Review: The Slavic Myths by Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak

December 7, 2023

★★★★☆.5 — I was provided a finished hardback copy from Thames and Hudson — thankyou!

Keep your eyes out for my interview with Noah and Svetlana that will be going up on YouTube with World History Encyclopedia very soon!

The Slavic Myths by historian Noah Charney and anthropologist and historian Svetlana Slapšak is a wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated book delving into various Slavic myths, gods, and supernatural figures and the history behind them. The Slavic Myths is structured in eight chapters, including the introduction to the book, and the Slav Epic. Each chapter includes a new retelling of a myth, reimagined by Noah and Svetlana, followed by a section on the history of the myth and numerous important features within it. This is not a compilation of everything we know about Slavic mythology, but instead, seven hand-picked stories accompanied by accessible academic analysis, allowing the reader, whether they be well versed in Slavic myth or brand new to the corpus of tales, to enjoy the stories, and if they wish, develop their understanding of the myths and history further. Readers of The Slavic Myths can read the book from cover to cover, or they can jump in and just read a chapter at a time — they can just stick to the compelling reimaginings of the chosen myths, or they can dive into the historical analysis of each section. Either way, with the book being a combination of retelling and non-fiction, it can be enjoyed by all!

Slavic mythology is not as clear cut as classical Greek and Roman mythology, there is no equating the Greek king of the gods Zeus with any king of the gods figure in Slavic traditions. Noah and Svetlana had a huge task ahead of them with this book, with Slavic mythology originating first as an oral tradition, and then only being written down in the 19th century, but with specific goals for lending authority and adding history to new cities, and overlain with Christian morals and motifs. As mentioned in the book, a ninth-century Slav would not necessarily recognise their myths today in the form they now take — however, Noah and Svetlana have essentially added a new layer to this ever-developing and rich corpus of stories, deities, and creatures.

This book was a wonderful introduction to Slavic mythology. Upon picking it up, I had a vague familiarity with Baba Yaga, her house with chicken legs, and the creatures of firebirds. Beyond that, I was completely unfamiliar with the Slavic pantheon, or the history behind the myths and tales. What really captured my attention (beyond the stunning woodcut imagery throughout the book), was the first creature, the vampire, which has its roots in Slavic myth. And not only that but in Slavic tradition, the vampire and the werewolf were intrinsically linked creatures! I learnt so much about the history and development of Slavic myths, and particularly enjoyed the analysis of folklore versus fairytales versus mythology, and the creation of myths with ‘mythurgy.’ I was intrigued to find parallels with classical Greek tales such as Jason and the Argonauts, to find hints of well-known fairytales such as Cinderella and her horrible stepmother and stepsisters, and aspects of Ovid’s Metamorphosis with the trials Venus has Psyche complete, all solidly within the world of Slavic mythology. I didn’t know that throwing a coin over my shoulder into a fountain or body of water originated as a Slavic ritual in fear of the dead — did you?

I could not recommend this book enough for those looking to dip their toe into some new myths, or for those who are looking to read a new version of their old favourite Slavic myth.

Review: Arcadian Days by John Spurling

June 29, 2023

Arcadian Days: Gods, Women, and Men from Greek Myths ★★★ | Book thirty-five of 2023 | e-book

John Spurling has crafted a lyrical retelling of some well-known Greek myths, weaving these seemingly disparate stories together with subtle themes. The most prominent common factor throughout this collection of retellings is each features a prominent woman or female deity at the heart of the story. Where his first book, Arcadian Nights, centres around four figures based in the Peloponnese, his new book Arcadian Days features five of the best-known myths from all around Greece. These stories are Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis, and Odysseus and Penelope. Entwined through these overarching stories are smaller myths and other strong women, such as Atalanta, as featured with Jason and the Argonauts, and Penthesilea, the Amazon warrior who goes head to head with the great Achilles.

But if it is difficult for us sometimes to understand the motives of these gods, they themselves often seem unable to interpret the feelings of mortals (170).

This collection of myths draws upon the ancient Greek texts by Homer, Hesiod, and the three tragedians – Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides – while also incorporating Spurling's own voice to fill in gaps and weave a complete story. Arcadian Days has been written for the general public and would be a great starting point for anyone looking to read a new, accessible retelling of some of the most famous Greek myths. The author (as all have to when retelling myths) makes some specific translation decisions that strike me as something of a personal preference, and his clear choice for Achilles and Patroclus to be depicted as just close friends was an interesting decision amidst the fairly popular view that the relationship between these two warriors transcends simple friendship. Personally, some of the decisions Spurling makes with some of these stories and characters don’t feel like they are up to date with modern views and ideas. There were parts that made me think, ‘hmm, interesting decision.’ Of course, retellings are at the prerogative of the author, and what one person (me) may not love, may be someone else’s perfect cup of tea. That being said, it was still well-written and very engaging.

As the stories progress, Spurling often makes comments on the goings-on and offers potential explanations for decisions made by the players in the tale. It feels as though the omniscient author is speaking right to you, which makes the book feel more personal. This commentary seems to answer questions the reader may be thinking and makes fascinating contemplation over the role of the gods. Each myth is written in slightly different styles, with the retelling of Odysseus' journey in the last section written as Odysseus telling his own story to the reader. This helps differentiate the different tales, whilst also capturing the reader in different ways. The stories also explore what it means to be mortal, particularly with his quote in relation to the new armour created by Hephaestus for Achilles, requested by his mother Thetis:

Yes, it was also made to be a shield. And, with all these layers of metal, a real shield to be carried into battle so as to ward off spears and be battered by rocks and the strokes of swords. To submit to time and mortality, like its owner' (164).

Thank you to Pegasus Books for providing a PDF copy of Arcadian Days for review.

Review: Elektra by Jennifer Saint

June 5, 2023

Elektra ★★★★☆ | Book twenty seven of 2023 | paperback

Elektra by Jennifer Saint, despite the name, follows the lives of three women from ancient Greek mythology: Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra. The lives of these women are intertwined through this book through their three points of view as Saint draws comparisons between the women and their journeys through hope, grief, revenge, and peace.

Cassandra, the princess of Troy and sister to Paris, cursed with the gift of prophecy only to never be believed was my favourite of the three women. By disallowing Apollo to take what he believes he deserves after granting her with the gift of prophecy, she is cursed and shunned by her family and her people. Her powerlessness despite her wisdom and her continuous desire to help, to be heard, struck me time and time again.

Such a man speaks poetry in place of facts and thinks he tells a higher truth when all he spins is fantasy (67-68)

One of my favourite aspects of this book was the transformation of Clytemnestra, from a young woman to a loving mother, to having her child murdered by her husband in front of her eyes. The overwhelming grief and need for revenge that radiated from her throughout the novel was almost tangible. Clytemnstra is branded as a murderer who finally gets whats coming to her at the hands of her own son, but Saint reminds us of the grief that must have driven her hand. Saint reminds us that Clytemnestra lived through the worst betrayal, and her shift in demeaner caused by heartbreak humanises her in a way Greek tragedy does not.

Nothing brought them more joy than the fall of a lovely woman. They picked over her reputation like vultures, scavenging for every scrap of flesh they could devour (87)

Saint presents the Curse of Atreus and the Trojan War being experienced by the women. We don’t read pages upon pages of bloodshed from the battle, but the effect these events had on the women in Troy, and in Mycenae. The most striking element to Elektra was the nuance of Saint’s retelling — despite Cassandra, Clytemnestra, Elektra and even Helen all being women living through war, and despite these women being on different sides of the war, Saint binds these women together through shared experiences, while also conveying the varying ways people react to the same events. Elektra holds her father in the highest regard to the final page, believing his sacrifice of her sister was as the gods demanded, all while Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon for her children, assuaging her grief for Iphigenia. In the final moments of Cassandra and Clytemnestra, the women are the same in their desire for peace. Elektra being feulled by revenge as she always hated her mother for, and for her belief that Cassandra was lucky to have been chosen as a slave by such a great king as her father.

This book was a beautiful retelling of a brutal and bloody episode of Greek myth.

Review: Mythos by Stephen Fry

January 31, 2022

★★★★☆.5 | paperback | book eight of 2022

Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry is his first book in his Great Mythology series and a book that has been physically on my shelf for years (probably since it came out in 2017). Stephen Fry has compiled the core myths from Greek mythology, beginning with the cosmogony or creation of the universe with the protogenoi or primordial god Chaos who was quickly followed by Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (the depths), Erebus (darkness), Nyx (night), Hemera (day) and Aether (light). Fry does a wonderful job conveying the beginning of existence, and then moves through the development of the world with the Titans, the Olympian gods, the nymphs, the lesser gods, and all other divine beings.

“The Greeks created gods that were in their image; warlike but creative, wise but ferocious, loving but jealous, tender but brutal, compassionate, but vengeful.”

Fry does an exceptional job at creating a somewhat linear narrative for all of these myths that were undoubtedly collected from numerous ancient sources and authors. After introducing our main gods and their stories, Fry takes us through many of Zeus’ conquests, stories of divine revenge and retribution, and popular stories featuring our Olympian gods. There are a lot of retellings in the world, but this one’s by far one of the most entertaining ones I have read. The thing about myths is that even in the ancient world, they were adapted and changed, so any colloquialisms and quips added into these stories by Fry is simply a continuation of a three-thousand-year long tradition. Fry comments at the end of his book that great ancient writers like Ovid took creative license to these stories, and this fact emboldened him to be as imaginative as he wanted in his retellings.

“Gaia visited her daughter Mnemosyne, who was busy being unpronounceable.”

Although there were a couple of comments and additions here and there that I didn’t exactly like/enjoy or didn't think were necessary, overall I greatly enjoyed Fry’s tone and writing style. He has re-written these stories in a lighthearted way, adding in dialogue and mannerisms that he thinks fit, but without losing the essence of the myth or the heart of the story. I would say that this compilation of myths would be a wonderful place to start for people looking to familiarise themselves with the gods of Greek mythology, but don’t want to dive into Hesiod or Pseudo-Apollodorus just yet. You will undoubtedly leave this book with a detailed overview of the foundation myths and beliefs of the Ancient Greeks, and you will definitely enjoy the ride. I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of footnotes about Greek myth in Shakespeare.

Have you read any of Stephen Fry’s Greek Mythology books? What did you think of this one? Let me know in the comments on Instagram!

December Wrap up 2021

January 3, 2022

The very last month of the year was a bit of a weird one for me, and you can tell I needed some comfort reads! I really ended 2021 with a bang, finishing both Vardaesia and the Aeneid, and then reading another eight books and one novella. It helps that the weather was beautiful and I was on holidays for the last week and a half of the month. Also, I always read the Percy Jackson books really quickly because they’re so easy and hard to put down. So, without further ado, here is my final wrap up post for 2021!

I finished off the Medoran Chronicles series by Lynette Noni this month, which was a bitter sweet moment for me. It let this melancholic feeling in my chest, and the book hangover feeling was strong. I can’t say much about Vardaesia or A Very Medoran Kaldoras: Part One without spoiling the entire series but what I can say is that it was a brilliant ending to one of the best Young Adult series I have ever read. It was heartbreaking and uplifting and I felt so many emotions listening to Vardaesia, I was completely encapsulated. A Very Medoran Kaldoras: Part One is a bonus novella that is set a year after the ending of Vardaesia, and it was just this bonus glimpse into the lives of our favourite characters which I absolutely adored. It ended on a cliffhanger by Lynette has since blessed us with a part two, and that is truly a Christmas miracle. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, please read this series!!! Vardaesia ★★★★★ // A Very Medoran Kaldoras: Part One ★★★★☆.

After buddy reading The Aeneid with Lorna over at unexpectedlearningjourney it was really wonderful to finally finish it! Reading it with Lorna was such a great experience, since she really brought her Latin expertise to the buddy read, and went so far as to translate some passages herself. Although I had a couple of issues with my translation, it was really cool to compare translation choices between my edition and Lorna’s, which really highlighted the challenges of translation. It was really enlightening, and of course the epic poem itself was really fascinating. The links to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey throughout were always interesting to find, and the tale as a founding myth of Rome is such a great insight into the way the Romans viewed themselves and their connection to the Greeks at the beginning of their Empire.

Next up this month was my re-read of the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. The Percy Jackson series is a five book middle grade series the focusses on Percy Jackson, the son of the Greek god Poseidon and his other half-blood (also known as demigod) friends. In the first book, Percy is a 12 year old boy who finds out his father is a Greek god, he is introduced to camp half-blood where other kids of greek gods live and learn to fight and harness their powers. This series is very much a coming of age story that ends after Percy has turned 16, and during his often dangerous adventures with his friends, he turns into a courageous hero. This whole series is all about, friendship, loyalty, adventure and courage. Not only is it a heartwarming and epic tale, it also teaches you a lot of Greek mythology. Reading this series is a really wonderful way to become familiar with many of the myths and monsters of greek mythology, but it is also a lot of fun to read if you’re already familiar. The number of myths, creatures and stories from mythology that Rick Riordan has added to this series is mind-blowing and I feel like every time I read this series I notice more.

In preparation for something very fun coming soon with my good friend Erica over at Moaninc, I re-read one of my favourite William Shakespeare plays of all time, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written between 1594-1596 and was first published in 1600. It’s one of Shakespeare’s shorter plays and is classified as a comedy. The play has three distinctive groups of characters in the story with the Athenians, the fairies and the workers. The play is based around the marriage of Theseus the Greek hero to the Amazonian woman Hippolyta, and contains unrequited love, the meddling of fairies and a parody play of Pyramus and Thisbe at the conclusion to the play. It is such an enjoyable play, and definitely one of his easier plays to read and follow. It’s a really great play to begin you Shakespeare journey with, and for those lovers of mythology, Shakespeare drew a lot of inspiration from the writings of Ovid in many of his plays including A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

I continued on my Percy Jackson re-read with The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, the first book in the Heroes of Olympus spin-off series that has your favourite characters but also introduces a whole heap of new characters too! I remember not enjoying this one quite as much as the the following books in the series because none of my favourite characters were in it (cough Percy and Annabeth cough), but I definitely enjoyed this one a lot more in this re-read. Maybe it’s because I am already familiar with the story, not sure. But the introduction of new characters like Jason, Piper, Leo and Coach Hedge just adds a new dynamic to the series, and the world of Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher and the enemy is even more dangerous, with old monsters returning to the living world that have been slumbering for thousands of years. Rick Riordan continues to add many new myths and monsters from Greek mythology into his books, but this time, he starts introducing the Roman names.

My final read for 2021 was The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan, the second book in the Heroes of Olympus series, and as you can tell from the title, there’s something a bit different about this book. Neptune is the Roman name for the god Poseidon, which right from the beginning suggests something different is going on. In this book, we get introduced to a new camp for half-bloods, Camp Jupiter, but these demigods are children of the Roman form of the gods which were similar but different. I absolutely LOVE the incorporation of a Roman camp and the Roman versions of the gods. It adds a whole other layer to the series, and the fact that Percy remembers Annabeth the entire time makes my heart all happy. More new additions to the story with Frank and Hazel with their cute friendship with Percy once again just adds more depth to this story. Every new character is so unique, and adds something new and specific to the story, if anyone is tossing up whether they are going to read this series after finishing Percy Jackson, you definitely should! It only gets better and better! I’m keeping these reviews short and sweet, because I don’t want to ruin anything for the earlier books. If you ever want a spoiler review of any of these books just let me know on my instagram or in the comments! As always, you can find me on Instagram @kell_read where I post lots of pics, videos and reviews ✨

Review: The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

May 30, 2021

This book was one of the easiest ★★★★★ I have ever given. I am lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Elodie Harper about her book with World History Encyclopedia. You can find the video here and the condensed transcript on World History Encyclopedia. After you’ve finished watching my interview with Elodie, I would recommend you then head over to Erica’s YouTube channel MoanInc, where she has built off the questions I asked, and delved even deeper into the story with Elodie which you can find here!

What’s The Book About?

The Wolf Den is a novel by Elodie Harper which is set in Pompeii in the first century CE in Pompeii’s lupanar which is the brothel of the ancient city. The term ‘lupanar’ could mean both brothel or wolf den and the term ‘lupa’ could be used for both a she-wolf, or a prostitute. The novel follows the point of view of Amara, a greek woman born into a middle-class family, who had to be sold after her father died. She ended up as a prostitute in Pompeii, and works at the Wolf Den with four other women. However, Amara hasn't just accepted the misfortune which life has thrown her, and wants more than anything to be free. This novel, which is the first of a trilogy (yay!), follows Amara as she does whatever it takes to change her fate.

The skill of the fighters, the grace of the tigers, all of it is punctuated by acts of savagery. (217)

Historical and Archaeological Roots:

Before we get into my ~many~ thoughts and feelings concerning this book, let’s have a look at Pompeii, Pompeiian graffiti and Venus Pompeiana first. Pompeii is probably one of the most well known ancient cities along with places such as Rome and Athens, but it differs from many ancient cities because in 79 CE, the local volcano known as Vesuvius, erupted, and covered the city and its occupants in lava and ash. It would have been a catastrophic event for those in the ancient world, but it has proven to be invaluable to modern historians and archaeologists as an untouched insight into the daily lives of the Romans who lived in the city, and the neighbouring city of Herculaneum. Excavations at Pompeii have informed our understanding of life in the city in a way that no other site could. The volcanic eruption has preserved architecture, mosaics and wall paintings, bronze statues (which in any other circumstance probably would have been melted down and repurposed), houses, baked goods (look up Pompeii bread!), and writing which has been found in wax tablets, pottery, seals, tomb inscriptions, and probably most interestingly; graffiti. The survival of graffiti from Pompeii is, in my opinion, equally as fascinating as the wall paintings, as it truly shows us that humans really have not changed in 2,000 years. It makes the ancient world feel a lot more familiar, and close. If you don’t believe me, I’m going to add some graffiti found at Pompeii (all in translation from usually Latin or Greek). Let me know if any of them sound familiar! (All graffiti quotes have been cited from ‘POMPEII: A sourcebook by Alison E. Cooley and M. G. L. Cooley (2004).’

Commemoration of an architect: ‘Marcus Artorius Primus, freedman of Marcus, architect.’ (67)
Latin poetry composed on the walls:
‘What is happening? Alas, eyes, first you led me into the fire,
Now of your own accord you give generously to your cheeks.
But tears cannot put out the flame;
They inflame the face and melt the spirit.
Composed by Tiburtinus.’ (72)
The Pompeii equivalent of ‘Kelly Was Here:’ ‘Gaius Pumidius Dipilus was here, five days before the nones of October when
Marcus Lepidus and Quintus Catulus were consuls.’ (77)
And last but not least, graffiti about graffiti: ‘I admire you, wall, for not having collapsed at having to carry the tedious
scribblings of so many writers.’ (79)

Why is graffiti so important, you ask? Well, for The Wolf Den, in particular, Elodie has drawn names and situations from graffiti found at Pompeii, and woven them into her story. She has used names of prostitutes and even a name of a gladiator in her story, which is not only incredibly unique, but executed flawlessly.

She wants to scream her rage into the night… Her anger is rising like the sea, drowning her. She has to get out. (284)

The goddess Venus held a special place in Pompeii as the guardian deity of the city, and is sometimes referred to as Pompeian Venus. In The Wolf Den, Venus is an important deity, since she is the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, and prostitution. In April, the festival known as the Vinalia was celebrated which was held in honour of Jupiter and Venus. Common girls and prostitutes would gather to the temple of Venus to offer her myrtle and mint and ask for things such as beauty, popular favour, to be charming or witty.

Thoughts and Feelings

Holy moly. This book is an absolute masterpiece, and from the moment I started reading it, I found it incredibly challenging to put it down. Not only did Elodie create a phenomenal story rooted in archaeological evidence, but she also explores so many themes and issues that would have been prevalent in the ancient world at the time this novel was set. Overall, Elodie makes the reader realise just how dangerous and difficult it would have been to be a woman in the ancient world.

There’s nothing more truthful than a play, is there… I think comedies are braver somehow. All of life up there on the stage, and actors have the courage to say what one cannot say elsewhere. (257)

The complexity of the story that Elodie has created is completely awe-inspiring and incomparable. It didn’t remind me of anything else I have ever read. Using names left scratched on the walls of Pompeii, Elodie took them and created a new story for them, one which was as equally uplifting as it was savage. Our main five girls are all bonded in a way that no one else could possibly understand, and yet they are all constantly working against each other (in a way) to make money and live. Elodie definitely puts an emphasis on the unbreakable friendship these women have forged through their shared experiences as prostitutes at the Wolf Den, they know each other’s weaknesses and traumas, and do what they can to shield each other, and keep each other safe in a world which is working so hard to break them. Elodie has an ability with words to cut deep, and do it succinctly. She does not use unnecessary words to make a point, her language is blunt, brutal and wholly truthful. She has truly enlightened her readers on how the world would have been perceived by a woman sold as a prostitute in the ancient world. These experiences Amara and her friends experience strike me as completely real and it honestly gave me chills. It reminds you how much more brutal the world was, especially for women, and she does not try and soften that. She presents it raw and uncut. You feel completely immersed in the city of Pompeii. You can feel the suffocating bustle of the women at the Vinalia, you can feel the comradeship of the women as they move through the streets, and you can feel their terror, their hatred, their relief and their love. It is wholly encapsulating.

Warmth spreads through her. She has never had a friend like Dido. She is the light in the darkness of her life. (199)

Other than the focus of women supporting women, even beyond our main characters, is the idea of a human being viewed as an object, and men’s incomprehensible inability to view women as anything more than objects. When I read Classics For Plebs review of this book, she made the observation that this book forces you to come to terms with the fact that women were sold into slavery daily. These women weren’t necessarily always prostitutes, and it shifts the focus of the reader to the fact that these women have absolutely no control over their bodies and their lives, and it was something happening to women all over the ancient world. Our main characters, our point of view for this entire story, the basis of this entire novel is the fact that these women do not have ownership over their own bodies or their lives. They are literally owned by men, and they are treated by the man that owns them, and 99% of men in this story, as if they are nothing more than a mindless object to be used, abused and then discarded.

You wouldn't understand. You’re just a woman (417)
But although they’re talking about her, they’re only talking to Felix, as if she isn’t really there (316)
You invested in quality stock then. Not got any virgins, I suppose? (305)

This story is less focussed on plot, and more on characters and their relationships with others. As the plot continues, the characters develop and new people are introduced, and new relationships are formed, It isn’t an ‘event heavy book, and is focussed on the lives and experiences of Amara and her fellow she-wolves. It is beautifully written, and truly gives a raw insight into what it would have been like to be a woman in the ancient world. These women were once real, and Elodie has composed such complex lives for them, that it is completely and utterly believable. If you’re thinking you might want to pick up this book, this is your sign to do so! If you have read it, leave a comment with your thoughts on the book, or find me over on Instagram @kell_read and we can have a chat about it!!!

Review: Lore by Alexandra Bracken

April 17, 2021

★★★★☆

Lore by Alexandra Bracken was described to me as a Greek Mythology x Hunger Games vibe, and honestly, after reading it, I agree wholeheartedly. Every seven years, nine of the 12 Olympians are turned mortal and sent to earth for one week, in an event called the Agon. During the Agon, the mortal bloodlines of infamous Greek heroes such as Perseus, Odysseus, and Achilles hunt the gods, and if they kill one, they assume the gods’ immortality and power. Lore Perseous left that life many years ago, but when her friend Castor (whom she assumed was dead) and a gravely injured Athena both turn up in her life at the beginning of the Agon, she is thrust back into the world she truly hoped she had left for good.

I always find it easier to talk about things that I didn’t like (I don’t know why that is), but for this book, there was only a couple of things, so let’s start with them! The first was the writing itself, every now and then Bracken would write something like ‘half-past eleven o’clock,’ and I feel like the ‘o’clock’ just feels off-kilter. Also, there were a number of instances where I had to re-read a sentence because the phrasing just didn’t make any sense to me. I would also say that it’s quite a long book (my edition is 547 pages), but it only covers 7 days in total (although there are flashbacks throughout the story). I had a recommendation from Erica that it isn’t a book you can draw out, it’s best read in as little sittings as possible, and honestly, I agree! I read the first 270 pages in around three weeks, and the last 270 pages in about 5 hours, and I enjoyed the second half of the book more than I enjoyed the first half! I would have LOVED more to do with the new gods, I feel like they could have taken more space in this story than they did. I also feel like this book could have been improved with multiple points of view (although to be fair, I think this about most books I read that are only a single POV). Reading parts of this from the eyes of someone like Miles who is ‘unblooded’ and just thrust into this world, or Castor who goes through such an incredible arc could have added a bit more substance into the world building and the Agon.

‘It was a morbid sort of marathon relay, with immortal power as the baton being passed between bloodlines.’
Alexandra Bracken

Okay, on to all of the good stuff!! This book was so action-packed, but it never felt overwhelming. This was such a fresh and unique way of bringing Greek gods and Greek mythology into an urban setting, which actually took me a bit to get used to. The idea that the gods could be killed, and then when a human took their powers they also chose a new name for themselves and would be referred to as ‘the new Dionysus’ for example is so different from any other book I’ve read. I loved the fact that Bracken kept this story in the world we know, and if you were from New York, I can only assume that the places and street names mentioned would have been very familiar!

I think one of the things that really struck me was the bloodlines, and their beliefs. These groups of people are all descendants of these ancient heroes, heroes that we would be familiar with, but they’re living in the world we know today. They descend from these great heroes and they believe in the Greek gods, yet their religious practices and social order barely altered in over 2,000 years. I found the contrast between these families believing in archaic systems of men basically owning women, and prohibiting women to be heads of the family or in any position of power, with the modern world which is working SO HARD to disestablish these ideas to be pretty shocking. There is this one scene in one of the flashbacks that literally made my skin crawl. the inequality between men and women that we are still fighting today has been an integrated part of societies for as long as history traces back. We are aware of the lack of choice, of voice, and of freedom that women were given in most (not all) ancient societies and no one today pretends that the way ancient societies functioned wasn’t inherently misogynistic. But reading these antiquated beliefs functioning in the modern world, with most of the characters accepting it because ‘that’s the way their world is’ was much harder than I thought it would be.

‘she was merely reborn as a being who could gaze back at the world, unafraid’
Alexandra Bracken

The occasional banter in this book was such a highlight, plus the way the main characters Lore, Castor, Miles, and Van all converged in a very cute, found family sort of way. The way the four of them all worked together, and worked to each other’s strengths was a dynamic in this story which I really, really enjoyed. Although, I was never really sold on Lore’s friendship with Iro. I just didn’t feel the depth of their relationship like I did with her and Miles, Castor, and even Van. Having Athena as the main god that Lore interacts with was such an interesting choice, one that I really liked. Athena is the goddess of strategic warfare, wisdom, crafts, and defender of cities and towns. Many of her responsibilities lend themselves to the story which played out in Lore, and I thought she was the perfect choice. I thought the character of Lore was so multi-faceted and three-dimensional. Her constant battle between avenging her family, her guilt, her need for survival, her desire for a normal life, and her inability to forget who she is and who she was brought up to be makes this book even more interesting. Reading from the point of view of a character so conflicted was so compelling, and one of the best parts of this book.

“Sometimes the braver thing is to accept help when you've been made to believe you shouldn't need it.”
Alexandra Bracken

At one point, Lore brings up Athena’s history and her tendency to give her favour to male heroes, and, using the example of Medusa, her history of turning her back on women. This was another moment for me where the issues of Greek Mythology came rushing back in stark contrast to the modern world. The story of Medusa isn’t often depicted as a happy one. The beautiful Medusa (one of the three gorgons) was seduced by the god of the oceans, earthquakes, and horses, Poseidon, in a temple to Athena. In retaliation for desecrating her temple, instead of punishing Poseidon, she turned Medusa into a monster with snakes for hair and the ability to turn people to stone with one look. The face of Medusa was depicted on Athena’s shield, known as an Aegis, and is the symbol of the House of Perseus (Lore’s bloodline). The plotlines, character motivations and underlying mythological background interwoven throughout this book keeps you constantly on your toes as more information is revealed. It is an intricate balance of modern life, ancient beliefs, and an epic hunt, and Bracken executed it brilliantly. If you want a book that brings ancient myths, gods, and beliefs into an urban setting like you’ve never seen it before, this is the book for you. If you’ve read it, let me know your thoughts in the comments, or you can find me on Instagram at @kell_read!