Do you like Greek mythology?
Yes.
Do you like twisted retellings of old stories from Greek mythology?
Yes
Do you like stories told from a villain's perspective?
Hell yes.
This isn't just any old Greek retelling in short story form. No, I feel like this one in particular really struck a chord with me. You know, that kind of chord that really rings out in perfect tune and gives you those lasting goosebumps up your arms. Maybe it was just me but damn, Rachel Sandell knocked this one out of the park.
Rave over, let's get on with it.
The story itself is only approximately 7,000 words. It’s a retelling of the Persephone story, though with some differences in scenario and situation.
“It was not always this way. When I was a child, I never would have thought that I would become the thing I am today. I can only guess, because I can barely remember a time when I was young. I cannot remember the last time I saw the sun and felt it touch my skin.”
These are the very first lines of the story, and give a very clear picture on Hades’s view not only on himself, but on his life. Firstly, he refers to what he is now as a ‘thing.’ That on its own says a lot. Not a God, not a who, but a thing. I may not be correct in my own interpretation because all of these opinions are my own, but it lead me to thinking that perhaps he simply feels he is unworthy of being a ‘who.’ He lives a life in darkness and so has become darkness itself, and such a life would bring anyone to feel dead inside.
The Nightmare explores Hades’s point of view rather than Persephone’s in this story and as such, it is told from his perspective. What if Zeus was the bad guy? What if Hades was not as wretched as he’s always been made out to be? It becomes clear that Hades is not heartless, but merely lonely. Being so lonely for so long can be torture to any soul, and being hated for who you are would only rub a big helping of salt into the wound. With an eternity spent in darkness, it is only natural to yearn for some kind of light. Persephone was that light for Hades. From dark into light, and from dead back to life, the story does an excellent job in showing how uplifting and powerful of a thing that love can be.
Hades was an extremely well-developed character. The point of view was brought on a different and uncommon structure, but it was one I very quickly got used to reading in. I feel that it helped the story along that much more. I immediately connected with Hades due to many factors, one being that you could almost feel his eternal state of melancholy in your own heart, and see that the world for him was nothing but darkness and misery.
While there are some small differences from the original story (as that may be a big deal for some), it kept all of the important things. If I am being perfectly honest, I believe I enjoyed this story more. Perhaps it’s the fact that I enjoy the perspective of the “villain” more. I love when extra splashes of darkness are thrown into retellings. It may have only been a short story, but with the number of chords it struck with me it may as well have been a full novel. I would highly recommend this story and, while it’s short, it most definitely leaves a wonderful and long-lasting impression.
In conclusion, I absolutely loved this twist on a classic story. I look forward to reading more of Rachel Sandell’s work in the future.