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gondorgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
ssmylie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I thought the book was a fun ride, even made me tear up at the end. However, I can't just ignore the comments under the Goodreads section. While I don't think you need an advanced degree in the classics or be an expert in Ancient Greek history, I do think it's very important to read to read the original source material before you write a "retelling". Then, you should familiarize you're self with other retellings to see where people have taken these stories. Finally, you should have consulted with experts in Ancient Greek history and the classics to see if what you were creating lined up with correctly. Authors are researchers as well and many travel, consult with experts and read many texts as they are going from their initial idea to a published work. Research doesn't stop imagination and creativity, it expands what you can do and how realistic you can make the characters.
Now, I'm thinking "what was everyone thinking?" From the idea to the writing process to pitching the story to publishing the book to the marketing? As everyone in the comments said, this didn't have to be called a "retelling", it could have been marketed as a book related to Odyssey's return home to Ithaca.
I hope the author takes this into consideration in her next books. I think she is talented, but she can do much better than this and she has too.
Now, I'm thinking "what was everyone thinking?" From the idea to the writing process to pitching the story to publishing the book to the marketing? As everyone in the comments said, this didn't have to be called a "retelling", it could have been marketed as a book related to Odyssey's return home to Ithaca.
I hope the author takes this into consideration in her next books. I think she is talented, but she can do much better than this and she has too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide, Torture, and Violence
withlivjones's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book is much less of a mythology retelling and more of a fantasy book inspired by the myth of Odysseus, but even though I’m not a huge fan of fantasy as a genre I really enjoyed reading it!
The prose is excellently written and the pacing is good, particularly regarding gradually revealing information to the reader so there isn’t a ton of exposition at once. The main three characters are developed and likeable, and the different chapters in each of their perspectives adds a good amount of tension to the story. I adored the romance between Leto and Melantho and I think it may even rival the legendary relationship between Achilles and Patroclus in The Song of Achilles in terms of how much it made my heart ache. However, I felt that the love triangle with them and Mathias was perhaps a little unnecessary and cliché (though that might be my hatred of love triangles talking). The ending, although it totally wrecked me, was well-written and fitting for the story.
The prose is excellently written and the pacing is good, particularly regarding gradually revealing information to the reader so there isn’t a ton of exposition at once. The main three characters are developed and likeable, and the different chapters in each of their perspectives adds a good amount of tension to the story. I adored the romance between Leto and Melantho and I think it may even rival the legendary relationship between Achilles and Patroclus in The Song of Achilles in terms of how much it made my heart ache. However, I felt that the love triangle with them and Mathias was perhaps a little unnecessary and cliché (though that might be my hatred of love triangles talking). The ending, although it totally wrecked me, was well-written and fitting for the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Slavery, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape and Suicide
hanne_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Gods, what a slog. Had one early moment with properly horrific use of familiar imagery (the feet, what else?), and then… kinda fell apart. This could’ve been sweet and lush, but tried to do too much with too little and was narratively all over the place. It’s a reimagining of how the Odys— okay, it’s not really doing that rigorously but it’s an intensely personal exploration of— nope, it’s one of those “monarchic inheritance acts like a reality show competition” books— but don’t worry, this YA love triangle’s *bisexual* and even drifting toward polyam— oh wait, now we’re doing the senselessly tragic nature of capital-F Fate— whoops, have two sudden twists… and it’s over. Exhausting.
I think the author needed to pick one or two things to really commit to: the worldbuilding as an extension of The Odyssey, the consistency of the magic and plot elements she wanted to include, Leto and Melantho’s first-person voices (which started out refreshing and distinct but soon blended together), the three protagonists’ relationships, or the political/governing elements. Instead, the story rushes past each in turn in service of the others, and the only reliably well-developed element is actually… the violence? If you for some reason want to read a lot of detail about people, mostly children, being disturbingly murdered and assaulted, this is the book for you.
I think the author needed to pick one or two things to really commit to: the worldbuilding as an extension of The Odyssey, the consistency of the magic and plot elements she wanted to include, Leto and Melantho’s first-person voices (which started out refreshing and distinct but soon blended together), the three protagonists’ relationships, or the political/governing elements. Instead, the story rushes past each in turn in service of the others, and the only reliably well-developed element is actually… the violence? If you for some reason want to read a lot of detail about people, mostly children, being disturbingly murdered and assaulted, this is the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism