Olympians

January 2, 2012
The fourth book in O’Connor’s Olympians series retells the myth of Hades and Persephone as a dramatic, romantic saga of a controlling parent and a rebellious daughter. Although a more family friendly version than the darker source material, O’Connor’s version is still set in ancient Greece and opens with an introduction to the realm of the dead that sets a fittingly grand tone for the narrative. Hades, the lord of the dead, is a lonely ruler of the realm of mortals’ souls while the other Greek gods joyously celebrate on Mount Olympus. One of the most celebrated is Demeter, goddess of agriculture and also mother to Kore, a daughter tired of being kept away from anything that could possibly do her harm. When Kore wanders off, she’s kidnapped by Hades, who showers her with gifts and promises to make her his queen. Kore slowly begins to enjoy her newfound luxury, changing her name to Persephone, even as Demeter frantically searches for her daughter and becomes so distraught she allows the crops of mortals to wither and die. O’Connor’s brand of classical mythology for modern sensibilities serves as a good introduction to the gods and settings of the Greek myths. Ages 9–14.

Starred review from December 15, 2011
A tempestuous mother-daughter relationship makes up the centerpiece of O'Connor's latest carefully researched and simultaneously fresh and funny Olympian portrait. Snatched down to the Underworld in the wake of a screaming fight with her mother Demeter ("Butt out of my life!!" "You ungrateful brat"), raging adolescent Kore (meaning, generically "The Maiden") initially gives her quiet, gloomy captor Hades a hard time too. After grabbing the opportunity to give herself a thorough makeover and changing her name to Persephone ("Bringer of Destruction"), though, she takes charge of her life--so surely that, when offered the opportunity to return to her remorseful mom, she lies about having eaten those pomegranate seeds so she can spend half of each year as Queen of the Dead. O'Connor expertly captures both the dramatic action and each character's distinct personality--Demeter in particular, with her big hair and temper to match, is a real piece of work--in easy-to-follow graphic panels. Effortlessly folding in other familiar and not-so-familiar tales of figures associated with his title character, he opens with an eerie guided tour of Hades' realm, closes with fact boxes about each of the major players and in between ingeniously preserves the old tale's archetypal quality without ever losing sight of its human dimension. An outstanding addition to a first-rate series. (notes, study questions, resource lists) (Graphic mythology. 8-14)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

January 1, 2012
Grades 6-9 O'Connor makes a couple of very clever moves in this fourth book in the Olympians series. First off, he takes readers on a tour of the underworld as if they had just died themselves ( Hopefully, after you died, a loved one placed a coin in your mouth ). Then, just as Hera (2011) was really the story of Hercules, this book is really the story of Persephone. In O'Connor's depiction, she could well be the world's first goth girl as she rebels against her overly protective mother, Demeter, and embraces her dark side, black eyeshadow and all. Another winner from a top-notch series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2012
The fourth book in this series relates the major myth about the Greek god of the Underworld, in which Hades kidnaps and marries Demeter's daughter, Persephone. This graphic novel's lively format brings a modern sensibility to the ancient myth and makes it accessible to a wide audience. The author's notes and character biographies provide additional information. Reading list. Bib.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from March 1, 2012

Gr 6 Up-O'Connor explores the story of overprotective Demeter; her spirited daughter, Kore (aka Persephone); and Hades, Lord of the Dead. This retelling will encourage readers to think about these characters' motivations, see how and why each of them was conflicted, and empathize with their struggles. This book is atmospheric, with descriptions and images of the Underworld that are so captivating that readers will pore over those pages again and again. O'Connor's illustrations, filled with lots of color and haunting illuminations, are well suited to this exciting story and will attract even the most reluctant readers. Several resources for curious readers, including an Olympian family tree, character profiles, endnotes, and lists of recommended books and websites, are included. An author's note explains that it's technically Demeter, not Hades, who is the Olympian, but since the story is about three mythical characters, he decided to put Hades front and center because he would be the biggest draw.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.