Hades: Lord of the Dead (Olympians Series #4)

by George O'Connor, George O'Connor (Illustrator)

Overview

Volume 4 of the highly acclaimed Olympians series!

Hades: Lord of the Dead tells the story of the great God of the Underworld and one of the most famous of all Greek myths: Hades' abduction of Persephone and her mother's revenge. Be prepared to see a new side of Persephone in this dynamic adaptation of the story of the creation of the seasons.

In Olympians, O'Connor draws from primary documents to reconstruct and retell classic Greek myths. But these stories aren't sedate, scholarly works. They're action-packed, fast-paced, high-drama adventures with monsters, romance, and not a few huge explosions. O'Connor's vibrant, kinetic art brings ancient tales to undeniable life in a perfect fusion of super-hero aesthetics and ancient Greek mythology. This title has Common Core connections.

Hades is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596437616
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	01/31/2012
Series:	George O'Connor's Olympians Series , #4
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	661,061
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	GN710L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 14 Years

About the Author

George O'Connor is an author, illustrator and cartoonist. His first graphic novel, Journey Into Mohawk Country, used as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, and told the true story of how New York almost wasn't. He followed that up with Ball Peen Hammer, the first graphic novel written by playwright Adam Rapp, a dark, dystopian view of a society's collapse. Now he has brought his attention to Olympians, an ongoing series retelling the classic Greek myths in comics form. In addition to his graphic novel career, O'Connor has published several children's picture books, including the New York Times best-selling Kapow, Sally and the Some-Thing, and Uncle Bigfoot. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Reading Group Guide

For Discussion:
Hades is a graphic novel, a story told in words and pictures. How do you think this story would be told differently if it was a novel, with only words? How would it be different if it was a movie, with just pictures?
Is this the traditional version of this myth? How do you think the author of this book changed the original story?
How does Persephone feel about her mother? Do you think her abduction by Hades helped or hurt their relationship?
What do you think about Hades' abduction of Persephone? Is kidnapping an appropriate action to take if you like a girl or boy? What might be an alternate option?
Persephone lies to her mother about eating the pomegranate seeds. Was she right to lie? Are there situations where lying is okay?
Hades is the Lord of the Dead, which gives him power over all the dead people. What would you do if you had his job?
Demeter was so upset when Persephone disappeared that she killed all the plants on earth. What do you think about her reaction? What would you do in a similar situation?
After Hades abducts Persephone, she changes a lot about how she looks and acts.
Have you had friends who have behaved similarly when they've started dating? What causes these changes?
The story of Hades and Persephone is an origin story about why we have seasons. Do you think it's a good explanation for why we have seasons? Can you think of a better

one?

Editorial Reviews

An outstanding addition to a first-rate series.” —Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)


“O'Connor's brand of classical mythology for modern sensibilities serves as a good introduction to the gods and settings of the Greek myths.” —Publishers Weekly

“The writing is well done, the story line is interesting and moves quickly, the characters are colorful, and this adventure is exciting.” —Children's Literature

“O'Connor's artwork remains as strong as ever, especially in the glorious illustrations of the underworld.” —VOYA

“Atmospheric, with descriptions and images of the Underworld that are so captivating that readers will pore over those pages again and again. O'Connor's illustrations, filled with lots of color and haunting illuminations, are well suited to this exciting story and will attract even the most reluctant readers.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Gr 6 Up—O'Connor explores the story of overprotective Demeter; her spirited daughter, Kore (aka Persephone); and Hades, Lord of the Dead. This retelling will encourage readers to think about these characters' motivations, see how and why each of them was conflicted, and empathize with their struggles. This book is atmospheric, with descriptions and images of the Underworld that are so captivating that readers will pore over those pages again and again. O'Connor's illustrations, filled with lots of color and haunting illuminations, are well suited to this exciting story and will attract even the most reluctant readers. Several resources for curious readers, including an Olympian family tree, character profiles, endnotes, and lists of recommended books and websites, are included. An author's note explains that it's technically Demeter, not Hades, who is the Olympian, but since the story is about three mythical characters, he decided to put Hades front and center because he would be the biggest draw.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

School Library Journal

A tempestuous mother-daughter relationship makes up the centerpiece of O'Connor's latest carefully researched and simultaneously fresh and funny Olympian portrait. Snatched down to the Underworld in the wake of a screaming fight with her mother Demeter ("Butt out of my life!!" "You ungrateful brat"), raging adolescent Kore (meaning, generically "The Maiden") initially gives her quiet, gloomy captor Hades a hard time too. After grabbing the opportunity to give herself a thorough makeover and changing her name to Persephone ("Bringer of Destruction"), though, she takes charge of her life--so surely that, when offered the opportunity to return to her remorseful mom, she lies about having eaten those pomegranate seeds so she can spend half of each year as Queen of the Dead. O'Connor expertly captures both the dramatic action and each character's distinct personality--Demeter in particular, with her big hair and temper to match, is a real piece of work--in easy-to-follow graphic panels. Effortlessly folding in other familiar and not-so-familiar tales of figures associated with his title character, he opens with an eerie guided tour of Hades' realm, closes with fact boxes about each of the major players and in between ingeniously preserves the old tale's archetypal quality without ever losing sight of its human dimension. An outstanding addition to a first-rate series. (notes, study questions, resource lists) (Graphic mythology. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews

The fourth book in O’Connor’s Olympians series retells the myth of Hades and Persephone as a dramatic, romantic saga of a controlling parent and a rebellious daughter. Although a more family friendly version than the darker source material, O’Connor’s version is still set in ancient Greece and opens with an introduction to the realm of the dead that sets a fittingly grand tone for the narrative. Hades, the lord of the dead, is a lonely ruler of the realm of mortals’ souls while the other Greek gods joyously celebrate on Mount Olympus. One of the most celebrated is Demeter, goddess of agriculture and also mother to Kore, a daughter tired of being kept away from anything that could possibly do her harm. When Kore wanders off, she’s kidnapped by Hades, who showers her with gifts and promises to make her his queen. Kore slowly begins to enjoy her newfound luxury, changing her name to Persephone, even as Demeter frantically searches for her daughter and becomes so distraught she allows the crops of mortals to wither and die. O’Connor’s brand of classical mythology for modern sensibilities serves as a good introduction to the gods and settings of the Greek myths. Ages 9–14. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly