Author: Jessie Harell
Published: Mae Day Publishing, May 2011
Genre: YA Fantasy/Mythology, Romance
Rating: 3/5
One of my friends is obsessed with Greek mythology. She cannot acquire enough books about the Gods and Goddesses and their stories. A year ago, she helped to rekindle my childhood interest in mythology and I decided to buy a novel retelling one of the myths. That is how I ended up reading Destined by Jessie Harell in two days during my train commutes.
Psyche is the most beautiful young woman in Greece. She is visited by Aphrodite and has suitors clamoring to get a view of her sitting by her window. Soon, she begins to learn she is much more than a beautiful princess. When Aphrodite proposes Psyche marry her arrogant son, Eros, both youths are shocked and disgusted. Psyche will suffer the wrath of Aphrodite and the loving deception of Eros. How will she survive this growing trepidation called love?
The most pleasant part about this novel was the way Harell portrayed some of the gods. While Hera is normally presented as a vengeful, jealous wife in his novel she is shown as a woman whose actions come from her hurt. Aphrodite while just as ruthless, cunning and jealous as legend has her shows a tender, maternal side for her son.
What I found most distracting and displeasing about this novel was the language usage. Harell littered her novel with modern day phrases that pulls her reader out of the book. Her choice of language makes the setting and time period of the novel less believable. She did a great disservice to herself as a writer and to her readers.
No one will catch me rereading this book but I would still recommend it to fans of Greek Mythology looking for a simple, pleasant, rainy afternoon read.
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