I found this wonderfully well-written but just different to what I had anticipated. Of all the mythological retellings in thActual rating 3.5/5 stars.
I found this wonderfully well-written but just different to what I had anticipated. Of all the mythological retellings in this series, this bore the most resemblance to the originals and was also the one I thought would be the most altered.
It was set in our war torn world and focused on a girl who used stories to initially escape from and then to attempt to understand the suffering around her. This seemed like a brilliant set-up but most of the novel was merely retelling these original tales with very limited focus on the girl reading them. If not for the sheer beauty of the penmanship I would have enjoyed this one far less....more
Atlas carries the weight of the world on his shoulders but when he begins to question just why, Heracles steps in to share hActual rating 4.5/5 stars.
Atlas carries the weight of the world on his shoulders but when he begins to question just why, Heracles steps in to share his burden, if only for a short while. But when one's lifetime is spent at the peripheries, holding on just so others can live, can he ever be expected to return to his post when faced with pleasure over pain for the first time?
Jeanette Winterson's lyrical prose immediately sold me to this tragic and slightly unsettling tale. I adored how she constructed these two characters and introduced the reader to their individual personalities, histories, and sufferings without it seeming like a simple rehashing of things I already knew before diving into this mythological retelling....more
The Odyssey is a Greek Myth I know well. Atwood is an author I know well. I knew she was going to divorce what every reader thought they knew about thThe Odyssey is a Greek Myth I know well. Atwood is an author I know well. I knew she was going to divorce what every reader thought they knew about the original tale and paint something entirely knew here and she did just that.
There are a slew of feminist mythological retellings available right now and I honestly could eat every single one of them up. They give the women voices and make their pain and suffering the forefront of the story. They also make them appear as far more than the helpless maidens, awaiting their fate of rape or death, or the horrid sirens, luring men to their death. These, traditionally, were the only roles allowed for them. Here, Penelope is delivered a tragic life and, through it, shows her resourcefulness and her ingenuity, her creativity and her strength. The men around her deem her without any of these attributes and that in itself is just another way in which she is allowed to showcase her brilliance....more
This was nothing like the story I thought I was going to get, when starting to read the mythological retelling series. After reading a number of them This was nothing like the story I thought I was going to get, when starting to read the mythological retelling series. After reading a number of them I also think this might have been the most removed from the past and the most ingeniously creative production made with the base materials provided the author.
The fluidity of gender and sexual preference are depicted as wholly free and an undiluted joy in this book, but they become confused and constrained when the focus is removed from what feels right to the individual and, instead, what is deemed right by the constraints of society. I thought this brilliantly imaginative and full of so many questions and concerns, both historical and modern-day...more
This is the second instalment in The Secrets of the Faerie Crown series.
I found this to be a more politically-focused and action-packed instalment, thThis is the second instalment in The Secrets of the Faerie Crown series.
I found this to be a more politically-focused and action-packed instalment, than book one, and I personally enjoyed this. It still had frequent steamy scenes and a swoon-worthy romance, as well as a cast full of all the most loveable characters, alongside this too. The perfect fae romantasy!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Emberly Ash, and the publisher, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for this opportunity. ...more
This was both a brief yet well-rounded introduction to some basics of Greek mythology, including the places, the monsters, the Olympic gods, the demi-This was both a brief yet well-rounded introduction to some basics of Greek mythology, including the places, the monsters, the Olympic gods, the demi-gods, and humans who most frequent the ancient Greek tales. It was suitable for young readers but I had much fun with this easily digestible guide and would recommend it any age reader looking to immerse themselves in the Greek myths.
Each individual was provided with a brief biography, a nickname, a food symbol, an associated colour, an icon, and a day or season. This was just enough for me to understand each iconic name without overwhelming me with details about their lives, despite already having read much fiction and non-fiction containing them.
A breakdown of the reams, domains, and territories in the ancient world was also also provided, allowing the reader to better visualise the tales told across it. Following this was an overview of the creatures, beasts, and monsters who were the villains to be defeated in these stories.
Once these basics were covered the book then went on to translate some ancient stories in a simplified language for all age ranges, which I enjoyed reading immensely.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, L. J. Tracosas, and the publisher, Z Kids, for this opportunity....more
Perseus is a well-known figure in Greek mythology, but this retelling revisits his life and the general story through the insights of the marginalisedPerseus is a well-known figure in Greek mythology, but this retelling revisits his life and the general story through the insights of the marginalised woman surrounding him.
I thought this retelling was superbly well-executed. It brought fourth the original tale, in a recognisable version, but with enough differences to make it feel brand new. Perseus' character was the most interesting aspect as his true self was what differed so greatly from the original. Instead of a hero telling the tale of his own heroics, those with nothing to lose from lying recount their part in this epic tale. And the differences are varied and many!
This also contained a large focus on the rife misogyny and gender mistreatment of the time and how women were silenced, shunned, and made to suffer for crimes they did not commit for men who thought themselves the masters of the universe. There were sections that were difficult to read and my heart pained for the generations of women, before and since then, forced to suffer in silence and in such ways.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Claire Heywood, and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for this opportunity. ...more
Antigone’s parents once sat upon the throne but then they were murdered by her Uncle and now he takes their place. She, along with her siblings, must Antigone’s parents once sat upon the throne but then they were murdered by her Uncle and now he takes their place. She, along with her siblings, must reside with him inside the palace walls but whilst she allows pleasant smiles to play upon her lips, murderous and traitorous thoughts fill her heart.
I really enjoyed seeing Roth rework renowned mythological figures into a futuristic and alien world, but the overall story somehow felt a little flat, for me. It was certainly very unique and inventive, but the characters were a little surface level and felt less like a true reimagining of these infamous figures and more like they had been brought back to life with only their most basic character traits and sufferings intact.
I did appreciate seeing the ancient world remade into a futuristic one and this was only a novella-length story, so perhaps should not have wished for too much to be included, but I did still hope that a bond with the principal characters and for more fleshed out personalities to be included.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Veronica Roth, and the publisher, Titan Books, for this opportunity....more
Atalanta was raised with bear cubs under the watchful eye of Artemis. Her childhood was unconventional but, as she grew, the rest of her life proved tAtalanta was raised with bear cubs under the watchful eye of Artemis. Her childhood was unconventional but, as she grew, the rest of her life proved to be even more so, as she journeyed with the Argonauts, as the only woman among them, and carved out her place alongside them in pursuits reserved for men alone.
Jennifer Saint never fails! I have adored each of her feminist mythological retellings and this was no exception. The same key themes were focused on throughout this, regarding a woman's place in society and the disregard towards them for their value in anything other than breeding and home-making. I love how she challenges these historical norms through her female-led storylines and all-female perspectives.
Atalanta was a strong individual who never sought to be anything less. Her entire existence had been one long and exhausting fight for dominance and autonomy and I admired and adored her in equal measures, whilst also grieving when any plight that befell her. Her character quickly entered my heart and added tension to later portions of this book, where the success of her endeavours and the continuation of her life were put at risk.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Jennifer Saint, and the publisher, Wildfire, for this opportunity....more
"Huntress. Warrior. Mother. Murderess. Queen." These are the many labels that can be applied to Clytemnestra, but to understand each one you must firs"Huntress. Warrior. Mother. Murderess. Queen." These are the many labels that can be applied to Clytemnestra, but to understand each one you must first be told her entire story and the suffering that featured throughout it.
I love me a powerful female protagonist and Clytemnestra proved herself to be one, very early on in the telling of this tale. There were time shifts throughout the novel, always following a tragedy that had befallen Clytemnestra. The reader got to see her at many different stages of her life but also, and most interestingly for me, how she altered when faced with differing losses, fears, and woes. She sometimes crumbled and sometimes hardened, but always fought her way through. She was a powerful woman in a world that didn't want her to be one, and so her lot in life was to never be provided with an easy path to her goals. Neither were the stories told about her willing to paint her in any sort of favourable light. This is her own story, in her own words, and even then the truths illuminated were harshly exposed.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Costanza Casati, and the publisher, Michael Joseph, for this opportunity....more
This is the first instalment in the Marvellerverse series.
Ella Durand is just eleven years old when she makes history as the first Conjuror to attend This is the first instalment in the Marvellerverse series.
Ella Durand is just eleven years old when she makes history as the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute. The academy is located in the clouds where Marvellers, and now one Conjuror, from around the world train in the magical arts. Progress is being made with Ella joining their ranks but not everyone is happy about it and she must battle seclusion, gossip, and hateful acts if she is to continue in her education.
This read like a new, more inclusive, Harry Potter and I was not mad about it! Any magical school can't help but be likened to Hogwarts but this retained enough of its own magical inclusions and unique designs to feel different and none of the characters or crazy adventures they went on had any spirit of the former in them, either.
Ella was an incredible protagonist in which to experience this magical world with. She was spirited and feisty, despite all the prejudice she had to face, and I admired her pluck as much as I liked her personality. I could have spent an endless number of pages with her - learning about her abilities, how they differed from others, and witnessing her magical training - but this was not to be the case as events soon turned sinister as evil arrived at her door.
From this point, the focus was split between Ella's studies and the mysteries she was attempting to solve. Both remained equally interesting and I flew through these pages as I attempted to absorb every ounce of magic from it. I already can't wait for more adventures in this world and to see Ella thrive within it.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Dhonielle Clayton, and the publisher, Bonnier Books, for this opportunity....more
Mott and her mother have moved cities and left everything and everyone she has ever known behind. She is alone and lonely, until she discovers an abanMott and her mother have moved cities and left everything and everyone she has ever known behind. She is alone and lonely, until she discovers an abandoned puppy inside a recycling bin. However, the adorable ball of fluff might be capable of more than it looks like, if the mysterious figures who keep appearing before Mott are to be believed. The small puppy's name is Fenris, a wolf prophesised to one day end the world by devouring the moon.
I loved how easily mythological figures and stories were interwoven into this contemporary setting. The fantastical intermingled with the everyday, making this both a magical and adventurous, delightful little story.
Mott was a protagonist easy to root for. She had a huge heart and her kindness knew no bounds. There was a lot to love and a lot to admire in her character. And Fenris was too adorable to ever believe he would knowingly cause any harm to the world. I, along with Mott and the other mythological characters who appeared, longed for both his safety and his lengthened stay in this world and with his new caretaker, Mott.
I believe middle grade readers, this book's target audience, would find much to love here. The mythology is introduced slowly and so easy to understand, the moralistic edge is prominent and yet never overtakes the adventures occurring, and the book remains fun and fast-paced throughout....more
I've been fearful of reading this for the longest of times, due to the hype surrounding it, but I need not have worried because this was ever bit as eI've been fearful of reading this for the longest of times, due to the hype surrounding it, but I need not have worried because this was ever bit as exquisitely beautiful and painful as anticipated!...more
This is the first instalment in the Godkiller series.
Skedi is a god of white lies. He has somehow found himself attached to an orphaned noble woman, fThis is the first instalment in the Godkiller series.
Skedi is a god of white lies. He has somehow found himself attached to an orphaned noble woman, fleeing from those would see her follow in her family's footsteps, and a godkiller, who fears and distrusts him in equal measure. The two women could not be more unalike and yet must learn to bond in order to save each other, and for Skedi to find his escape and true purpose.
Whilst this outline is thrilling and was the source of my immediate investment in this book, the characters quickly took over as my main attraction to this novel. I found, in some small parts, for the plot pacing to lag or for events to begin to feel repetitive. I couldn't really care less when I was so emotionally invested in the well-being for the central characters, however.
Some were snarky and sassy, others empathetic and vulnerable. Their differences made them a motley crew and all the more beloved, to me, because of it. There were many exciting discoveries to be made about who they really were or what events had arisen in their pasts to make them the individuals they were in the book's present day and I really enjoyed exploring these aspects as their current mission also played out.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Hannah Kaner, and the publisher, Harper Voyager, for this opportunity....more
Deina is one of the many spending her life serving Hades, god of the Underworld. She longs for freedom and so, no matter what the stakes are, allows hDeina is one of the many spending her life serving Hades, god of the Underworld. She longs for freedom and so, no matter what the stakes are, allows herself to enter his domain in search of whatever it will take to grant it to her. Taking on the gods will never prove an easy feat however, and none can be trusted to deliver truth or to become her saviour.
I found this an exciting and fast-paced read. The trajectory of the novel took its characters ever deeper into the Underworld, with darker aspects about their nature revealed as their adventures turned increasingly sinister. This never became an altogether eerie read, but it did prove to contain exciting elements and action-dominated throughout it.
It was thrilling to read of how many mythology figures and facets were build inside this narrative, which also managed to retain something unique and entirely of its own. This author duo crafted a solidly enjoyable, well-paced, and informative novel, steeped in ancient lore and adventure.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the authors, Katharine Corr and Elizabeth Corr, and the publisher, , for this opportunity....more
The birth of a baby boy portends the death of the mythical Greek king, Oedipus, but what occurred to make his tragic end so renowned? And how wasn't iThe birth of a baby boy portends the death of the mythical Greek king, Oedipus, but what occurred to make his tragic end so renowned? And how wasn't it stalled, when knowledge of it was provided?
I have an interest in any mythological retelling and have had success with many of the recently published titles that focus on the infamous Greek gods and myths, as these are where my personal mythological interest primarily lies. This one was no different and I thought Gébler did a commendable job of making this ancient world accessible and alive for the modern-day reader.
I knew the basic facts about this Greek myth but not the minute details so found this a fascinating retelling, which, judging from other reviews, is also a very faithful one.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Carlo Gébler, and the publisher, Saga Egmont Audio, for this opportunity....more
A story within a story, within a story, within a story...
I was immediately invested in peeling back the layers to this intelligent and ingenious novelA story within a story, within a story, within a story...
I was immediately invested in peeling back the layers to this intelligent and ingenious novel. One such layer featured four strangers inside a library, working in silence and on their own tasks. They hear a scream, which begins conversations between them, and the later discovery of a body bonds them for the rest of the novel. This is layer one.
One of these four is writing a novel herself and uses the three individuals she becomes embroiled with as inspiration for her story, which features similar high-stakes, genre, plot devices, and characters with the only alteration being the setting. This is layer two.
The third layer begins as chapter one closes, where it is revealed that all previously read was a first draft sent to a beta reader. The author remains unknown to us and the only insights we can garner about who they are or what their intentions are are from the responding letters, critiquing the storyline and replying to unknown questions.
I loved how many elements were simultaneously occurring and attempting to piece together what the important aspects truly were made this such an immersive read. Each layer was of immense interest to me and I thought the author did a commendable job of making them all equally as enjoyable and in not muddying the waters too much as they ceaselessly overlapped.
My enjoyment only dwindled right at the novel's close. I loved the premise and the ingenious formatting but the ambiguous conclusion wasn't for me, unfortunately. It left me feeling a little cold at being unable to garner far less of a high-stakes, action-packed, or twisted closure to a novel that had consistently and previously contained all of that.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Sulari Gentill, and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for this opportunity....more
The title state's that this is 'Medusa's story' and this precisely why I can only afford this a four instead of a full five-star rating.
I want to statThe title state's that this is 'Medusa's story' and this precisely why I can only afford this a four instead of a full five-star rating.
I want to state that I did adore my time within this book. Medusa's story was one I knew before beginning this. However, this, I believe, faithful mythological retelling exposed many facts that were previously unknown to me. I also found that the characters felt real, the myriad of gods were easy to differentiate, the repeated traumas intimately felt, the horrors sympathetically handled, and the storyline exciting, varied, tense, and well-plotted.
The error for me lies only in Medusa being so infrequently featured throughout this. The entire story, even when not focusing directly on her, was her own, and so this tale was narrated by her character. However, the exposure to her person was far briefer than anticipated and instead remained on the many others who featured in her downfall. I did not imagine this would be so and anticipated this to be Medusa's story, told by her, about her, and for her. It was a brilliant retelling but with a focus similar to so many other retellings, as well as the original, where Medusa feels like a side-character in her own story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, , and the publisher, Mantle, for this opportunity....more
The kingdoms of Wales once had magic running through its roots but now Mer is the last living Water Diviner. Her abilities sActual rating 4.5/5 stars.
The kingdoms of Wales once had magic running through its roots but now Mer is the last living Water Diviner. Her abilities saw her torn from her home as a child and bound to serve the prince. She escaped once but her life since then has been one spent the run. She longs to rest and for peace. The only thing to bring her that is to return for one last mission. One only a Water Diviner could complete.
This contained magic, a heist, and a whole lotta heart. I really loved the early exploration of Mer's abilities and the slow introduction of other more ancient magics, that appeared over the course of the novel. It made for such an atmospheric and whimsical reading experience, with tension and twisted turns added from the mission undertaken.
The adventure Mer and the individuals she travels with sees them face off with fearsome foes and venture far underground and into mythical places. Everything was crafted with vivid clarity and either had me shocked and unsure of the outcome or in awe and wishing to linger longer in this ingeniously crafted spaces.
In all, this is a book I had a fun time reading. The prose was as lush as the setting and the characters felt real and beloved the instant they were introduced, which only made the many turns in this all the harder to bear. Emily Lloyd-Jones is definitely an author I will be reading from again!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Emily Lloyd-Woods, and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for this opportunity....more
This is the second instalment in the Skin of the Sea series.
Simidele was once saved by the sea, but now she is imprisoned in it. She traded her heart This is the second instalment in the Skin of the Sea series.
Simidele was once saved by the sea, but now she is imprisoned in it. She traded her heart and her freedom for the safety of others and now must spend her days on the sea bed, preparing the dead for their next journey. But when old enemies resurface, she must find a way to free herself from her present prison or the entire kingdom above will fall to the waves, along with her.
Simidele, as one of the Mami Wata, presented the perspective of both the human and the fantastical other. She felt everything so keenly and it made her insights imbued with high emotion at all times. She found as much to appreciate in sunlight as she did in the world beneath the waves, but found elements to mourn in both too. There was always wonders to experience but loss to feel, which made this book one full of as much awe and beauty as it was grief and pain.
I adored how steeped in mythology this was. Creatures appeared, abilities were uncovered, and battles were fought consistently, making this a fast-paced read. It almost veered on the edge of becoming a little confusing on times, so regularly were these new elements introduced, but the author ensured her reader did not stumble as she took the time to deliver proper introductions even as action was allowed to dominate.
I adored the conclusion to this story, which saw a hoped-for resolution come to fruition but also the appearance of something other I did not anticipate. It ensured closure for this narrative but also hope to be conjured for a continuation in Simidele's story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Natasha Bowen, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity....more
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