John Wiswell’s Wearing the Lion stands as a remarkable achievement in contemporary mythological fiction, transforming the brutal heroics of Heracles into a deeply moving meditation on trauma, healing, and the radical power of compassion. Following his Nebula Award-winning debut Someone You Can Build a Nest In, Wiswell continues to demonstrate his singular ability to humanize the monstrous while revealing the monstrosity lurking within the traditionally heroic.
This second novel doesn’t merely retell the myth of Heracles—it reconstructs it from the ground up, challenging every assumption about heroes, monsters, and the nature of strength itself. Where classical mythology celebrates violence as the solution to divine problems, Wiswell offers something far more subversive: the possibility that understanding and care might prove more powerful than any sword.
The Architecture of Anguish
The novel’s structure mirrors its thematic concerns, alternating chapters between Hera and Heracles (who sometimes goes by Alcides) across five distinct parts. This dual perspective proves essential to Wiswell’s ambitious reimagining, as it reveals the tragic irony at the story’s heart: both protagonist and antagonist are trapped in cycles of divine manipulation and familial trauma that neither fully comprehends.
Wiswell’s Hera emerges as perhaps the most complex character in recent mythological fiction. Rather than the one-dimensional vengeful stepmother of traditional tellings, she becomes a figure wrestling with her own capacity for cruelty while drowning in guilt over her actions. Her relationship with the fury Até provides some of the novel’s most psychologically penetrating moments, exploring how trauma perpetuates itself across generations and how even gods can become victims of their own destructive impulses.
The alternating perspectives create a fascinating tension. Readers witness Hera’s machinations while simultaneously experiencing Heracles’ genuine devotion to the goddess he believes protects him. This dramatic irony transforms what could have been a simple tale of divine revenge into something far more nuanced—a study of how love and hatred can become indistinguishable when filtered through guilt and manipulation.
The Psychology of Monsters and Heroes
Where Wiswell truly excels is in his revolutionary approach to the famous Twelve Labors. Rather than triumphant feats of strength, these become opportunities for healing and connection. The Nemean Lion, traditionally slain for its invincible hide, instead becomes a creature craving affection—one that licks Heracles rather than devouring him. The Lernaean Hydra transforms from a many-headed terror into Logy, a mathematically-minded companion who helps Heracles process his trauma through intellectual curiosity.
This reframing serves multiple narrative purposes. It reflects Heracles’ own journey from violence toward healing, mirrors his attempts to process the murder of his children, and challenges readers’ expectations about what constitutes heroism. Wiswell suggests that the true labor lies not in destroying monsters but in understanding them—and by extension, understanding the monstrous aspects of ourselves.
The psychological depth extends to the supporting cast. Megara, traditionally a victim in Heracles mythology, becomes a complex figure dealing with her own grief and survivor’s guilt. Her relationship with Heracles after the tragedy feels painfully authentic—two people trying to navigate love in the aftermath of unthinkable loss. Iolaus, typically just a loyal nephew, develops into a character grappling with his own identity and place in a world where traditional heroism has proven inadequate.
Divine Dysfunction and Cosmic Consequences
Wiswell’s portrayal of the Olympian gods ranks among the most compelling in modern fantasy literature. These aren’t distant, noble deities but dysfunctional family members whose petty squabbles have cosmic consequences. Zeus’s absence through much of the narrative becomes its own form of characterization—a father figure who abandons his responsibilities, leaving others to clean up the mess of his infidelities.
The relationship between Hera and Até deserves particular praise. Até, goddess of ruin and delusion, serves as both Hera’s abandoned friend and the dark mirror of her capacity for destruction. Their interactions reveal how isolation and resentment can poison even divine relationships, creating cycles of revenge that consume everyone in their path.
The novel’s exploration of divine family dynamics resonates with very human concerns about inherited trauma, toxic relationships, and the difficulty of breaking destructive patterns. When Hera finally confronts the consequences of her actions, the scene carries genuine emotional weight because Wiswell has made her sympathetic without excusing her cruelty.
Language and Literary Craft
Wiswell’s prose adapts to each perspective with remarkable skill. Hera’s chapters pulse with barely contained rage and bitter humor, her voice sharp enough to cut marble. Her frequent use of profanity and modern idioms creates an interesting anachronistic effect that somehow makes her more relatable rather than less mythic.
Heracles’ sections, by contrast, maintain a more formal, prayer-like quality that reflects his genuine piety and growing wisdom. The evolution of his voice throughout the novel—from confident warrior to broken man to something approaching peace—provides one of the book’s most satisfying character arcs.
The author’s background in short fiction serves him well here. Individual chapters often function as complete emotional units while contributing to the larger narrative arc. Particular scenes—Heracles embracing the Nemean Lion, Hera’s confrontation with Até in the marsh, the final resolution between goddess and hero—achieve genuine literary power.
Themes of Healing and Redemption
At its core, Wearing the Lion argues for the transformative power of empathy over violence. This theme manifests in multiple ways: Heracles’ relationship with his monster companions, Hera’s journey toward acknowledging her guilt, and the novel’s broader suggestion that traditional heroic narratives often perpetuate the very cycles of violence they claim to resolve.
The found family theme, which Wiswell acknowledges in his dedication, permeates every aspect of the narrative. Heracles builds a new family from monsters and outcasts, just as Hera must confront her failures as both a goddess of family and a family member herself. The novel suggests that healing requires not just individual change but the creation of new communities based on understanding rather than hierarchy.
The treatment of trauma throughout the novel feels both mythic and contemporary. Heracles’ PTSD symptoms, his difficulty relating to violence after killing his children, and his gradual healing through connection with other damaged creatures speak to modern understanding of psychological recovery while maintaining the epic scope of classical myth.
Minor Criticisms and Considerations
While Wearing the Lion succeeds admirably in most respects, it occasionally struggles under the weight of its own ambitions. The alternating perspective structure, while generally effective, sometimes creates pacing issues, particularly in the middle sections where Hera’s machinations overshadow Heracles’ more internal journey.
Some readers may find the novel’s complete rejection of traditional heroic violence initially jarring. The transformation of monsters from threats to friends requires significant suspension of disbelief, though Wiswell’s psychological grounding generally makes these relationships convincing.
The resolution, while emotionally satisfying, feels somewhat rushed given the complexity of the relationships established throughout the novel. The final reconciliation between Hera and Heracles, in particular, might have benefited from additional development to fully earn its emotional impact.
A New Standard for Mythological Retelling
Wearing the Lion establishes Wiswell as a major voice in contemporary fantasy literature. His approach to mythological retelling—psychologically complex, morally nuanced, and fundamentally optimistic about the possibility of change—offers a blueprint for how ancient stories can speak to modern concerns without losing their mythic power.
The novel’s exploration of family trauma, divine dysfunction, and the possibility of healing resonates far beyond its classical Greek setting. In an era when traditional heroic narratives often feel inadequate to address complex global problems, Wiswell offers something revolutionary: the suggestion that understanding might prove more powerful than conquest.
For readers familiar with Wiswell’s previous work, Wearing the Lion represents a natural evolution of his interests while expanding his scope considerably. The author’s ability to find humanity in the monstrous and monstrosity in the heroic continues to develop, creating fiction that challenges readers’ assumptions while providing genuine emotional catharsis.
Essential Reading for Fantasy and Mythology Enthusiasts
Wearing the Lion stands as essential reading for anyone interested in mythological fiction, contemporary fantasy, or simply powerful storytelling about healing and redemption. Wiswell has created something genuinely unique: a hero’s journey that leads not to triumph through violence but to peace through understanding.
The novel succeeds both as entertainment and as literature, offering thrills and emotional depth in equal measure. Its willingness to challenge traditional heroic narratives while maintaining respect for the source material marks it as a significant achievement in the increasingly crowded field of mythological retelling.
Most importantly, Wearing the Lion offers hope—the radical suggestion that cycles of violence and trauma can be broken, that monsters can be healed rather than slain, and that even gods can learn to choose compassion over revenge. In our current moment, such optimism feels both necessary and hard-won.
Similar Reads and Recommendations
Readers who enjoy Wearing the Lion should consider these companion works:
Circe by Madeline Miller – Another psychologically complex retelling of Greek mythology focusing on a traditionally marginalized character
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker – A powerful reimagining of the Trojan War from Briseis’s perspective
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – A tender exploration of love and heroism in classical mythology
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper – Historical fiction exploring women’s experiences in the ancient world
Hera by Jennifer Saint – A feminist retelling focusing on the women behind famous mythological heroes
Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan – For readers interested in modern takes on Greek mythology, though aimed at younger audiences
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood – A brief but powerful retelling of the Odyssey from Penelope’s perspective
Wiswell’s Someone You Can Build a Nest In remains essential reading for those interested in the author’s unique approach to monsters and humanity. Future works from this remarkably talented author are eagerly anticipated.
Wearing the Lion transforms one of mythology’s most famous heroes into something unexpected: a figure capable of growth, healing, and genuine wisdom. In doing so, John Wiswell has created not just an excellent fantasy novel but a work that challenges how we think about strength, heroism, and the possibilities for redemption in a broken world.