Thank you Netgallery for this advanced readers copy for an honest review.
The Palace of Eros by Caro De Robertis had some incredible writing in it. From the beginning I was captivated with how poetic it was and loved the idea of this mystical story.

It does sadden me to write this review a little as the idea of a queer Greek mythology retelling sounded incredible.
My issue with this novel, was that the relationship between Eros and Psyche didn’t feel as though it was actually there. At times so many words were said without anything being developed or told properly. I truly believe I would have loved this book so much more if their relationship was more developed and had more emotion in it. I also found that at times there was a severe lack of dialogue which could sometimes make the novel difficult to follow.

Without a doubt Caro De Robertis can create such beautiful writing which is a joy to read but this book just wasn’t really for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was so ready to absolutely love this book. I was so ready to dive into a beautiful Greek mythology retelling that featured a non-binary Eros. I loved the summary, and I was excited!

For the first 80 pages or so, I enjoyed the book. I thought Psyche’s childhood and how she grew up was very well explained. Although I felt the prose was trying just slightly too hard to be lyrical and purple, I was enjoying what I was reading! However, around the 100 page mark, things started falling flat for me. I’m unsure why, but I fear the pose just got too much.

The sentences were wildly run on. There is one where a full paragraph was ONE sentence. There’s also a lot of repetition, almost as if the author was attempting to hit a word count or something!

However, I do want to note that I did finish the book. There are scenes and descriptions that I loved, where the prose wasn’t too purple, and then there were scenes I had to skim because it was far too much.

I do recommend it for fans of Greek mythology retellings. I will recommend it to friends who enjoy those books. But unfortunately this book fell flat for me.

Believe me when I say I so wish I could have liked this more. When I was approved for an e-arc that I requested based on the very basic premise of this novel being a queer sapphic retelling of a Greek myth, I was HOOKED, but this was a disappointment through and through that I’m having trouble finding anything positive to say about it apart from the fact that it exists.

I’m not the biggest Greek Mythology fan out there, I didn’t know the original myth before diving into this novel, but I do know that I will always be here for a queer retelling of ANYTHING. As a queer reader myself, keeping a balance between “I’m just glad this queer story exists no matter how good or bad” and “telling queer stories isn’t an end in itself, they need to accomplish something” isn’t easy. This novel will, for some people, undoubtedly be exactly what they needed and have always looked for, and that’s great, but I wish it had at least been GOOD.

I know taste and enjoyment are subjective, but I buddy-read this with a friend of mine and we were both in agreement that this book is severely lacking in almost every major department, including writing (style), plot, and dialogue.

PSA: I received a digital reader advanced copy of this novel and can’t say what changes this will go through before being published. However, while it’s very likely that small details will change, I don’t think the writing style will.

If there is one thing I will forever do it’s comparing every Greek Mythology retelling to The Song of Achilles. It’s unfair, it’s biased, but I can’t help it. Madeline Miller set a gold standard that many writers will struggle to achieve. However, when comparing De Robertis’s writing to Miller’s, it falls flat on its nose. Where Miller’s prose is just the right shade short of purple, De Robertis’s takes elaborate and flowery to a whole new level. Similes follow metaphors follow too luscious imagery follows hyperboles on every page, constantly, so that the plot itself, the words’ meaning is completely lost, and needs to be uncovered before one attempts to understand it.

There are nuggets of gold to be found, for sure:

“All of time collapses in the immediacy of desire.”

“Those of us who’ve been broken have more shards inside us than we know – and who among us has not been broken, as women in this world?”

Beautiful quotes, no notes!! 💕💘❤️

Other quotes, however, looked like this:

“A chance at everything, I thought, to hear only what’s inside me shouting true, I want to let the rest of the world’s noise dissolve, even if only for one night, I don’t know what I am or who I am but tonight, right now, I know what I want, and so what if the laws of gods and men would slay me for it, who cares, they already tried to slay me and here I am.”

That’s so many words to say nothing. 😩

“She came here on some winged creature through the night sky, she is a woman free to roam the sky, a woman with a palace, a woman whose days are hidden from you, a woman who can do outrageous things to another woman’s body, a woman whose power is mountainous, whose strength is vast, whose charm is boundless, you’d never imagined such a woman could be, yet here she is, and far be it from you to anger her when she’s already given you so much, how could you ask for more, when she has chosen you for this adventure for some inscrutable reason you’ll never understand, just as it’s impossible to understand how this adventure can exist or what the scope of it will be, but there it is, the need to clasp it close and not let go because you want this life she’s offered you, want it with every fiber of your being, yet also want to hold on to your own knowing, however tiny it may be compared to hers.”

no, you didn’t misread, that’s one sentence. ONE effing SENTENCE. And this is not an anomaly. There are several paragraphs in this book consisting of a single sentence covering a good ten or more lines.
The writing was already hard to digest with how densely flowery it was, but this took the cake.

I find that in general, it seemed like the author really enjoyed the sound or flow of their own writing, which I’m usually fine with as long as their words are saying something!!

“I longed for so much that I almost longed for everything, which is a feeling so vast it curves in on itself, toward the start of the circle, where everything becomes nothing, and the longing for everything blurs into longing for nothing, a subsuming in the longing itself, pure, raw, swallowing you whole.”

Like god, I wish I could find something inspirational or true in-between those words, but every time I tried, I got the biggest headaches, I simply stopped trying after a while and was just reading the words, not willing to try to comprehend them.

Aside from the writing, I couldn’t get behind the author’s decision to write Eros’s POV in the third person but Psyche’s POV in the first person. Since Psyche isn’t the most interesting character ever conceived, spending a lot of time immersed in her inner thoughts and feelings became tedious.

Eros, as the non-binary goddess going by she/her pronouns, would have been interesting to explore in 1st-person POV, not only because she is an outsider in the pantheon of gods and goddesses, but also because some of her actions (like not divulging her true identity to Psyche, taking her against her will, keeping her imprisoned in her dream castle etc.) definitely paint her as more of a morally grey than a 100% good person.

Given how even the original myth lacks plot and excitement for the entire time in-between Psyche’s arrival at Eros’s dream castle and Psyche’s leaving the dream castle, you would need to be a darn good writer to not let that part of the story become boring pretty quickly. This is when to use beautiful and flowery writing to fill the space and support a basically non-existent plot.

De Robertis does this well in writing about Psyche’s musings about art and poetry, the beauty of nature, about lust and affection, but even though Eros’s and Psyche’s shared nights are filled with heavy longing and desire that are passionately explored and beautifully expressed, that part of the novel did drag immensely. Psyche spends every day painting and weaving– occasionally superseded by minutes or hours of masturbating – and every night Eros and Psyche make love.

Not only could this segment of the novel have been tightened immensely, but it was also filled with non-sensical dialogue that, to me, didn’t come across as authentic in how two people would converse with each other:

“But there is room for them.
It’s not for them.
It’s all for me?
Yes.
So, then – what you’re saying is, this is my home?
Of course it’s your home.
And what I want matters? You don’t own me?
You already know-
You said it before. But what about now?
How can you say such a thing?
Why won’t you answer?”

I just- OUFF. 🥲

“How will I live through this? How does any creature live? What is alive keeps going. Keeps listening. Watching. Taking the next breath and the next.”
Me when I have to hit my word count for this review. ✍️

“Could this moment be real? What is real? What is the world?”
Me when I have to hit my word count for this review. ✍️

While the story itself is ultimately queer- and non-binary affirming, uplifting, and while it deserves special attention for being a Latin-American own-voices narrative that poses interesting questions about the assumed heteronormativity of Greek myths, the novel comes with a lot of flaws that hindered my enjoyment of it severely.

As always, thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a queer Eros and Psyche retelling with a nonbinary Eros. This was good the writting is lyrical but it got a bit repetitive. It's also very smutty wich i wasn't expecting

The Palace of Eros by Caro De Roberts

This is one of my favourite reads so far in 2024! I picked this book up because I love stories surrounding Greek Gods and mythology, but this turned out to be so much more than that.

The author sensitively explores many difficult topics; such as gender fluidity, sexism, female desire, jealousy, female sexual shame, gender roles, toxic family relations and many more. These topics were all hard hitting but definitely all added up to make this a story I certainly will not forget for a very long time. There most definitely needs to be trigger warnings for sexual assault, but the author handles these harrowing subjects with overwhelming empathy and sensitivity. This book gives off a very feminist vibe which I really loved; the author clearly is trying to leave a clear message in the reader's mind about the importance of consent, trust and honesty.

De Roberts writes beautifully captivating characters and I thoroughly enjoyed the way we were able to get inside each character's head from a really psychologically informed approach. In particular, watching Psyche's story at the beginning and seeing her experience such terrible trauma's was terrifying but incredibly well written. Being able to dive into Psyche's head and see her spiralling thoughts, her shame, her helplessness and her inner rage was so fascinating, raw and honest. The same can be said for Eros and the underlying storyline between her and Zeus, and the very scary incidents that occur between the two of them. Eros' struggle between family loyalty and following her heart was interesting and difficult to read as, we as readers, could see the toxicity surrounding Eros, her mother (Aphrodite) and the other Gods. I adored the sapphic romance between Eros and Psyche, and also really appreciated the way the author explored gender fluidity through Eros. The author also explored the topic of sexism and gender roles through Psyche's parents, and also through the sisters, who are condemned to miserable lives simply to protect the family honour/image and because the father wishes it. The characters were stunningly crafted, but each of them carried a terrible trauma of some sort with them, which made for a very sad but psychologically fascinating read.

Overall, I adored this book. Caro De Roberts writing is exquisite, and this book makes really hard-hitting critiques about society, prejudices and stereotypes which the many readers can relate to or sympathise with. The story is beautifully sad, but also an incredibly sapphic love story where two women come together against all the odds and threaten the downfall of the Gods just so they can be together without judgement. Uhhh! I cannot tell you how much I loved this, there will never be enough words to describe how much I enjoyed the experience of reading this (and believe me there were many tears involved).

I rated this 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Caro De Roberts for the ARC

While i don't read many classic myth retellings, so don't know what to generally expect, i really did enjoy this story and how unique it felt to me. I really really really enjoyed how some aspects of the classic were turned on its head too. The fact its a sapphic love story, Eros is a woman, and the way the author weaves everything together was simply magical to me.

The writing style in form of being a classic retelling was extremely lyrical and ethereal. While it was hard to read and understand at times, it's definitely a book that should be savored and not rushed.

There were so many twists and turns, and so many times i felt like i knew what had happened and was completely wrong. I especially loved how there was a struggle and the fact that things didn't just spontaneously fall together for the main characters. I feel like it would have just cheapened everything that this book represents.

Again, i loved how this story explored relationships, both romantic and platonic, and depicted both the good and the bad in people. Especially the fact that relationships can seemingly change out of nowhere for the worst, and that at the end of the day not everyone has your best interests at heart, or are genuine. Sometimes its better to simply let go and cut people off.

In this retelling of the classic myth, the main plot points remain the same but Eros is feminine-presenting, genderfluid (?) and intersex.

This is more than just a gender-bent sapphic reimagining of the myth. By making Eros another woman, I think this novel cleverly tricks us into believing initially that their relationship was going to be smooth-sailing. The author holds miserable women characters up as foils against which we evaluate Psyche’s situation. Any encounter with a man is one that is charged with violence, both latent and potent.

“If it’s two women, perhaps all these problems can be prevented and the relationship will be problem-free!” Well, not really. Anyone who has read Carmen Maria Machado can tell you that.

Even though Psyche and Eros are technically women/ feminine-coded, there is still a stark difference in how much power they respectively wield that makes it impossible for their bubble to remain un-burst.

The crux of the novel seems to be about how to achieve a truly equal relationship between two people—one that is built on fairness, sharing power, and understanding, but which must be grounded in self-respect and free will.

Another message that I can get behind is how sometimes, other women are not your sisters. Even your own blood sisters may not truly have your interests in mind. Sometimes, they’re jealous bitches who are rooting for you to fail and suffer a miserable life. It’s okay to cut them off with grace and focus your attention on those who have supported you unwaveringly.

This novel was truly ethereal. The prose is ethereal, the writing lyrical, and the story truly truly stunning.

Possibly a favourite read of 2024 and I cannot wait to shout about this when it is released.

I liked the writing style and the plot. It’s very enticing. The characters seem to have their own individual qualities. There were so many heartbreaking moments and memories. I am glad Psyche and Eros found each other. This is a greek retelling and the book focuses on self discovery, accepting the love we deserve, enviousness, how judgments, opinions and expectations affects one and finding yourself at the end.

This follows the odyssey of Psyche, she captured the eye of every suitor but something was so unsettling with Aphrodite. Her jealousy turned her world upside down and with a twist of fate, Psyche was all set to be sacrificed to a monstrous husband but again destiny takes a different turn and Eros, the goddess of desire shows up. From there the destiny changes the direction and the two of them develops an unbreakable bond and the discovery of pleasure changes their perspectives but will everyone accept the truth or will others judgments and opinions affect them?

Thanks to the publisher and Author.

A smutty queer Greek mythology re telling.
I went in to this one completely blind. I will read every Greek myth I can get my hands on. However, I’m not a fan of smut, at all, and unfortunately I would say 3/4 times of this book was completely that.
It was though, beautifully written and I would absolutely read more from this author based on their writing.

The Palace of Eros is a queer retelling of Eros and Psyche from Greek mythology. Psyche has caught the eye of men from all around, but Aphrodite isn't happy with this, and the oracle says Psyche must be sacrificed to a monstrous husband as penance. However, when Psyche finds herself in a strange palace, it isn't a monster she finds in the darkness, but love. That lover is Eros, Aphrodite's daughter and the genderfluid goddess of desire, who must stay hidden to ensure the gods don't know about them, but Psyche wishes to look upon her lover's face, even if it might bring ruin to them.

The description and depiction of genderfluidity drew me to this book, even though I'm not a big mythology retelling fan (I just find there's too many that all seem the same and have similar writing styles), and the opening felt like it was justifying my dislike, being very much in the same vibe as other mythology retellings in terms of style and content. However, once Psyche was in Eros' palace, the book changed a lot, becoming more readable, though with not much plot going on. It essentially becomes more of a romance novel, and works better for it, whilst weaving in Eros' backstory which in typical Greek mythology style is a bit horrible. The final part is dramatic and fast paced, maybe a bit too neatly resolved and with a lot of focus on Psyche getting in speeches about freedom and feminism, but it suits the romance feel that the book takes on, and will probably satisfy readers who like how this book combines the feminist mythology retelling with a romance novel.

It's nice to see a retelling focused on a queer relationship and a genderqueer character, written by someone who can deliver some nuance on that, particularly on the latter and how gender fluidity can be quite different for different people(/gods). I found the side characters weren't particularly interesting, with gods painted using broad strokes and Psyche's family lacking relevance as the book went on, but if you the view the book more as romance than retelling, it makes sense for the focus to be so firmly on Psyche and Eros' relationship, and what got them to the places in the book. I don't know enough about the original myth to comment on it as a reimagining, but I did feel that at times it did the things I don't enjoy about mythology retellings where they focus in on characters having more 'modern' viewpoints to show they are progressive and want to change the patriarchal, often dark and complicated world of Greek mythology.

The Palace of Eros was at times a fun, thrilling look at queer love, fluidity, and the price people pay for desire, but I found the start and the end a bit too 'Greek mythology retelling by numbers', which might mean that it is ideal for fans of the genre. It offers space for different readings about gender and sexuality, which felt like more than you might tend to get from a 'this is a queer version of an existing story' book, and it doesn't shy away from sex and desire, just as you'd imagine from a novel about Eros.

A lyrical gender fluid retelling of the myth of Eros and Pysche. Caro de Robertis' writing is poetic and emotive, bringing a creative and unique angle to the story which has been retold by numerous authors. However the writing gets repetitive, and the book dragged for most of the story. Not for me.

This title was incredible, the way Caro De Robertis captured the mythology aspect but in a way that is not dry but stunningly engaging was fantastic. Their writing was beautiful and very lyrical. It was exactly what i needed from a sapphic greek myhtology retelling.

I have never read a Psyche and Eros story and I now have a new found love for this story. It is gender fluid, queer and shone a light on the rules and boundaries of marriage.

The Palace of Eros tells the story of Eros and Psyche. The beautiful Psyche draws a lot of suitors to her rural village -against her wishes- who claim she is more beautiful than Aphrodite. We all know the goddess can't stand such things, so she curses the family (unhappy marriages for her sisters) as well as the town.

Psyche wants to get away, but is instead punished for her beauty. Her father goes to a local Oracle, who tells him to tie Psyche to a rock to be ravaged by a monstrous husband. This a trick of Eros, who was sent by their mother to destroy Psyche, but had a coup de foudre upon seeing Psyche at the loom in the garden.

Eros transports Psyche to their palace, but only comes to her at night, without light, for night full of passion and love. Yet doubts sneak their way into Psyche's mind.

It's not just another feminist retelling. It's a book a book about patriarchy and conservative values and how they affect people who feel they don't 'meet the requirements'.

The author captures the emotions and fears very well of girls who have to get married with men their father likes but they don't, the way their mother reacts to that, the unhappy marriages, marital violence...

But the main thing is that Eros gender fluid which is a very interesting point of view. The gods react in a conservative way to it. Zeus forces Eros to be male or female. There can be a switch, as long as Eros isn't both at the same time. A lot of views people hold today are very well reflected in this book.

I enjoyed this story very much. It's told in the most lovely slow pace which allows you to reflect.Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Such a gorgeous novel.
Poetic words.
A gently fierce storyline of love and passion and betrayal and self revelation.
All the years I have spent looking for a queer novel that held my interest, I have signally found one that weaves a storyline so beautifully.
I intensely enjoyed the retelling of Psyches’ story, being able to bear witness to her ruminations.
At times, there were some words and dialogue that didn’t quite fit with the history but that’s such a minor consideration.
I high recommend and appreciate this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

what a beautiful and transcendent reading experience. De Robertis has the skill and competence to capture the essence of the myth and make it narratively stunning with compelling characters and an incredible atmosphere. their writing is simply gorgeous and i will go through each point while trying not to spoil this so bear with me on this one!

first of all, i do not just drop the word "beautiful" without conscious thought and intention. i mean it wholeheartedly: this novel is beautiful. i wanted to sob several times, but i noticed that this overwhelming feeling came over me when tender and innocent thoughts are put into words so precisely and whenever there is a deep yearning for a better world for women. everything was so richly imagined; so vivid were the fields, rivers, and ocean and the characters were so authentically represented, from the sisters to the goddesses. the writing played a huge role in all this, of course, and i found the lyrical prose so emotive and graceful. the sweet innocence of Psyche and her child-like wonder and glee upon glorious freedom within the palace of Eros, her journey to self-discovery and finding agency in her own life, and her fulfilment of identity and her solid certainty by the end of it were captured in its full beauty and marvel. it brought out feelings of wonder in myself, about how much words can have an impact on how i see the world and myself, but most especially— it made me realize how utterly beautiful it is to be able to live in this world and experience life as it is. for instance, it made me appreciate the ocean and the beauty of its primordial being. its sounds and waves and its vast, ancient body brought about so much appreciation for my existence at this point in time, when i can recognize its immeasurable being and my privilege of being myself. now, if you know me, i was very suicidal, so this acknowledgment from me is a pretty big deal. my point is that: this novel has imparted in me a deep and beautiful message that had made my reading experience transcendent (there really is no other word for it)!

bouncing off from that statement, i would like to emphasize that the writing is genuinely so exquisite. this is divine prose. De Robertis has the skill to look into the minds of Psyche and Eros, and the ability to write them so realistically. it requires great effort, not to mention competence and finesse, to execute such a narrative so satisfyingly. the author was able to give so much dimension to Psyche as a woman and as a human person and also offer a different perspective to the myth. the characterization of other deities must have also been fun to imagine, as the writing has shown. so i must give praise to the artistry and sophistication that the author has showcased, as i do not think i have ever read a combination of words as unique and clever before this. i have read many novels with similarly gorgeous prose, but none so like De Robertis', which is distinctive in their efficiency and brevity. i really enjoyed reading the words and knowing how much intention was put into each word choice, with as much nuance as the English language can give anyway. i was enthralled.

moving onwards to the themes of the novel, i thought the discussions were well done. i don't know how else to describe it but the integration of all these themes were incorporated into the narrative seamlessly. i understand the separation of the phallus to the male identity and i really appreciated how Eros was depicted as trans, which came as a delight to me. because how often do we encounter feminist stories that are trans inclusive? i was elated to come across such a story because i would not have given this a chance if it were the typical mundane Greek retelling. there are only some details about Eros' story that did not sit well with me. i do understand that Greek retellings are uncomfortable given its incestuous and male-centered foundations, but i felt that some were not necessary nor vital to the narrative being shaped here. i also understand that Eros needed a greater reason than her mother's rage to be doing all this, so i am still considering my rating; otherwise, the novel is really perfect. i do not think this is anything major to deter you from reading though. i especially liked Psyche's detailed experiences of freedom and it never came across as tedious or repetitive to me. her acknowledgment of her desire and her discovering her identity were endearing to me, as a repressed girlie myself. i enjoyed reading every little realization she has about anything and every little discovery she comes to terms with, even as she paints and weaves and lusts— to experience all this through Psyche moved me. again, the writing is so full of emotion. one cannot help but feel a tenderness towards Psyche, her innocence and fact of being will endear anyone.

finally, have i said that the prose is gorgeous? no? okay, i will say it again: the prose is gorgeous. beautiful. stunning. DIVINE. it was the foundation of the dreamy atmosphere and i cannot seem to stress it enough how insanely well-written this is, in all aspects (except one). please read this when it comes out, you will not regret the time spent on this masterpiece!

Another case of liked but didn't love (oh the irony). The Palace of Eros is a sapphic, gender fluid Greek retelling that really feels like a mythical romance. The writing is beautiful, bringing to mind the atmosphere of spoken stories of old, however it's also it's biggest downfall. The purple prose left me feeling detached from the characters, and the slow pacing made the action few and far between. A lot of the story is dragged out where nothing at all happens, and I did struggle to plod through this at times.

However the characterisation is really well done, and I liked the discussions around sex and gender that fitted in well with the original story.

this book is a beautiful read, with poetic and lyrical writing that captures the essence of the retell love story. It's a great choice for anyone who enjoys mythology and has a soft spot for these kinds of tales. True, I think it is like erotic way of saying this story. I won't be their cup of tea for everyone. You will be thinking, what the hell am I reading? This is about to define your own place in the world about finding your gender, find who you are. So at the beginning, I wasn't really combining to read this book and enjoy it, but after couple of chapters, I was really engaged to it, and I really enjoyed it. I think it's very good In the end,

This is a book of poetic and lyrical writing. I'm a great lover of the story of Psyche and Eros and its retelling and this is the first time I encounter one that highlights a queer love story and gender fluidity. The novel is well-constructed, the characters are interesting and knowing the original myth, I knew that was going to be explicit content and that sex and desire would be at the heart of the plot. But still it was too much for my liking, and ended up diminishing my interest in the story. I'm still pleased that this myth has finally been given a more inclusive rewrite, and I'm sure it will win over a huge audience !

I received an early e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! Greek mythology retellings are some of my favourites, and this did not disappoint. I didn't know the story of Psyche and Eros too well, so it was nice to have a good retelling of a lesser known story. The writing was beautiful, and I loved the characterisation. I believe Eros is male in the original myths, so having Eros as female/gender fluid was an interesting twist (and I can't resist a wlw romance!) There was some spice, but that definitely wasn't the focus of the book.
This is probably the first Greek mythology retelling I've read that has a happy ending (and no one dies!) I do love a Greek tragedy, but this book was a refreshing change.
I enjoyed this book a lot and would definitely read more from this author :)