[Warning: Profanity]

What is this?
Seriously?
What did I just read? Because it's supposed to be a retelling of the myth of Hades/Persephone. Instead I got some emo god with no incest, no monsters or three headed Cerberus.

I can forgive errors if the material is good over all. So I can deal with the mythical flaws in Xena/Hercules and Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Disney's Hercules. However, this piece completely bastardizes the source material by turning into a cheap romance, that lacks any emotional complexity or sense of excitement.

Kate is frustrating and I should feel for her easily. Loosing my mother is one of my deepest, darkest fears; so why can't I manage any sympathy for her? Oh, that's right: she's a poorly written, straw [wo]man feminist, with a martyr complex that makes no sense with her self-centered personality. I mean she gets the deal of a lifetime handed to her on a silver platter and she just keeps complaining: "but I don't like dresses! I'm a progressive woman!" STFU! Not to mention this story all revolves around me supposing to believe that she will give up her freedom to save someone who she doesn't even care for. I can't believe that. Nothing in her character makes me think she has that kind of moral code. All she comes off as, is a WASP from NYC [probably Park Slope] who probably adores the smell of her own farts.

Hades, oh my poor, poor Hades. I would have honestly preferred if they went the Disney root and made him the villain. Say what you will about Disney's Hercules, but Hades [despite being grossly misrepresented] is one of the highlights of the film. The deity in this book is a boring, sexually repressed virgin of all things! There is nothing wrong with being a virgin, we all are once, but for Zeus's sake, you are an immortal and you haven't tapped one ass?!?



As for these "tests" I wish someone would explain me the logistics of having the Greek Gods give a rats ass about the Christian/Catholic seven deadly sins? I mean, have you met Zeus? Mr. I'll plow anything with a hole, no matter rain, sleet, goose or bull. For him to say "we don't abide lust" is the biggest crock in the world and only shows the further bastardzation of the biggest man-whore in mythic history. Also how they were all presented were just stupid: greed is measured in pretty dresses that are free apparently...

Now the ending: ugh. What a gigantic-ass cop out. I don't want to "spoil" anything for you, but if I was Kate I would have told all the gods to go have one gigantic wank and flip them off.

I know some of my friends here do not like the Percy Jackson series, but that children's book series has more emotional depth, accuracy, better character and handles the dark side of the mythos in a mature way.