Synopsis
Since Ancient Greece, a handful of mortal bloodlines have participated in a game called the Agon. Every seven years, the gods and goddesses of Olympus become mortal for a week and if a mortal kills them, they will gain their power and godly status. At least until the next games. Lore was raised for this life and to compete in these games, but after her family was killed by a rival bloodline she swore to have nothing more to do with it. Now the Agon is on again and Lore is being pulled back in.

"Anger was like a disease to the soul and no aspect of it was more contagious than violence."

Tropes & Themes
- Deadly competition
- Gods & Demigods
- Greek Mythology
- Vengeance

"I was born knowing how to do three things - how to breathe, how to dream, and how to love you."

Content Warnings
- Descriptions of murder of children
- Violence

"The exceptional among mortals will always stand alone, for no one in the world was made for their task. Take confidence in that, and let it be poison to your fear."

My Thoughts
- I found this book gripping from the intrigue of what happened in Lore's past, where the aegis, what happened to Castor and who could be trusted, even as the not-knowing sometimes frustrated me.
- Some of the flashback scenes were hard to read, especially those concerning the deaths of Lore's family.
- Overall the book is quite fast-paced, but although the flashbacks provided the necessary back story and exposition, they interrupted and slowed the pace of the narrative in a way I sometimes found frustrating.
- I enjoyed Cassian & Lore's past and evolving relationship. I appreciated how it wasn't a primary focus of the narrative and it didn't feel misplaced or emphasised over the main plot, which was focused on the Agon and the bloodlines.
- Miles and Van's attraction to each other was very clearly spelt out so I'm not sure why the other characters in the book were so surprised!

"An oath was, after all, a curse you placed on yourself."

Content Warnings

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Buddy read with Deborah from HillsOfBooks!

<b> The Details: </b>
<i> Narrated by Fryda Wolff
Unabridged </i>

Unfortunately I struggled with this one.
I found it hard to get into and at chapter 19 I switched to the audiobook. It got me through it quicker but it didn't increase my engagement and enjoyment of the story.

I didn't really care much for the setting. I've never read the Hunger Games before, but that sort of set up has never really interested me and this theme in modern day, but with the Ancient Greek pantheon just didn't blend well for me and felt jarring a lot of the time.

I wasn't keen on Lore as our main character. I just didn't mesh with her.

I thought it was helpful to have the '7 years earlier' flashback chapters to slowly peeter out the history before this Agon.

Gutted this one didn't do it for me. I think this is my first foray into this authors works, but I own a copy of The Darkest Minds, which I'm sure I will still try out at a later date.

Content Warnings