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A review by k_hanvey
The Gatekeeper's Bride by Eva Pohler
3.0
I love Greek mythology and retellings of the myths always draw my attention. This book was alright, and despite its flaws I am still interested in reading the continuation of the author's Gatekeeper series. My biggest issues with this book are the writing, which is largely childish, and the excessive history and add-ins about myths. It almost seemed like the author was trying to pack in as much information about Greek mythology as possible, whether it fit with the story or not. If I didn't know any better, I would guess that this story was a highschooler's short story project for a class about Greek myths.
The thing that saves the story slightly is the characterization of Hades and Persephone. I could have done without the faux feminine outrage that cropped up occasionally and seemed to be underdeveloped at best, but the ideas were solid. This read like a sort of intro to Greek myths book, which I think is slightly pandering considering the target audience is 13-year-olds. I would say the writing is maybe 1.5 stars and the story is about 2, but the fact that it's a Greek myth retelling and the premise kept me intrigued enough to finish gave it an additional star. 3/5, definitely not the worst book I've read, but very unrefined and in need of some serious editing.
The thing that saves the story slightly is the characterization of Hades and Persephone. I could have done without the faux feminine outrage that cropped up occasionally and seemed to be underdeveloped at best, but the ideas were solid. This read like a sort of intro to Greek myths book, which I think is slightly pandering considering the target audience is 13-year-olds. I would say the writing is maybe 1.5 stars and the story is about 2, but the fact that it's a Greek myth retelling and the premise kept me intrigued enough to finish gave it an additional star. 3/5, definitely not the worst book I've read, but very unrefined and in need of some serious editing.