Aphrodite

By Phoenicia Rogerson

‘With its sharply witty prose, Aphrodite perfectly captures the charm and chaos of the Greek gods’ Rosie Hewlett

From the author of Herc, Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award 2024 and Waterstones Best book of the Year 2023

‘A joyful exploration of one woman’s quest for home, power, identity and ultimately, freedom from fate. A genuine pleasure to read!’ Clare North, author of Ithaca

‘Welcome the Real Housewives of Olympus. Stunning, brilliant, witty, so delicious it could only be divine’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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‘I’m a liar, to begin with.’

I wasn’t always a goddess, you see. My only real power was my beauty – you’ll have heard. It’s legendary. But that was never going to be enough for me.

It took a web of lies to convince the gods of Olympus I was one of them. But I did. I was that good. Zeus gave me a title and riches and loved me. And all he wanted in return was for me to love him back.

But of course, Zeus was a tyrant. (Not entirely surprising when you’re ninety per cent insecurities and ten per cent raw power.) I couldn’t live at someone’s mercy. Really, I had no choice. I had to take on the mightiest Olympian of all. And this bit’s not a lie… I intended to win.

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Authors and readers LOVE Aphrodite:

‘Expect multiple POV’s, humour (duh), strong female energy, love, action, war, all packaged in a beautifully crafted, comprehensive story’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sparkles with wicked humour and boundless imaginationKate Heartfield, Sunday Times bestselling author

‘I can’t emphasise enough how much I adored this version of Aphrodite – wickedly funny, caustic, fierce, playful and cheeky yet with a soft centre’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wit and verve, contrasting laugh-out-loud humour with moments of surprising tendernessLuna McNamara, author of Pysche and Eros

‘The humour, character, and revitalised plot made this one of my favourite reads this year‘ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Aphrodite gives a human voice to the inhuman goddess that you can’t help but love’ Lizzy Tiffin, author of Bad Girls of Ancient Greece

‘Aphrodite is truly a masterpiece‘ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘If you’ve ever wondered what Tina Fey retelling your favorite myths would be like, Phoenicia Rogerson has the answer’ Ian Doescher, author of the William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series

Brilliant book’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Will excite, anger and sadden you through its cinematic cast of characters, some of whom you want to win just as much as you want them to fail’ Akeem Balogun, author of The Storm

‘I had a smile on my face for the majority of the book, and devoured it in two reading sessions…Greek Mythology has never been so engaging, witty and clever as now!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Razor sharp, funny, grippingly honest’ Jenny Williamson, author of Enemy of My Dreams

Format: Hardback
Release Date: 14 Aug 2025
Pages: 480
ISBN: 978-0-00-858990-5
Price: £16.99, £16.99 (Export Price) , €None
Phoenicia Rogerson has no discernible sense of direction so it’s only natural that she’d get lost in books. When she’s not reading, writing, or spinning in circles, she can be found knitting copious amounts of socks and throwing herself in freezing water. Originally from Cornwall, she now finds herself in London, where she’s aiming for the highest possible bookshelf-to-floor space ratio. Aphrodite is her second novel. She is a winner of the Somerset Maugham Award 2024 for her debut, Herc.

Praise for Phoenicia Rogerson -

'A remarkable feat of storytelling… Told through a cast of vibrant characters, Herc is a refreshingly unique and brilliantly funny exploration of Ancient Greece’s legendary "hero".' Rosie Hewlett, author of Medea -

‘Alternately hilarious and shocking, this is an astonishingly vivid retelling of the story of Hercules, and these are not the Greek myths I learned in school.’ Jodi Taylor, author of Just One Damned Thing After Another -

‘A brilliant debut! Rogerson has produced a fresh and totally original retelling of the Hercules myth. For the first time, long-silent characters from the hero’s story are given a voice. They provide a sparkling new perspective on the club-wielding, all-daring son of Zeus.’ Alex Rowson, author of The Young Alexander -

‘Hercules had his story, now it's time for everyone else to get their say. Wickedly fun and devilishly dark – the tell-all for our times.’ Cari Thomas, author of Threadneedle -

‘A captivating retelling with a very definite, personal voice, and a sharp, fresh perspective on the lives surrounding the hero.’ Genevieve Cogman, author of Scarlet -

‘A rollicking ride through Greek mythology.’ Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros -

‘A brilliant, witty and unique retelling of the myths that at times had me laughing out loud. Rogerson's impressive talent leaps from the pages.’ Carly Reagon, author of The Toll House -

‘A wonderfully layered piece of storytelling which manages to be earthy, haunting and beautiful all at once.’ Stacey Thomas, author of The Revels -

‘Funny, action-packed, violent, tragic … this is the story of Hercules as you’ve never experienced it before! An eye-opening treat.’ A.J. Elwood, author of The Cottingley Cuckoo -