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allie_schick's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Death
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
Moderate: War, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement
lilybear3's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
This is a beautiful immigrants' story of coming to the U.S. and starting a new life. I loved the different perspectives coming from different time periods. I love novels in verse and this one was so unique.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Classism, and Pregnancy
mallorychristine's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual harassment, War, Police brutality, Misogyny, and Medical trauma
cobwebshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
4.5
"This war feels like a virus. No medicine can kill it, only patience, while we wait for the sickness to run its course."
I picked up "Call Me Athena" by chance, intrigued by the cover and the description, and I was absolutely not disappointed. This is a wonderful historical fiction with a dash of coming of age, exploring the struggles of trying to live up to one's origins while adapting to a migrant culture. The audiobook was narrated by Hope Newhouse, Gail Shalan and Ramiz Monsef, whose performances were emotional and enthralling.
The story unravels through three perspectives — Maria, a Greek-French daughter of immigrants living in Detroit, Michigan, during the Great Depression who tries to balance between playing the role of a good Greek girl and wanting to be a rebellious young American woman. By chance, she stumbles upon a bundle of letters that reveal to her stories her parents have kept from her and her siblings since the Great War; Gio, Maria's father, a young man whose tragic circumstances leading to him travelling halfway across the world and back, thrust into a war he doesn't himself understand; and Jeanne, a French girl, admirer of her legendary saintly namesake, Jeanne d'Arc whose paths cross with Gio's at a most unexpected time.
Cedar Smith weaves a beautiful story out of the three perspectives, exploring what it means to abandon your home for the sake of your family, meshing the horrors and pain of war with the youthful hope of the next generation. She does not shy away from describing what it felt like to live through the Great War as a soldier and a nurse, as well as the struggles of poverty during the Great Depression, and delivers some intense gut punches at times. The settings are vibrant, buoyant, full of life; the characters experience highs and lows, "Call me Athena" is charming, at times heartbreaking, and absolutely full of heart, leaving you hopeful for the ending, despite the knowledge of what course history took.
I picked up "Call Me Athena" by chance, intrigued by the cover and the description, and I was absolutely not disappointed. This is a wonderful historical fiction with a dash of coming of age, exploring the struggles of trying to live up to one's origins while adapting to a migrant culture. The audiobook was narrated by Hope Newhouse, Gail Shalan and Ramiz Monsef, whose performances were emotional and enthralling.
The story unravels through three perspectives — Maria, a Greek-French daughter of immigrants living in Detroit, Michigan, during the Great Depression who tries to balance between playing the role of a good Greek girl and wanting to be a rebellious young American woman. By chance, she stumbles upon a bundle of letters that reveal to her stories her parents have kept from her and her siblings since the Great War; Gio, Maria's father, a young man whose tragic circumstances leading to him travelling halfway across the world and back, thrust into a war he doesn't himself understand; and Jeanne, a French girl, admirer of her legendary saintly namesake, Jeanne d'Arc whose paths cross with Gio's at a most unexpected time.
Cedar Smith weaves a beautiful story out of the three perspectives, exploring what it means to abandon your home for the sake of your family, meshing the horrors and pain of war with the youthful hope of the next generation. She does not shy away from describing what it felt like to live through the Great War as a soldier and a nurse, as well as the struggles of poverty during the Great Depression, and delivers some intense gut punches at times. The settings are vibrant, buoyant, full of life; the characters experience highs and lows, "Call me Athena" is charming, at times heartbreaking, and absolutely full of heart, leaving you hopeful for the ending, despite the knowledge of what course history took.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Xenophobia
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Call Me Athena was inspired by the author’s grandmother, Mary, the daughter of French and Greek immigrants. In 1930s Detroit, Mary is fiery, her twin sister is tame—Mary doesn’t want to be a Good Greek Girl. Her story unfolds in bundles of graceful verse, alternating with chapters about each of her parents, from before they came to America. Despite the generational gap, their stories mirror each other, and Colby Cedar Smith includes fascinating endnotes that provide context to historical references—to WWI and the city of Detroit—which are brought to life with the electricity of love at first sight. Mary’s tale is that of a feminist Cinderella.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexism, and Racism
kayla_thebookishmama's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
This novel in verse was absolutely beautiful. The alternating storylines, the heartbreak, she hope, the coming-of-age aspect - it was all so well done! This is an immigrant story, and also the story of a child of immigrants.
The story focuses on Mary, a young Greek girl growing up in Detroit. There are also alternating POVs that take place at an earlier time period, and I enjoyed learning more about these characters and their connections as the story progressed. I really felt for Jeanne by the end, and I don’t think I ever stopped rooting for Mary and the life that she wanted.
More than anything, I loved that Mary held on to her dreams. And the note at the end from the author really helps to explain why this was so important.
This story is one that has such a deeply personal meaning, and it shows on every single page. It’s just outstanding. This is a perfect read if you like YA, historical fiction, or novels in verse. Everyone should read this book.
The story focuses on Mary, a young Greek girl growing up in Detroit. There are also alternating POVs that take place at an earlier time period, and I enjoyed learning more about these characters and their connections as the story progressed. I really felt for Jeanne by the end, and I don’t think I ever stopped rooting for Mary and the life that she wanted.
More than anything, I loved that Mary held on to her dreams. And the note at the end from the author really helps to explain why this was so important.
This story is one that has such a deeply personal meaning, and it shows on every single page. It’s just outstanding. This is a perfect read if you like YA, historical fiction, or novels in verse. Everyone should read this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Blood
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