Book Review: "Lore Olympus, Volume Five" by Rachel Smythe
*Spoiler alert!*
Volume
five of the “Lore Olympus” graphic novel series continues the modern,
soap-opera take on the tale of Persephone and Hades. I think this one ups the
ante on the story a bit, because the volume reveals some deep trauma on the
part of Persephone that is threatening to split the Greek pantheon itself.
“How does a goddess go from being called ‘Maiden’ to ‘Bringer of Death’!?”
This
series has truly tackled a bunch of series topics from mental health to sexual
assault and abusive relationships even as it is balanced with the comedic side.
There is quite a bit of humorous moments, such as this gem from Hera, when
talking about her husband, Zeus:
“He’s an arrogant buffoon who overreacts at the drop of a hat.”
Of course,
Zeus proves her right—shocker—when finding out about an incident in Persephone’s
past in which a whole village was destroyed by immediately issuing an arrest warrant
for Persephone and her mother, Demeter. This throws Olympus into chaos in the
process.
“I don’t know why everyone in the Kingdom has suddenly forgotten who I am! I am the KING! I’M THE GOD OF THUNDER! I’M NOT A BUFFOON WHO OVERREACTS!”
(Uh-huh, sounds
like an overreaction to me. Again, not a big fan of Zeus, even before this
series.)
Zeus is
already insecure on many fronts, but not being told about an incident like this
makes him feel like he needs to reassert his authority. Readers see this
dynamic not only in his relations with the rest of Olympus but also in his toxic
relationship with Hera.
“Once, I was a Goddess. Made from starlight and the sweetest earth. Limitless and blessed with purpose. But now, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be. I miss the Earth. I miss my friends. And most of all I miss my mother. I feel as though I traded them all to be your Golden Traitor. To be a fraction of what I could have been, all so you could feel safe. Torn asunder to be the Goddess of Marriage.”
I really
feel for Hera, who feels trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship and
feels that she is losing herself. She’s cut herself off from most of the people
she cares about and who care about her.
This
dynamic also parallels Persephone’s inner turmoil as unwelcome memories surface
underneath all the stress she is being put under, not to mention the fallout
from being sexually assaulted by Apollo. And Apollo essentially threatening revenge
porn if she tells anyone what really happened.
When it all
becomes too much, Persephone goes off the grid in the Underworld, fueling a frantic
search led by a terrified Hades and Artemis. Hades tracks a lead to a pawn shop
where Persephone pawned off the comb he gifted her, but it is there that the
trail runs cold.
Of course,
Rachel Smythe won’t leave us on this cliffhanger forever. There is a volume six
to this story!
Overall, I
really enjoyed this volume. I felt that it advanced the story in a big way, not
only in Hades and Persephone getting closer, but in exposing deep-seated traumas
at the heart of Olympus itself. I hope that Persephone is found safe in the
next volume of the story. She’s not exactly in the best of headspaces, having responded
to a question by the pawnshop lady about what a being like her is doing
wandering the shadows of the Underworld with:
“The sun never touches the Underworld. It’s the perfect place.”
May 2024
can’t come fast enough!
Happy
reading!
--BookOwl
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