Wearing the Lion

Holy crap. So, I am a big John Wiswell fan who will read literally anything he writes and did the happiest of happy dances when I was approved for the ARC of Wearing the Lion, but I promise to write a fair and balanced review. Mostly. Okay, I will try.

I liked the structure of the book, with a chapter split in two: one half from Herecles’ point of view and the other from Hera’s. It was interesting to see things from both perspectives, but it also made it so easy to see how similar they truly are as two lost souls having major identity crises and yearning for somewhere they belong.

I love how beautifully every character evolves throughout the story. Hera and Heracles obviously show a lot of growth as strong main characters but even secondary characters like Boar and Granny were out there learning and growing. Heracles is such a sweet, naive man I couldn’t help but root for throughout his years-long journey. And Hera! She’s such a deep and well-written character. I felt her pain, her struggles, her turmoil. Her constant scheming and interference are so much fun (no matter her motivation) and being inside her head was always a good time, though I have to admit she lost me a few times during her scheming. It could get pretty complicated!

Heracles’ found family was incredible and so unique. He finds acceptance with a ragtag pack of monsters (like, actual monsters, okay?), proving that home really is where the heart is. The LGBTQIA+ rep was an extremely welcome surprise as well.

Wearing the Lion has so much heart and a lot of humor to lighten the mood when things get serious. It’s similar to John Wiswell’s debut novel, Someone You Can Build a Nest In in a lot of ways, and though I’d say it’s not cozy in the way that one has been described, I think if you enjoyed one, you’ll likely enjoy the other just as much as I did.

Thank you DAW Books, from whom I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley.