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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Kate Winters has spent the last few years of 18-year-old life caring for her dying mother. As her mother passes into the terminal stage of cancer, she asks Kate to move them both from New York City to Eden, Michigan, the town where she grew up, so she can spend the last few months of her life back at home. As Kate enters the local high school and meets outcast James and popular girl Ava, she feels more out of place than ever, thinking of how trivial high school is compared to the life and death situation she’s dealing with at home.
When Ava’s jealousy of Kate gets the better of her, she tries to prank the new girl, and things go horribly awry. Henry, a gorgeous mysterious stranger, shows up in the middle of the action and tells Kate that he will help her out if she agrees to do him a favor and tells her to look at the ancient story of Persephone for guidance (please excuse the vagueness, I’m just trying to avoid spoilers!). When Henry shows up on Kate’s doorstep a few days later and asks her to spend 6 months a year with him for the rest of her life in his sprawling mansion, Kate is flabbergasted and has no idea what to think.
Claiming he is the Greek god Hades and is in need of a new wife to help him rule the underworld, Henry certainly sounds crazy. With her beloved mother dying, though, Kate is willing to do anything to prolong the life of the only family she has and agrees to join Henry and go through the series of tests his family has designed to determine whether she is worthy of being his wife. Upon her arrival at his mansion, however, Kate realizes that her new life is going to be complicated by more than just tests, as it is revealed that each of the women who Henry tried to take as a wife before were mysteriously murdered in cold blood.
Part mystery, part romance, and part action-packed thriller, this book was an interesting mix of genres. The ending had a bit too many plot twists for me to feel completely satisfied with its conclusion, but it was an interesting enough read. One thing that kind of irked me was the pacing of the book; it felt like Kate was preparing for her tests and then the book ended; the “tests” weren’t explained until the conclusion, which was kind of awkward. Kate was also a bit of a drama queen (which is something that really irks me about YA fiction: a lot of times the authors think that the only difference between a YA heroine and an adult heroine are the hormones, and a YA character must be filled with uncontrollable fits that make her lash out and freak out about the most minor of things; last I checked, being a teenager consists of a lot more than just hormones), and I was also kind of skeeved out by her relationship with Henry. She was supposed to be taking these tests to be his wife, but she’s in HIGH SCHOOL and he’s thousands of years old - ew. A lot of Greek mythology buffs had problems with the book because Aimee Carter didn’t do a ton of research before she began writing The Goddess Test. I can’t say it really bothered me, as someone whose only knowledge of Greek mythology comes from Disney’s “Hercules.”
Altogether, this wasn’t a bad read. It’s definitely not a great favorite of mine, but I enjoyed myself while reading it. This is the first book in a series, and I felt like the conclusion was fulfilling enough that I have no need to read the rest in the series; it ended in a good place. The Goddess Test is not a huge time commitment, and it has an interesting premise. I think The Goddess Test would be an thrilling read for any YA lover.
When Ava’s jealousy of Kate gets the better of her, she tries to prank the new girl, and things go horribly awry. Henry, a gorgeous mysterious stranger, shows up in the middle of the action and tells Kate that he will help her out if she agrees to do him a favor and tells her to look at the ancient story of Persephone for guidance (please excuse the vagueness, I’m just trying to avoid spoilers!). When Henry shows up on Kate’s doorstep a few days later and asks her to spend 6 months a year with him for the rest of her life in his sprawling mansion, Kate is flabbergasted and has no idea what to think.
Claiming he is the Greek god Hades and is in need of a new wife to help him rule the underworld, Henry certainly sounds crazy. With her beloved mother dying, though, Kate is willing to do anything to prolong the life of the only family she has and agrees to join Henry and go through the series of tests his family has designed to determine whether she is worthy of being his wife. Upon her arrival at his mansion, however, Kate realizes that her new life is going to be complicated by more than just tests, as it is revealed that each of the women who Henry tried to take as a wife before were mysteriously murdered in cold blood.
Part mystery, part romance, and part action-packed thriller, this book was an interesting mix of genres. The ending had a bit too many plot twists for me to feel completely satisfied with its conclusion, but it was an interesting enough read. One thing that kind of irked me was the pacing of the book; it felt like Kate was preparing for her tests and then the book ended; the “tests” weren’t explained until the conclusion, which was kind of awkward. Kate was also a bit of a drama queen (which is something that really irks me about YA fiction: a lot of times the authors think that the only difference between a YA heroine and an adult heroine are the hormones, and a YA character must be filled with uncontrollable fits that make her lash out and freak out about the most minor of things; last I checked, being a teenager consists of a lot more than just hormones), and I was also kind of skeeved out by her relationship with Henry. She was supposed to be taking these tests to be his wife, but she’s in HIGH SCHOOL and he’s thousands of years old - ew. A lot of Greek mythology buffs had problems with the book because Aimee Carter didn’t do a ton of research before she began writing The Goddess Test. I can’t say it really bothered me, as someone whose only knowledge of Greek mythology comes from Disney’s “Hercules.”
Altogether, this wasn’t a bad read. It’s definitely not a great favorite of mine, but I enjoyed myself while reading it. This is the first book in a series, and I felt like the conclusion was fulfilling enough that I have no need to read the rest in the series; it ended in a good place. The Goddess Test is not a huge time commitment, and it has an interesting premise. I think The Goddess Test would be an thrilling read for any YA lover.
i wanted to love this book so much. i couldn't wait to fall in love with it then pass it on to my tween who devours Greek mythology and YA fantasy novels voraciously. alas, when i finally reached the end of this tragedy of a book, i found myself wanting back the hours i spent reading something that should have never been published in the first place.
first of all, the book is titled The Goddess Test. without looking at the plot summary, already, you have the expectation that this book is going to be about THE TEST given to the heroine for her to become or be proven a goddess. Aimee Carter might as well have titled it, The Goddess Test That Never Was.
all the tests were given to the heroine without her knowledge of it happening. she was kept in the dark and so were we as readers. the tests were revealed in the end and we find out that they were all NON-EVENTS. to call them TESTS is really a laughable matter.
Aimee Carter, if you were going to keep the tests a mystery, at least, you could have given us several events and kept us guessing whether that was a test or not.
second, i just couldn't wrap my head around the relationship progression in this book. there were no build-ups, no emotional investments, no bonding moments between the main characters. put aside the fact that it was ALL A SETUP, i don't see how Kate could consider James and Ava as her best friends days into just meeting them. yes, James was kind to her but so is my doorman to me but i don't see myself traveling to Greece with him anytime soon.
Ava was mean to her (and yes, it was ALL A SETUP) so I don't even know how Kate could call her a best friend and be happy and all huggy as Ava walked through those gates. yes, Kate could've forgiven Ava but it takes years (or at least, an emotional connection) for a friendship to flourish.
and then... there was Henry. oh boy. i'm sorry. if i was ruler of the underworld, i would have chosen a much better "human" name for myself. henry cannot be the ruler of the underworld. henry is the kid you go to when you want to ask what is was like living as a butler in the 1800's. henry as hades is one big "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
how does one fall in love with hades? oh right, turn him into a distant, cold, brooding virgin!
look, one does not write with Greek mythology as material and just change the rules to suit your story.
which brings me to my third bone to pick... mixing Greek mythology with Christian beliefs. no. no. no.
the tests that never were... The Seven Deadly Sins. ha! what do the Greek gods care about these sins? ms. carter, the seven deadly sins were in the Greek gods TO-DO LIST, fyi.
see how you shouldn't change the rules?
how ironic that Zeus (who adopts the name Walter, apparently another butler from the 1800's) failed Kate in the LUST test... i could see Zeus failing Kate for only sleeping with only one person and that it was even under the influence. i could even see Zeus seducing Kate and fails her if she refuses him 'coz, hello, he's THE god and he can do whatever the tartarus he wants. Zeus would just NOT fail anyone for being less than virtuous. again, why would he care?!
oh, and by the way, starving yourself is not the opposite of gluttony. for Henry (LMAO) to suddenly barge into Kate's room and yell at her to "STOP EATING!" was THE MOST incredulous thing that I have ever read! Dionysus was probably laughing his a$$ off!
look, my twelve-year-old wouldn't even write this crap. shame on the editor, shame on the publisher, and shame on the people who encouraged others to read this drivel. it's an insult to my tween to have some people call this Greek mythology: The Tween version. she has read Edith Hamilton! can you say the same thing for yourself, Aimee Carter?
first of all, the book is titled The Goddess Test. without looking at the plot summary, already, you have the expectation that this book is going to be about THE TEST given to the heroine for her to become or be proven a goddess. Aimee Carter might as well have titled it, The Goddess Test That Never Was.
all the tests were given to the heroine without her knowledge of it happening. she was kept in the dark and so were we as readers. the tests were revealed in the end and we find out that they were all NON-EVENTS. to call them TESTS is really a laughable matter.
Aimee Carter, if you were going to keep the tests a mystery, at least, you could have given us several events and kept us guessing whether that was a test or not.
second, i just couldn't wrap my head around the relationship progression in this book. there were no build-ups, no emotional investments, no bonding moments between the main characters. put aside the fact that it was ALL A SETUP, i don't see how Kate could consider James and Ava as her best friends days into just meeting them. yes, James was kind to her but so is my doorman to me but i don't see myself traveling to Greece with him anytime soon.
Ava was mean to her (and yes, it was ALL A SETUP) so I don't even know how Kate could call her a best friend and be happy and all huggy as Ava walked through those gates. yes, Kate could've forgiven Ava but it takes years (or at least, an emotional connection) for a friendship to flourish.
and then... there was Henry. oh boy. i'm sorry. if i was ruler of the underworld, i would have chosen a much better "human" name for myself. henry cannot be the ruler of the underworld. henry is the kid you go to when you want to ask what is was like living as a butler in the 1800's. henry as hades is one big "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
how does one fall in love with hades? oh right, turn him into a distant, cold, brooding virgin!
look, one does not write with Greek mythology as material and just change the rules to suit your story.
which brings me to my third bone to pick... mixing Greek mythology with Christian beliefs. no. no. no.
the tests that never were... The Seven Deadly Sins. ha! what do the Greek gods care about these sins? ms. carter, the seven deadly sins were in the Greek gods TO-DO LIST, fyi.
see how you shouldn't change the rules?
how ironic that Zeus (who adopts the name Walter, apparently another butler from the 1800's) failed Kate in the LUST test... i could see Zeus failing Kate for only sleeping with only one person and that it was even under the influence. i could even see Zeus seducing Kate and fails her if she refuses him 'coz, hello, he's THE god and he can do whatever the tartarus he wants. Zeus would just NOT fail anyone for being less than virtuous. again, why would he care?!
oh, and by the way, starving yourself is not the opposite of gluttony. for Henry (LMAO) to suddenly barge into Kate's room and yell at her to "STOP EATING!" was THE MOST incredulous thing that I have ever read! Dionysus was probably laughing his a$$ off!
look, my twelve-year-old wouldn't even write this crap. shame on the editor, shame on the publisher, and shame on the people who encouraged others to read this drivel. it's an insult to my tween to have some people call this Greek mythology: The Tween version. she has read Edith Hamilton! can you say the same thing for yourself, Aimee Carter?
I don't know what I was expecting from The Goddess Test, but this Greek-mythology infused book pleasantly surprised me. It's a unique twist on the Hades and Persephone twist, with a fierce, selfless heroine, realistic characters, and a plot filled with astonishing revelations. It's also somewhat difficult to review without giving anything away... but definitely give it a shot if you're looking for a unique mythological story.
For most of this book, I was waiting for the bad ass tests to begin. I love Greek mythology. I was expecting blood, pain and mythological creatures of some kind. I waited until the very last page. I didn't get any of what I expected.
If you want a book filled with lame 'tests' and a really pathetic portrayal of Hades then this is your book.
If you want a book filled with lame 'tests' and a really pathetic portrayal of Hades then this is your book.
There are a few other one star reviews that say exactly what I was thinking in regards to this book. So much potential!
I love Greek Mythology so when i saw this i knew i had to read it. At times it was a bit slow and confusing but overall i liked it.
Este libro no ha sido para nada lo que esperaba. Al estar basado en uno de mis mitos preferidos, esperaba mucho más de él, pero es bastante introductorio y no le da gran importancia a la mitología.
Kate se muda a un recóndito pueblo de Estados Unidos, llamado Edén, que más bien parece la recreación del infierno (¡Oh, por favor! ¿No hay comida rápida? ¿No hay pizza? No es un lugar dónde me gustaría vivir), por deseo expreso de su madre que está al borde de la muerte. Solo los primeros capítulos tratan sobre su adaptación a esta nueva vida, cuando salta a la acción principal. El libro plantea la muerte de un personaje y, cómo Kate para ayudar, hace un trato con el misterioso Henry para devolverla a la vida. Además, nuestra protagonista deberá superar siete pruebas para convertirse en la nueva regente del Inframundo.
La verdad es que el libro es entretenido, pero por momentos muy predecible, tanto que se torna aburrido. Me hubiera gustado más presencia de la mitología y no solo solapada y escondida.
También me hubiera gustado que las pruebas fueran más difíciles y obvias, Kate las pasa sin siquiera molestarse.
Pero mi mayor problema con el libro es Kate, se me hizo una protagonista bastante odiosa por momentos. La chica tiene la costumbre de echarse la culpa por todo y tiene una personalidad tan sumisa, que enseguida carga con las culpas, incluso cuando todos a su alrededor le dicen que no es así. Además, esta chica no sabe lidiar ni con la muerte ni con la perdida. Su madre estaba sufriendo y ella sólo quería alagarle el sufrimiento porque no podía decir adiós. Bastante inmadura para una chica de dieciocho años.
Otra cosa que me chocó es la dependencia enfermiza que tiene con su madre. De acuerdo, estaba enferma y sí, tenía que cuidarla, eso lo entiendo. Pero cuando Kate recuerda el pasado solo esta su madre, ningún amigo, ningún otro familiar, nada. Aunque, claro, eso es culpa de su madre no de ella. Me dio la sensación de que la mantuvo cautiva del mundo toda la vida.
El final no terminó de cerrarme y sigo sin entender muchas cosas. No sé si la autora quiere hacerse la misteriosa para los próximos libros o nunca se le ocurrió explicación para ciertos temas.
Aun así, el libro logró gustarme (e intrigarme) lo suficiente para continuar con el próximo. Veremos que tal sigue esta saga...
Kate se muda a un recóndito pueblo de Estados Unidos, llamado Edén, que más bien parece la recreación del infierno (¡Oh, por favor! ¿No hay comida rápida? ¿No hay pizza? No es un lugar dónde me gustaría vivir), por deseo expreso de su madre que está al borde de la muerte. Solo los primeros capítulos tratan sobre su adaptación a esta nueva vida, cuando salta a la acción principal. El libro plantea la muerte de un personaje y, cómo Kate para ayudar, hace un trato con el misterioso Henry para devolverla a la vida. Además, nuestra protagonista deberá superar siete pruebas para convertirse en la nueva regente del Inframundo.
La verdad es que el libro es entretenido, pero por momentos muy predecible, tanto que se torna aburrido. Me hubiera gustado más presencia de la mitología y no solo solapada y escondida.
También me hubiera gustado que las pruebas fueran más difíciles y obvias, Kate las pasa sin siquiera molestarse.
Pero mi mayor problema con el libro es Kate, se me hizo una protagonista bastante odiosa por momentos. La chica tiene la costumbre de echarse la culpa por todo y tiene una personalidad tan sumisa, que enseguida carga con las culpas, incluso cuando todos a su alrededor le dicen que no es así. Además, esta chica no sabe lidiar ni con la muerte ni con la perdida. Su madre estaba sufriendo y ella sólo quería alagarle el sufrimiento porque no podía decir adiós. Bastante inmadura para una chica de dieciocho años.
Otra cosa que me chocó es la dependencia enfermiza que tiene con su madre. De acuerdo, estaba enferma y sí, tenía que cuidarla, eso lo entiendo. Pero cuando Kate recuerda el pasado solo esta su madre, ningún amigo, ningún otro familiar, nada. Aunque, claro, eso es culpa de su madre no de ella. Me dio la sensación de que la mantuvo cautiva del mundo toda la vida.
Spoiler
Y no me sorprendería que fuera así. Diana puede decir que quiere que quedarse con Henry sea su decisión y todo, pero es ella la que la está empujando en esa dirección. Lo hizo durante toda su vida.El final no terminó de cerrarme y sigo sin entender muchas cosas. No sé si la autora quiere hacerse la misteriosa para los próximos libros o nunca se le ocurrió explicación para ciertos temas.
Spoiler
Se supone que todos los dioses se conocen, ¿no? Entonces ¿porque todos sus conflictos estallan en esos meses que Kate está en la mansión? ¿Por qué Xander y Theo no se mantuvieron lejos de Ava si ya sabían cómo era ella? Y la parte más perturbadora de la historia, ¿Diana solo tuvo a Kate para que estuviera con Henry? ¿Cómo un remplazo de Perséfone, su hija anterior? CreepyAun así, el libro logró gustarme (e intrigarme) lo suficiente para continuar con el próximo. Veremos que tal sigue esta saga...
I can't believe how long it's taken me to read this book.
This book has been on my TBR list since it was first released. I delayed reading it because of all the hype but I'm wishing I'd read it a lot sooner. I've missed out.
This book has been on my TBR list since it was first released. I delayed reading it because of all the hype but I'm wishing I'd read it a lot sooner. I've missed out.
The premise of this book is fabulous, but there were some pretty big issues that kept it from quite living up to its promise.
If you're going to rewrite/renovate a mythology, make sure that it's out of love of that mythology rather than because you need to force myth to suit your needs. Otherwise, it comes across as forced and careless. The most pertinent example of this is the not-so-subtle villainizing of Persephone-- she goes from being a child kidnapped by Hades to a woman who agreed to an arranged marriage with him, only to become discontent some years later. This rewrite wouldn't be nearly as problematic if not for the fact that Kate is constantly internally pitting herself against Persephone. That sense of shallow rivalry, of "she doesn't deserve him as much as I do"-- it walked right out of a Taylor Swift song, it's incredibly cliche in the young adult circuit, and it's so much worse because it drags a very old, very established mythological character down into the tweeny bullshit.
Additionally, shoehorning the entire Pantheon into a group of characters that we barely see throughout the entire book is a bad idea. These are Greek gods-- almost universally rowdy, conceited, and unwilling to stand on the sidelines while something interesting is happening. Each god thinks he or she is the protagonist of the story, any story, and they should be written that way, but with the exception of Henry, Ava, and eventually, Calliope, most of them barely spoke. There was no soul or depth to them. I mean, Dionysus at least would be raising hell all winter, sacred tests or not.
Ah, yes, speaking of tests. I thought the novel suffered from the secrecy of the tests, though given their format, the secrecy makes sense-- even if said format does not. Blending Greek mythology with Catholic doctrine with no explanation does nothing but make the narrative look like it doesn't know what it's doing and jerk the audience right out of suspension of disbelief. Sticking with one belief system would probably have been a wise decision.
There are other problems, but I've been shaking my fist and growling long enough. Bottom line, I did finish the book. It was fairly interesting, and although Kate could sometimes be frustratingly obtuse, I didn't find her nearly as insipid as many YA heroines. I think Carter has a lot of potential, especially if she works on her characterization, and I'll probably check out her next book to see how she's developing as a writer.
If you're going to rewrite/renovate a mythology, make sure that it's out of love of that mythology rather than because you need to force myth to suit your needs. Otherwise, it comes across as forced and careless. The most pertinent example of this is the not-so-subtle villainizing of Persephone-- she goes from being a child kidnapped by Hades to a woman who agreed to an arranged marriage with him, only to become discontent some years later. This rewrite wouldn't be nearly as problematic if not for the fact that Kate is constantly internally pitting herself against Persephone. That sense of shallow rivalry, of "she doesn't deserve him as much as I do"-- it walked right out of a Taylor Swift song, it's incredibly cliche in the young adult circuit, and it's so much worse because it drags a very old, very established mythological character down into the tweeny bullshit.
Additionally, shoehorning the entire Pantheon into a group of characters that we barely see throughout the entire book is a bad idea. These are Greek gods-- almost universally rowdy, conceited, and unwilling to stand on the sidelines while something interesting is happening. Each god thinks he or she is the protagonist of the story, any story, and they should be written that way, but with the exception of Henry, Ava, and eventually, Calliope, most of them barely spoke. There was no soul or depth to them. I mean, Dionysus at least would be raising hell all winter, sacred tests or not.
Ah, yes, speaking of tests. I thought the novel suffered from the secrecy of the tests, though given their format, the secrecy makes sense-- even if said format does not. Blending Greek mythology with Catholic doctrine with no explanation does nothing but make the narrative look like it doesn't know what it's doing and jerk the audience right out of suspension of disbelief. Sticking with one belief system would probably have been a wise decision.
There are other problems, but I've been shaking my fist and growling long enough. Bottom line, I did finish the book. It was fairly interesting, and although Kate could sometimes be frustratingly obtuse, I didn't find her nearly as insipid as many YA heroines. I think Carter has a lot of potential, especially if she works on her characterization, and I'll probably check out her next book to see how she's developing as a writer.
Review originally posted on www.fictitiousdelicious.com on 06/10/11:
Every so often readers come across a book that is hard to classify as sweet or sour. THE GODDESS TEST (Goddess Test #1) is one of those books.
My complaint has nothing to do with writing style—that was delightful! The story also had good imagery, a sweet romance and a surprising twist that had me shoving Bon-Bon’s in my mouth at a rapid pace. BUT. There are a few items that made it impossible for me to enjoy this book as much as I think I could have.
First, I just couldn't stop thinking about how completely out of character Henry was to the Greek God he was supposed to be. It took a lot of courage to take liberties with the story of such a prominent figure in a highly regarded mythology. It’s one of those things that sound good in theory, but just doesn’t come through on paper. That alone flawed my perception of the entire book. Strike two for me was the relationship between Kate and her mother. Sure, there was a lot of love and sacrifice going on between the two of them, but I knew that because I was TOLD it. I didn’t FEEL it, you know? The relationship between Henry and Kate was built up a little fast for my liking, too.
The good news is there isn’t a strike three worth mentioning. Chances are good that I’ll pick up GODDESS INTERRUPTED (Goddess Test #2) when it hits shelves in 2012. The end of the book hooked me and I'm interested enough in Kate and Henry’s relationship to see what happens next.
Every so often readers come across a book that is hard to classify as sweet or sour. THE GODDESS TEST (Goddess Test #1) is one of those books.
My complaint has nothing to do with writing style—that was delightful! The story also had good imagery, a sweet romance and a surprising twist that had me shoving Bon-Bon’s in my mouth at a rapid pace. BUT. There are a few items that made it impossible for me to enjoy this book as much as I think I could have.
First, I just couldn't stop thinking about how completely out of character Henry was to the Greek God he was supposed to be. It took a lot of courage to take liberties with the story of such a prominent figure in a highly regarded mythology. It’s one of those things that sound good in theory, but just doesn’t come through on paper. That alone flawed my perception of the entire book. Strike two for me was the relationship between Kate and her mother. Sure, there was a lot of love and sacrifice going on between the two of them, but I knew that because I was TOLD it. I didn’t FEEL it, you know? The relationship between Henry and Kate was built up a little fast for my liking, too.
The good news is there isn’t a strike three worth mentioning. Chances are good that I’ll pick up GODDESS INTERRUPTED (Goddess Test #2) when it hits shelves in 2012. The end of the book hooked me and I'm interested enough in Kate and Henry’s relationship to see what happens next.