A review by jlynnelseauthor
For The Immortal by Emily Hauser

4.0

Hauser brings her Golden Apple trilogy to a close with For The Immortal, a book that brings to life Hippolyta, the Amazons, and the daughter of a Greek king who accompanies Hercules on his final two labors.

This book was hard for me in the middle. While I loved the sections involving Hippolyta and the Amazons, the "Becoming Greek" section was a difficult read.
SpoilerHippolyta is completely broken and constantly raped. I wanted some of her fire, some resistance to her circumstances. The reasons for her staying submissive to Theseus seemed flimsy. If Theseus isn't honoring his agreement, she should be fighting back too.
I almost stopped reading, but I've enjoyed Hauser's books so much I pressed on. I was glad I did. The last section, while a time jump, was well done. I loved the emphasis on the strength and courage of the Amazon warriors.

Our other main character, Admete, had a quiet strength and really held her own in a group of Greek warriors. I was impressed by the opportunities she created for herself despite living in such a male-dominated society. The information about herbs and their medicinal treatments were well researched.

Overall, there are some great moments that I relished. However, I wanted more from Hippolyta in the middle portion. She shouldn't have lost her strength so drastically. However, Hauser really sparked my interest to learn more about the Amazon society.

Hauser really does her research. I agreed with the choices she made on the mythical characters. The interplay of the Greek gods and goddesses were also well realized. The twist on who the immortal apple was meant for was great. Hauser ends her series strong. I hope she continues to write about this time period and its heroines.