When Shattered Gods comes out next year, I’m going to reread the series uninterrupted. Some of the books have been frustrating because the individual romances have been overshadowed by the series long plot, and I think it will all work together better with less time to forget details. Which is to say, I both enjoyed and was frustrated by Tender Cruelty.
Zeus and Hera’s enemies to lovers romance has been teased for a few years now. Tender Cruelty feels a little bit short to take Calliope from a Hera from plotting Zeus’ murder to [redacted]. Perseus’ transition from a man trying to carry the mantle of Zeus, and not reenact his father’s domestic sins, works better, because while he is wary of his wife, he doesn’t hate her.
What does work really well in Tender Cruelty is the shift to the endgame of the Dark Olympus series. Minos has been revealed as a red herring, and Circe has emerged from the shadows. Hermes has always been a significant side character with a distinct spark, and in this installment, it’s clear, this is really her series.
All along, Katee Robert has been using the Greek mythology retelling/mafia romance structure to examine power. In the first three books, corrupt, abusive members of The 13 are replaced by characters who are the protagonists of the series. An antagonist comes in and begins to destabilize Olympus and its ruling body. As we reach the end of the series, the assertion is being made that the whole power system in Olympus is inherently bad. To me, the best part of Tender Cruelty was not Perseus and Calliope falling in love, but Zeus and Hera struggling with the idea that their desire to be good rulers can’t overcome the iniquity of having so much unchecked power.
I’m interested to see where this goes in Shattered Gods.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Sourcebooks and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
