Daughter of Darkness (House of Shadows 1)

As always Katherine and Elizabeth smash it. Anything they write is sure to be a winner in my eyes . I could not stop reading this I was and still am obsessed with this and as usual their beautiful writing !!

As not only a lover of Greek mythology, but also a lover of the works of Katherine & Elizabeth Core, I pounced on this opportunity to read this book via NetGalley.

Deina is a Soul Severer in the employe of Hades. Deina is determined to reduce her indentured, however during her last ceremony she was distracted by a face that she had seen during he recent ceremonies. The face she did not know. 

One day, the voice of His Majesty, Lord Orpheus, Aristaeus visits the home in search of volunteers. Should the volunteers be successful in their mission,  they are granted a life of freedom, no more indentured. This alone is enough to make Deina decide to offer her services.

She along with a mere handful of others, arch nemesis Theron and Aster are to be tested by scorpions in a box. The effectiveness of these scorpions is that their poison give the illusion of pain. Of the six that undertake the scorpion test only four survive,  Aster (the warrior), Drex (the thinker), Theron (the bard) and of course Deina herself (the thief).

It is only now that Lord Orpheus reveals the nature of their mission, for they are to work as a team. He wishes them to travel to the Underworld and return his beloved wife Eurydice to him.

The four Severersset sail,  accompanied by Deina's friend, Chryse who is bound for Thebes at the request of Lord Orpheus. However when Chryse refuses to join Lord Orpheus in his bed, he decides that she should join the other four Soul Severers on their mission to retrieve Eurydice's soul from the Underworld.

There are twists and turns during the journey through the Underworld.  The Soul Severers are tried and tested throughout their mission. 

Without giving too much away, thereis betrayal,  love, anger, despair and a whole gamut of deep emotions.

Deina makes a sacrifice believing that she has successfully saved her fellow Severers, but the Gods can be tricky,  and nothing is ever straightforward. 

I'm am eagerly awaiting the second book is this duology as I can't wait to see where the Corr sisters take us. This is definitely a book you need to read!

I love anything to do with myth from any country/culture so I was so excited to be accepted for this. This is the first book I have read by these authors and I will definitely be reading more by them. I couldn't put it down, I loved it and the cover is absolutely stunning

What a whirlwind! Wow. How to begin reviewing this…! There’s just so much to cover. The story, the plot, the characters, the set up, the world it encompassed, the mythology, the writing, just everything. I loved it all.

From the beginning I could tell this was going to be a great one. I’ve read a few other books by these authors and they’ve never let me down. They’ve been so entertaining, with seriously outstanding storylines and a world to really throw yourself into and get invested in. And boy can I say I was invested in this one. I needed to know what was going to happen and how it was going to end. I had no idea what was coming and I was so not prepared for the twists and turns that blew my mind!

Deina was such a fab main character too. I really warmed to her as well as to the others in the motley crew tasked to bring Euradice back to the living. The idea of the soul severers was inspired and honestly, the whole book was just great. I can’t find fault. Especially towards the end, my eyeballs were nearly on fire at how quickly I was tearing through the pages as I was so on edge and eager to find out how it was going to conclude.

Ooof. And that ending. I need the next one and I can’t wait to read it. I don’t think I’ll rest until I do! Seriously amazing book !!

I am a big fan of Katherine and Elizabeth Corr so I was very much looking forward to reading Daughter of Darkness and it did not disappoint!

What a story!! This grasped my attention right from page one and once i got my head round all of the characters I was absolutely hooked.

I loved every one of these characters which made this just an absolute rollercoaster to read!

I honestly cannot wait to see what Book 2 will bring!

Highly recommend this!

★★★★★ 4.5/5


Deina is a Soul Severer, someone who serves Hades on Earth in aiding the dying and the people deemed guilty from the mortal world. She prides herself on being the best, but she yearns to earn or steal enough to run away away and be free of her duties with her best friend, Chryse.

Seeing her chance to earn her freedom when the Tyrant Orpheus arrives, Deina immediately presents herself for the task of journeying to the Underworld with a team of other Soul Severers. Except what should be a near enough straightforward task is anything but. Stuck with a team mainly consisting of people she’d rather be without, Deina is determined to complete the task set out for them and claim the rewards for herself, but betrayal is rife, and the team she’s with are out for themselves too.

I loved this. Absolutely loved it. I’ve been a fan of both authors since their first book The Witch’s Kiss, and like that series and their other books, I’ve enjoyed them immensely. I’m honestly so excited for more people to read this when it comes out in August, it needs to be in as many hands as possible.

I’m a huge lover of Greek mythology and knew of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth already, which this book is loosely based off, and despite this I found it was easy to follow along even if you had no prior knowledge of the Greek myth. Due to this, I’d definitely recommend the book to anyone looking for a new fantasy read with world-building and lore that is easy to understand and not overly complicated. It’s a book you can dive straight into without having to flip back to the start and reacquaint yourself with how things work every so often as you read.

As for the characters, you get a real feel for them through Deina’s well written POV. Each character stands out and you get to learn about them as well as Deina as the story progresses. But be warned, none of the characters as as black and white as they first seem, and on multiple occasions I was surprised to discover something about them I hadn’t already guessed. It’s not a predictable book and I really liked that, anything where I can see some plot twist coming from the beginning of the book often leaves me bored unless it’s done well, I like to be surprised.

As this is the first in a duology, it’s safe to say I am also excited to read the next book as the ending left me well and truly shocked. As soon as I was finished I was eager for more, and I’ll be sure to pick up the next book as soon as it’s available.



Did I like the book? Yes

Did I love it? Yes! It’s easily one of my favourite reads of this year.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. For anyone who has a love or a like for Greek mythology, or anyone looking for a new fantasy read to get stuck into, this is definitely a worthy read.

Deina is trapped. As a Soul Severer serving the god Hades on earth, her life is destined for servitude. Until Orpheus, the tyrant ruler, offers Deina and some of her fellow Severer’s a chance of freedom by retrieving his wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld. As their quest gets underway the fellowship must work together and put aside their rivalry of they’ll never get out alive.

Firstly, I am a massive fan of @katharinecorrwrites and @lizcorrwrites – I’ve read all of their books so far and I have loved every single one and Daughter of Darkness did not break the cycle. I’ve never read a fantasy novel based on Greek mythology before, despite there being so many out there right now, so with this being my first experience I’ve got to say I’m definitely going to invest in more. The story of Deina is gripping from the beginning and I love her tenacity – her desperation to be free makes her a driving force in this book and keeps the reader gripped from start to finish.

The imagery used to describe the Underworld is flawless, I cannot get those images out of my head! And is it wrong to think I might actually want to go there? Ha!

My favourite characters were definitely Deina, Theron and Nat – I foresee a love triangle happening there and I cannot wait! I think the three of them were absolutely brilliant characters but the Corr ladies always know how to make me fall in love with their creations!

Easy 5 star read and I cannot wait for the next instalment!

Daughter of Darkness is the first installment in the gripping House of Shadows series and follows Deina, a Soul Severer, who, taken as a child, now serves Hades on earth by severing and guiding souls from this mortal world. Deina is desperate for her freedom and when Orpheus the Tyrant offers a group of severers the chance to win their freedom, Deina jumps at the chance to volunteer – they just have to travel to the Underworld and bring back his dead wife Eurydice.

This is a busy book, so much happens but it’s easy to follow, don’t worry. The star of this book is the world building, the underworld is so richly described, the characters and creatures the group encounter so delicious on the page and you can really picture the uneasy, sometimes beautiful, always threatening, landscape the group walk through and the challenges they must encounter. There is a lot of action on the page in terms of challenges and threats encountered walking through the Underworld, a lot of character development (literally you start the book hating half the alliance and loving them by the end) and the concept itself, Ancient Greece with a twist, is really fascinating.
The writing style also is easy to get on with and I appreciated that while the violence isn’t gratuitous, it doesn’t hold back – the threats are real, the bloodshed in the name of victory and ‘power’ is real, and the cost is real. I’ve read a few books that are set in dangerous settings and you don’t feel at all uncomfortable because it doesn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable – but it should, you should worry for characters, you should find actions unfair or cruel, and this book allows you to see that.

In terms of criticisms, I don’t have any. Yes there are quite a few characters introduced, and their names or names of places etc, may get a little confusing – but that’s the Ancient Greeks for you! I personally enjoyed how the authors put a fresh spin on what we already know and if you don’t already know it then it’s no big deal, it’s still an enjoyable, easy book without the context of any familiarity.

Deina is an interesting character, she isn’t nice but she is essentially good, and you get to see her open throughout the book and through the alliance with the rest of the severers, all who start the journey competing with each other for freedom. I enjoyed these different dynamics work off of each other although while I saw one twist coming, I so wish it wasn’t true!!!!!

I’m glad I read this book and I’m looking forward to where it goes. Nat, in particular, is someone I am looking forward to reading more about. Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review

The Corr Sisters return with a riveting journey through the perils of an Underworld over-run with spirits, monsters and selfish Gods.
A perfectly weaved tale that would make even the Fates jealous.

Oh damn. Oh damn! OH DAMN!
(Yes I am channeling my inner Raymond Holt)

I have read every book @katharinecorrwrites and @lizcorrwrites have written, so believe me when I say THIS IS THE BEST YET.

Playing with history and legend, What if Bronze Age Mycenae had never fallen? What if Orpheus had succeeded? What if actually that tale was way more messed up? This story packs punches, death, betrayals, revelations and heartbreak that Homer and Euripides would be proud of.

But they'd hate the fantastic feminist undercutting of basically all of Greek mythology (CAN YOU TELL WHY I've BEEN AND AM SO EXCITED? GREEK MYTHOLOGY, FEMALE AGENCY? Give me all of it.)

Deina our protagonist is indentured to the service of the God Hades. Scarred by smallpox she doesn't have the one advantage a Greek woman could have, beauty. But she's fast, clever and conniving. And driven to prove she's better than the boys particularly the treacherous Theron. So when King Orpheus arrives with a heroic quest she wastes zero seconds or thoughts about leaving her only friend to complete this task and win the freedom she craves. Even if it means going to the Underworld.

Playing with much more than just the myth of Orpheus but also much deeper levels of the very foundations of the Hellenic pantheons this book is an absolute thriller that kept me so hooked I couldn't put it down.

Liz, Kate I will happily beta book 2 or alpha, which ever, because the ending has me hanging off the proverbial cliff by the ragged remains of my fingernails.

I am an avid reader of all things related to Greek mythology, fiction and non-fiction alike. Orpheus and Eurydice is a well-known story but Katharine an Elizabeth Corr have turned the story on its head and given it so much more depth and intrigue than ever before. Even if you are familiar with the myths, the twists and turns of this book will surprise you and you will not be able to guess the ending.

What impressed me most was the world-building from the start. The concept of the Soul-Severers is not an easy one, nor the quest that Deina, the protagonist volunteers to undertake. Yet it is introduced in such a clever way that it comes across as believable. You are able to understand this world from the start and get stuck in to the story.

The characters who accompany us on the adventure into the Underworld are flawed and yet I still rooted for them and wanted them to succeed and find redemption. A tense sensation of mistrust is felt from the very start, and we as readers are waiting for a betrayal from one of them, but unsure where it will come from.

The adventurous aspect of the journey into the Underworld takes up much of the novel and the incredible descriptions and situations that take place keep the story alive and exciting.

A must-read for lovers of the fantasy genre and Greek mythology. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for granting me an arc of Daughter of Darkness.

Deina is what's known as a soul severer. She literally severs souls and in exchange a year is taken from her indenture. Her hope is to earn the freedom of both herself and best friend, Chryse and finally be free.

She gets the chance, along with three others, all boys. All believing she shouldn't be there. All with their eyes on the prize Orpheus offers. Freedom. All they have to do is work together to perform the impossible. He wishes for them to go to the Underworld and bring his dead wife back to life.

What follows is a journey of self discovery, rekindled friendships and love and betrayal of the worst kind.

Deina has many questions along the way, but the most important is why does the god of the underworld show such an interest in Deina? And who is the mysterious figure she sees everytime she performs a soul severance?

Stunning cover with an even better story! I would highly recommend this book, I have been talking about this non-stop. Do not miss out!

Such a great rewrite of a Greek classic myth. Strong female lead and the world building bordering on brilliant. An excellent read.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved the characters and their interactions with each other! I loved that it was fairly fast paced, always something going on and I really struggled to put it down once I got reading! I found Nat as a character really intriguing and I really grew to love Theron as a character too! I honestly can’t wait for the next book!

💙🖤 Daughter of Darkness 🖤💙

Wow! So glad I picked this up. I have not really been into Greek mythology before, so I was taking a chance with choosing it, but I am so glad I did!

The prose was beautiful, I was totally captured by the story. What an incredible protagonist! Deina is everything!! Strong, witty female who I rooted for the whole way.

The world Katherine & Elizabeth Corr have created is so well crafted. I could visualise every scene :)

Highly recommend!

Daughter of Darkness turns the well-known story of Eurydice and Orpheus on its head in an original and intriguing way. Deina is a soul severer and her and her companions get chosen to retrieve Eurydice from the underworld. For the main, this story follows their journey.

Deina reminded me in many ways of Amara from Elodie Harper's Wolf Den; smart, stubborn, determined. Whereas I really liked her, I felt a disconnect from the side characters and wish they could have been explored a little more.

I guess the main word I would use to describe this is 'okay'. That character development was okay, the world building was okay, the plot was okay - I liked it but I didn't love it. That said, I'll definitely read the sequel when it comes out and wouldn't hesitate to read other books by these authors.

As not only a lover of Greek mythology, but also a lover of the works of Katherine & Elizabeth Core, I pounced on this opportunity to read this book via NetGalley.

Deina is a Soul Severer in the employe of Hades. Deina is determined to reduce her indentured, however during her last ceremony she was distracted by a face that she had seen during he recent ceremonies. The face she did not know.

The story is full of Greek mythology, action and adventure and is brilliant! I really enjoyed the story and the characters.

Such an exciting trip into Antiquity and the world of Greek mythology. A page turner full of twists and fight against fate. Great take on the classics of the mythology !

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

An intriguing deep-dive into the well-known story of Orpheus and Eurydice, told from a different perspective and with many plot twists that will keep you guessing throughout! So much research has clearly been carried out for this novel, with the story feeling completely believable throughout.

The adventure into the Underworld aspect of this novel takes up most of the story and it was a real journey through many plains of the Underworld with cameos from Charon and Cerberus. However, while I understand that this is the world of the dead, all of these settings felt very similar with pretty much all of them being described as bleak and grey in one way or another. It felt very repetitive after a while.

If you love Greek mythology, you will definitely love this one. It's heavily steeped in both the Greek mythology you know, and lesser known aspects as well, and it was so much fun to read!

I loved this book! There was so much to it and it was all so beautifully created. I loved Deina’s character, she was empowering and strong and felt real. I was enthralled by the plot and the quest that the characters went on both literally and figuratively. The character developments were written well and in a way that wasn’t forced or rushed. I appreciated the references to relationships prior to the narrative as it showed a good development and foundation for the relationships and characters that we are presented especially Theron.
I really loved how each of the characters in the team showed a different strength and that the moral of the story was that working as part of a team is usually greater and more gratifying than working alone.
I did except the twist regarding Deina however the execution was done so well that it didn’t matter. I loved the snippets of Nat’s character and wished we’d gotten more of him and his dynamic with Deina although I did enjoy the dynamic between Deina and Theron as well.
I was thoroughly engaged with the narrative as it drew to a close and found it addictive to read. I can’t wait for the next one! I need it now please!

[actual rating - 4.5/5]

(Thank you to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

I’ve never read a Greek mythology retelling before so was super excited to read this and ended up loving it!! I now need to read more books about Greek mythology!

The plot is a little slow for the first couple of chapters (although it does a great job at introducing us to the characters) but then it picks up and becomes fast-paced and action-packed. There were lots of plot twists and the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more, I can’t wait for the sequel!

I loved all the characters, they were all unique and created an interesting group dynamic as they didn't really like each other to begin with. The main character Deina was fantastic! She’s stubborn, a bit of a trickster but loyal and a fun character to follow. If you like Greek mythology, I think you’ll love this book!

A wonderful novel full of high adventure, slow burn romance, reluctant allies and skeletons. So many skeletons.

Deina is a very fun character to follow. She uses guile and trickery to achieve her means but is also skilled with a knife and her fists when she needs to. She's fiercely loyal and stubborn. Her people skills could use some work.

The adventure is well paced and well told with enough danger and peril to keep things interesting and each person in the party bringing essential skills to the continuation of the quest. There were some neat twists, some of which I saw coming and some I did not. What I particularly enjoyed was the dark touches that really elevated this into something with stakes and energy.

Usually I find romance in YA fantasy a bit tiring but I didn't mind it in this one. It didn't feel too forced and the two characters actually have history and chemistry and communicate with each other throughout which makes the eventual revelation of romance feel quite organic.

I'll absolutely be picking up the second one and checking out more from these authors.

The Corr sisters never fail when it comes to their books, I've loved every single one of them so far and I think this may be my favourite of the lot!

You can't go wrong with a bit of Greek myth in my opinion and this was one of my most anticipated read and it did not disappoint!!

I really enjoyed the characters, their development throughout the book was done so well and the plot was so interesting that I'm dying for book two 😍

What a brilliant book! I adore Greek mythology so as soon as I came across this book I knew I had to read it. The premise is fantastic - a group of Soul Severers (people in the employ of Hades to assist in the deaths of others) sent on a quest to the underworld by the tyrant King. Deina is an engaging MC - she's out to save herself, determined to claim the King's reward and buy her freedom, but so are the other members of her team. This story is rich with detail from this mythological world, with betrayals and revealed truths that will keep you on your toes the whole way through. I am very excited for the sequel!

4-4.5****

Such a fun and intriguing fantasy read! This is a fantastic retelling where I don’t end up hating the plot/characters! I think this is because the author has stuck relatively well to the source material and used so many Greek myths to make this story work. This is also set in antiquity which is a massive bonus.

This book has intriguing concepts and an adventure/trial down into the underworld. I enjoyed the use of Orpheus as a villain and a total spin in the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. I really enjoyed how the author used Greek myth to suit her purposes-for example, a nod to Odysseus using wax when facing the sirens.

The atmosphere of the magic and underworld was very immersive. This book also featured a ‘band’ of people coming together to complete a task and was such a great, albeit dark, adventure through the underworld.

I really enjoyed A Throne of Swans and A Crown of Talons so I was really excited to read Daughter of Darkness……and it did not disappoint!

We follow Deina - a soul severer who is trapped in the life of shepherding the dying on from the mortal world. Deina can buy her way out, but only if she can earn enough or shepherd enough souls, which is unlikely as the men are treated much better than the women and only get the bad jobs.
One day the ruler Orpheus comes to visit and declares that he will free any severer, if they can bring back his dead wife. Sounds easy……but of course it isn’t!
The journey is long for Deina and working with others who would rather kill you is very tiresome!
What Deina and her group encounters is not what they expected and they battle to save themselves as well as trying to find Orpheus’ wife!

The story is full of Greek mythology, action and adventure and is brilliant! I really enjoyed the story and the characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just want to say that I can't wait to get my pre order of this book because I feel like the physical book is so much more fun to read than an ebook!

I love the authors - I love the way they write. It's so easy to read, so relatable even though it actually isn't!

I never read the synopsis of a plot, so I was surprised at how heavy the mythology was. However, I'm not complaining, I love anything with Hades in it and it was executed in a perfect way!!! I loved it.

The characters were so interesting. Lovely found family trope, enemies to lovers, friendship and betrayal.

The cover as well OH MY GOD IT IS STUNNING!!!!

I can't wait till book 2!!!!!Also, make sure to read the authors note at the end, was super interesting!

Deina is an indentured servant of Hades on Earth, and is desperately working towards freedom as fast as she can. When the opportunity to completely wipe her debt comes along, she jumps at the chance which sees her venturing intot he Underworld with a team she doesn't trust to find a soul and return it to the land of the living.

This fantasy is steeped in Greek mythology and was a gripping read! The characters were engaging and flawed, and the plot was fast past once the meat of the story got started. Can't wait for the sequel!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliantly crafted tale based on Greek Mythology. Not strictly a retelling but inspired by myths you may be aware of.

Lots of detail, characters and names to keep up with. Plenty of momentum and gripping moments that hook you in and keep you reading way into the early morning hours.

OK, I loved this. In the proper flying through the book to find out what happens while hoping it won't end way. I loved the characters and the elements of Greek mythology and the fast paced adventure from start to finish. Second book in duology already added to TBR list.

Thank you very much to Netgalley for this ARC.

i adored this book! the writing style is so beautiful and poetic. i fell in love with deina and her story arc. she is an exceptionally strong main character. the incorporation of dystopian, fantsay and greek mythology is to die for and if you love anything to the likes of percy jackson to song of achilles you will love this book a whole hell of a lot.

I love anything to do with Greek mythology so as soon as I saw Daughter of Darkness I knew I had to read it, and I was not disappointed.
Despite there not being as much world-building as I would have liked, the story captivated me with its morally grey heroine, enemies-to-friends side characters and betrayal. This was an interesting take on the story of Orpheus and Eurydice which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I will most definitely be continuing with this duology.

Wow! What a fantastic setting for this greek myth inspired adventure!

First of all, I am slightly biased as I love the Corr sisters, I haven’t read all of their books yet but Throne of Swans remains one of my favourite books so I was very pleased to get an early copy of Daughter of Darkness - the first book in the sisters’ newest duology (who doesn’t love a duology?) The only downside is now waiting for the next book!

Daughter of Darkness is anchored in many Greek myths and I’m sad I don’t have the knowledge to give them all the admiration they deserve as I’ve probably missed many little tidbits. The Corr sisters have done so much research! There are several pages at the back of the novel in which they’ve mentioned all of the liberties they’ve taken with the subject material, right down to the size of the ships (they would have been smaller in reality). Ultimately, I love that this book came from a ‘what if?’ and that the authors have run away with themselves to tell this story.

We are introduced to several characters quite quickly in Daughter of Darkness, Deina (our MC) longs for freedom and she isn’t afraid to push to get there. She is pragmatic, she steals and she does it with the confidence of someone who knows any life would be better than what she is living. As a Soul Severer, every soul she sends between worlds wins her some time off of her sentence of servitude to the House of Hades. Unfortunately, the rest of the Severers are in the same boat which makes them brutally selfish and deceitful towards each other. Deina doesn’t trust her comrades and with good reason!

Underneath her tough exterior, Deina has a good heart and wants the best for everyone, including her best friend Chryse who, in all honesty I just didn’t like! In terms of romance … it took a long time for us to learn of Deina’s affections for a certain Severer ;) but when we did it was excellent reading - I enjoyed that little bit of forced proximity although it was very brief indeed! I did love the character of Nat who was mysterious and cheeky!

Beyond the cast of characters, the setting of the underworld was intricate but also expansive. The team of Severers travel through several different terrains and meet many monsters in doing so but the authors keep the reader on track with their clear descriptions and the excitement - I was on the edge of my seat in some instances and could imagine the journey quite clearly - funnily enough it hasn’t made me want to go visit!

I’m always a bit nervous when it comes to dual authors but the Corr sisters always hit the mark, ensuring they write with a unanimous voice - although after listening to them at an author talk this does surprise me as they are like chalk and cheese! Anyway, the countdown is on … I cannot wait to get my hands on book two following the reveals in book one - I think the wait will be quite painful thanks to that ending!

I really enjoyed the story, I’m Greek so I always enjoy Greek mythology in different settings.
I think at the beginning of the book there should be a pronunciation guide, as a Greek speaker the pronunciations came easily, but I think non-Greek speakers would struggle a bit.
The story was fun, It was a good pace, a little predictable in places. But on the whole I liked it and I’m excited to see where the story goes!
I’d give it a 3.5/5

Firstly, huge, huge thanks to Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for the arc of Daughter of Darkness by Katherine and Elizabeth Corr. I’ve been a huge fan of theirs for a while now and as soon as I heard that they were working on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice with a twist, I simply had to get my hands on it!

Truthfully, I was not disappointed the book has a storyline that delivers everything a YA should hold, longing, rejection, desire, a journey to achieve a goal and of course all the drama and emotion that you could wish for.
The book itself is set in a mash of ancient Greece and Macedonia, which the authors acknowledge as a historical time mesh. The protagonist, Deina is a Soul Severer is an acolyte indentured to the House of Hades since the age of 5 years old, who is desperate to escape, and sees a visit from Orpheus requesting volunteers for a quest as her chance.

Along with a number of other indentured members of the House of Hades, including her arch-enemy Theron (the Bard,) Aster (the Warrior,) Drex (the Thinker,) Deina (the Thief,) set off on the unknown mission that is not revealed to them until they go through a terrifying challenges. A quest to travel to the Underworld to find and return Orpheus’ deceased wife Eurydice to the mortal world.
The plot twists and events kick off with an impressive pace from the beginning of the book, with our intrepid questors travelling to the Underworld armed with limited supplies, weapons and their Soul Severing skills to be truly tested as they search for Eurydice.
Trust me, this book delivers on all fronts, enemies to lovers, unrequited love, betrayal, loss, and every emotion in between, and sacrifice, but beware the gods are tricky and cannot be trusted.
Can I have book 2 of this duology now please!

"Sing, O muse, A song of death."

Review

What do a warrior, a thinker, a bard and a thief have in common? Not much you're probably thinking but there's a thread of fate that binds this group of Soul Severers together as they (and a few others they meet along the way) undertake a perilous journey to the Underworld. Marked by the gods and indebted to serving the house of Hades to shepherd the dying to the Underworld is no life at all. So while this quest may be dangerous and they might not get out alive, when it's your only chance at freedom how can you refuse.

Daughters of Darkness is steeped in Greek myths and magic and a retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice with oh so many twists!

There's many reasons why this book captured my fantasy loving heart above including:
*Steeped in Greek mythology
*Retelling of Orpheus & Eurydice
*Rich world building
*Romance Subplot
*Loyalty and betrayal
*Pre-destined fate
*Dark fantasy
*YA duology

The world building, storytelling and characters are richly described and we see their individuality and complexities shine through as the story progresses. Deina for example is much more than a thief, she's brave and fiery and wants more than what fate has planned for her. Her story and journey is wrapped up with the other severers (and the mysterious Nat) who flick between friends and foe and you're never sure just who she can trust right up until the end.

The gods (including Hades) are as powerful and tricky as always and the spin on Orpheus (as a tyrant) and Eurydice's story is refreshing and unexpected. This story still cleverly weaves strands to the original stories with a lullaby for the hound of hell 'Cerberus' and a trick for avoiding a sea siren's song etc. I loved all the twists especially the bigger ones which I can't mention because of spoilers and I'm so glad Daughter of Darkness is a duology so we get more of the story ✨ If you love Greek myths and magic in a dark fantasy world, I think you'll love this book !

Thank you to Bonnier Books UK & Hot Key Books for the arc.
This is my honest review.

As a lover of Greek myths and culture I was so excited to give this arc a read. Let me tell you it didn't disappoint. I could not put this book down!!!!

This is the first book I have read by Katherine and Elizabeth Corr, and I will definitely be reading more. Daughter of Darkness was full of endearing characters with rich story telling and world building throughout. The action was fast paced and kept me on my seat throughout. This book is the perfect read for anyone who loves action, YA Fantasy and Greek mythology!

P. S. Can we ask take a second to appreciate the cover on this one ... she is stunning 🤩

This may be one of the easiest reviews I have written so far this year, in short I loved it!

The story follows our morally grey main character Deina. Who is trying to free herself from the service of Hades, helping people move from one life to the next. She is given that chance when the tyrant ruler offers freedom to anyone who can bring his wife back from the underworld. Thus begins our story quest along with a ragtag group of character who neither like or trust each other.

I am very much into my Greek mythology at the moment and despite enjoying it I know very little of the original myths so I love reading these retellings.

I found it very easy to read and despite its length found that I raced through it unable to put it down. There were some twists and turns I did not see coming (some I did) and sometimes that’s half the fun!

The world building was amazing and I absolutely knew what I was looking at and what the landscape around me was. It felt like I was reading a movie!

Overall, I would say that this was one of my favourite reads of the year. If you like Greek mythology then please give this book a go, it is part of a duology and I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for my advanced copy to review.

Daughter of Darkness is just superb!

Myth meets magic, it is full of mystery, marvels, betrayals and romance.

It's a retelling of the Orphean myth, but the way it has been reinterpreted is just marvellous. Katharine and Elizabeth Corr have created a world rooted in Classical mythology but with a mythology all of its own.
It's presented slowly, through rites and rituals in Iolkas, one small part of a larger world, as we see the inhabitants of the House of Hades and the dark rituals they conduct.

Orpheus the Tyrant is a scary and ominous character. The power radiates off of him from the very start, and he's so shrouded in mystery that it is so exciting to learn more about him, his history and his schemes. The group assembled to go on an expedition into the underworld is really interesting, and the group dynamics work well, with rivalries and old history between many of them meaning that they were fighting amongst themselves as much as anything, adding layers of intrigue to the whole thing. Then there's Nat, who introduces an element of sexy mystery to it too.

The depiction of the underworld was wonderful, capturing both the uncertain, shifting nature of the realm and the potential for terrifying consequences for anyone who visits it. I loved the different challenges they faced there, and how they had to use different methods and skills to overcome them. It had all the elements of a fantastic adventure.

I adored it

First of all I would like to thank hotkeys books and the lovely ladies their self's Liz and Katharine for such a wonderful , epic fantasy .
I'm going to try keep this spoiler free as much as I can .

The Plot : Deina the main character in the story embarks on a very dangerous journey to the underworld because she desperately wants to become a soul server to gain her freedom , in order to do this she has to go and retrieve the soul of Eurydice ,{which is the wife of Orpheus the tyrant king ]. But in order to do this she must join forces with fellow soul servers which she dose not like or trust .I can blame her . They journey into the realm of Hades is perilous and the price of freedom is layed before her but what will it take for the ultimate goal to be achieved


My Thoughts : When I knew the ladies was about to bring a new book in to this world I didn't know what to expect , but oh wow! this book was fantastic, full of Greek mythology which I love may I add, you can tell Liz and Katharine did their research brilliant work . I really enjoyed this book they exceeded my expectations , I couldn't turn the pages quick enough to know what happened next . This had lots of different bits of retold Greek stories, and we all know me I love a retelling .
Their writing style has changed so much from their first books which is phenomenal to me , [ The witches kiss trilogy] ,you can really see the hard work they have poured into this book .


I enjoyed the love story between Deina and Thero its a slow burn but I do love a good slow burn romance although I feel there could be a love triangle coming with the character Nat but we will see .

all the charters was very strong with there own little arcs in the story , I cant pick just one I love though or hate .

I'm looking forward to the next book if we get one? .I couldn't put it down , even now the story still has me guessing that is great story telling to me .

I rate this book 5 wonderful stars

4.5 stars
Steeped in Greek mythology and full of such endearing characters, Daughter of Darkness is a richly detailed and enthralling start to an irresistibly magical new Duology from the authors of A Throne of Swans, Katherine and Elizabeth Corr.

“Sing, O muse, a song of Death”

In a desperate bid to evade her future as a soul severer (and gain her freedom), Deina embarks on a deadly quest to the underworld to retrieve the soul of Eurydice, wife of Orpheus the tyrant king. But in order to succeed she must team up with a group fellow soul severers she neither likes or trusts.

The journey into the realm of Hades is perilous and the price of freedom is before her….but what will it take to reach it?

This was such an enjoyable (and rather addictive) read! The worldbuilding was so rich and incredibly detailed that I found myself immersed in this ancient landscape of gods, monsters and tyrant kings. It’s a loosely based reimagining of the Orpheus and Eurydice tale and I found it really intriguing. I loved how action packed and plot twisty it was and the characters we encounter were all so exquisitely crafted. There were soo many likeable characters too (my faves were Deina and Drex but I really liked Theron and Nat as well.)

The romance between Deina and Theron was subtle but really well written and I really loved the slow-burn, tension filled buildup though I suspect there may be a little chemistry between Deina and Nat as well so I’m definitely intrigued to see where it goes.

I loved the imagery of the underworld which was beautifully written and incredibly atmospheric— the threat of danger around every corner was utterly palpable and rendered every scene with a delicious (and intense) urgency that I really enjoyed.

The action is fast paced and ferociously brutal at times, I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once during Deina and Co. journey through the underworld. Not knowing if they’d all make it back alive was, seriously gut wrenching—but in the best way possible!

Trust me, there’s soo many twists, turns, betrayals and revelations that it was difficult to predict what was going to happen next, and THAT ending was *chef’s kiss* absolutely phenomenal—I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!

A must read for YA fantasy or action/ adventure lovers and fans of Greek mythology.

Also a huge thank you to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for the e-arc.

Katharine and Elizabeth Corr have struck again with an amazing fantasy series, but this time with Greek mythology mixed in.
I loved how well they set the scene of the underworld, it was written really well and you really thought you were there with the main characters.
Deira is a new favourite character of mine, and I do love a book where you see death as a character it always seems to make it more interesting.
Definitely a series to keep an eye on, I can't wait for the next book!

5 stars! I loved the Greek mythology, the interesting characters, the enthralling story. This book was everything I wanted, engaging and exciting, once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. Overall it was a great adventure through the underworld that I deeply enjoyed. I would definitely buy a physical copy when given the chance and would recommend this to Greek mythology and fantasy lovers.

This was a book I was highly anticipating this year and I felt so happy when I got approved for a NetGalley arc. I am so relieved the book did not let me down! I loved it! This was a really unique and creative retelling and spin on the famous Orpheus & Eurydice retelling - and it worked! I love how Orpheus is told in a new light to the usual way, I loved all the characters and their developments upon their quest and reading about their relationships with each other and how their adventure altered this. There were beautiful descriptions, character development and world-building. There was a gripping plot, tension and twists, and you can tell there is a lot of research that went into this book to add the extra details and really help bring it to life. I flew through this book in no time and am really hopeful for future books from these authors!

Daughter of Darkness follows Deina, a Soul Severer of The Order of Hades. A Soul Severer is tasked with shepherding the souls of those who die from the mortal world, and they are indentured to do so. With each job they can earn time back on their indenture, but none survive long enough to earn their freedom.

Deina is determined to earn her freedom one way or another so, when King Orpheus offers freedom and fortune to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice from the Underworld, Deina volunteers. To win her freedom, she must partner with other Soul Severers, whom she neither likes nor trusts.

As they journey into the Underworld on their quest, the group soon learns that there is more to Orpheus’ request than they first thought, and that surviving may be harder than originally planned.

I have been on a huge Greek Mythology kick for the last month, and I’ve read many retellings recently. Daughter of Darkness might just be one of my favourites. This has everything you could hope for in a Greek Retelling – history and myth, adventure and stunning locations – and Gods, of course.

Daughter of Darkness is richly detailed and is thrilling from start to finish. The detail in this book fully immerses you in Ancient Greece, grounding you in their world. The world-building is intricate and fully engaging – you can almost imagine you are there with them it’s so detailed.

Every moment in the Underworld is richly detailed and vivid. As they move through the Underworld, and the scenery is everchanging, the detail involved gives you a glimpse into their adventure. You can vividly imagine every step of their journey, which just adds to the thrill and excitement.

There is plenty of adventure in this book to keep you going. The pace doesn’t lag once – even when the story slows down at intervals, it is done in a way that increases the tension, as you just know something is about to happen.

There are many twists and reveals in this book – you think you have something figured out only for the story to zag in another direction, leaving you stunned. The addition of the Gods to this story only adds another dimension to this, as you are never sure what the Gods will do at any moment.

The way that the Gods and magic are woven into this story is fascinating. The Theodesmioi are humans granted the gifts of a certain God – Zeus, Poseidon, Hephaestus, and Hades. They work for different orders and can achieve different feats with their power – The Order of Hades severs a soul from a body. Though the other orders aren’t fleshed out in this book, as it focuses on the Soul Severers, I am hoping to see more of them in the next book.

There were so many great characters in this book too, all completely fleshed out and full of character development. There are certain characters you really don’t like at the beginning, but they develop so well throughout you come to like them. In reverse, there are some characters you love at the beginning and by the end you will definitely have…mixed feelings about them. No character is boring, and each brings something to the story.

There is a small amount of very slow burning romance between a couple of the characters (no spoilers, but maybe a love triangle going on here!) but it isn’t the central story. The main story is the camaraderie between the characters, learning to trust each other and survive against the odds.

Overall, this was a fantastic, exciting, read full of atmospheric locations, engaging characters, and a wealth of myth and history. I didn’t want to put this one down.

This is so so good.

I've become a little wary of YA fantasy as it can border on too fast paced and therefore lose a lot of the detail on locations, relationships, characters, etc... but this book reminds me of the power of a YA fantasy novel.

I've read in other reviews that people have felt the first 150ish pages were too slow paced but I think that shows how subjective it can be. For me the the whole thing was paced perfectly. A lot happens and it could often feel like I was losing my breath as action sequence after catastrophe after danger happened and then we'd have a moment of respite to catch our breath before it all started again. That pacing made it feel like you were in the danger with them whilst still giving you time to explore the relationships and politics that raise the stakes.

From a diversity perspective I found it interesting that the House of Hades almost subvert expectations by saying that relations between same sex couples was completely fine but relations between men and women was not allowed as the aim was to prevent reproduction within the houses. So far though no trans or non-binary rep and I don't think there is very much in terms of racial diversity but the setting is Ancient Greece, so a time when there wouldn't be much migration across continents... so not really a problem for me.

One of the reasons I have a love hate relationship with YA is that often the protagonists can become one dimensional. In this case whilst our female main character is doing everything she can to gain her freedom, it not only makes sense in the situation in which she finds herself but she also grows as a character as she continues on her journey.

I'll be putting a more indepth review on my learning log because I feel like I have so much more to say on this. But needless to say that I will be purchasing a finished copy of this book.

Fantasy is one of my favourite genres, so this book sounded absolutely incredible: the themes of control, the scheming, plotting, mystery, sounded like quite a compelling read. And, I’m so glad that I was right. I really loved and enjoyed it. As, I really liked this world of intricate and twisty web of lies, cons to create a plot that kept me guessing until the very end! I just simply can’t get enough of this one.

This book is incredible! Greek myths which were well researched with strong and i mean strong characters who you fall in love with so quickly. the world building is like nothing i have read before and sends chills up my spine.

this books is well thought out and and planned there is not plot holes or part that drag. the MC is reads like a real person in that she is not stupid or lacking she is resilient and creative which was a pleasure to read

Firstly, thank you Netgalley & the publisher for this beautiful book - what a novel!

It's no surprise to anyone at this point when I pick up a book related to Greek Mythology. Whilst this isn't a strict retelling, it's still just as magical. The particular myth, we find ourselves in a loose alternate retelling that involves Orpheus and Eurydice. You absolutely do not need to have any understanding of the myths prior to reading this, Katharine & Elizabeth Corr do all the leg work to bring you up to speed whilst thoroughly entertaining you.

What I loved:
- Loved Deina, our bad-ass MC. Just loved her. She's flawed, hot tempered, rash and full of raw emotion.
- Our found family are all so wonderfully different, both likeable and unlikeable in their own ways! I feel like each reader will align themselves with someone different!
- The whole lore around soul-severers is just perfect.
- The world building is beautifully done; the descriptions of the underworld particularly stood out!
- There's some slow burn enemies to lovers hinted at here, without spoiling anything, and I am here for it!
- This felt like it was a natural progression from works like Lore and Percy Jackson and I love that it fills that void for me.
- The twist on the original myth is so original and thrilling; my jaw DROPPED

What could be improved upon:
- My only slight criticism was the pacing for the first 10% of the book - it was just a little slow; that being said it didn't take away from my enjoyment so I haven't knocked off a star.

Read if you love:
- Reading: Lore; Percy Jackson, all the greek mythology classics
- Enemies to lovers
- Slow burn
- Found Family
- Bad-Ass Female Main Character

All in all, 5 stars - can't wait to reread, and can't wait for the concluding 2nd instalment,

The premise for this book was wonderful, I was hooked from the very beginning. You can tell the author has put a lot of time into researching the Greek Mythology aspects of this book. It felt like such a well-developed book.
From the first page I was completely hooked. The plot was full of twists and turns, and I could honestly not guess what was going to happen next. The world building was spot on.
If you love Greek Mythology this is definitely the book for you.

Deina, the Soul Severer of Iolkos, is ready to do anything to escape her service to Hades, the King of the Underworld. In the competitive environment of the House of Hades, where women are treated as inferior to men, she has to steal and bribe to build her position. When Orpheus, the tyrant ruling over the ancient world, asks for volunteers for a mysterious task and offers wealth and freedom from the service as a reward, she jumps at the chance. Soon, she is forced to forge an alliance with her rival Severers as they embark on a mission to retrieve the king’s wife Eurydice from the Underworld.

Daughter of Darkness is an epic adventure in a world based on Greek mythology. It is your classic quest narrative, where a group of heroes has to overcome many difficulties in their journey to attempt the unthinkable, fulfil a prophecy or their destiny. The world created by the authors is a detailed recreation of ancient Greece with the addition of the usage of the god’s power by the chosen mortals. They can channel the energy but have to pay the price for it. For a Severer, forty years of service, that can be shortened by performing more prestigious tasks. Which explains their competitive nature, little arguments and determination to complete the impossible task of bringing a dead woman back to the land of the living.

This book is an exciting, addictive read. It has incredible world-building, lots of action and great characters. Deina is an exceptional heroine. Morally grey, as she is a known thief and liar, but still has her own rules and remains loyal to her companions. Apart from the original heroes created by the authors, we meet many characters known from mythology, like Orpheus, Hades and Charon, portrayed in a refreshing, original way. Mythology seems to be only a skeleton on which Katharine and Elizabeth Corr built their unique universe.

I genially enjoyed reading this fantastic novel. I would recommend it to all the fans of YA fiction, fantasy and mythology retellings.