“It is a haunting tale of love and loss and redemption which follows a young woman’s journey to the underworld and back as she seeks to atone for her betrayal of her beloved…”
“Psyche symbolises the redemptive power of love and desire over darkness and despair…”
On the title spelling: “Psykhe.” Firstly…it is closer to the original Greek name before it has been Anglicised. And, secondly, it contains my own initials within it. My maiden name is Kate Humphrey and for years I used to scribble my initials as KH.”
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MY REVIEW
Kate is a powerful literary force and every book she renders is highly researched, imagined and delivered. I know any novel of hers will set my imagination on fire and inspire me. Psykhe is one such book. I loved every page of this four part story, the poetry, the literary depth, the re-imagining of the Greek classic story of Psykhe and Eros. She takes the ordinary and transforms it into the extraordinary. I loved how she wove the four classical elements first noted by Greek philosopher Empedocles of earth, wind, fire and water together to provide a complete sensory experience: taking me on an unforgettable journey from privilege and poverty to riches and hope, from control to freedom, from arranged marriages to pure love.
Psykhe is a word that means ‘breath and soul’ and ‘butterfly’. The cover of this novel is so beautiful like the prose within and is a reflection of the character’s name and interests. Psykhe had a traumatic birth. She was born blue with the cord wrapped around her neck but the midwife saved her. And because she survived, people thought she was a goddess for only the immortal come back to life. They offered her gifts and bowed at her feet but she did not want such attention. Her mission or passion in life, though, was to save others because she was saved. I really liked Kate’s version of this woman. Her sense of purpose, strength, ability to love and forgive is astonishing.
Sadly, Psykhe had a rough start. Her mother died after her birth and her ‘absence was the greatest presence’ in Psykhe’s life. She learned from a young age about the Underworld for she was told her mother’s spirit was there, though her body had returned to the earth. Little did she know then, that one day she would make the most perilous and important journey of her life to the Underworld. We learn that Psykhe’s physical features are much like her mother’s, she is extremely fair with white hair. (This distinction will cause her grief in certain hands.) In appearance and personality, she is very different from her sisters. She lives on the edge of society and has a kinship with nature and an incredible understanding of plants and their properties. In the first part of the novel, we watch her blossom under the guidance of Nokturna who prepares her for the trials that come, including those caused by her father, who believes she has angered the gods and delivers her to what he thinks is her fate.
Later on, Psykhe encounters some of the god and goddesses. And she is put through a series of horrible tests by Ambrose’s mother: a cruel and conniving goddess. Her folly? Psykhe has fallen in love with a man/god whose face is forbidden to be seen. But she is not content to meet him only under the cover of darkness. When she acts against his wishes and warnings, she puts him in danger, and must pay a high price for his freedom and healing. In her last task, she must journey to the Underworld to see Proserpina, Queen of the dead. We hear her story. But our hearts are with Psykhe and Ambrose who are passionately entwined like the vines on a wall reaching, twirling and stretching toward the light. We long for this couple to be together. They are drawn to each other but entangled and endangered by the rules and circumstances that govern their lives. Can they overcome these obstacles, break free of these things that hold them apart and be joined together and have a happy life? Kate delivers a joyous ending.
Psykhe is a vivid depiction of the world of mortals and gods, rich with classical magic, wonder and beauty. A fresh perspective infused with history and Kate’s imagination. I highly recommend this novel for those who enjoy retellings of the great Greek myths that are dripping with passion and poetic detail and bursting with inspired originality. It is a story I will never forget. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to the author and publisher for a review copy.
