Hello hello, and welcome or welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet. Today I’m sharing my review of Psyche and Eros, one of my top reads this year.
Synopsis
In this utterly transporting reimagining of Greek mythology, the god of desire is cursed to fall for a spirited young mortal woman, but if she looks upon his face they will be parted forever—an epic adventure and love story for the ages, sure to satisfy fans of Madeline Miller and V.E. Schwab
Who said true love is a myth?
A prophecy claims that Psyche, princess of Mycenae, will defeat a monster feared even by the gods. Rebelling against her society’s expectations for women, Psyche spends her youth mastering blade and bow, preparing to meet her destiny.
When Psyche angers the love goddess Aphrodite, she sends Eros, god of desire, to deliver a cruel curse. After eons watching humanity twist his gifts, the last thing Eros wants is to become involved in the chaos of the mortal world. But when he pricks himself with the arrow intended for Psyche, Eros finds himself doomed to yearn for a woman who will be torn from him the moment their eyes meet.
Thrown together by fate, headstrong Psyche and world-weary Eros will face challenges greater than they could have ever imagined. And as the Trojan War begins and divine powers try to keep them apart, the pair must determine if the curse could become something more . . . before it’s too late.
A joyous and subversive tale of gods, monsters, and the human heart and soul, Psyche and Eros dazzles the senses while exploring notions of trust, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be a hero. With unforgettably vivid characters, spellbinding prose, and delicious tension, Luna McNamara has crafted a shimmering and propulsive debut novel about a love so strong it defies the will of Olympus.
Review
This book was magic and music and love given form. Taking multiple versions of the myth of Pyshce and Eros, weaving them together, and adding a dash of unique style that is purely the author’s own, the final result is an incredible, joyous thing.
I adored the amount of familiar names we encountered throughout the story, with famous Greeks of all kinds making an appearance. They were all so well defined, again a wonderful blend of the things we ‘know’ – for example, that Zeus is an arrogant dude who can’t keep it in his pants – and things the author uses to best suit the story, like that Psyche has encountered the background horrors of marriage and does not enjoy the sound of it at all. It was a beautiful thing to see all these happenings made so vivid that one could almost believe this was a true story, getting so lost in the fantastic story telling, and its fantastical nature.
Retellings and mythology inspired novels are so popular at the moment – see here for just five from around the world I’ve loved – and sometimes that means books can end up being overlooked and underestimated. Do not make that mistake with this book. It will grab you, whisper its secrets into your ear, and you will be reduced to tears by the sheer poetry of the narrative.
It works especially well as an audio book, with the alternating points of view narrated separately, and both actors giving their all to the performance. They get across all the emotions you feel throughout the pages: the angst, the pain, the anger, the desperation… And most of all, the love.
This is a story of how the god of love fell in love. It is a story of how a young woman thought her destiny to slay monsters could, should, and would prevent her from finding love. It is how they found each other, and lost each other, and found themselves in finding each other again. It is, simply, a love story, yet so much more. And it is utterly perfect.
Thanks for stopping by for this review today. This very special book has left a mark on my heart, and I’ll remember it for a long time to come.
And On She Reads 