Book Review :: Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe

Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe
ISBN: 0593356071
Series: Lore Olympus #1
Also in this series: Lore Olympus: Volume Two, Lore Olympus: Volume Three, Lore Olympus: Volume Four, Lore Olympus: Volume Five, Lore Olympus: Volume Six, Lore Olympus: Volume Seven, Lore Olympus: Volume Eight
Published by Del Rey
on 2021-11-02
Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels
Pages: 384
Goodreads

Experience the propulsive love story of two Greek gods—Hades and Persephone—brought to life with lavish artwork and an irresistible contemporary voice.

Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love—witness what the gods do after dark in this stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of mythology’s most well-known stories from creator Rachel Smythe. Featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story, Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated web-comic Lore Olympus brings the Greek Pantheon into the modern age with this sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Last updated on 21 January 2024

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The year was probably 2019. Sophie over a SofillyLetters and I had already been podcasting for a year and had made the connection that we both loved Greek mythology much earlier. Then Sophie introduced me to a Web Comic, Lore Olympus.

I had never read a webcomic before (and wasn’t that into comics or graphic novels in general back then), but when she explained the concept to me, I was there in a flash! ⚡

Full disclosure, however, I read a lot of the Lore Olympus webcomic that year, but never caught up to where author Rachel Smythe was actually up to, as she released them very regularly. So when it was announced that Lore Olympus was being published in book form, I knew this was finally my time to re-read what I had already read and begin to catch up.

The story of Lore Olympus

Lore Olympus follows the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades, and if you’re not familiar with the myth, then in short the original myth goes something like this.

Hades, who rarely left the Underworld, falls in love with Persephone and kidnaps her by splitting the earth beneath her feet while she’s out and about. She tumbles down to the Underworld where Hades makes her his wife. She’s mega unhappy about the situation (as one would be), but over time she grows to love him and they live happily ever after.

There are variations of the story, and one of them involves Persephone’s mother Demeter a lot more. It tells that Demeter was there when Persephone got kidnapped, and eventually, she pleads for the release of her daughter back to the land of the living. Hades and his brother Zeus agree, but only if Persephone lives in the Underworld for 4 months of the year.

That’s the gist.

“Hades, all the fine suits in the world won’t change the fact that you stink of death.”

Lore Olympus is a bit different to the myth and takes lots of creative liberties, which you can do myths, and so many have done in the past. In Lore Olympus, Persephone meets Hades at a party in the Underworld, and the story follows them getting to know each other. The setting is the Underworld but there are mobile phones and technology and fast cars and fancy apartment buildings. All the range of other gods and goddesses are in the story too, and while this particular paperback only covers part one, I’m sure there are plenty more to come.

Rachel Smythe has a beautiful art style, and I love the images in this graphic novel. The way she tells the story sets the scene, throws us in the deep end is so much fun and I can’t wait to keep reading when the next instalment comes out.

Have you read Lore Olympus? What did you think?