A review by beccaannekent
Epic of Helinthia by M.J. Pankey

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

What a fantastic, epic fantasy M.J. Pankey has written. Taking inspiration from Greek Mythology and also actual Ancient Greek political structures, the author has managed to weave a complex and quite unique storyline with themes of fantasy, magic and politics. 

The characters were written well, with their past and relationships explored throughout each POV, revealing the story and leading up to a dramatic ending. I particularly found Gonivein’s POV my favourite to read, she had such a fantastic character development and unexpected storyline. 

The Island of Helinthia is a fictional one, and probably the weakest part of this story is understanding the layout of the island, where each city/town is located and then the relationship they have with each other. However, the political and social structure of the world really cemented myself in this story. I was swept up in learning who was who and what role they held and by midway through, I was confident in my understanding. 

The strength fully lies in Pankey’s ability to write suspenseful dialogue, culminating in such a fantastic final few chapters where revelations were aplenty and I was totally hooked.

I’d absolutely recommend this to anyone who are fans of Ancient Greece, and their gods but particularly for those who are wishing to step back from the mythology retellings and are ready for an epic, masterful fantasy. 

I want to thank NetGalley, Book Whisperer and M.J. Pankey for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.