In Our Lady of the Serpents, Petrie Harbouri weaves acutely observed characters, a profound understanding of ancient myth, and a perfect ear for the rhythms of nature into a masterful meditation on life, death, and human passion. Just as the mountains and sacred springs of the Greek landscape embody Greek myth, Harbouri’s tale takes the form of a garden that embodies the sacred rituals of birth, death, and renewal. This garden is no Eden. It is overgrown, messy, and sometimes frightening, and the snakes are the sacred creatures that bear the regenerative power of the Earth Mother, rather than the well-known Biblical villain. And the man and woman who inhabit Harbouri’s garden are far from innocents. Chloe is an elderly woman nearing the end of her life, while middle-aged Robert is reconsidering his relationship with his current girlfriend and whether it is too late for him to conceive a child. Chloe and Robert’s dance into friendship and beyond embodies the life-giving energy of the titular Lady of the Serpents in this brilliant reimagining of the myth of Demeter and Persephone.