Reviews with content warning for War - Lovely War

I love that the Greek gods narrated this book. Julie Berrys does a great job of making you feel like you are actually there, in France. James’ and Hazel’s relationship is so perfect 🫶😭😍
And Aubrey and collette add the right amount of history to the book.

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thenovelmaura's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

3.5

This is a long book that covers a lot of history, so it makes sense that I would like some elements and not others! I sort of liked the framing where the Greek gods were telling the story (Hades' bits were the most impactful for me), but the initial premise just didn't make sense. Why did Aphrodite get to tell a lengthy love story during her trial for adultery? (I wish I was the kind of reader who didn't get hung up on those kinds of details, but here I am.) I also enjoyed the bits where the gods "interfered" by disguising themselves as mortals, simply because it's fun to imagine.

I loved the inclusion of Aubrey as a character (he was my favorite), and the subsequent focus on jazz and the treatment of black soldiers by American and European troops alike during WWI. And I loved Hazel and Collette's friendship. On the other hand, the majority of the book focused on two romances, and things got too sappy for my taste. I also thought the romance slowed down the pacing and made the book longer than it needed to be; fortunately the audiobook was beautifully read, so I powered through. Overall, this was a well-researched and bittersweet look at WWI through the eyes of 4 young adults and the Greek gods who support them.

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lrose02's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.5

I will have to say the last 100 pages of this book flew by as I was determined to know the characters fate. I am definitely happy with the ending. I loved the portrayal of all the gods. Aphrodite was so complex and I can definitely see her reflected in the two main female protagonists. I loved the female friendship between Hazel and Colette. I was slightly underwhelmed when James and Aubrey finally met but I do think the author sums it up in a perfect sentence. Ares is an ick but he is in a perfect position to be a morally grey character in a story cantered around a world war. Hades is treated so respectfully and the deaths are written so beautifully. I love the interaction between Aphrodite and Hades after the train. This book time far too long to finish but once I picked it up again I haven’t put it down. One of the best mythology retellings I’ve ever read and a beautiful romance. All of the POVs felt balanced and the emotional moments really hit home.

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bessadams's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

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