Review: Elektra by Jennifer Saint

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: Whisper Duology by Lynette Noni

The Whisper Duology ★★★★☆ | Books eight and nine of 2023 | paperback

Lynette Noni has done it again my friends.

Whisper — ★★★★☆

For two and a half years ‘Jane Doe’ or Subject six-eight-four has been held in the secret government facility of Lengard, and during that time she has not uttered a single word. She knows that one wrong word, one single word, could ruin everything.

This was my first sci-fi read in a long while, and I absolutely devoured it! I read this book in one sitting. I truly could not put it down. You start off with absolutely no clue what is going on, and as you keep reading, little snippets are given away until finally, on the last page, you feel all caught up, although you aren’t really and then you’re just feeling lucky that the second book has already been published and you don’t have to wait. The suspense of this book, the fact that you only get slow trickles of the truth, it was addictive.

I thought that the supernatural element of this book was really well thought out, and it felt like something unique. I also loved the main character and her general development throughout the book. It gave me JLA Lux Series vibes which was a bonus, but it had all of Noni’s immersive and captivating writing style and ability to rip out your heart but also smile and laugh as you read. I think one of the things Noni does so well is write an imperfect character. What made this book so gripping was the fact that Jane Doe is imperfect, she’s broken. She has been through hell, and you get the first person account of her life and her trauma. You go with her as she grows. It’s really hard to review a book like this without going things away, since as the reader you’re kept in the dark from the point of view of Jane for the whole book, but another thing that Lynette Noni does is create friendships in books that have the ability to worm their way into your heart and take root. She did this again with the set of characters Jane creates relationships with, and the love interest(s) are of course polar opposite, with one conflicted soul and another dark and adorable. I cannot wait to get into book two.

Weapon — ★★★★☆

All I can say is that I cannot believe how much happened in a single book. As one question got answered three more arose. My main qualm with this book was the lack of Enzo, he is such a ray of sunshine so the fact that he got so little airtime after establishing his friendship with the MC was such a bummer. I loved that although I guessed at a couple of things, I was never really 100% sure what was going on. The new character additions were definitely a highlight, with Keeda, Pandora, Smith, and Arryn, the latter of which quickly became a favourite character of mine. It’s such an odd sensation reading a book with the faintest hint of a feeling that everything isn’t as it seems. Cami is an absolute sweetheart, and after everything the main character and Ward went through in the first book, I really was expecting more from him in this one. I was a little disappointed with his role and the amount of time he was given in the book, but I loved the ending, it had me enraptured.

There was something about reading the main character finally getting to embrace who she is, work though the mysteries of her past, and become a bit of a badass that was such a highlight, although I would have loved to have read more about her developing her powers, and really growing as a Speaker throughout the book. Plus, I feel like there were still a few unanswered questions at the end of it that I would have loved the answers to.

Overall this was a brilliant sci-fi duology that had me absolutely hooked from the first page. Noni gives you just enough info to keep our head out of the water but infuriatingly little that you cannot put it down until all of your questions have been answered. Addictive and another incredible read from Lynette Noni.

Review: The Prison Healer Series by Lynette Noni

The Prison Healer Series ★★★★★ | books five, six, and seven of 2023 | paperback/e-book

This review of the entire series is spoiler free, but it’s also a rave because I loved it so much. Lynette Noni has taken her place firmly as one of my favourite authors of all time. This is the second time that she has made me fall completely in love with reading again, completely in love with a series and with a whole set of characters. This series has consumed my every waking moment since I started it. The emotion that Noni evoked from me while I read this series (in particular the final book) is the reason I read. A re-read so I can annotate all of my favourite parts is definitely in my future. Thankyou, Lynette Noni.

The Prison Healer ★★★★★ — Hooked me from the first page. Kiva is such a great main character. It had a plot that sucked me in, but it was the characters, the found family, Naari, Tipp, and Jayden that sealed the deal for me. Honestly, this book gave me the YA fantasy hit I needed. I hate that, once again, I have waited so long to pick up another great book, especially considering I DEVOURED the Medoran Chronicles. The ending to this made me SO glad that I waited until the entire trilogy had been published though. This book kept me on my toes just enough that I didn't quite know what was coming next, but still managed to rip my heart out and made me verbally ‘aawww’ a few times — all the signs of a good book.

The Gilded Cage ★★★★☆ — now I may not have liked it as much as the first book, but boy was I completely entranced. Lynette Noni had me hanging on her every word. I just kept picking this book up at every available moment. This blog is a Jaren fan club, as it is a Caydon fan club. I think the thing that bothered me was because of how attached I have become to Jaren, to Naari and to Tipp, and Kiva’s inability to choose a side when it was so clear which side she needed to take. I love her spunk and especially in the prison healer, I loved her morals. The way she stood up for the people who needed her help, and her loyalty to those she cared for. I just felt like Kiva was a different person in this second instalment, which, because now I am sucked in hook, line, and sinker, just had me screaming at her to pull it together!! As always, my rating is 100% on vibes and I still absolutely LOVED this book, it was just Kiva’s choices and constant conflicting emotions throughout that bothered me (especially with one side of the conflict clearly not being deserving of her). But god, did it make for incredible reading.

The Blood Traitor ★★★★★ — I think I loved this as much as I loved the first one. The trauma, the healing, the found family, the redemption, the love, the magic. I am finding it hard to put into words how this book affected me. I haven’t felt so strongly about fictional characters in a very long time. The main group of characters in this book, their dynamic together and separately was the highlight. Noni gave us some incredible character arcs, some twists I didn’t see coming, and some truly heartwarming and heartwrenching moments. The suspense of the first 80% of this book (iykyk) had me unable to put it down. It was wonderful being introduced to more of the world, and despite me (as always) wanting more exploration of the world Noni has created, it wasn’t necessary to the greater story. The development of friendships and personal growth in this book was one of the things that struck me the most. The plot was more fast-paced in this one than the previous two, and to say I was hanging off every single word is an understatement. It’s impossible to say more without ruining something so I will have to leave it at that.

If you have read this series, let me know how you found it! Are you as completely obsessed as me?

Review: The Daevabad Trilogy (books 2 and 3) by S. A. Chakraborty

The Kingdom of Copper ★★★★☆ | book two of 2023 | e-book

The Empire of Gold ★★★★☆ | book three of 2023 | e-book

The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty are books two and three of the Daevabad Trilogy, a rich fantasy trilogy full of epic battles, feuding families and magic. Books two and three of the trilogy were just as enthralling as City of Brass, and although I went into book two still mildly confused with all of the different types of djinn and daeva and the connection between Nahid and Ashfin, I enjoyed the entire series all the same. The books didn't get 5 ★ ratings from me only for a couple of reasons. I thought that the books could have used one final edit as there were a couple of errors and unclear phrasing. I also feel like the magic system wasn’t fully explained, and I still found the different groups and who they were loyal to a bit confusing.

But as always, I review books based on the vibes and my personal enjoyment over anything else. I found myself picking up my kindle constantly, and reading until I fell asleep, something I haven’t felt the urge to do in a long time. The books made me laugh out loud, and the characters and their sarcasm and quips and the whole combination of found family and enemies-friends-lovers triangle of sorts all had me hooked. Every scene with Nahri and Ali either brought a smile to my face, or made me laugh.

I particularly enjoyed the character development throughout this series, and I loved having three POV’s throughout the entire trilogy. It gave the story depth, and allowed the reader an intimate look into the minds of our three main characters. Nahri, Ali, and Dara were all nuanced characters that go through so much in the course of the books, I loved having each of their perspectives. The different relationships and dynamics of this book was an absolute highlight, and although the book is definitely plot driven, it is also character driven (and you know me, I love a book driven by its characters). I have gone through and tabbed/underlined all of the sections I highlighted on my kindle, and its safe to say that this is definitely one of the more thoroughly annotated book series I have read.

This series was a wonderful start to 2023, and hopefully it just keeps getting better. Have you read this series? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or over on my Instagram ✨

Review: The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

★★★★☆ | book one of 2023 | e-book

— what a brilliant first read of the year!

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty is the first book in the Daevabad Trilogy. The tale is heavily grounded in Middle Eastern folklore and includes Arabian nights influences (I’m not all that familiar with Arabian nights but that is the consensus). The book is set in Egypt, and also Daevabad, the fictional land of the Daeva, Djinn and Shafit. As an ancient history graduate, I loved the setting of the book. It brings me joy to recognise things like the Euphrates River, and the use of ziggurats in the Daevabad capital, not to mention the setting of Cairo. The book includes a rich fantasy world and a diverse range of characters set within a highly political city.

I did find it confusing at times, I wasn’t sure if it was because I didn’t pay enough attention to something important early on in the book, or if it really just wasn’t all that clear throughout. I found it difficult to keep the machinations of the world in order, the difference between the Djinn and the Daeva, which tribes liked whom and which were enemies. It didn’t necessarily ruin the book for me because I personally love deep world building, complex political situations and when authors are uncompromising with their world, however, I often found myself reading but not completely understanding what was going on.

The general air of confusion I had while reading it made it difficult to ascertain which characters were on whose side, however I still enjoyed the diverse cast of people. Loved the MC Nahri in the beginning as a conwoman who basically fell into this new world, but towards the end she became less interesting to me. Ali is a complex character who I really enjoyed being in the mind of, and Dara, well, he always gave me weird vibes but I also can’t help but feel bad for the guy and I definitely liked him a lot for the first half / 3/4 of the book — definitely harbouring conflicting feelings for him. The book was more violent than I was anticipating, but overall I think it added to the authenticity of the story, and heightened the risks.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I struggled to put it down despite my comprehension issues at times. My confusion around some of the terms and the world itself didn't really affect my enjoyment, and the ending has me picking up the next book right away.

Have you read this book or this series? Let me know what you think of it!

Review: The Story of Tutankhamun by Garry Shaw

★★★★☆.5 | paperback | book twenty-four of 2022 — I was provided a free paperback Advance Uncorrected Bound Proof, and finished hardback copy from Yale University Press — thankyou!

The Story of Tutankhamun by egyptologist Garry J. Shaw is a brilliantly written new biography of the boy king, spanning from his birth and early life under his father Akhenaten’s new religious regime, all the way up to his death and the discovery and subsequent treatment of his mummy and burial goods in the twenty-first century. This is truly a wonderful addition to the centenary celebration of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon.

The Story of Tutankhamun undertakes a monumental challenge of synthesising everything that we do and do not know about Tutankhamun and displaying that information in a digestible manner that readers of all knowledge levels could not only understand, but enjoy. Shaw’s book utilises the most recent scholarship and scientific data to construct a hypothetical narrative of the boy king’s life, which I absolutely adored. Shaw draws on archaeological evidence, images, texts and all sorts of available data and research to reconstruct Tutankhamun’s life beginning in Amarna under pharaoh Akhenaten. If you aren’t familiar with the reign of Akhenaten, Egypt under this particular pharaoh was radically different as Akhenaten raised the sun disk the ‘Aten’ as the supreme deity of the region. He closed the temples and moved the capital of Egypt to Akhenaten (known today as Tell-el-Amarna). So, Tutankhamun was probably born in Amarna and was definitely born into a unique and radical time in ancient Egypt’s history. Shaw introduces us to how Tutankhamun's early life may have looked, and then goes on to give a really intimate look into just how difficult it would have been for the young boy (because he really was only a boy when he acme pharaoh), to navigate his years as king of Egypt.

Shaw then basically reconstructs the rest of Tutankhamun’s life, and the important things he undertook during his very short reign, and he does this by including as many of the artefacts found in the young king’s burial as possible. There is something deeply intimate about reconstructing the life of a boy who died over three-thousand years ago using artefacts that he would have owned, touched, used, and were deemed important enough to be buried with him to take to the next life.

Shaw doesn't finish his book at the death of Tutankhamun, but goes on to describe ancient Egypt after his death, and the following destruction of his name and image by his successors. Then, he moves thousands of years into the future, and to the incredible discovery of the tomb, and the mummy. I loved reading about the steps involved not only to the initial discovery and why it took so long to be found, but also the arduous and somewhat destructive process it was cataloguing and emptying the tomb.

This new biography of the young king doesn't necessarily add any new information to the wealth of knowledge of Tutankhamun, but that’s not the point. Garry Shaw has done a remarkable job synthesising everything we know and don’t know about Tutankhamun and created a compelling narrative-style breakdown of his life. This book is both a wonderful place for those who are new to Tutankhamun to learn about not only what was found, but how it may have been used during the king’s life, but with all of the recent scholarship to back it up. Not to mention the book is full of stunning colour images of artefacts and historical images which just adds to the tale.

If you are a lover of ancient Egypt, or you would like to learn a bit more about the household name Tutankhamun, then I could not recommend this book enough!

Review: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

★★★★☆ I am so happy to have finally read this book, and I am looking forward to continuing my J. R. R. Tolkien reads with the Lord of the Rings trilogy!

Full disclosure, I have attempted to read this book (and the Fellowship of the Ring) many, many times. Every time I’ve picked it up I have gotten about 20% of the way through and then given up. However, this time was different. I was looking for a new audiobook (I’m now on Scribd and I would definitely recommend it to all you audiobook lovers out there), and The Hobbit popped up on the home screen. I am so glad I decided to hit play, because this book was so wonderful (I know I am probably the very last person on earth to read this book).

I think the main thing I enjoyed about The Hobbit was the feeling that the narrator of the tale was talking right to me. The writing style was so captivating (although more so in the audiobook version for me), and it helps that the narrator, Andy Serkis, was absolutely brilliant. His Gollum is so good and very, very creepy (as it should be since he is the voice of Gollum in the movies!)

There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

I felt such a kinship with Bilbo and his conflicting desires to be on an adventure, and also be back at his cosy hobbit hole drinking tea and eating cake. I don’t think I have ever related to a character so strongly before, since I always want to be both exploring and adventuring, and also cosy and warm in the comfort of my own home. As you probably already know, Bilbo is joined by thirteen dwarves and the wizard Gandalf in his hobbit hole, and the adventure truly unfolds from there. Bilbo and his team come across goblins and elves and all sorts of magical, wondrous creatures, not to mention, the dragon Smaug. And of course, they get into all sorts of trouble and mishaps on their travels to the Mountain.

This is truly one of the most wholesome, and quite unexpected novels filled with a journey that keeps taking turns you don’t expect. If you’re like me and you’ve been putting off reading this book for no good reason, or the physical books aren’t for you, then I would definitely recommend the audiobook!

Have you read The Hobbit? Please do let me know your thoughts in the comments, or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨✨

Review: The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper

★★★★★ — The House with the Golden Door was probably my most anticipated read for this year, and boy, I was not disappointed! Please do not read on if you haven’t read The Wolf Den.

The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper is the second in a trilogy, which began with my favourite read of 2021, The Wolf Den. I am always slightly hesitant when it comes to the second instalment of a trilogy, with many (Catching Fire excluded) often serving as nothing more than a stepping stone or filler to a grand conclusion. The House with the Golden Door, however, did not fall into this unfortunate phenomenon.

Historical Context

Elodie Harper has once again produced a captivating historical fiction novel that takes you right into the streets and the homes of ancient Pompeii. Set in 75 CE, Pompeii is still a thriving Roman town, looked on by Venus Pompeiana, the patron deity of the city. When reading this book, it feels like you are walking right alongside Amara, you can feel the heat beat down on you as she sits in her garden, you can feel the cobblestones as she walks the streets and you can almost see the detailed wall paintings described throughout the book. This is particularly interesting since in 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted and the entire city of Pompeii (and the neighbouring city of Herculaneum) was covered in ash, preserving the daily life of ancient Romans in Pompeii.

First Writer: Lovers, like bees, live a honeyed life.

Second Writer: I wish.

— Pompeii Graffiti exchange (pg. 189)

Harper includes vivid detail of surviving wall art, architectural features and even whole buildings (like The Wolf Den which survives along with the erotic wall paintings). Harper continues to include snippets of graffiti from the walls of Pompeii, and introduces us to different homes and interiors. Harper has the distinct ability to use what survives of the ancient city, and the lives of those who once inhabited it, and bring it back to life, or, has given it a second life, a new life.

My Thoughts

This was a beautiful and heart-wrenching tale. As you know, this series of books follows Amara, a Greek woman who was sold into slavery and ended up as a prostitute in the brothel at Pompeii, known as the Lupanar or ‘Wolf Den.’ At the end of the previous instalment, poor Dido was killed, and Amara was freed by Pliny, and given a new home to live in by her Patron, Rufus. So although she was heartbroken with the death of her friend, having to leave her fellow women behind at the brothel and having to end her budding romance with a fellow slave Menander, she was feeling optimistic about her newfound freedom. Just because this book wasn’t set primarily in the brothel doesn’t mean it was a light and happy read. Amara has to be more courageous than she ever has before in the face of heartache and betrayal. Her friendships with the women she left behind don’t remain the same as when they were all at the same social standing, and the fluctuation of these personal relationships made this story feel all the more real.

The gods raised you to freedom. Treating slaves as equals only lowers you back to the gutter you came from.' (pg. 90)

The House with the Golden Door is an incredibly nuanced exploration of the social lives and class structure both in Pompeii and the wider Ancient Roman world. We see these social complexities all through the eyes of Amara, who is grappling with her own shifting status, now as a freedwoman, with slaves of her own, however still at the complete mercy of Rufus, and to another extent Felix. Harper delves into these social complexities by exploring the rules to be upheld and the social expectations to be maintained by a freedwoman, who wants to reclaim agency over her own life but is still restricted. I think what struck me early on was how believable it all felt. We as readers experience the conflicting aspects of Amara’s life, the intricacies of social relationships she has to uphold, and the deterioration of some of her friendships. To expect her relationships to stay static while she changes as a character in both status and mind, would feel false. However, Amara’s liminal role as a freedwoman dependant on a man whose love is dwindling and who knows intimately the life of a slave, traverses a new world of love, deceit and friendship that sees her continually grow in courage and strength.

I love the way Harper sets up her chapters. She prefaces each chapter with a quote, either from an ancient poet or writer, or graffiti found at Pompeii. These aren’t just random quotes, but they are imbued with the theme of the following chapter, and really set either the physical or emotional scene for Amara. These kinds of details absolutely blow me away, and it’s one of the main reasons why I adore this book (and its predecessor).

Have you read The House with the Golden Door or The Wolf Den? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Review: River Kings by Cat Jarman

★★★★☆ — thanks to Pegasus Books for providing me with the e-book of River Kings! In true Kelly fashion though, I did eventually go out and buy a paperback edition as well.

River Kings, written by bioarchaeologist Cat Jarman (who is also a field archaeologist who specialises in the Viking Period) takes a small carnelian bead found in the site of Repton and follows what may have been its journey through the Viking world all the way to Baghdad and India. Jarman works with DNA analysis, isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating of the archaeological finds to trace the Vikings from Britain, through Scandinavia and ultimately uncovers greater interaction and movement between the west and the east. Jarman uses these new scientific methods to gain new information from the bones and teeth of bodies we have known about for years, but now we can understand through the isotope analyses of bones and teeth where these people were born, their some of their migration history and even the type of diet they had. Using new scientific discoveries, archaeological evidence and the historical record (taking into account their bias and unreliability), Jarman starts in Repton, Darbyshire and follows the journey of a single carnelian bead through the world of the Vikings, using other objects as stepping stones to gain a new understanding of the movement and trade in the Viking world between Britain and as far as Gujarat, India, where the carnelian bead may have begun its journey.

At the beginning of each chapter, Jarman contextualises the object that will be the focus of the coming chapter in either a fictional or non-fictional way, imagining how it may have been used in the Viking world, or telling us of its modern history such as when it was discovered. It made me think of the structure of The Real Valkyrie which did something very similar at the beginning of each chapter! Early on, Jarman highlights issues she and other scholars and archaeologists face when interpreting evidence from the Viking world and doesn't hesitate to err on the side of caution when proposing solutions for issues in the book. Jarman introduced the old information, the new scientific information and even the biased and unreliable historical information and then proposes a tentative conclusion that gives the reader the opportunity to agree with her interpretation of the evidence, or to disagree. Her own personal experiences and insights really enriched the book, and gave weight to her suggestions and conclusions throughout the book.

The graves we find are multifaceted: we have no way of knowing whether those items even belonged to the deceased or whether they were gifts placed there by the mourners. They may not even reflect much about the person’s life… The dead do not bury themselves. (21)

…but unless you have another form of proof, it is practically impossible to prove the intention behind their death (38).

I am fascinated with the archaeology of death, and Jarman takes the time to highlight the issues surrounding interpretations of bodies, grave goods, identities and even the intention behind violent deaths and she does it succinctly, and early on in her book which really sets the tone for her interpretations and tentative conclusions later on. Jarman suggests caution when interpreting scientific evidence, and that we can only glean so much from the bones and the teeth about an individual. Honestly, it completely blew my mind, the things that we can learn from the different types of scientific dating and analysis.

Jarman dedicates much of her book to women in the Viking world and their place in the archaeological record, as well as slaves and their lack of representation in the record despite the lucrative slave trade we know was being conducted during this time. So much of this book fascinated me, and one of those things was how the early work at Repton overlooked women due to their skewed views on women at the time. Not to mention the dispute over the warrior woman found at Birka and the interesting discourse surrounding her. It has been questioned that just because she was buried with weapons does that make her a warrior in life, but these kinds of questions aren’t ever asked about men buried with weapons… Another topic of personal fascination is the discussion around how we cannot know the social significance and meaning of exotic goods in the Viking social context, and the recontextualising of material objects between different groups and cultures can transform their purpose and function. Were they a show of status and wealth? Did exotic goods show an individual’s power?

…genetics is not going to give us the ultimate answers: cultures and identities are far more complex and there is no such thing as a ‘genetic Viking.’ (128)

River Kings is like a stepping stone to even more answers about the Vikings, the objects they left behind and their, movement throughout their known world. As more testing is conducted and new evidence is found, more and more will be understood about the Vikings, and this book is like the first piece of the puzzle on the journey to understanding the whole picture. Not only does Jarman work to understand how a single carnelian bead ended up in a Viking burial at Repton, but she stresses the importance of our understanding of how these types of objects fit into the wider Viking world. This book is a truly rich insight into the trade and movements of people, beliefs and objects in the Viking world, and I could not recommend it enough to any lover of archaeology, ancient trading and the Vikings.

Have you read River Kings? What did you think of it? Do you have any book recommendations for lovers of Vikings? Let me know in the comments of this post, or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Review: Mythos by Stephen Fry

★★★★☆.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!

Review: If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

★★★★☆.5| paperback | book six of 2022

If Were Were Villains by M. L. Rio is an extraordinary novel set at a prestigious arts academy called Dellecher. Oliver Marks and his six fellow theatre students are going in to their fourth and final year at Dellecher, and that means they finally get to perform some Shakespearean tragedies. Little did they know that the rivalries, the violence and the tragedy of the plays they were studying would seep into their lives at school. Their fourth year would be their most crucial, and none of them would be left untouched by the goings on of their final year. Oliver and his classmates James, Richard, Alexander, Wren, Filippa and Meredith immerse themselves into the world of Shakespearean tragedy, and as they do their lives turn into a tragedy in ways they could never have foreseen.

The Water, too, was still, and I thought, what liars they are, the sky and the water. Still and calm and clear, like everything was fine. (79)

If We Were Villains is such an intricate, multi faceted read that there is no doubt I will get more from it when I inevitably re-read it in the future. This book made me homesick for a place I had never been, for friends I have never had. The seven main characters were just as unique as they were similar, speaking in a language so like our own, but so very different instead. Their complete infatuation of William Shakespeare, of poetry, of words, creates a whole new world that only they are living and we just get to witness it. After being completely immersed into the world of Shakespeare for three years, it’s no wonder that their roles in the plays have seeped into the real world, creating an intertwined story of fact and fiction.

Our sheer capacity for feeling got to be so unwieldy that we staggered under it, like Atlas with the weight of the world. (249)

This book has been written so beautifully, so thoughtfully. There isn’t a single word that doesn’t have a purpose. I think I was most delighted by the complete immersion of Shakespearean dialogue into the story, as if these characters relaying prose and verse was as easy as breathing. It is as if Rio doesn’t want you to be able to discern between performance and reality, she has often structured dialogue to physically look like you’re reading a play and often the characters seem to be liminal, caught between the characters they have played and the people they have become. This book is so intelligent, so all consuming, even if you aren’t a Shakespeare fan it would be hard not to enjoy or at the very least marvel over the construction of this tale.

For someone who loved words as much as I did, it was amazing how often they failed me. (211)

I would love to hear your thoughts about this book! Let me know whether you enjoyed it or not either in the comments or come and find me over on Instagram! ✨

Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

★★★☆☆.5 | audiobook | book four of 2022

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is the first book in The Folk of the Air series. The story revolves around a mortal girl named Jude who lives in the world of Faerie. When she and her twin was seven, her mother and father were killed in front of them by her mothers ex-fling and the father to their older half sister Vivienne. He was also a prominent general in the High Court of Faerie. Jude grows up as a mortal in faerie, taking classes with the rest of the faerie gentry. She sees mortals as slaves, drugged to work until exhaustion consumes their mind and body, not to mention the threats right in front of her with her faerie school fellows. As Jude fights for a spot at the High Court, she is consumed with intrigues and deceptions, trickery and bloodshed.

I’m going to be completely honest with you, I didn’t even read the blurb of this book before jumping into it. I was looking for a relatively easy read to listen to, and this one came with good recommendations. I definitely enjoyed the book but not as much as I was hoping I would. There was also something a bit weird about the narration, the volume kept fluctuating and there were some really obvious cuts in the recording, some of which I literally went back and had to listen to again to make sure I was hearing it right. That being said, the narrator did a really wonderful job.

This book starts off with a bang since their parents are literally killed in the prologue I’m pretty sure, but then nothing really happens until part two of the book. You don’t realise that the whole of Part One is basically not necessary until you get into the intensity of the second part. Jude wants to be a knight in the High Court, and her sister Taryn wants to marry a faerie, they’re both trying to fit into Faerie in different ways, but I found Jude’s character a little wishy washy. She didn't feel like a solidified character with purpose behind her actions until Part Two, when I actually started liking her. In contrast, Taryn acted exactly as I expected she would the whole time. I don’t love her character, but I guess she serves her purpose, as do many of the cruel faeries Jude comes into contact with during the course of the book.

I loved the political intrigue of the book, and how although some of it felt quite obvious, there were still events and choices that surprised me. There is a really great set of unique characters in this book which made it an overall enjoyable read, leaving you with the sense that you only know the surface of each of these characters. I have seen Cardan’s name everywhere on instagram, and so far he is definitely an intriguing character that obviously has a lot more going for him than just a drunk, broody, elite faerie who often acts cruelly (but I’m assuming thats just a front for how tortured he actually is). I really liked the rivalry and the ever brewing tension between Jude and Cardan, and I am sure this is only going to increase in intensity as I keep reading. Another part of this story I particularly liked is the Court of Shadows, and the level of intricacy in the intrigues and court politics. I hope these only grow in the next books.

I have a feeling this series is only going to improve with the next books and I am looking forward to starting the next one. Have you read this book / this series? Let me know your thoughts in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨