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slagathor's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Misogyny
emma7stirling's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I guess my biggest thing is that half way through, I started to realize I was loving the book just because it had Greek mythology in it. Everything else was interesting, but not always quite keeping me engaged.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Chronic illness
lyderz_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“If there were once heroes, they are all gone now. Only the monsters remain.”
Lore is about a brutal tournament set in modern day New York, where every seven years the gods are cast down into mortal vessels and hunted by the descendants of mythic heroes. If a god dies by the hand of a hunter, that hunter gains godly powers but also has to take the old god’s place in the tournament. God, imposter, hunter, messenger, unblooded: they may be pitted against each other but all of them are really fighting to break a cycle of pain and owning up to the fact that they can’t blame the Fates for their own choices and mistakes.
As you can imagine this book is bloody, action packed, and infused with Greek Mythology every step of the way. It tackles a loss of morality in the midst of a ruthless struggle for power, glory, revenge, and survival. It felt very dark and mature for YA, Alexandra Bracken doesn’t hold back on traumatic situations and backstories. There’s this feeling of almost constant disillusionment, there are small betrayals sewn throughout the narrative, and a couple of big ones too. These characters seriously couldn’t catch a break and there were so many mini cliffhangers at the end of most of the chapters that kept the pages turning.
I had super high expectations for this book because I absolutely love The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken. I also really enjoy books inspired by mythology so I was excited going into this. I don’t want to say that it let me down, because I did enjoy it, but there were a few reasons why this book wasn’t quite a five star read for me. Firstly, this book is so full of action and yet it still managed to drag on. It also felt repetitive at parts, especially in Lore’s inner monologue. And let’s talk about Lore.. I understand that this is her epic, and it all amounts to a beautiful journey in the end.. but she frustrated me and I felt emotionally disconnected from her for most of the book. Maybe that just means that I’m heartless, because she goes through some pretty horrific things, but I didn’t really feel for her until the latter half. Also, I wish this book had multiple POVs because a lot happens “off screen” and I adore the side characters!! I wanted to get inside their head and dive deeper into their layers, because we only get to glimpse their complexities. Okay, enough of the negative stuff, let's get back to the important stuff… that being: the romance.
I absolutely loved the subtle romance in this book, which I wasn’t expecting. It’s pretty much a slow burn childhood best friends to lovers, it is so pure, sweet and tender on the surface with a hint of angst and heartache. I’m all for that kind of morally grey, emotionally inhibited, bad boy type that is so typical in YA but it was so refreshing that this book broke away from that trope and gave us a love interest that is just so fundamentally good. He’s pure hearted, sweet, tender, self-conscious, and a healer right to his core (while still being super powerful… and hot). I’m not saying he single handedly made me believe in love, but it’s a possibility. Also, we get to glimpse a super sweet side romance as well!
Lastly, this book had reluctant allies teaming up out of necessity… which is literally the perfect recipe for a chaotic found family. I’m a sucker for found family so that alone was enough to keep me invested in this story, I just wish there was a bit more character depth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Vomit
loreabad6's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
deedireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Lore was an imperfect book, but it was definitely a fun read with an exciting story.
For you if: You like fantasy based on Greek mythology.
FULL REVIEW:
TL;DR REVIEW:
Lore was an imperfect book, but it was definitely a fun read with an exciting story.
For you if: You like fantasy based on Greek mythology.
FULL REVIEW:
“A person alone could be controlled, but a person loved by others would always be under their protection.”
As soon as I heard about Lore — new modern-day Greek mythology fantasy set in NYC, yes PLEASE — I was in. Now, having read it, my feelings about it are sort of a paradox. Because while I did think the execution was a bit clumsy, I definitely did enjoy it, and I thought the story was fun and exciting and creative.
Hundreds of years ago, Zeus punished his children by condemning them to the Agon — seven days that happen every seven years in which they become mortal and anyone who kills them inherits their power. Lore is the last surviving member of one of the great families descended from the Greek gods, and the last thing she wants is to get swept up in this cycle’s hunt. But as you can imagine, fate has different ideas.
What didn’t work for me: I thought that the world-building in the beginning could have been cleaner. Having read a lot of fantasy books, even I spotted opportunities where they could have reminded us who a person was or what a thing meant in order to help us follow along. Similarly, I found myself sort of lost during the final confrontation of the book, struggling to follow the logic of the revelations and discoveries that brought all the pieces of the puzzle together. There were also just some clumsy moments with word choices now and then, but enough to be noticeable.
What I did like: The story itself; the unique and creative world she built; the characters we can’t help but root for; and the dueling themes of freedom and destiny, history and perception; heritage and individuality; feminism and tradition.
Bottom line: If you’ve got experience following along with world-building and fantasy plots, and especially if you love fantasy based on Greek mythology, this will be fun to pick up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse and Terminal illness
emblazedwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault
hoshi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Child death
thebookwormadventures's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Cancer, Rape, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
rosienreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Every seven years, the gods become mortal for seven days as a punishment from Zeus in what is known as the agon. During that time, any mortal who kills them will gain their power and ascend to god-hood. Only a number of families, descendants of heroes, participate. Lore is the last of her line, descendant of Perseus, and has escaped from that life for years. That is, until an injured Athena shows up on her doorstep asking for help.
The author, Alexandra Bracken, has Greek heritage and this really comes through in her depiction of the families and Greek mythology. From the legends to the families to the themes explored, it is believable and well thought through. Even though it was hard to keep track of the various families, their society felt real and I found myself intrigued by the rules they lived by and how they survived over the years. I also enjoyed how feminism was explored, particularly in relation to the old myths and legends where it was the men who became heroes and favoured of the gods not women, something which fed through into the families in this book even in modern day.
I really enjoyed Lore as the book’s protagonist, particularly her desire to escape the agon at war with her desire for revenge and love of the fight. She is perfectly balanced by the group of friends that join the fight both to survive, but also to defeat the new Ares and bring an end to the agon. Miles is really the heart of the book and his loyalty and determination to help Lore despite being new to her world was just a delight to read. I do wish we got to see more of Iro, but all the other characters, even those absent ones came across strongly. Athena was my favourite though – I loved how other-worldly she felt, and how her morality, stories and goals were handled.
In terms of structure, the pacing was pretty consistent throughout, and I really enjoyed the twists we got as loyalties were tested and reveals happened. I did find it took a while to get used to the world in question, but the flashbacks helped add a lot of needed context while also fleshing out the other characters. There were some incredibly dark themes – the use of the Brazen Bull on two children (not shown in any detail) was particularly disturbing, but these were broken up by some well-placed light-hearted moments or a touch of humour.
I do love Greek mythology and so I was incredibly excited to pick this up. It lived up to expectations and I know I would love to see more of this world, or at least the characters and gods, even if this was only a standalone. Writing this review now, I am tempted it again, but I think I’ll hold off on that a bit longer.
The author, Alexandra Bracken, has Greek heritage and this really comes through in her depiction of the families and Greek mythology. From the legends to the families to the themes explored, it is believable and well thought through. Even though it was hard to keep track of the various families, their society felt real and I found myself intrigued by the rules they lived by and how they survived over the years. I also enjoyed how feminism was explored, particularly in relation to the old myths and legends where it was the men who became heroes and favoured of the gods not women, something which fed through into the families in this book even in modern day.
I really enjoyed Lore as the book’s protagonist, particularly her desire to escape the agon at war with her desire for revenge and love of the fight. She is perfectly balanced by the group of friends that join the fight both to survive, but also to defeat the new Ares and bring an end to the agon. Miles is really the heart of the book and his loyalty and determination to help Lore despite being new to her world was just a delight to read. I do wish we got to see more of Iro, but all the other characters, even those absent ones came across strongly. Athena was my favourite though – I loved how other-worldly she felt, and how her morality, stories and goals were handled.
In terms of structure, the pacing was pretty consistent throughout, and I really enjoyed the twists we got as loyalties were tested and reveals happened. I did find it took a while to get used to the world in question, but the flashbacks helped add a lot of needed context while also fleshing out the other characters. There were some incredibly dark themes – the use of the Brazen Bull on two children (not shown in any detail) was particularly disturbing, but these were broken up by some well-placed light-hearted moments or a touch of humour.
I do love Greek mythology and so I was incredibly excited to pick this up. It lived up to expectations and I know I would love to see more of this world, or at least the characters and gods, even if this was only a standalone. Writing this review now, I am tempted it again, but I think I’ll hold off on that a bit longer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Pedophilia
baechael's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was able to get a physical copy of this book through my job as a bookseller, though I am very grateful to Edelweiss and Netgalley for giving me access to the ebook version of it as well. That being said, all opinions are my own and I was not paid for this review.
If you must know anything about me it is that one of my absolute favorite fantasy sub-genres is “based on mythology” fantasy. It would be hard to find a mythology-based fantasy book that I didn’t enjoy. So with that being said, I absolutely loved Lore!! (Which I pronounced Lor-ay, I don’t know if that’s the way the author intended it to be pronounced but I figured it would be close enough to the Greek pronunciation to be correct.)
In it we follow Lore, who (after the brutal murder of her family) is the last living in the ancient line of the Perseides and is determined to stay out of the Agon, a week-long fight every seven years to kill and gain the powers of nine ancient Greek gods. Unfortunately, she finds a wounded Athena on her doorstep and is very quickly brought back into the game she tried to stay away from. Not only that, but her childhood best friend is now a god and a new Ares wants something from her.
I completely flew through this book! I loved the modern take on the Greek gods, and it was refreshing (though gruesome) to see the brutality of the ancient gods in a modern setting. I feel like the natures of ancient gods get watered down in modern retellings and it added just a bit more bite to see their more dangerous personalities. The ones where they don’t care about humans because they themselves don’t actually have any humanity. The Agon was an interesting setting and since I’ve read quite a few books set in New York City it added a little bit of *spice* and a new lens to view the city. The themes of friendship and family were really heartwarming, especially because this book is much more grisly than you may think. There are also some really sweet background romances going on which I absolutely loved! (I may have squealed a couple times.)
If you were, or still are, a fan of Percy Jackson or The Hunger Games but want something a little more grown-up I would definitely check this book out. Fans of Madeline Miller would find this a fun read as well.
If you must know anything about me it is that one of my absolute favorite fantasy sub-genres is “based on mythology” fantasy. It would be hard to find a mythology-based fantasy book that I didn’t enjoy. So with that being said, I absolutely loved Lore!! (Which I pronounced Lor-ay, I don’t know if that’s the way the author intended it to be pronounced but I figured it would be close enough to the Greek pronunciation to be correct.)
In it we follow Lore, who (after the brutal murder of her family) is the last living in the ancient line of the Perseides and is determined to stay out of the Agon, a week-long fight every seven years to kill and gain the powers of nine ancient Greek gods. Unfortunately, she finds a wounded Athena on her doorstep and is very quickly brought back into the game she tried to stay away from. Not only that, but her childhood best friend is now a god and a new Ares wants something from her.
I completely flew through this book! I loved the modern take on the Greek gods, and it was refreshing (though gruesome) to see the brutality of the ancient gods in a modern setting. I feel like the natures of ancient gods get watered down in modern retellings and it added just a bit more bite to see their more dangerous personalities. The ones where they don’t care about humans because they themselves don’t actually have any humanity. The Agon was an interesting setting and since I’ve read quite a few books set in New York City it added a little bit of *spice* and a new lens to view the city. The themes of friendship and family were really heartwarming, especially because this book is much more grisly than you may think. There are also some really sweet background romances going on which I absolutely loved! (I may have squealed a couple times.)
If you were, or still are, a fan of Percy Jackson or The Hunger Games but want something a little more grown-up I would definitely check this book out. Fans of Madeline Miller would find this a fun read as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Gore, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Sexual assault
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