Published: May 12, 2011
Words: 62,251 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781458009036

Short description

Three thousand years ago, a god told a lie. Now, only a goddess can tell the truth. The Dark Wife is a YA novel, a lesbian revisionist retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth.

Extended description

Three thousand years ago, a god told a lie. Now, only a goddess can tell the truth.

Persephone has everything a daughter of Zeus could want--except for freedom. She lives on the green earth with her mother, Demeter, growing up beneath the ever-watchful eyes of the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. But when Persephone meets the enigmatic Hades, she experiences something new: choice.

Zeus calls Hades "lord" of the dead as a joke. In truth, Hades is the goddess of the underworld, and no friend of Zeus. She offers Persephone sanctuary in her land of the dead, so the young goddess may escape her Olympian destiny.

But Persephone finds more than freedom in the underworld. She finds love, and herself.

The Dark Wife is a YA novel, a lesbian revisionist retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth. It won the 2012 Golden Crown Literary Award for Speculative Fiction.

Tags

gay, lesbian, young adult, myth, glbt, ya, hades, greek myth, persephone, gay ya

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Reviews

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Review by: Meag on May 01, 2012 :
This story was such a breeze to read through. The writing, though simple enough, kept me flowing along the storyline, never bogged down or hindered by clumsy exposition or too much talking.

I would have loved to have read a longer version of this, where the characters had more time to develop. Although Persephone does grow and change during the book, the rest of the characterization suffers from short story syndrome.

Unfortunately, this is most noticeable in Hades, the love interest. She remained very much an enigma even at the end. Zeus's villainous demeanor I can take, but I really wanted to see more of Hades, who had her own baggage to contend with. She reminded me of a Joss Whedon character--a female saddled with a lot of responsibility and pain who deals with it admirably--and I really wanted to see inside her head.

But otherwise, a very well-done novella. Gorgeous prose, a striking backdrop, and lovely emotions. I will definitely be reading more of Sarah Diemer in the future.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Bad-juju on Aug. 15, 2011 :
Wow!
A hypnotic story which engrosses the reader to such an extent they don't even remember finishing their coffee. Exactly what happened to me. To be able to accomplish this feat in so few words was simply amazing. As a fellow writer, I bow my pen to you Sarah Diemer. Thank you for transporting me so completely to the other realm. Its been awhile since a story has consumed me so.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

Review by: violetnearly on June 11, 2011 :
Absolutely loved this! Dreamy, romantic, and utterly lovely.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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