August 21, 2021

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus Book 1) by Katee Robert

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus Book 1) by Katee Robert
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: June 1, 2021
Format: Audiobook (library)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca


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Neon Gods by Katee Robert is a quick and fun read - I devoured it in one sitting. This book is a unique retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth, complete with an innovative setting and world. I want to emphasize that this book is a very spicy read, so I would recommend it for mature readers ONLY. Not suitable in any way for the eyes of under 18-year-olds.  


The idea of the Thirteen was super interesting to me. Instead of them being “gods”, the titles are inherited or earned and relate to their job in the city. For example, anyone who holds the Demeter title is responsible for feeding both the lower and upper cities. It was unclear how some titles, like that of Hades and Hera related to their roles from mythology. The idea that Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon are blood titles maintained the idea that those three gods have always had more power than the other Olympians.   


I really loved the characters of Persephone and Hades, both individually and together as a couple. Hades being a “consent king” in this book was a pleasant surprise. I think this quote sums it up best: “For someone so determined to be labeled a monster, he’s incredibly invested in my pleasure and consent.” 


Outside of Persephone and Hades, my favorite characters were Hermes and Dionysus. First of all, Hermes is a female in this book (as opposed to their normal characterization as a male). It was curious to have Dionysus be an asexual character given his role and title. I wonder what the author might end up doing with that in future books. Hermes was hilarious when she unashamedly and repeatedly broke into Hades’ quarters, and Hades is at the point where he just accepts it and has stopped fighting. I also really enjoyed Hermes’ ability of vocal mimicry and how it was used in the book (i.e. to deliver ultimatums in the sender’s voice). It was an interesting twist on their role as messenger of the gods that I’ve never seen before. 


If Neon God was this great, I cannot wait for the release of Electric Idol in 2022. The story of Eros and Psyche is sure to be more intense than that of Hades and Persephone given the source material.  


CW (from the author’s page): Abuse, Parental Death (Historical, Off-Page), Assault/Attempted Assault, Explicit Sex, guns, Blood 


About the Book

He was supposed to be a myth. But from the moment I crossed the River Styx and fell under his dark spell...he was, quite simply, mine.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that's as sinful as it is sweet.*

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that's ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city's dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil's bargain with a man she once believed a myth...a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he's spent years craving, it's all the excuse he needs to help her-for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he'll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close...


About the Author


Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

 

Katee is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.


Katee Robert Author Website

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