I jumped at the chance to review this book. It's been a while since I've read anything by Beagle, and really looked forward to this new book. It's a bit different than a lot of mainstream fantasy these days. It's not readily apparent this is a fantasy, first of all, until well into the story. Second, the main characters are in their 50's and 60's, which was a nice refreshing change. People past middle-age deserve to have some fantasy stories, too. Third, the fantasy aspect is kind of secondary. It's there and it's interesting, but for the most part, the story is about Abe and Del and their relationship and lives.

Del and Abe are fairly comfortable in their their routine, with Del living in Seattle and Abe living on one of the islands in Puget Sound. Then Lioness enters their lives and things start changing. The book moves rather slowly for the first half, with little things happening to show something isn't quite normal about Lioness. And then the second half of the book. Whoa boy. The predictably stupid thing happens and Abe tries to win back Del.

Because of the focus on Abe and Del's relationship, Lioness and her assorted magical doings aren't important. It could have been any other book where an establish couple end up not being a couple any more. But the addition of Lioness and adds some extra flavor. It was particularly interesting that she is Persephone, and not what I had expected when she first showed up in the book.

I have a hard time trying to reconcile my feelings about this book. I did enjoy reading it but the whole thing felt rather off. I never connected with the main characters nor got immersed in the story. Something about the narrative style held me at arm's length.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. ( )

This is a gentle and thoughtful book about the dissolution and formation of friendships, relationships, and the fascination of gods.

What? Well, honestly, it's about a middle-aged couple and their mild and complicated relationship in a comfortable middle-class household, where she becomes disillusioned and he discovers a new love, and such things are mirrored interestingly with the inclusion and complicated immersion into a particularly well-beloved Greek Myth, walking the earth.

The whole book is rather introspective in effect, if not always in action, diving heavier into interpersonal reactions and how easy it is to be lost in ideas, in gut-reactions, and the misery of not knowing what you want, or in taking what you think you want, learning that it was all a mistake.

Of course, this is a rather deep exploration of both points of view in the grand myth of Persephone and Hades, too, so it's actually rather rich in contemplation.

If what you're looking for is straight magical realism in comfortable middle-class topes, you'll find a mild tale with deep and fascinating characters that pop with detail, but don't expect much in the way of plot. Expect thematic exploration, interpersonal angst, and an attempt to discover some sort of balance with summer and winter. Growing older doesn't always mean growing wiser, after all. ( )

After just finishing Her Fearful Symmetry, I was not really looking for another supernatural novel but I picked this one up not knowing that! I'm somewhat mixed about it. The story was interesting but there was something way too matter of fact about the way people react to Lioness as if everything about her is totally normal. Even when she is clearly the source of the off things happening. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it were more allegorical than dropping a few Greek gods into the modern world. I also felt that there was a manipulation of the Persephone myth to fit the storyline. But, I kept reading, it was well-written most of the time and, even if I didn't have any real sense of why it ended the way it did, I still enjoyed it overall.

I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love the classic fantasy story with adventure and romance and plot twists and magic. But it can get very scripted and boring, because everyone wants to stick to the same mold. This story gave me the opportunity to break away from the stereotypical stories that form this genre, and try something new.

On a rainy February night, like every other, Abe and his long-time girlfriend Joanna head to their favorite local restaurant and meet waitress Lioness Lazos, who is new in town and has no place of her own. From the moment they meet her, they are intrigued and enchanted and cannot help but be drawn to her. Joanna is quick to suggest that Lioness move in to Abe's garage, and Lioness agrees happily. Joanne and Abe could never have predicted that this one event would change their lives forever.

I quite enjoyed this novel, even though it was very different from what I had expected. There are so many things that set this novel apart from other fantasy fiction stories that I read, so I'm just going to list them here:

The characters are quite old. Abe is 65, and Joanna is somewhere in her 50s. For someone who reads a great deal of fantasy novels starring teens and young adults, seeing an older character who is more than just a "wise" person or a caregiver for the protagonist was unusual as well as refreshing. It gave the story a different feel, and allowed for it to be more than just a fantasy story. The characters had a wisdom and worldliness that is not seen in characters who are much younger and less experienced, and this allowed for a lot of introspection and character development to occur.
The myth that was used took me by surprise. I don't know what I was expecting, but at about the halfway point I realized what the author was hinting at, and it made me so excited. I love mythology, but only if it is done right. And in this story, it is done right. It isn't a tale of good versus evil (which is a very common theme in fantasy - and most other genres of fiction) but rather a story of lust, love, responsibility, and change. Having the author examine these themes in a classic mythology story was a really great experience for me as a reader.
There was no crazy action plot. The discovery of Lioness's true identity served as a catalyst, but not one I expected. It led to growth in the characters and changes in relationship dynamics, rather than some kind of crazy magical adventure. It allowed for tension to brew between all of the different players in the story, and demonstrated how nothing can be taken for granted, and one small thing can make you question your entire life.
I don't want to keep listing every single little thing, but the point is that this novel took a fantasy concept and turned it into something that resembles realistic fiction. It explored a person's development, with all of the different events that could influence this process. This made it a unique reading experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The one criticism I have is that the sudden impulsiveness that Joanna starts to show is very abrupt and took me aback. It didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason, it just came out of nowhere and I just wish there had been more of a lead into it. Apart from that, this was a really nice story to read, and I hope to read more by this author in the future! ( )

A retelling of the Persephone myth. Joanna and Abe are a long term couple, more than twenty years together, not married. Abe is retired and Joanna is near to retirement. They live on Gardner Island, near Seattle. While dining at their favorite restaurant they meet their waitress, a mesmerizing young woman named Lioness. She is new in town and needs a place to stay. They invite her to stay in an apartment over Abe's garage. Once Lioness is living with them they start to notice strange things: the weather is always spring-like, she can pull arm loads of flowers from the ground, she can speak to whales, and can move from place to place without seeming to actually move. They also realize that she is hiding from someone. By the time her mother (Demeter) and her husband (Hades) come to take her back home she has changed the lives and relationship of Abe and Joanna.
The story was okay. The most interesting parts were where the mythical came to life in the present. As always Beagle's prose is lovely. ( )