Fields of Asphodel
Asphodel, goddess of flowers and the fictional daughter of Hades and Persephone, was raised by her grandmother, Demeter. When she learns her father has promised her in marriage to Thanatos, the god of peaceful death, she’s enraged. Determined to reclaim control of her fate, Asphodel kidnaps Thanatos. Though she’s long resented her father, she cannot understand how her mother could allow a betrothal to someone she can never love due to a curse placed upon Asphodel at birth. But Asphodel’s rash actions soon ripple into the mortal world, unleashing chaos powerful enough to unhinge even the mightiest of gods.
A highlight for me was Asphodel’s journey through the realms of the Underworld. It heightens the tension of Asphodel’s task while immersing readers in a Land of the Dead that feels both haunting and beautiful. Not every element is rendered as effectively, however. The enchantment surrounding Hecate’s door would have benefited from an earlier setup, and enriching setting details throughout would have further strengthened the story. The prose would benefit from additional refinement with its repeated and occasionally nonsensical-sounding metaphors. For example, “An archipelago scattered the waves, rippling like stones across a bedsheet” raises an odd question: who sleeps with stones atop their bedsheets? Along these lines, the explicit sexual content appears rather abruptly, and I had to reread the passage to see whether I’d missed a flirtatious cue. This makes the romance feel forced and out of place. Additionally, Asphodel still has considerable growing up to do and struggles adapting to change, though I appreciate how Thanatos holds her accountable.
The novel’s narrow focus and angst-filled romance nestle it firmly within young adult territory. It’s a unique exploration of Greek myths with a different twist for some of the underworld’s well-known and lesser well-known characters.
