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aneumann's review against another edition
2.0
This was a bit of a mess. I usually love books in verse, but there were lots of problems here:
1) The person who narrated as Mary has a warbly, whispery voice and it got on my nerves so much.
2) The two couples who fell in love in this book were totally instalove. Basically they thought each other were hot and then they were "in love". It was endlessly obnoxious.
3) Mary's parts were incredibly boring. This would have been way more interesting as a love story between Jean and Gio. Even that would have issues though, because you wouldn't be able to tell that her parents are still in love. They were all such flat, boring characters.
4) The plot was a disaster. It lurched around, and basically nothing was explained. I actually scoffed when Mary is "jostled" into an elevator and suddenly Mr. Ford was there and she got a job. The ending and resolution was so abrupt. The characters just suddenly all had moments of realization that forced them to be a good parent (Gio), pursue a career (Jean), or get a job (Mary). Just so obnoxious for there to be so much wallowing and then over the course of 2 pages they all change for the better with one sentence as explanation.
Anyways, this was just a bummer.
1) The person who narrated as Mary has a warbly, whispery voice and it got on my nerves so much.
2) The two couples who fell in love in this book were totally instalove. Basically they thought each other were hot and then they were "in love". It was endlessly obnoxious.
3) Mary's parts were incredibly boring. This would have been way more interesting as a love story between Jean and Gio. Even that would have issues though, because you wouldn't be able to tell that her parents are still in love. They were all such flat, boring characters.
4) The plot was a disaster. It lurched around, and basically nothing was explained. I actually scoffed when Mary is "jostled" into an elevator and suddenly Mr. Ford was there and she got a job. The ending and resolution was so abrupt. The characters just suddenly all had moments of realization that forced them to be a good parent (Gio), pursue a career (Jean), or get a job (Mary). Just so obnoxious for there to be so much wallowing and then over the course of 2 pages they all change for the better with one sentence as explanation.
Anyways, this was just a bummer.
horrorghoul's review against another edition
4.0
TW: Arranged marriages, cultural racism, violence
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: Mary lives in a tiny apartment with her immigrant parents, her brothers, and her twin sister, and she questions why her parents ever came to America. She yearns for true love, to own her own business, and to be an independent, modern American woman—much to the chagrin of her parents, who want her to be a “good Greek girl.”
Mary’s story is peppered with flashbacks to her parents’ childhoods in Greece and northern France; their stories connect with Mary as they address issues of arranged marriage, learning about independence, and yearning to grow beyond one’s own culture. Though Call Me Athena is written from the perspective of three profoundly different narrators, it has a wide-reaching message: It takes courage to fight for tradition and heritage, as well as freedom, love, and equality.
Release Date: August 17th
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 546
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What I Liked:
• The novel was very moving
• The story flowed
• The writing was very interesting
What I Didn't Like:
• The many times I had to hear “I am Athena”.
• It felt a little bit rushed at times
Overall Thoughts: Fun fact; I live in Northeast Ohio, which has a huge Greek community. It was interesting to see the history of the Greek over the generations in this book. Mary was an easy character to love. You travel with her as she deals with being forced into a marriage so she’ll bring money to her family and security to her life. That’s not what Mary wants of course. She wants love and a choice.
I loved the changes of timelines as we move along into the different decades. It’s easy to understand all that Mary wants but as you listen to Mary’s parents you can see that they were searching for their own freedoms too.
Final Thoughts: This book really can show you how each generation doesn’t think the one before could ever understand where they’re coming from. I love that we get to travel this path with the author. I adored that this was based on the authors own grandparents.
IG|Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this advanced copy. All thoughts and views of this book are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: Mary lives in a tiny apartment with her immigrant parents, her brothers, and her twin sister, and she questions why her parents ever came to America. She yearns for true love, to own her own business, and to be an independent, modern American woman—much to the chagrin of her parents, who want her to be a “good Greek girl.”
Mary’s story is peppered with flashbacks to her parents’ childhoods in Greece and northern France; their stories connect with Mary as they address issues of arranged marriage, learning about independence, and yearning to grow beyond one’s own culture. Though Call Me Athena is written from the perspective of three profoundly different narrators, it has a wide-reaching message: It takes courage to fight for tradition and heritage, as well as freedom, love, and equality.
Release Date: August 17th
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 546
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What I Liked:
• The novel was very moving
• The story flowed
• The writing was very interesting
What I Didn't Like:
• The many times I had to hear “I am Athena”.
• It felt a little bit rushed at times
Overall Thoughts: Fun fact; I live in Northeast Ohio, which has a huge Greek community. It was interesting to see the history of the Greek over the generations in this book. Mary was an easy character to love. You travel with her as she deals with being forced into a marriage so she’ll bring money to her family and security to her life. That’s not what Mary wants of course. She wants love and a choice.
I loved the changes of timelines as we move along into the different decades. It’s easy to understand all that Mary wants but as you listen to Mary’s parents you can see that they were searching for their own freedoms too.
Final Thoughts: This book really can show you how each generation doesn’t think the one before could ever understand where they’re coming from. I love that we get to travel this path with the author. I adored that this was based on the authors own grandparents.
IG|Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this advanced copy. All thoughts and views of this book are my own.
beloved_bridget's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
havanareads_'s review against another edition
5.0
SO SO SO SO SO GOOOD!! I loved it!!! At first i was confused because there are 3 different perspectives/characters and it alternates, but if you read it, you begin to understand and it’s such a plot twist. also as you read more into it you begin to get attached to the characters and it’s so just. heart wrenching, idk how to exactly describe it. but it was so good, at least in my opinion. it’s literally my new favorite book
rachel271's review against another edition
5.0
I was lucky enough to be sent an advanced copy and although it is not the usual type of book I read, I absolutely loved it!
Call Me Athena is a novel in verse which just makes reading flow so fluidly. It has several p.o.v’s but the transitions are seamless and never clunky even when they jump around in time. The arrangement of the passages are very well selected.
The clash of cultures in this book are something beautiful. We have Mary’s French mother and Greek Father and the pressure Mary feels to be a “Good Greek Girl” in America. Despite the hardships her family face, Mary pushes through to build her own destiny as a modern American girl.
There are some heartbreaking scenes in this book, of war, death, injury and hunger. What really made the story come alive for me was the photographs the author has included at the end of the book of the family members that feature in the novel.
The whole book is very raw but so inspiring and honest. A magnificent novel from Colby Cedar Smith!
Call Me Athena is a novel in verse which just makes reading flow so fluidly. It has several p.o.v’s but the transitions are seamless and never clunky even when they jump around in time. The arrangement of the passages are very well selected.
The clash of cultures in this book are something beautiful. We have Mary’s French mother and Greek Father and the pressure Mary feels to be a “Good Greek Girl” in America. Despite the hardships her family face, Mary pushes through to build her own destiny as a modern American girl.
There are some heartbreaking scenes in this book, of war, death, injury and hunger. What really made the story come alive for me was the photographs the author has included at the end of the book of the family members that feature in the novel.
The whole book is very raw but so inspiring and honest. A magnificent novel from Colby Cedar Smith!
elizdancer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
snug_booktalks's review against another edition
5.0
All three narratives interconnect the way small bodies of water flow into one big body of water. It was a mesmerizing story, and eye opening about the lives during and after war.
There is hurt and there is healing.
There is hurt and there is healing.
bookishemmaa's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
lanternhillbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.5
livrenz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0