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Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume Seven” by Rachel Smythe
Publishing Info: Inklore, October 2024
Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.
Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound
Book Description: The rifts between realms grow ever wider as the temporary shelter Persephone had found in the Underworld is destroyed. Apollo has captured Demeter, turning the fugitive goddess over to Zeus in an attempt to win the king’s favor. Persephone and her mother must now stand trial for concealing Persephone’s unsanctioned act of wrath—though the goddess of spring feels secure with Hades on her side.
But safety is not guaranteed in the world of the gods.
As the trial brings to light truths and betrayals that threaten to upset everything—even Hades and Persephone’s relationship—the other gods face perils of their own.
Eros uncovers Ampelus’s secret during a fight in the Mortal Realm. Thanatos and Daphne’s budding relationship is threatened by a vengeful Apollo. Minthe is trapped in her cursed form until Persephone gains full control over her powers. And Hera is haunted by the specter of Kronos, whose influence in Olympus seems to be growing. .
This edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award–winning webcomic Lore Olympus features a brand-new, exclusive short story from creator Rachel Smythe and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.
Review: Guys, the end of 2024 was just a lot. A LOT. Not only was my anxiety exploding, I was also having issues balancing out my reviews and reading paths, to the point where when “Lore Olympus: Volume Seven” by Rachel Smythe came out in October, I just whiffed on fitting it in on my review schedule. This shows how totally scatterbrained I was given how much I LOVE this series. But it’s finally time, and I finally picked it up, and I shouldn’t have waited. Because coming back to Hades, Persephone, Hera, Hecate, and all the Greek deities and their shenanigans was so, SO healing.
So many wonderful beats in this volume, from the cute to the cathartic to the absolutely devastating. We are seeing Persephone and Hades get closer as she continues to stay with him in the Underworld while Zeus wants to bring her and Demeter to trial for hiding Persephone’s wrath that led to the deaths of many mortals sand permission. So we do have some lovely moments of closeness between Hades and Persephone that still feels appropriate and respectful from both of them, while still building up the romance. But my favorite part of this volume for these two is that Persephone has started the therapy process, and is starting to unpack her anxieties, her tumultuous relationship with her mother, and her sexual assault by Apollo. These scenes were so well handled as Persephone goes through so many emotions and breakthroughs, and I really, really appreciated how Smythe shows how raw and messy but powerful and empowering therapy can be for a person like Persephone. Seeing this kind of portrayal of mental health care in a book is always gratifying, and it fits in with the other themes that Smythe has been touching on from the jump.
We are also getting some more depth and richness for some of our other characters, whether it’s Eros and his changing relationship with Ampelus (who is Psyche in disguise, as suggested by Aphrodite), or Hera starting to have horrifying visions of Kronos (and setting up another potential arc in this story, as we know that Kronos’s strength is growing in spite of his imprisonment). I also really, REALLY loved getting more backstory on the relationship between Hades and Hera, as while I of course ship Hades and Persephone, the connection between these two is tragic even if it’s come to a certain comfortable understanding (and yes, Zeus was involved). We also get more interesting inversions of the original myths that these characters come from, with an especially harrowing and alarming take on the Daphne and Apollo myth that left me completely floored. Smythe is so good at pulling the themes from the source material and adapting it to fit this story, and I am continuously impressed by it.
I’m still absolutely loving “Lore Olympus”. We have ended on another cliffhanger, of course, but luckily it’s only a couple months before the next one comes out!
Rating 10: STOP DEVASTATING ME, RACHEL SMYTHE! This volume has so many heart wrenching beats, but hope is always present as well. Just fantastic.
Reader’s Advisory:
“Lore Olympus: Volume 7” is included on the Goodreads list “Great Graphic Novels Released in 2024”.
Previously Reviewed:
The Library Ladies 
I love this graphic novel series. I was at a loss for something in the vein of the romance, classical, and comedy. I chose this Rachel Smythe work because I am truly into mythology, and folklore; the stories of Psyche and Eros along with Kore & Hades are my absolute favorites. I read a retelling of the Hades myth by Tanith Lee and began looking at the story in a different way. In the meanwhile “Lore Olympus” tickles and enlightens me, needless to say the Olympian “family drama” makes me chuckle (good for my soul–psyche. Of course I have consumed the entire series like a box of See’s chocolates (except for the chocolate coated cherry one, yuk) and I have pre-ordered volume eight and left enough space on the bookshelf next to volumes 1-7.
Diane Garcia
Kingsville, TX
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Yay!! Yes, I just adore this series, and I am so with you on loving Psyche and Eros about as much as Hades and Persephone/Kore. I love how Smythe nails the themes while adapting it through a modern lens. And maaaan, I really, really adore Hera as well. It’s so good. I also have a shelf for the series on my bookshelf! -k
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