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rballenger's review against another edition
2.0
Type of read: Commuter Read.
What made me pick it up: I saw this one either on a Goodreads list or suggested to me through my library app and the cover art stood out and the description sounded interesting.
Overall rating: A less focused, more wordy Hunger Games/Percy Jackson mash-up. I wish Bracken would have edited themselves a bit with 'Lore.' I feel like it could have been a really good read. Instead, you're left with a lengthy, complicated mishmash of mythology meets teenage adventure.
There are weird pockets of dialogue or backstory in the book that just feel unnatural - and I'm not saying that because the characters are unnatural beings. It's clear that Bracken incorporated things they were passionate about within their characters, ex. causes and values; however, they come off too forced and unnatural. Additionally, one of my biggest pet peeves in books is when the author overcomplicates and overexplains with their writing. For example, "turned on the flashlight on their phone app." Sentences like this make me cringe. I don't care if it's an app or built into the phone, that has no need or merit in how they are going to be able to see in this super suspenseful scene you're trying to build.
I didn't hate 'Lore.' It's interesting content and characters. I just felt like I'd read it before...but better.
What made me pick it up: I saw this one either on a Goodreads list or suggested to me through my library app and the cover art stood out and the description sounded interesting.
Overall rating: A less focused, more wordy Hunger Games/Percy Jackson mash-up. I wish Bracken would have edited themselves a bit with 'Lore.' I feel like it could have been a really good read. Instead, you're left with a lengthy, complicated mishmash of mythology meets teenage adventure.
There are weird pockets of dialogue or backstory in the book that just feel unnatural - and I'm not saying that because the characters are unnatural beings. It's clear that Bracken incorporated things they were passionate about within their characters, ex. causes and values; however, they come off too forced and unnatural. Additionally, one of my biggest pet peeves in books is when the author overcomplicates and overexplains with their writing. For example, "turned on the flashlight on their phone app." Sentences like this make me cringe. I don't care if it's an app or built into the phone, that has no need or merit in how they are going to be able to see in this super suspenseful scene you're trying to build.
I didn't hate 'Lore.' It's interesting content and characters. I just felt like I'd read it before...but better.
madame_medusa's review
4.0
I really liked it! The use of Greek Mythology, the friendships, the world, the enemies, the romance...
I enjoyed every moment of this book.
Edited: So, now that I've had time away from it, I've realised there are two things I'm pretty bothered about. The ending for me just fell flat and made the journey feel unrewarding, and the fact we didn't get a confrontation with Zeus... This God had so much to answer for! Don't get me wrong, it was very sweet but it felt like the ending for a different story.
I enjoyed every moment of this book.
Edited: So, now that I've had time away from it, I've realised there are two things I'm pretty bothered about. The ending for me just fell flat and made the journey feel unrewarding, and the fact we didn't get a confrontation with Zeus... This God had so much to answer for! Don't get me wrong, it was very sweet but it felt like the ending for a different story.
curlyc90's review
3.0
I’ve seen it said many times: Greek Mythology meets Hunger Games. I can agree with this all while separating the two.
Honestly I don’t know how to feel about this book. I turned the last page and felt like something was missing. Loose ends? Maybe. I liked the characters well enough but I didn’t love them. There’s a slow build up to a romance that takes a back seat. I didn’t mind this. There’s brutality, there’s vengeance, there’s pain and suffering. Sacrifice. And still I felt like something was missing. I felt overloaded with information that made me confused at times. I had to keep rereading parts to understand where I was. Lack of attention possibly on my part. But I found myself easily getting distracted and my mind wandering.
Did I like it: Yes
Did I love it: No
Do I recommend: Yes, because not everyone shares this opinion.
⚡️3.5/5
Honestly I don’t know how to feel about this book. I turned the last page and felt like something was missing. Loose ends? Maybe. I liked the characters well enough but I didn’t love them. There’s a slow build up to a romance that takes a back seat. I didn’t mind this. There’s brutality, there’s vengeance, there’s pain and suffering. Sacrifice. And still I felt like something was missing. I felt overloaded with information that made me confused at times. I had to keep rereading parts to understand where I was. Lack of attention possibly on my part. But I found myself easily getting distracted and my mind wandering.
Did I like it: Yes
Did I love it: No
Do I recommend: Yes, because not everyone shares this opinion.
⚡️3.5/5
literaryleftie's review
4.0
I really like this book. Took me so long to read because this week was a tiring one, but had the timing been right, I would've read this straight through.
cdmue's review
5.0
Lore was an unexpected success read for me. The hunger games like war, but with the mythology mixed in just hit right. I will admit the flashback chapters annoyed me a bit at first but as we advanced in the story they were defiantly a good choice by the author. The betrayal in the story was one I did not see coming because the author set everything up correctly. The ending hit right and made this a great one-shot novel.
mkmusicmaniac's review
adventurous
fast-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
3.5
Takes the fun out of a fast paced book to keep having to check names and people but Lore is a BA. Book club April ‘24
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Grief, Sexism, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Violence, Child death, Cancer, and Blood
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
DNf
I heard so many great things about this book. I love Greek mythology as it is, so I decided to give it a read. For me the book was very hard to follow and I had to idea what was going on. People had described the book as the hunger games meets Percy Jackson but I personally didn't see it. Reasons unknown I thought it was going to be similar to Lovely War by Julie Berry. I had gotten around forty pages in when I decided that it was too hard to follow and I should give up on trying.
I heard so many great things about this book. I love Greek mythology as it is, so I decided to give it a read. For me the book was very hard to follow and I had to idea what was going on. People had described the book as the hunger games meets Percy Jackson but I personally didn't see it. Reasons unknown I thought it was going to be similar to Lovely War by Julie Berry. I had gotten around forty pages in when I decided that it was too hard to follow and I should give up on trying.
jessmoon96's review
4.0
I absolutely loved this book. As a long time Greek mythology lover this story put a fun twist on the legends I've come to love. Athena has always been my favourite and this just solidified how uniquely morally grey these Gods can be. This was everything I hoped it could be in a one off story.