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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
picked this book up 3 months ago and the completionist in me wouldn’t let me dnf it. it was an intriguing concept but I was so bored until the last 60 pages. also you can absolutely tell this was written in 2007.
I enjoy reading alternative takes on classic myths and fairy tales, so this suited my tastes just fine. I like the imperfections of Greek gods and having those brought to the world of the present. Was a fairly funny book to me with how the gods were characterized in ways that matched what they represented.
In this -- what, urban fantasy? (I suppose it could qualify as that -- supernatural beings roaming among us, doing supernatural things) members of the Greek pantheon live in a decrepit townhouse in London and while away the years as eternity drags on. They do humany things (host television shows, act as sex workers) and goddy things (create wars, escort souls to the underworld), and sometimes those things get a bit tangled up, such as when Aphrodite gets pissed off at Apollo and asks Eros to make him fall in love with a random mortal. Alice, the hapless girl, ends up being the catalyst for both the end of the world and the resurgence of the gods. This is a clever narrative, using a modern plotline and setting to tell a fairly classic Greek epic story, and having fun doing it, while also reminding us that all stories are pretty much drawn from the same set of tropes after all, aren't they.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
I adored this book! The personification of the Greek Gods was hilarious & witty, with a cute love story between mortals to drive the plot.
In the world of fanfiction, there's a common tag "canon-typical". For example, if it's fanfiction about superheroes, it could be tagged "canon-typical-violence" to indicate there is violence, but no more than you'd get in the source material.
This book has jokes/dialogue that references extremely problematic behavior, up to and including referencing SA, but only as far as is "canon-typical" for the Greek Gods. To write a story about the Greek Gods in a modern setting either means complete erasure of just how crappy they always behaved in the classic stories, or attitudes that certainly don't meet modern morals.
So warning of blase references to the horrible way the Greek Gods "canonically" behave. "Canon-typical-shitty-behaviour".
If you're okay with that - it's a wonderfully enjoyable read!
Especially for a Greek God girly who probably read Percy Jackson a billion times as a teenager :)
In the world of fanfiction, there's a common tag "canon-typical". For example, if it's fanfiction about superheroes, it could be tagged "canon-typical-violence" to indicate there is violence, but no more than you'd get in the source material.
This book has jokes/dialogue that references extremely problematic behavior, up to and including referencing SA, but only as far as is "canon-typical" for the Greek Gods. To write a story about the Greek Gods in a modern setting either means complete erasure of just how crappy they always behaved in the classic stories, or attitudes that certainly don't meet modern morals.
So warning of blase references to the horrible way the Greek Gods "canonically" behave. "Canon-typical-shitty-behaviour".
If you're okay with that - it's a wonderfully enjoyable read!
Especially for a Greek God girly who probably read Percy Jackson a billion times as a teenager :)
adventurous
mysterious
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
Neil Gaiman meets Madeline Miller. Perfect for fans of either, I didn't love it since I don't particularly care for Gaiman, but I can see where it would appeal more to those with an English sense of humor.
Very entertaining! Kind of like Good Omens or American Gods, but... less Gaiman-y?
Delightfully hilarious romp into the world of the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology, 21st century style. The author kept me reading and her dry humor reminded me a lot of Christopher Moore's writing style; just the UK version. This book got me through some stressful days this past week. Highly recommend!
lighthearted
fast-paced
Hysterical story based upon the premise of what if the Greek gods were living all together in a dilapidated townhouse in modern day London where no one believes in them as deities.