65 pages • 2 hours read
Neon Gods
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Chapters 11-15Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 11 Summary
Hades leaves a sleeping Persephone, reminding himself of his obligation to secure his home. He feels certain Zeus is still a danger to them both, though he finds himself wanting to protect Persephone from this reality.
He enters his bedroom and senses a presence, reaching for a gun. His unexpected guest is Hermes, who teases him for being frightened, reminding him of their friendship. He reminds her that she is uninvited, but privately admits to himself that she and Dionysus do bring a certain spark of energy to his residence.
Hermes informs him that she is there in her official capacity as the messenger for the Thirteen. In Demeter’s voice, she issues a warning that he must return Persephone or the food supply to his half of the city will be in jeopardy. Hades is unsurprised, though disappointed that Demeter is so ruthless as to both endanger her daughter and innocent citizens. Hermes reminds him that he should be used to these manipulations, even if she also finds them distasteful. Hades reminds her that Persephone has chosen to stay in the lower city. When Hades says that he will maintain the treaty and Persephone’s presence, by force, if necessary, he finds that Hermes is mimicking his words, making them an official reply to Demeter. She flees after reminding Hades that words alone will not imperil the treaty.
Exasperated and anxious, Hades reflects that his lack of prominence in Olympian political life is currently working to Demeter’s advantage: “I’m in the shadows, so she thinks she’s safe” (136). Demeter could never oppose a member of the Thirteen as she so confidently does with Hades, as they are visible and able to maintain their own personas in the upper city. Hades decides not to cave to her threats and instead assert his own power.
The next morning, Hades rises to the sound of Persephone’s laughter. He is charmed by it, forcing himself to remember that it is only a temporary pleasure. He finds her in the kitchen, making easy conversation with his cook and housekeeper, Georgie, who never lets him work with her. Hades teases her about her good mood. Her easy manner affirms his resolve to defy Demeter and Zeus. He tells himself, “I might be a bastard, but I can’t betray that fledgling trust by throwing her to the wolves’” (139).
Chapter 12 Summary
That same day, Persephone is surprised to find Hades has agreed to a shopping expedition with her. She is privately touched by his hovering and concern that her borrowed boots and coat fit. As they step out, she takes in the architectural contrast: Her home is a world of skyscrapers and bright lights, while these buildings are shorter and obviously older. She is instantly charmed and asks Hades for a tour. When Hades seems slightly suspicious of this impulse, Persephone assures him, “I just want to understand, Hades, not gape at them like a tourist” (142).
Persephone asks Hades about his unlikely connection to Hermes and Dionysus. He explains that no security system can keep Hermes out, so she has been a frequent visitor since taking on her role. Persephone basks in ordinary life free of celebrity status in the lower city, and even Hades moves about unobtrusively.
They arrive at their ultimate destination, a fashion atelier belonging to a woman named Juliette, who left the upper city after criticizing Zeus following the death of a prior Hera. Juliette fits Persephone for a new wardrobe. When she worries about the expense for her short stay, Juliette reminds her that appearance still matters here. Persephone finds herself enjoying Hades’s gentle solicitude, and ignores her aching feet and fatigue to continue the tour.
They arrive at a flower shop, where Persephone notices the unusual architecture of decorative columns. Hades explains these indicate a building’s age. They enter the greenhouse, which is bursting with blooms that remind Persephone of her rural childhood before her mother’s turn to politics. Hades shows her around his refuge, which includes a small lounge area with sweeping views of the entire city. Hades explains that it has been a retreat for him. Persephone empathizes with his need for a more personal shelter, and she is touched by his openness.
On their way out, Persephone nearly faints from hunger and fatigue. Hades, irritated with her self-neglect, carries her back to his home. He scolds her for not eating enough, and sends up a massive feast, which he watches her eat. Persephone resolves to be less resistant to his efforts after his authentic disclosures of his personal history. She reminds herself, “if he can trust me that much, I suppose I can attempt to stop being such a pain in his ass, at least when it comes to taking care of myself” (159).
Chapter 13 Summary
Hades is anxiously considering his arrangement with Persephone, fearful that her tendency to self-neglect is a poor match for the kink scenes their plan depends on. Safe and enjoyable kink depends on articulating personal boundaries. Persephone falls asleep just after eating, leaving Hades to make plans for the sex party that evening.
When she wakes up, Persephone teasingly suggests Hades can watch her prepare for the evening if he is so worried about her safety. He joins her in the shower, tempted by her obvious sexual interest, but he reminds himself that the public display is more important than his private interests. He is dumbstruck when she emerges in the revealing costume he has chosen. As they approach the black door, Hades looks at their reflection, where he’s “the scary fucker who will cut down anyone who tries to take her from me” (167). He laughs when Persephone assures him that she can be compliant.
They arrive, and Hades seats them on his throne, the dark twin of Zeus’s throne, as his own assertion of dominance over his territory. Hades has ensured that they will be visible but less prominent than another couple, aware Persephone is not yet ready for more open exhibitionism. Persephone struggles to adjust to the number of spectators. Hades assures her that the central display area, the room’s main platform, will be occupied by others, and that she should do her best to enjoy it.
Chapter 14 Summary
Persephone watches another couple prepare for a bondage scene, aroused and increasingly eager for her own scene. Hades begins to touch her through her lace underwear, reminding her that her skirt is sheer and that much of the room is watching them. Persephone is almost gleefully anticipatory, reminding herself that “the knowledge that no matter what Hades does to me, I am choosing it? It’s beyond sexy” (174). She tries to order him to bring her to orgasm with his hand, but he slows down. He reminds her the whole time that the audience is watching her transform into another person, no longer an innocent public ornament. Finally, she begs him for more, telling him to prove that she is “Yours, Hades. Not Zeus’s. Never his” (177).
As they move toward intercourse and he prepares a condom, he reminds her that this will remove all doubt about her new allegiances and change her public identity. He positions her on top, so that she will direct the entire scene, leaving no uncertainty as to her full consent and enthusiasm. Hades urges her on to fully own what she wants, as he turns her to face the room. After her own orgasm, Persephone realizes that there is more ahead, and Hades tells her, “I’m nowhere near done with you yet” (183).
Chapter 15 Summary
Hades reminds Persephone that they will have to greet their guests, despite her protests that she wants to return to his room to continue their encounter. He finds himself amused and entertained, realizing, “I enjoy our bantering more than I have a right to” (185).
Aphrodite’s son and enforcer, Eros comes up, thanking them for the entertainment and reminding Persephone she has now made enemies. She retorts, “I have no interest in keeping Zeus happy” and suggests that his mother’s problems are not hers (185). Eros is clearly stunned by her ferocity and the change from the woman he thought he knew.
Persephone looks around, realizing that many of the upper-city elites are present. She asks Hades why he is still a virtual unknown when so many of them are here, and she realizes that Zeus has cultivated this intentionally, as Poseidon, the other holder of a legacy title, is not interested in politicking. With Hades a presumed-dead rival, Zeus’s own position is harder to challenge. Hades takes in her savvy assessment, impressed. She complains that the upper-city elites use Hades for their leisure but refuse to openly accept him. Hades is stunned by her open support, unused to having an ally.
Hermes and Dionysus stop by to say hello, delighted by the spectacle. They also warn Hades that Zeus will retaliate after such an openly defiant display on his part. Persephone remains defensive of Hades, unhappy with Hermes’s role as an intermediary to the enemy. Hades suspects Persephone is concerned for her sisters, and she becomes more alarmed when Hermes suggests that Zeus’s supporters may not care if he breaks the treaty in the end. As he carries Persephone out, Hades contemplates the new dangers he faces and his enduring responsibility to keep his community intact.
Chapters 11-15 Analysis
As the narrative advances, Robert uses both scenes of daily life and sexual intimacy to advance the plot and showcase the changes in both characters. Hades notices immediately that Persephone is more comfortable and open in his home, and he offers even more comfort and intimacy when he shows her his greenhouse sanctuary and his own desires to escape the pressures of Olympus. Persephone’s open delight in the lower city underlines that she is finding not only partnership, but a new conception of home and public life, thus highlighting the theme of Tensions Between Public Personas and the Authentic Self. Both Persephone and Hades need to perform for the public to an extent, though Persephone has needed to do this to a greater degree in the upper city to ensure her own survival. Still, both characters have a firm line between who they are and who they present themselves as to the public, as well as their enemies. When they are together, their authentic selves rise to the surface, demonstrating the level of compatibility and trust that is building between the two. Hades’s continued concern for Persephone’s well-being demonstrates his own emotional investment, as well as his deep commitment to real consent that has roots in certainty, strength, and respect. These qualities are significant to his relationship with Persephone, but they also demonstrate key aspects of his character in general. Despite Hades’s growing feelings, he reminds himself that whatever he feels is temporary, reinforcing the theme of Forbidden Love and Redemption, though redemption has yet to fully develop within the plot. However, the redemption caused by love is beginning to build, as Hades builds up Persephone’s sense of agency through their encounters, both sexual and non-sexual. Persephone has spent her whole life taking orders and living carefully in order to protect herself and her sisters. In her relationship with Hades, she is realizing her autonomy for the first time, which serves as a kind of personal redemption made possible by love. As for Hades, Persephone’s astute mind and clear political perceptions begin to bolster his confidence, as he has never had an ally and does not garner support from the Thirteen, let alone the upper-city dwellers, who are unsure of his existence.
To better dissect this theme, the nature of the forbidden on its own is brought out most sharply during the public sex scene, as Hades relies on assumptions about Persephone to draw in an audience, even letting this dictate their sexual behavior. The tension between Persephone’s innocent image and her real self is resolved after the kink scene. Though Hades partly intended it as a political strategy, it also has profound consequences for their personal relationship, as it seems to build upon their mutual trust and understanding of each other. Additionally, it cannot be ignored that the sexual chemistry between Hades and Persephone is genuine, and even in non-sexual moments with the guests, Persephone defends Hades and stands by her choice to remain in the lower city. These actions strengthen their connection, setting the stage for real love rather than political performance, though neither is sure of the other at this point in the novel.
Persephone’s new willingness to defend Hades, and snap at Zeus, reveals that owning her sexuality has given her a greater sense of her own power in the wider world. Her sharp critique of the Hades myth and insistence that the real man enjoys more loyalty than he realizes demonstrates that Persephone is also altering her perceptions of power and its effects. Hermes warns them both that their triumph at the party is momentary and does not solve the larger threats that Zeus poses to both of them. By linking sexual liberation to political and personal freedom, Robert suggests that only a deeper and more trusting relationship between Hades and Persephone will offer them the security they both crave. Further, their relationship is already building their senses of power, highlighting the theme of Power and Loyalty.
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