When her beloved daughter Kore vanishes, Demeter is distraught. Suspecting betrayal and mistrusting of her family, she searches across the world, unable to come to terms with such a loss. But Demeter is one of the original goddesses of Mount Olympus, and a force not to be underestimated. She is determined that she will find her daughter, even if it means destroying humanity in the process.
Winter Harvest is a brand-new, dark reimagining of the tale of Demeter and Persephone by Greek author Ioanna Papadopoulou. Steeped in lore and with a deep understanding of the many different facets of Demeter's personality, this retelling will change your perspective on one of the most well-known stories of Greek mythology.
Praise for Winter Harvest:
"WINTER HARVEST is a retelling that feels as primal as the myth itself. In her struggle to define and wield her divinity against her power-hungry brothers - Zeus, Poseidon and Hades - Demeter discovers the essence of Nature: that the power to nurture is also the power to starve, that creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin. Demeter' s quest to save her abducted daughter, Kore, depicts her as a true ancient goddess, vindictive, arrogant and volatile. And yet, we cannot but sympathize with her, for the abuse she has suffered, for the injustice her siblings have inflicted upon her, for her unrelenting motherly love. Demeter's story is symbolic and vast in its scope, yet immediate and raw; mythical yet painfully personal. Demeter is a mother, a goddess and a force of nature who speaks to every woman who suffered the pain of loss."
- Jelena Dunato, author of Dark Woods, Deep Water
"There is a dark, merciless, and terrifying side to motherhood not every mother is forced to face, but every mother is aware that it lurks behind her ribs, waiting for that one moment that changes everything. Papadopoulou unflinchingly exposes this side of motherhood in Winter Harvest. The transformation of Demeter from a grain harvest goddess to the harbinger of death is brutal, devastating, and left me breathless. She holds nothing back. This is Demeter like you have never seen her before."
- Heather Ventura Vassallo, co-editor of Musings of the Muses and Daughter of Sarpedon and co-owner of Brigid's Gate Press
"Winter Harvest chronicles the long and tumultuous journey of Demeter through a landscape of mercurial, scheming gods whom she defies in order to reclaim her power. Ioanna Papadopoulou deftly weaves a tapestry of stories as ancient and timeless as nature herself."
- Eugenia Triantafyllou, Ignyte, Nebula and World Fantasy Awards nominee
"A Greek myth retelling by a writer with such a deep connection to the culture and landscape of Greece is a rare, beautiful thing. Here you will find the Greek gods as you have never encountered them before."
- Natalia Theodoridou, Nebula Award Finalist and World Fantasy Award winner
"An epic journey through loss, reconnection, and the spectrum of human emotion, WINTER HARVEST portrays women's power and suffering in equal measures. In Ioanna Papadopoulou's skilful hands, this novel interweaves famous tales and lesser-known legends to create a gloriously complex picture of Demeter. Nourishment and destruction view for place, as Papadopoulou reminds us that while the goddess of harvest can provide sustenance, she can also take it away - and a mother figure can be the most frightening power of all."
- Elyse John, author of Orphia and Eurydicius
