Skip to main content

Greek mythology meets Romeo and Juliet in L.E. Stardust’s The Secret Love of Hades and Persephone. 

Persephone, the soon-to-be goddess of spring, is finally at the age where she can be initiated into Olympus and take her place among the other Greek gods. Along with coming into her power as a goddess, she is also faced with a decision that will define the rest of her existence: does she reign as a virgin deity or open herself up to potential suitors?

In her mind, the decision is simple. She has longed for the feeling of love since she was born and has no desire to swear an oath of virginity. Demeter, however — Persephone’s mother and the goddess of agriculture — wishes for her daughter to remain unmarried. She makes every effort to convince Persephone to follow her command, but at her initiation ceremony, Persephone announces that she is in search of a husband. 

THE INTRODUCTION OF AN EYE-CATCHING GODDESS 

Being the newest and one of the most beautiful goddesses available, Persephone is quickly approached by many potential suitors. However, their patterned history of large egos and short-term relationships falls short of Persephone’s expectations. Demeter, still opposed to the idea of her daughter marrying, is not fond of any of the men and tells Persephone that there is no such thing as a faithful god.

While Demeter’s attitude begins to raise doubts in Persephone, one suitor still catches her eye — Hades, god of the Underworld. The two shared a few brief but exciting moments at her initiation ceremony, which led to a mutual interest However, out of all her options, Demeter will surely disapprove of Hades the most. This forces the god and goddess to grow their connection in secret so they don’t risk exposure in the physical world. The pair relocates to the Underworld where Persephone would live if she chose to marry Hades. Their new environment allows Persephone to learn more about her paramour’s lifestyle and for the couple to explore all elements of their blossoming relationship. 

Demeter, quick to notice her daughter’s absence, spirals into a panic, believing that someone has kidnapped her. She goes before Zeus and demands that her daughter be returned to her, threatening to wreak havoc on Earth if she is not. Zeus refuses to help Demeter …  and she follows through with her threats. The damage she causes on Earth overloads the Underworld, which is already rumored to be weakening. Between the wrath of Persephone’s mother and the crumbling of Hades’ kingdom, the couple’s relationship is now in jeopardy.

SHARED OBSTACLES BETWEEN CELESTIALS AND HUMANS

While this novel is a compelling read for fans of Greek mythology, extensive knowledge of these tales is not necessary to thoroughly enjoy Stardust’s writing. Each of the characters represents a Greek god, goddess or nymph, but holds traits relatable to people we encounter in our everyday lives. Stardust does an excellent job of giving them defined and three-dimensional personalities while also staying true to the characteristics each god traditionally holds. Persephone and Hades fill the molds of excited young lovers perfectly while Demeter’s role as an overprotective parent is sure to resonate with something we have all witnessed.  

The love between Persephone and Hades is both passionate and authentic. While the pair faces celestial problems such as maintaining power and control, they also face human problems such as first fights and familial approval. Through a series of obstacles, the couple is able to grow their relationship in a way that rings true to the reader. Reminiscent of stories such as Romeo and Juliet, The Secret Love of Hades and Persephone is fitting for any fan of star-crossed lovers and those who believe we are destined to be with one specific person. 


RELATED READS

Riff on a Myth: 7 Novels Drawing Inspiration From Multicultural Ancient Sources


https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/L.-E.-Stardust-photo1.jpg

About L.E. Stardust:

L.E. Stardust studies all different variations of religions, spiritual beliefs, supernatural beings and experiences. She uses her passion of her studies to show connection and possibilities of other realities to people. She puts this interest in all of her works such as fashion, music, art and writing.

Genre: Fiction
Nicole Maher

A recent graduate of Fairfield University, Nicole Maher is a BookTrib staff member. She holds a double major in English (Creative Writing) and Communication with a minor in Digital Journalism. When she is not reading and writing, she can be found going for a run, sitting at the beach with friends, or taking the train into New York City for the day.

Leave a Reply