The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer

A Spoiler Free Review

The Dark Wife retells the story of Hades and Persephone in a slightly interesting way. We get the story from Persephone’s view point and she’s young, a teenager at this point and doesn’t actually know what’s going on. Zeus is painted as a villain, which, ya know, he kind of is. I honestly wasn’t a big fan of this, mostly because Persephone is just so… wet as a protagonist. Engaging enough to get me through the book, but otherwise just kinda there for most of it.

I was not expecting bisexual Persephone or female Hades. Apparently our view of Hades and apparently Cupid as males rather than females was a thing Zeus decided to do. I’m not entirely sure why and it’s not really explained, other than to explain the whole perspective of Hades kidnapping and raping Persephone. Not super important to the plot… especially with a revelation near the end about the Olympians…

I really don’t like the whole “we must be mysterious and speak in riddles for PLOT” thing. I dislike the withholding of information mostly for the sake of withholding it. Persephone isn’t sure enough of herself or her position to demand answers. We do get those answers, with a bit more mystery on the part of Gaia, but still not really.

This had an interesting take on Elysian Fields. I always kind of pictured the fields and less literal than just fields. This version of the dead just sitting and wallowing in their oh-so-heroic misdeeds is really quite horrifying. Of course Persephone changes that, which ends up quite well.

“But I was lonely” and couldn’t dream of asking to accompany Hades on her duties… that would just be too crazy. Seriously, this Persephone had agency enough to choose to go to The Underworld but none beyond that. Just following Pallas around or wandering Hades’ palace alone. When she finally shakes that off, it’s much better for everyone. This is really what I meant when I said Persephone was a “wet” protagonist.

Hades honestly wasn’t much better and wasn’t actually around so much. Like, she was there, but it was really closer to an Edward Cullen style of “I’ll watch you sleep and hug the nightmares away” kind of thing. I liked Pallas well enough. Hermes mostly appeared and was cryptic when he wasn’t doing his messenger god duties.

I like this take on Charon. There’s no way there would just be a bunch of dead standing around who didn’t have ferry fare so they’d have to pay somehow. I think it’s interesting that all their bits of “payment” are incorporated into Charon’s physical body. Makes the ferryman way creepier than they are otherwise… which is kind of creepy enough.

I have this feeling I should just stop reading retellings. There are very few I’ve read lately that I’ve enjoyed. I have a feeling it’s mostly due to the characterization of the protagonists, but… eeehhh… not entirely sure. I have enjoyed Punderworld by Linda Sejic, which honestly just cements my characterization theory. Sejic’s versions of pretty much all the gods and goddesses are much more vibrant and active in their narratives. The Dark Wife just didn’t do it for me.