Book Review: Gentlest Of Wild Things By Sarah Underwood

Who’s ready for another fall fantasy? We at THP are always in the mood for a fantasy, especially if it draws from myths and classic fairytales. So today, we’ll review Gentlest of Wild Things, Sarah Underwood’s latest novel.

Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood retells the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche, with a sapphic twist that we couldn’t resist! Just as Psyche had to complete a series of tasks from Aphrodite, Eirene must complete similar tasks set by Leandros, descendant of Eros and her sister Phoebe’s suitor.

This new sapphic fantasy had us glued to the pages, and we know you’d feel the same. Here are three things we love about Gentlest of Wild Things!

Book Overview: Gentlest Of Wild Things

Content Warnings: death, parent death, child abuse, graphic displays of violence and torture, implications of sexual assault, self-harm, misogyny (Read at your discretion!)

Summary: On the island of Zakynthos, nothing is more powerful than Desire—love itself, bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a power-hungry descendant of the god Eros.

Eirene and her beloved twin sister, Phoebe, have always managed to escape Desire’s thrall—until Leandros’s wife dies mysteriously and he sets his sights on Phoebe. Determined to keep her sister safe, Eirene strikes a bargain with Leandros: If she can complete the four elaborate tasks he sets her, he will find another bride. But it soon becomes clear that the tasks are part of something bigger; something related to Desire and Lamia, the strange, neglected daughter Leandros keeps locked away.

Lamia knows her father hides her for her own protection, though as she and Eirene grow closer, she finds herself longing for the outside world. But the price of freedom is high, and with something deadly—something hungry—stalking the night, that price must be paid in blood…

Such High Stakes

One thing we love about Gentlest of Wild Things is the high tension and high stakes involved. It read almost like a Gothic thriller. Eirene sets her mind on “marrying” Leandros in Phoebe’s stead and is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her. But while Eirene worried about completing her tasks, there was another danger lurking around Leandros’s home. Other than Leandros himself, we couldn’t guess what it turned out to be. And not knowing made it even more unsettling.

Reimagining Greek Myths

Gentlest of Wild Things hooked us with the worldbuilding and how it maintains the core of Psyche’s punishment by Aphrodite. Eirene must complete four seemingly impossible tasks, most of which she could not have done without Lamia’s help. And not only does this novel reimagine Eros and Psyche’s story, but it also incorporates the empousa from Greek myths. A vampiric, shape-shifting female being, empousa are known for having a metal leg and feeding on young men (or women in this case).

Lamia’s Character Development

Finally, we need to shoutout Lamia’s character development. In a way, Gentlest of Wild Things also tells Lamia’s coming-of-age story, when she finally realizes that what Leandros does to her isn’t normal or right. Being locked away for most of her life, Lamia doesn’t know why her father needs her tears or what he uses them for. She only knows what Leandros has conditioned her to believe. That is, until Lamia grows closer to Eirene and learns the reality of the outside world. And it’s not nearly as terrible as her father told her.

Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood goes on sale October 1st, and you can preorder a copy of it here!

What do you think of Sarah Underwood’s Gentlest of Wild Things? Are you planning to preorder? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

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