Hera: The beguiling story of the Queen of Mount Olympus

I really enjoyed this book. At first I was wondering what the plot was about but soon I came to realize that it was the Greek Mythology told from Hera‘s perspective. And not Hera as in the jealous wife that cannot cope with her husband grooming around the world. No, it was Hera, the queen of goddesses. Hera, the wife of Zeus who she never wanted to be. Times it was hard to read and to still be on Hera‘s side because she just felt so revengeful. But then one came to think why she was as revengeful. And then there occurred a huge understanding. She was forced to be a goddess she never wanted to be, to live an immortal life that she hated and whilst being the goddess of marriage still being cheated on. I think I couldn’t have coped with that better. I really liked the way of telling because it neither felt like being in Latin Lessons and learning about mythology in the most boring way, nor did it feel like reading a children’s book. It was just nice. And of course Zeus and Poseidon turned out to be the least likable gods ever. Also it’s a great story for feminism, which is really interesting and should be kept in mind whilst reading.

Ich muss sagen, nach einer längeren Phase des nicht englisch Lesens hab ich echt lange für das Buch gebraucht. Aber es war echt nicht schlecht. Jennifer gelingt es immer wieder einen neuen Blick auf Frauen der Mythologie zu erschaffen. Ich hab Hera immer verachtet und gehasst, doch mit dieser Version einer Erzählung kann ich sie verstehen und empfinde Hass gegenüber Zeus, der grundsätzlich hochgepriesen wird.