A review by just_one_more_paige
Lore Olympus: Volume Five by Rachel Smythe

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
We’re back! I didn’t even realize the fifth volume had been published ‘til I saw it on the holds shelf at the library and I *immediately* added my name to the list. Just got it a couple days ago and…I totally just sped through it all in one quick sitting. 
 
It finally happened: Hades ended the super toxic relationship he had going with Minthe. And in a “heat of the moment” situation with Persephone on her birthday, he admits he wants her and they finally have their first kiss! But Minthe’s jealously ends with her and Thetis and Thanatos finding out a dark secret from Persephone’s past, which Zeus is now involved in (and calling for “justice” as a result), as well. At the same time, everyone is already out looking for Persephone after she disappears (Apollo is blackmailing her to cover his own ass and she freaks out and runs away, understandably). Artemis and Eros are trying to find her to prove to Demeter that they didn’t lose her daughter while responsible for her safety (and Hera gets pulled into the charade, which in turn leads to her finding out info that makes her suspicious about Apollo’s interest in Persephone). While in the Underworld, Hades searches desperately for his missing love and also rediscovers a lost memory from his own past, in which Persephone asked him how to bring mortals back to the world of the living…though he has no idea why she’d want something like that. And we are left on a very real cliffhanger of Persephone’s disappearance and the exposure of sensitive information about her.   
 
The plot really gets moving in this one, which is exciting, as that was what I felt like was a bit missing from the first few volumes. There is so much going on as buried secrets/cover-ups get revealed and memories are restored and there is a chance that the truth of a certain god’s sexual assault of another (*cough* Apollo *cough*) will finally come to greater light. I loved all of it. It was page-turning entertainment and I was super invested in the story development. There are definitely things I recognize from “original” mythology, but there are also some fantastic new spins, adding more present day feels to the traditional drama of the gods, and that blending is super well done. 
 
The character interactions in this one were also fantastic. Eros and Artemis pulling in Hera was great (and her running into Apollo and subsequent interaction with him was perfect). I thought Zeus finally trying to get involved and regain some respect was hilarious, a spin on his traditional vibes that I liked a lot. The more minor characters, Like Thetis and Minthe, and their efforts uncovering Persephone’s secret was a fun subplot. And I enjoyed Hermes’ general all over the place involvement – a cornerstone of his character throughout all retellings and iterations and always one of my favorites.  
 
Of course, Hades and Persephone stay adorably nervous and sweet with and about each other. The “trying to be professional and respect boundaries” while clearly wanting to jump each other’s bones and be around each other all the time is very cute. But I am grateful that we finally get a kiss (the reader deserves that!), as it saves the tension from getting to drawn out or repetitive/boring. (Speaking of, the first kiss panels are so good. You can really feel the energy and passion; all the heat in all the good ways.) And each of them continues to get more nuanced, and have more depth as far as emotions and reactions, as this series unfolds, and I am loving that. 
 
I honestly think my one complaint remains that I cannot always tell the difference in the panels of who is talking when. The coloring (which is bubbly and fun and I don’t hate that in general) and shaping of the characters, is just not consistent enough that I can always tell at a glace who we are dealing with. And since they often don’t call each other by name or have other indicators to show who is who, I do tend to be confused about who is in these interactions more often than I’d like. It does, a bit, mess with my ability to stay in the story. Also, there is sometimes jumping around within chapters to different parts of different storylines without a lot of indication of changeover, which doesn’t help that overall comprehension either. …I come out in the end with the general gist, but do wish it was a bit clearer.  
 
Overall, a quality installment and, especially with that cliffhanger finish, I can’t wait to see where things go from here. I’m really looking forward to some information coming out, some dramatic fallout (and hopefully some desreved justice) as a result, and, of course, the reunion of H and P (hopefully with more kissing)! 
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