nice to see more playfulness as their romance develops but it was believable enough as it was. The book still held my interest.

There is a possible rape trigger in the beginning of the book.

Overall, well done and recommend.

this retelling was immersive, deep, and so moving. at the heart is a love story but there's also a quest for Independence and sense of self that is fantastic. I loved the slow burning of the romance. I was entranced by the way the author integrated all these other aspects of mythology. this was such a gorgeous f/f romance book that celebrated supportive love and free will

A friend suggested this book to me several months ago. I was reluctant to read it due to the fantasy and YA label. I read the reviews and this appeared to be of broader interests than YA.

This story was absorbing and the prose was well done. I liked the author's perspective of presenting this as a story of a young woman following her own destiny and not the course society, or her parents, have charted for her.

It is a story that speaks to women of all ages. For teenagers, Persephone is a good example for those who are struggling to find their own path in the world.

I liked how Hades was presented as a mature woman with a sense of justice and compassion. I think this is more than a YA story and would appeal to adults, especially women. This story has humor, drama, as well as a romance

Ms. Diemer has done much more here than retell the myth of Persephone, she has created a mythology where women make their own choices, defend their lives and their loves, and stand up for what they believe. This sets her story in stark contrast to so many myths where women are traded, married off, or sacrificed to advance the interests of male gods and heroes.

The prose in this story reads almost like poetry, even the harsh and tragic scenes have a kind of beauty to them.

This story is a lovely romance between two women, one young but wise beyond her years, the other timeless but changed by love. But beyond the feminist and lesbian retelling The Dark Wife forces us to reconsider some concepts many of us hold sacred, like the nature of forgiveness and redemption. There is so much hope here: hope that we can love again after unimaginable loss, hope that we can forgive and be forgiven, hope that whatever our surroundings we'll find paradise in those we hold dear.

What if Persephone had been an eager bride...and Hades was a woman?

That's the basic premise of this mythic re-telling of the "abduction" of Persephone as a same-sex romance. Persephone flees Olympus to escape Zeus's tyranny and sexual advances (and starting with a major grudge against him for having raped her childhood crush, one of Demeter's nymphs, and turned her into a bush). A passing encounter with the aloof, brooding, and therefore enticing Hades, Queen of Death at Persephone's Olympian coming-out makes her fixate on Hades as her best refuge.

The premise of this story was intriguing and enticing--as enticing as that first encounter with Hades. But the story didn't live up to my hopes for it. The overall plot was meandering and episodic, like a series of isolated D&D encounters with various persons, places, and creatures of the underworld. (In fact, it made me wonder whether it had originally been written as a serial without a fixed outline.) All of the adversaries, difficulties, and crises seem to be overcome too easily (though with a fair amount of angst in the build-up) with nothing more than earnest goodwill, empathy, and a bit of belated clear communication. The final climax, when Zeus has forced Demeter into blackmailing Persephone into returning from the underworld, is so quickly and easily resolved (with un-foreshadowed powers) that it felt like a cheat.

Persephone's romantic desire for Hades never quite escapes the sense of being a schoolgirl crush, with large quantities of gushing devotion, sighing, and longing glances that remain unconsummated for the majority of the story for no clearly articulated reason, other than to draw out what is meant to be the erotic tension. The problem is, while I kept getting told (over and over, at repetitive length) about how much Persephone loved Hades (and, eventually, how much Hades loved her back), I never really felt it.

I encountered this story in audio format through the podcast The Way of the Buffalo. It's hard to tell how much the format affected my reception of the story. The narrator tended to emphasize the "breathless, gushy" tone of the text, which may have fixed that aspect more firmly in my mind. On the other hand, I suspect if I'd been reading, I would have done a lot of skimming from around the halfway point.

I really wanted to like this story a lot more than I did.

The Dark Wife is a well written tender retelling of the mythological story of Persephone and Hades. It was incredible to see how Sarah Diemer has so intimately assimilated this myth. Such knowledge has enabled her to transform it into a whole new delicate love story, nevertheless maintaining the framework and detail.
The author has succeeded in narrating from a woman's point of view, dissolving male chauvinism that is so rampant in mythology, in a pot of women's innate power and subtly passing the message that the choice is always ours to make.
From now onwards the Autumn Equinox will never be the same for me.

This is a beautiful and clever retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth (one of my favourites), mixing a sweet love story with a coming-of-age tale. Diemer keeps to the heart of the mythology and the nature of the Greek gods, but puts her on spin on the familiar legends to great effect. I loved Persephone and her courage, and I loved Hades and her compassion. The depiction of the Underworld and its residents was fascinating (loved Cerberus! I want one!).

The themes of rebellion, truth, and deception were well-drawn throughout the book. Persephone is an innocent, but she's not stupid, and I enjoyed her defiance of the role the Olympians had planned for her. The idea of forging your own destiny when everything is conspiring to push you in a certain direction - one you fear and hate - is a powerful one and suits the YA version of this myth well. Despite being an immortal goddess, Persephone is a relatable heroine for anyone who's ever felt unsure of their place in the world or railed against restrictive traditions. There's plenty to love in The Dark Wife, not least of all Diemer's strong, lyrical prose.

I was amazed and completely surprised by how good this book is; it's in my top 5 of all time (yes, that good). I bought it expecting light YA fluff, and have been up for 3 nights just trying to read as much as I can, sucked in by the new take on the ancient myth, the depth of the characters, and the honest sweetness of the romance. I found myself reflecting on my own experiences, my own past and present as I read this. This story is a complete gem.

The Dark Wife, by Sarah Diemer, is a lesbian separatist reformulation of the Persephone myth.

Now, I suppose that someone could do a *good* lesbian separatist reformulation of the Persephone myth, especially if they start out with the first nonstandardness of The Dark Wife, viz. that Hades is a woman. I've certainly read versions of the myth in which Persephone actively chooses Hades for one reason or another.

But The Dark Wife has some divergences from Greek mythology which I find blasphemous (as I am an active worshipper of Athena and Hermes in particular). I follow Roman law in this regard, of "let the gods avenge themselves". So I'm not going to complain on *religious* grounds that Diemer's Zeus is an all-powerful self-centered bully and effectively the source of all evil in the cosmos. Or that Diemer's Athene is a lesbian slut.

I *am* going to complain about literary flaws.

First, it's a rather tedious romance: love at first sight, with Hades being endlessly kind and sweet to the narrating Persephone. There are several ways to make a love story interesting or engaging. Diemer avoids them all.

A significant amount of the trouble in the story could have been avoided if the main characters would only talk to each other about the important things. In this case there is no logistical reason for them not to — they have days or months in which they could do so. And they obviously love and care about each other even before they admit it. So why withhold crucial information from each other? Sheesh.

"Zeus' lies": One of the premises of the book is that standard present-day Greek mythology is actually what has come to us about the doings of the gods. That's kind of interesting. Diemer uses that like a club: Zeus is constantly telling lies about people which are universally believed, and which become Greek mythology. At least he has some reasons to tell the lies: e.g., he attempts to manipulate the dead to rebel against Hades. (It is unclear on why the dead believe these lies, since they are in constant contact with Hades and should know what she is like, but they do.) (It is also unclear why supremely powerful Zeus bothers to sneak-attack Hades this way, rather than taking his usual power-attack approach.)

Persephone defeats Zeus in about three sentences. And takes down Olympus on the next page. Seriously. Diemer spends more text talking about the garden of metal flowers that Hades makes for Persephone than she does when Persephone takes down the most powerful god.

Pallas is a major character. That's cool — in standard mythology Pallas was Athena's childhood friend/foster-sister/sweetheart/something, but Athena killed her by mistake. Since The Dark Wife is set in the underworld, of course Pallas is *there*, and it's an excellent idea to have her be an important character. And she still is in in love with Athene. And there's a significant plotline about Pallas having Persephone try to deliver a message to Athene. And this plotline is dropped without a trace. Persephone gets a message for Athene, and … never delivers it, never sees Athene, nothing.

And half the book is Persephone swooning around in absolute delight or absolute despair for one or another minor reason. But I find lots of romances have that feature.

Anyways, one head of Cerberus out of five. Not recommended even if you like both lesbian separatist fiction and Greek mythology.

this was the GAYEST book I have ever read. really, I wanted to cry from joy. I finished it in 2 days, I couldn't put it down. the storytelling was so vivid and I especially loved the ending. beautifully written romance as well as action, and I love the retelling of the myth. also Cerberus is my lil bean and I love him.

This story was lovey! Beautiful descriptions that really allow one to imagine a new world out of the old one we have all heard tales of. And unlike many other indie books I've read, it was very well written, with few editorial mistakes! Brilliant!!

This story was captivating. I was absolutely pulled in by the details of a Myth everyone "knows". This retelling is magical and amazing. I only wish I'd had this when I was younger to give me strength where there was hardly any to be found elsewhere.