I got the first 2 books of the webtoon Lore Olympus out of the library based on the NPR best books list. It sounded right up my alley, a modern retelling of the story of Hades and Persephone. The art makes Olympus seem very sleek and modern, like Tokyo. Each of the big three and their children are a different color (their skin is that color.) Hades is blue, Zeus is purple and Poseidon is green. I call them the big three because they each get a domain. Hera is gold and Demeter is pink. So Persephone is pink. Book one does have a scene where Apollo and Persephone have sex, and while she gives consent she does not enjoy it and doesn’t tell him until much later.
I read the first one in October and didn’t hate it, but it left a sour taste in my mouth and I couldn’t quite figure out why. But then I read the second one and it became clear: Persephone is a little pink 19 year old pinup. It seems very Lolita coded to me. She is so naive and childlike and I can’t get past that. The author draws her with big huge eyes many times. She is book smart but makes many stupid decisions to get herself in trouble so Hades has to rescue her.
There could have been some interesting things there with the nymphs feeling second class compared to the Gods, but I guess her story got in the way of that. So far the only reason Hades seems to like her is because she seems sad and is hot. I just can’t get past that to root for them. He has one late night phone conversation with him and has a huge crush. Persephone by herself and Hades by himself don’t seem like bad characters. Persephone is a plucky little heroine. Hades is the gloomy leader of the underworld. I don’t want them together so I won’t be reading more. The plot is fast and interesting, but life is too short to read a book series I am not enjoying.