The Motif of Persephone in Sarah J. Mass’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series

The Myth of Demeter and Kore is universally known. Over the years, various authors used the myth in their own retellings of the story. In these new versions the myth either possesses the same or similar message as the original myth, or offers a completely separate interpretation that would fit the modern world more. One of said versions is the book series A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. The goal of this paper is to prove the universal nature of the myth, but also to demonstrate how the story of Persephone is depicted in fantasy in Mass’ series of novels. To do so, the most important aspects of the Myth of Demeter and Kore will be presented. Then the paper will touch upon certain interpretations of the myth and its characters. Finally, the main characters from the book series A Court of Thorns and Roses will be examined and compared to the figures of Kore, Persephone, Demeter, and Hades.