Reviews with content warning for Grief - Threads That Bind

I quite liked this. It was a good twist in being Greek inspired without including any of the traditional pantheon and rather focusing on the fates and the muses and such. The magic was interesting, the post-apocalyptic setting was interesting and the book did a good job addressing the questions of fate and how much we let ourselves be guided by a fate versus free will. I appreciate books with a class divide where we don't just get everyone rich giving out alms but rather a truer look at making ends meet and gang territorial control.

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kayceeisbookish's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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rightwhrleftme's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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frantically's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This one hit all the marks for me — greek myth inspired, poc mc's, difficult sibling relationships and so much moral greyness, you can barely see the light.

There is so much obvious love and history poured into this book and I'm so glad to read a book about Greek mythology that is written by an actual Greek author, totally changed the game for me.

The magic system is so fascinating and with the ending, it seems like we're just going to get even more of it in the next book.

Love, love, LOVE Edei and Io's relationship so so much 😭 truly my babies

So excited for the next book already 🫶🏻

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camiandkitread's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“Threads that Bind” was a mythology-based mystery that delivered on the “Percy Jackson for an Older Audience” vibes that “Lore” was supposed to.

This is Kika Hatzopoulou’s debut novel and I am really blown away. Typically, debut novels are a little clunky—whether in the dialogue, the plot, world building, or some combination—and I try to overlook it because, hey, it’s a debut novel. It’s the author’s first time publishing something and they’re still honing their skills or maybe had a lackluster team. That was not the case with “Threads that Bind.” It was immaculate and executed so well.

Dialogue was sharp and realistic, the magic system was unique and compelling, the world building was sensational, I can keep going but I’ll stop there.

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mattiedancer's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Writing: 4.25⭐️/5

The writing shone in certain sections. I particularly loved the way Hatzopoulou described and wrote about the threads. I also thought she commanded good control of her language while describing action and combat, leaving the actions clear. A few sections of the novel fell victim to a bit of a rushed feeling, but most of it was paced well with good control.

Characters: 4.25⭐️/5

I really loved Io. She maintained her strength without paying to the conventions of the “strong badass female protagonist.” I liked that she fought against her sister’s description and prescriptions of her and paved her own path. And, I really loved her reaction to her fate string. I loved how she kept her secret to herself and how both characters eventually gave into the determination of the string. Honestly, the characters were just deeply written and still fun to read about.

Plot: 4.25⭐️/5

Ah, a world in which fates are reborn and the threads that bind us remain visible to some. I loved it deeply, especially as it wove into a mystery novel, with Io and Edei investigating together in a world where magic and myths come to life. I think the end was a bit rushed, and the cliffhanger did feel a bit sudden, a bit forced, but overall, it was lots of fun to read.

Who Should Read This Book?

Fans of young adult fantasy
Readers looking for a fantasy read with mystery vibes
Readers looking for a solid book in a fantasy world
Fans of Greek mythology reimaginings

Content Warnings?

Death, murder, genocide, war, blood, gore, grief, gaslighting, emotional abuse, animal cruelty, violence, injury, injury detail, death of parent, confinement, transphobia,

Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5

Would read the next one.

Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5

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eni_iilorak's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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