Dazzling Brightness

I am no mythology buff, nor am I much of a fantasy reader (except for Tolkien and Rowling) but this book had me captivated from the first pages. I had a genuine interest in the characters and found myself reading late into the night. I'm now off to search for and purchase the other two books in this series, which I did not know exsisted until I came here to review this one. I'm looking forward to reading them!

This is the story of Persephone (born Kore, daughter of Demeter) and Hades (brother of Zeus and Poseidon). Gellis wrote three books that are interrelated - Dazzling Brightness, Shimmering Splendor, and Enchanted Fire, and followed them up with others - Bull God, and Thrice Bound. Hint - try to read them in order, because some references in later books make more sense. Dazzling Brightness is a retelling of the Hades-Persephone myth. I read this along with Shimmering Splendor last weekend. Frankly, I enjoyed the first book far more. We see the transformation of Kore, the sheltered daughter of the Corn Goddess, into the powerful goddess Persephone. We also see the interaction of Olympian rivalries most vividly in this book - Zeus versus Poseidon, Poseidon versus Hades, Demeter versus Zeus and Hades. For me, the love story in this book also worked most compellingly. I could believe in Persephone falling in love with Hades, as he taught her the full extent of her powers *and* allowed her to use them without asking anything in return. By the end, when Hades and Persephone come to terms with her mother Demeter, I could believe that this was a couple that was truly in love, and that they fully deserved each other. [Neither was perfect of course - Hades is jealous at one time, and so is Persephone. But that's life and love].It helps if you know a bit about the Persephone myth. In this book, Gellis stays true to the myth more or less, but changes the nature of the Olympians who are powerful mages and long-lived beings, but are not Immortals. Nor is the Underworld what it first appears to be. The story of Hades and Persephone's first journey through the underworld was compelling reading.[written September 16, 2002]

When I first read that Roberta Gellis was writing a book about Mythical characters, especially Hades(??), I thought she had gone out of her mind! The first and formost athority on the Medievil era should continue to enlighten and entertain in the field in which she excells. However, being one of the few that had read her gothic, science fiction and her foray into romance, I decided that if she was going to write about the gods, I would read about the gods. She proves once again that a laundry list written by her would be entertaining! Her retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephine is fantastic! She makes you understand why Persephine left the earth and her mother for 6 months of the year and returned to Hades. My question is: Why did she leave Hades at all? The information in this book leads the reader on a quest for further knowledge. After finishing this novel, I went to the classic Bullfinch's Mythology and read his dry, unembellished account. I then began looking up other characters in her book to read their stories. Roberta Gellis, within the confines of classic Greek Mythology, weaves an unforgetable tale of adventure, suspense and a glimpse of the human nature that exists in everyone, even the gods. This book is a must if you are interested in mythology or the classics. It is highly recommended to anyone looking for a riviting, memorable tale that will stay with you long after the last page is turned. This book will take you away to a magical kingdom and return you wanting more.

Roberta Gellis is truly special. Her characters, the choices they make, the way the think and decide, she has a way of really describing what happens "inside" people to lead them to act. At the same time, the stories she tells are exciting, well thought out and original. With this book, she writes the first in her new subject, (up to now, it was Medievals - I hichly recommend them and a series of Regencies I loved, too) old Greek myths, and the story of Hades and Persephone is fresh, exciting and believable. I couldn't put it down and I reread it occasionally, like the others in the series, Shimmering Splendour and Echanted Fire. Though this one is the best of her Greek stories so far.

At the time I read this book, I was tired of the "same old stories". I wanted something different and still romantic. I have always enjoyed reading about mythology so I was delighted to find Gellis' treatment of the Hades and Persephone legend. It makes the myth almost believable and convinces you that romance and history make good bedfellows!!