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readwithria's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Lore was not what I wanted it to be, but that’s not the book’s fault.
I love a mythology retelling or reimagining, and that’s what I thought Lore would be. Instead, it was a giant game of hide and seek with a couple of Greek gods and multiple McGuffins. This was more of a thriller through a filter of mythology instead of what I was hoping it would be.
I think that part of the problem was the pacing. I found the first ~60-70% to be kinda boring. Once we got to the climax it definitely became more interesting, but unfortunately there wasn’t enough time given to the resolution for that climax to feel impactful. Part of that is because this book takes place over seven days, and that’s not very long, but there’s a lot of exposition and expository monologues.
Another issue I had was with the romance subplot. I did not feel any chemistry between the two love interests until the very end of the book. The pining between two secondary characters was more compelling for me. Honestly, Miles and Van are the two most interesting characters and we don’t spend nearly enough time getting to know them.
All in all, this book was fine. It did what it set out to do, I’m just not convinced that what it set out to do was particularly interesting. 3.5 stars.
I love a mythology retelling or reimagining, and that’s what I thought Lore would be. Instead, it was a giant game of hide and seek with a couple of Greek gods and multiple McGuffins. This was more of a thriller through a filter of mythology instead of what I was hoping it would be.
I think that part of the problem was the pacing. I found the first ~60-70% to be kinda boring. Once we got to the climax it definitely became more interesting, but unfortunately there wasn’t enough time given to the resolution for that climax to feel impactful. Part of that is because this book takes place over seven days, and that’s not very long, but there’s a lot of exposition and expository monologues.
Another issue I had was with the romance subplot. I did not feel any chemistry between the two love interests until the very end of the book. The pining between two secondary characters was more compelling for me. Honestly, Miles and Van are the two most interesting characters and we don’t spend nearly enough time getting to know them.
All in all, this book was fine. It did what it set out to do, I’m just not convinced that what it set out to do was particularly interesting. 3.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping, War, and Sexual violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
wadebittleston's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
annaparente's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Several years ago, I read The Darkest Minds, and if I’m being honest, I didn’t love it. The premise was great, and I recently flipped through the beginning of the first book, finding that, while it’s compelling, it ultimately falls short. The characters didn’t feel much like real people, and I couldn’t bring myself to care about them. Similarly, I felt the book would have been much more enjoyable to read had it been written in third person rather than first.
Consequently, I was hesitant to buy Lore, knowing I wasn’t a huge fan of Alexandra Bracken’s writing. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised. Lore is everything The Darkest Minds wasn’t. It’s quick-paced, compelling, and well thought-out. The relationships between the characters are much more nuanced, and the characters have complex backgrounds that really play into the plot and their own character development. The third person perspective was a perfect fit for the narrative.
I would recommend Lore, while I would not recommend The Darkest Minds. Regardless, it wasn’t a perfect book. Here are a few of my critiques:
- Miles was so sidelined. He played a pretty significant role in the first third-ish of the book, but after that he just disappeared — literally. I’m pretty sure there’s a whole hundred pages where he isn’t even mentioned. He started out as such a great character and then just devolved into the token mortal: the only character who was wholly tied to the real world.
- The foreshadowing felt really weak. I can’t fully describe it, but it either wasn’t suspenseful enough, or I guessed what would happen before it did.
- Pacing-wise this book falls into the same trap as The Darkest Minds. It’s the same medium pace throughout the book, not picking up when it should. Especially in the end of the book, I thought the punches could have been pulled faster, just one surprise after another. Instead, there was too much empty space between plot points. 30 pages could have been cut.
- It definitely had something to do with the pacing, but the ending left something to be desired.
What I loved and would totally recommend about the book:
- The third person perspective works very well.
- Lore and Cas are the most fleshed out characters in the book, and I adored all the flashbacks with them together. Their friends-to-lovers arc was so predictable but also so wonderful, and I loved following the complexities of their relationship throughout the book.
- Lore’s own battle with her internal conflict was wonderful. The balance between destiny and choice, and grappling with wrong choices made in the past… It was all handled very well. I really appreciated the discussion of sexism in ancient Greek culture/mythology as well. Thematically, a great novel.
- THIS BOOK IS BASICALLY PERCY JACKSON FOR OLDER TEENS. I know you could probably say that about any mythology-based book, but seriously. The amount of research that went into this book to make it mythologically accurate, the setting (NYC!), and the constant action — it was giving off strong Percy vibes for sure.
Overall, this was a very fun read. It definitely seemed like it was trying a little too hard to be something it wasn’t, but I sped through it pretty quickly and I had a good time. It wasn’t perfect, but I wouldn’t not recommend it, you know? Percy Jackson and fantasy fans will enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny
pagesbycaroline's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Gore, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death
Minor: Gore and Pedophilia
sophie1_xox's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Blood, Sexism, Rape, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gore, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Murder, and Sexual violence
withlivjones's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
I was originally daunted to start this book considering how long it is, but let me tell you I could not put it down! A thrilling storyline, compelling characters, and so many twists that I had no clue what to expect next!
I think that Lore is a wonderfully developed protagonist with a lot of flaws but who nevertheless manages to be very likeable through her love of New York and her attachment to those she loves. Miles is your typical quirky best friend and I love the fact that his knowledge of the mortal realm helps massively within the plot. I also loved witnessing the development of his relationship with Van, and I would honestly jump at reading the exact same book again but told from either of their POVs. Aristos Kadmou - or Wrath - is an absolutely terrifying villain that exemplifies what happens when you give power to the wrong kind of person. The one character I didn’t really connect with was Castor, his characterisation was a little inconsistent for me and by the end he kind of came across as a golden retriever boy with no flaws to use as a character arc. That said, I still really enjoyed the romance between him and Lore.
The plot twists are really what gives this book its oomph. They just keep coming and each one hit me like a truck, but at the same time they’re done in a clever way and actually serve a purpose rather than just being there for shock factor. The unreliable nature of Lore’s POV and how information is revealed very slowly adds to the fact that you honestly can’t fully trust any of the characters, not even the protagonist.
For such a thrilling storyline, the ending felt a little underwhelming for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the action of the final fight scene, but everything seemed to move very quickly after that with the rest of the Agon being resolved “offscreen” as it were, and there are a few loose ends that are left, or that were tied up too conveniently. Who was Van’s source within the Kadmides? Why do the rest of the Kadmides suddenly decide to truce with the hunters they had been fighting with so eagerly, even with the suspicion that they had been betrayed? Could they really be so ready to abandon their leader and his cause? And how do the final lines of the poem fit with what actually happens to end the Agon? Considering how much detail is included in the rest of the book, I would have loved a little more elaboration at the end.
Overall, this is an action-packed book for mythology-lovers. I don’t know if I’d call it YA, and I think it might be better suited to older teenagers due to certain content in the story, as well as the complexity of the worldbuilding and how deeply it dives into Greek mythology - prior knowledge of a fair amount of mythology is definitely recommended in order to understand all the references and discussions.
I think that Lore is a wonderfully developed protagonist with a lot of flaws but who nevertheless manages to be very likeable through her love of New York and her attachment to those she loves. Miles is your typical quirky best friend and I love the fact that his knowledge of the mortal realm helps massively within the plot. I also loved witnessing the development of his relationship with Van, and I would honestly jump at reading the exact same book again but told from either of their POVs. Aristos Kadmou - or Wrath - is an absolutely terrifying villain that exemplifies what happens when you give power to the wrong kind of person. The one character I didn’t really connect with was Castor, his characterisation was a little inconsistent for me and by the end he kind of came across as a golden retriever boy with no flaws to use as a character arc. That said, I still really enjoyed the romance between him and Lore.
The plot twists are really what gives this book its oomph. They just keep coming and each one hit me like a truck, but at the same time they’re done in a clever way and actually serve a purpose rather than just being there for shock factor. The unreliable nature of Lore’s POV and how information is revealed very slowly adds to the fact that you honestly can’t fully trust any of the characters, not even the protagonist.
Overall, this is an action-packed book for mythology-lovers. I don’t know if I’d call it YA, and I think it might be better suited to older teenagers due to certain content in the story, as well as the complexity of the worldbuilding and how deeply it dives into Greek mythology - prior knowledge of a fair amount of mythology is definitely recommended in order to understand all the references and discussions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, and Cursing
Minor: Alcohol and Gun violence
blissofalife's review
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
4.0
Bracken does a wonderful job weaving a new story out of Greek mythology and explaining background while not treating the reader like someone completely unfamiliar with the tales. No loose ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Classism, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Rape, Child death, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, and War
Minor: Vomit, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Cursing, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Cancer
daniisrevding's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Rape, Misogyny, Vomit, Murder, and Cancer
remuslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, and Sexism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Cancer
camiclarkbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I’ve had Alexandra Bracken’s “Lore” on my TBR for years before I finally sat down to read it. I should have just kept it on the shelf…
The plot of “Lore” was amazing, with Greek gods being forced to walk the earth as mortals every seven years, as punishment for their past rebellion. During this time, descendants from Ancient Greek bloodlines hunt the gods in hopes of killing them and seizing their divine power and immortality.
Lore Perseous escaped that life several years following her family’s brutal murder by a rival bloodline. As the new Agon begins, Lore finds herself pulled back into that world by the reappearance of an old friend believed to be dead and Athena, one of the last original Olympians. Lore agrees to an alliance with the goddess in exchange for revenge, but will it be enough to temper the rise of a new god with enough power to crush humanity?
As a former Percy Jackson kid, I thought that “Lore” was going to be my new favorite book. It has been my most disappointing read of 2023 (as of April). The pacing of the book was off and none of the characters were particularly interesting once we began to scratch the surface.
Our narrator, the titular Lore, had many secrets—typical of a YA fantasy heroine—but it was not until the last few chapters that the reader learns what she’s been hiding all those years. Her secret was not shocking and was the blandest secret a main character can have in a fantasy novel but that didn’t stop Lore from constantly reminding the reader that she had a dark secret. It would have been more compelling if Lore had revealed to the reader earlier in the book and was only trying to keep it from the other characters.
“Lore” was particularly disappointing to me since I had just finished an ARC of Alexandra Bracken’s newest book, “Silver in the Bone,” and found the characters likable and the plot engaging—with a twist that I did NOT see coming. After finishing that, I wanted to check out more of Bracken’s work and assumed “Lore” would be a home run.
The good news is that Bracken has improved as a writer between “Lore” and “Silver in the Bone.” The bad news is that I spent way too long on “Lore,” convinced that it would turn around if I was patient enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Misogyny, Bullying, Cursing, and Terminal illness