Review: Psykhe
Gaby Meares
Thank you Dr Kate for another gorgeous novel portraying a strong woman, overcoming HUGE adversities to follow her own path, and rescue her lover in the process, against enormous odds, including some very powerful Gods!
As is the case since time immemorial, our female protagonist’s life is not her own, but controlled by a man, in Psykhe’s case a tyrannical father. ‘I was only a woman. I had to do as my father commanded, regardless of my own wishes. He had the right to kill me or sell me into slavery if I displeased him. Deep inside me, a flame of defiance burned.’
I loved all the herbology and witchy elements to the story - women’s secret business (and power). I ached for Psykhe as she struggled to master the magic of reading: ‘So many marks I did not know, so many words to learn….I was determined to master this strange magical art, meaning hidden within marks of ink.’
My only quibble with the book is I found the ending rushed. The tasks set by Venus were near-impossible and enormously demanding - in my opinion, they needed more space to breath and help the reader feel Psykhe’s physical and emotional pain.
I am not familiar with the original myth of Psykhe and Eros, so I read this novel with no prior knowledge. I was totally immersed in Psykhe’s world, Kate has the ability to transport the reader to other times and places with her vivid descriptions of sights, sounds and smells.
Highly recommended.