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connormichael's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
wow wow wow
i really enjoyed the experience reading this book
perfect ending
everything tied up nicely
i really enjoyed the experience reading this book
perfect ending
everything tied up nicely
andotherworlds's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 (this is generous) // Am I insane, because everyone seems to have adored this book and I am just confused as to whether we all read the same thing.
danyell_russell's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sammiperks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
b_tea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
akristen80's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
4.0
futurama1979's review against another edition
2.0
I read this book for a class.
The concept of this book definitely grabbed my attention — it seemed really unique, and I had never really read anything about a book like this one. I mean, a pantheon of gods in the midst of massive relationship drama narrating a historical WWI story. That’s unique. Needless to say I was more excited before I started reading than at any point during the book. Fumbling with a boring concept is hard to read, but there’s something even worse about when an author fumbles with a really good concept.
The romances are heartfelt but extremely predictable, the involvement of the gods is just derivative enough to be boring, and when a book is 400 pages long and still feels rushed towards the end the author truly doesn’t have a grip on pacing.
For me, where this book really, really fell through is the ending. I probably would have given it three stars at least if the ending was different. Beyond the sense that things were a bit rushed wrapping up, for some reason Berry chose to focus almost entirely on concluding an overtold, very familiar and accepted WWI love story — Hazel and James — rather than putting that work and heart into a WWI love story that is extremely undertold and under-represented in literature about that era with Colette and Aubrey. Why an author would choose to finish out a story that every reader can guess the ending of, the all-too-familiar young white lovers split up by deployment who find each other again changed by the war and still love each other for a happily ever after, while leaving a much more unique and less-told story unfinished is beyond me.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak with Berry after reading this book, and when asked why she went through Hazel and James’ full happily ever after while never finishing Colette and Aubrey’s story, she said it was because there was much more certainty in a safe, white, traditional story than in Colette and Aubrey’s uncertain (and certainly more difficult) future. To me, that was an utterly bullshit excuse. If a story is less traditional, with a less predictable ending, it’s basically screaming for the author to focus on telling that story instead. That’s the story the audience can’t guess the ending of. That’s the story we need to see completed. The joy of seeing a WWI-era interracial relationship written with a full, loving conclusion like Hazel and James got would have been amazing, refreshing, beautiful. I don’t understand why Berry couldn’t see that.
I was also really let down by the conclusion to the gods’ story. To me, Aphrodite’s part of the story was building towards an extremely empowering “I am only seen for my beauty and people only appreciate me in romantic/sexual relationships but I can’t engage with that and I demand to be seen for my work and my art (of weaving romances for humans). I am what I create, not what people expect from me.” Having Aphrodite’s very last chapters of the book going totally against that and instead sharing the message of “oh wait, actually all I want is to be in a relationship, and all my actions were just to get the attention of the man I want” felt the opposite of empowering to me.
Ultimately, it was a really interesting concept that turned out to be delivered in the most standard, predictable way ever. I couldn’t really get into this one.
The concept of this book definitely grabbed my attention — it seemed really unique, and I had never really read anything about a book like this one. I mean, a pantheon of gods in the midst of massive relationship drama narrating a historical WWI story. That’s unique. Needless to say I was more excited before I started reading than at any point during the book. Fumbling with a boring concept is hard to read, but there’s something even worse about when an author fumbles with a really good concept.
The romances are heartfelt but extremely predictable, the involvement of the gods is just derivative enough to be boring, and when a book is 400 pages long and still feels rushed towards the end the author truly doesn’t have a grip on pacing.
For me, where this book really, really fell through is the ending. I probably would have given it three stars at least if the ending was different. Beyond the sense that things were a bit rushed wrapping up, for some reason Berry chose to focus almost entirely on concluding an overtold, very familiar and accepted WWI love story — Hazel and James — rather than putting that work and heart into a WWI love story that is extremely undertold and under-represented in literature about that era with Colette and Aubrey. Why an author would choose to finish out a story that every reader can guess the ending of, the all-too-familiar young white lovers split up by deployment who find each other again changed by the war and still love each other for a happily ever after, while leaving a much more unique and less-told story unfinished is beyond me.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak with Berry after reading this book, and when asked why she went through Hazel and James’ full happily ever after while never finishing Colette and Aubrey’s story, she said it was because there was much more certainty in a safe, white, traditional story than in Colette and Aubrey’s uncertain (and certainly more difficult) future. To me, that was an utterly bullshit excuse. If a story is less traditional, with a less predictable ending, it’s basically screaming for the author to focus on telling that story instead. That’s the story the audience can’t guess the ending of. That’s the story we need to see completed. The joy of seeing a WWI-era interracial relationship written with a full, loving conclusion like Hazel and James got would have been amazing, refreshing, beautiful. I don’t understand why Berry couldn’t see that.
I was also really let down by the conclusion to the gods’ story. To me, Aphrodite’s part of the story was building towards an extremely empowering “I am only seen for my beauty and people only appreciate me in romantic/sexual relationships but I can’t engage with that and I demand to be seen for my work and my art (of weaving romances for humans). I am what I create, not what people expect from me.” Having Aphrodite’s very last chapters of the book going totally against that and instead sharing the message of “oh wait, actually all I want is to be in a relationship, and all my actions were just to get the attention of the man I want” felt the opposite of empowering to me.
Ultimately, it was a really interesting concept that turned out to be delivered in the most standard, predictable way ever. I couldn’t really get into this one.
amy_j18's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
skybluespines's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
It was a nice story with a unique telling/spin (told through the Greek gods). I enjoyed it. The ending, however, left me wanting. (Audiobook)