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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
OMG. In the beginning I was like wtf is this book? It felt like I was dropped 2 or 3 books into a series and I was so confused! As we started getting answers I was falling head over heels for this book.
First off, Athena done did got me. I was so nervous about her at first and then grew to love her. THEN SHE WENT AND DID US DIRTY. WHAT. NO. Did love the little bit of resolve at the end with her, like um yes, love, get it goddess!
Second, CASTOR IS SO SOFT! I love the little (big?) Soft boy. He just wants to help people and doesn't want any part of this. Also low-key love how he looked a God in the eye and was like "bro you look dead, need some help" ON HIS DEATH BED. Mist protect soft Cas.
I was so suspicious of Miles. Something felt off for the longest time, but I love how he just loved Lore and wanted to help. We 100% needed more Van and Miles though. I wanted all that content!
Hermes being Gil because he was guilty, omg love. I love how he was just like ah shit I messed up and just completely covered Lore.
The end felt a little rushed, like the last scene itself. It was kinda just like we do pray and it happens and I wish there was a little more, like HI ZEUS make your precense KNOWN.
Also Godly sacrifice as the way they ascend, BLESS. Loved that for them.
I'm already wanting a reread to pick up on some of the key moments again. Also bless this book for pulling me out of a reading slump!
OMG. In the beginning I was like wtf is this book? It felt like I was dropped 2 or 3 books into a series and I was so confused! As we started getting answers I was falling head over heels for this book.
First off, Athena done did got me. I was so nervous about her at first and then grew to love her. THEN SHE WENT AND DID US DIRTY. WHAT. NO. Did love the little bit of resolve at the end with her, like um yes, love, get it goddess!
Second, CASTOR IS SO SOFT! I love the little (big?) Soft boy. He just wants to help people and doesn't want any part of this. Also low-key love how he looked a God in the eye and was like "bro you look dead, need some help" ON HIS DEATH BED. Mist protect soft Cas.
I was so suspicious of Miles. Something felt off for the longest time, but I love how he just loved Lore and wanted to help. We 100% needed more Van and Miles though. I wanted all that content!
Hermes being Gil because he was guilty, omg love. I love how he was just like ah shit I messed up and just completely covered Lore.
The end felt a little rushed, like the last scene itself. It was kinda just like we do pray and it happens and I wish there was a little more, like HI ZEUS make your precense KNOWN.
Also Godly sacrifice as the way they ascend, BLESS. Loved that for them.
I'm already wanting a reread to pick up on some of the key moments again. Also bless this book for pulling me out of a reading slump!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
I’ve always loved Greek mythology and so I was completely sold upon hearing about this book. There’s something about it though that makes me hesitate to just straight up give it a full 5 stars, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Either way, it was written well, the story was great, I liked the characters, but it was just missing that spark of excitement during reading it that made me obsess and think about it constantly. Maybe it was me overhyping it and has nothing to do with the book itself but that’s why I’m giving it 4.5 stars but have no problem with rounding it up to 5 for Goodreads.
I’ve always loved Greek mythology and so I was completely sold upon hearing about this book. There’s something about it though that makes me hesitate to just straight up give it a full 5 stars, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Either way, it was written well, the story was great, I liked the characters, but it was just missing that spark of excitement during reading it that made me obsess and think about it constantly. Maybe it was me overhyping it and has nothing to do with the book itself but that’s why I’m giving it 4.5 stars but have no problem with rounding it up to 5 for Goodreads.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
“She had cut him with a knife, but her true weapon had been the Agon itself–all its cruel realities that men like him and his father relished inflicting on others. Now he would know them himself” (258, 30).
Lore plunges into the world of Greek mythology, blending contemporary settings with the gritty brutality of ancient gods and their ruthless games. At its core, the story follows Lore Perseous, a descendant of the hero Perseus, who has distanced herself from the violent world of the Agon—a competition where nine Greek gods, stripped of their immortality, are hunted every seven years. After years of hiding, Lore is drawn back into the deadly game when she’s offered a chance at revenge for her family’s murder.
Initially, the portrayal of Ares as a villain feels predictable, which made the first half of the book seem somewhat lacking. However, Bracken cleverly subverts this trope by introducing a secondary antagonist, even more sinister than Ares. This twist reshapes the narrative, heightens the stakes, and makes the plot more thrilling and unpredictable. I love the choice to make the gods morally gray. This aligns with the complexities of ancient Greek mythology, as it emphasizes that divine power does not equate to moral purity or infallibility.
Bracken intricately layers various elements of mythology into the story, pulling from a wide range of Greek history and myths. Most references feel purposeful, with my favorite being Lore’s mention of Phaethon in relation to hubris and the dangers of seeking power beyond one’s grasp. The irony of this reference as Lore loses herself in the hunt amplifies the scene tenfold.
Bracken excels at seamlessly incorporating traditional Greek pillars like kleos (glory) and xenia (guest-friendship) into the narrative. Another standout is the inclusion of the Aegis shield, which produces a thunderous sound when struck, invoking the fear ancient Greek warriors used to instill in their enemies. The writing surrounding it is both fascinating and gripping.
For readers who enjoy dense, mythology-rich narratives, Lore is a must-read.
[4.5 stars, hardcopy read]
[#16 of 2024 New Reads]
[4.5 stars, hardcopy read]
[#16 of 2024 New Reads]
DNF. This book will be great for fans of mythological fiction but not so much as an introductory piece to the genre.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
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
Tja, 2.5 sterren voor Lore. Ja dit was niet mijn boek. De achterkant sprak mij aan en ook de mooie uitvoering van Blossom Books. Helaas bleek de werkelijke inhoud tegen te vallen. Dit verhaal had potentie om een fantastisch verhaal te worden, maar het werd in mijn ogen te ingewikkeld gemaakt met alle bloedlijnen echt en neppe goden en echte goden die al dood waren en dan de nieuwe goden. De wereld was gewoon te lastig op sommige momenten en ook allerlei namen en bloedlijnen die maakten het niet heel duidelijk. Dat is zo jammer, want als het simpeler was geweest, was het echt een top verhaal geweest. Ook kon ik niet levelen met Melora. Ze is zo impulsief en laat het altijd uitkomen op vechten, dat werd wel voorspelbaar. Ook kabbelde het verhaal maar voort. De schrijfstijl is wel fijn en leest ook prima weg, maar met de bovenstaande punten kom ik toch wel uit op 2.5 sterren. Die zijn dan ook wel voor de cover en originaliteit van het thema….
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As much as I wanted to like this book I just…. didn’t. Maybe thats wrong to say, it was a fine read, very creative story and keeping the Greek Gods alive in modern time, and a unique idea. I just never felt attached to the characters? There were some scenes that I just wished hurt more when I was reading, but because I never felt emotionally attached to the characters I just didn’t care as much when these traumatic events happened to them.
It’s not really fair to say that the story wasn’t good, because it was; it just never hit the mark with me and never pulled me in.
It’s not really fair to say that the story wasn’t good, because it was; it just never hit the mark with me and never pulled me in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i knew this book would be dark but holy moly i did not expect there to be such intense body horror like. every 3 pages
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Sexism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence