Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Well, this was a cute, quick reimagining of the relationship between Greek gods Hades and Persephone—a lot more romantic, fast-paced, and playfully adult. I have to admit, I was surprised by the amount of nudity in the book, especially since the art style is kind of Disney-esque—the colorful, adorable type you’d expect in children’s comics. But hey, gods and nymphs don’t care about modesty! Persephone: Hades’ Torment by Allison Shaw is clearly aimed at a mature audience and makes for a fun pick if you love Greek mythology and graphic novels. However, it ends too abruptly!
Naturally, this graphic novel reminded me of Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe, which also reimagines Hades and Persephone’s love story as a 21st-century young-adult fantasy rom-com. However, Persephone: Hades’ Torment was first published in January 2017, long before Rachel Smythe started posting Lore Olympus online. For those curious, one of the biggest differences between the two is the power dynamic between the leads. In Lore Olympus, Persephone works under Hades in the Underworld, and their romance develops slowly within a boss-intern dynamic. In contrast, Allison Shaw’s version presents them as two equals (well, kind-og) who fall for each other at lightning speed.
Allison Shaw draws Hades as a brooding, handsome hunk, while Persephone is a fiery redhead who’s fed up with being smothered by her overprotective mother, Demeter. As if Demeter wasn’t bad enough, Persephone also has to deal with Apollo’s constant harassment. So, when Hades steps in and deals with the troublesome Sun God, Persephone is instantly drawn to the dark, intimidating figure. Throw in some meddling from Eros, the God of Love and Sex, and what follows is a steamy, whirlwind romance between the Spring Queen and the King of the Underworld.
I needed this to be at least 100 pages longer, because Allison Shaw includes several Greek figures, and simply assumes readers know all about them. And despite someone like me being the target audience of the book – essentially readers familiar with their Greek legends and lore – I couldn’t help but feel the storytelling was jarring and too rushed. So readers who haven’t brushed up on their mythology, will end up feeling on the deeper side of the sea. But thanks to the cutesy art and breezy romance, Persephone: Hades’ Torment is an enjoyable one time read.
Rating: 3 on 5.
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