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8.92k reviews for:

Lore

Alexandra Bracken

3.74 AVERAGE


I don't think I've ever heard a cooler book concept than this one. I had a lot of fun reading it, though there were a few times I felt like the writing got a bit bogged down. I didn't understand some of the stylistic choices (such as the voice Lore occasionally hears - is it real? is it metaphorical?) and the ending felt a bit murky in a way I think I'm going to have to take some time to figure it out, but I overall, I really enjoyed going along for the ride.

My love of Greek mythology and enjoyment of dystopian novels mixed wonderfully in this novel.

My first DNF of the year, and in a very long time. I was drawn to this book by the gorgeous cover, and the premise of a Hunger Games meets Greek mythology type plot (two of my favorite things!) - however, when I started this book last night I really wasn't feeling it. I did not care for a single one of the many characters that were introduced in the first 50 pages. My interest peaked a bit with Athena's arrival, but I could not get a grip on what was going on with this "Agon" that had barely been explained - the gods descend to the mortal realm every seven years and are hunted by mortals for their immortality and power, hunters run around in masks, bloodied gods wander the streets? In big cities like New York? I couldn't get a sense of whether this was something that everyone in this story's world knew about, or just some underground operation but I wasn't hooked enough to stay and find out.

DNF @ page 60

This book was EVERYTHING!! Anyone who knows me, knows that I looove Greek mythology and the Greek Gods. This book was recommended to me and after learning the premise, I knew I had to read it!

It’s a fantasy book about the Greek gods being forced to walk the earth as mortals and are hunted down by these “god killers” who if they kill the gods will get all their powers and immortality. Goddess Athena seeks out the MC because she has been fatally wounded with the bargain that if the MC will bind her fate with Athena’s she will kill the God responsible for her entire family’s Murder in her name!

What ensures is action packed fighting, reunions with people she thought was gone forever, and discovering that even though she lost her family, she had a new one all along! I would rate this a million stars if I could! Easily a top read for the year!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lore By Alexandra Bracken. Read by Fryda Wolff.

Bracken created a sweeping new fantasy world filled with the competing influences of ancient Greek mythology and modern life. Lore has turned her back on the Agon and the chance to die for immortality; she has instead carved a new life for herself in the streets of NYC. That is until the fateful day her path crosses with two echoes of the past. Athena, the ancient god, and Castor, an old friend now the new god Apollo. Their fates become intertwined with Lore’s as they all struggle to stay one step ahead of a brutal, vengeful death. This is a complex, world building story filled with twists and turns; Wolff’s narration highlights the important details while fully enveloping the listener in the epic intricate nature of the plot. Wolff’s soothing tones and smooth dictation are in sharp contrast to the explicit and gory depictions throughout the book. This is a thrilling saga, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods and Max Gladstone’s Empress of Forever.


Cover, Schreibstil:
Das Cover ist ein regelrechtes Kunstwerk meiner Meinung nach – das wäre mir in jeder Buchhandlung sofort aufgefallen! Der Schreibstil ist sehr angenehm, aber ich habe gemerkt, wie selten ich englische Bücher lese und dass ich darin etwas mehr Übung vertragen könnte. ;)

Charaktere:
Lore ist ein tolles Vorbild für jede junge Frau – selbstbewusst, selbstbestimmt, stark. Aus diesem Grund ist sie auch mein Lieblingscharakter in dieser Geschichte. Aber auch die anderen Charaktere sind mir ans Herz gewachsen mit ihrer authentischen Art und den unterschiedlichen Persönlichkeiten. Diese bunte Ansammlung von Charakterzügen rund um Lore schaffen es, einen in den Bann der Geschichte zu ziehen und nur schwer wieder auftauchen zu lassen.
Story:
Der gesamte Kontext von Lores Geschichte ist bereits absolut spannend, all die Geschichten, auf denen ihr Leben beruht. Der Agon, die Schlacht zwischen Gottheiten und den Blutlinien der Menschen inmitten des Alltags, dem Lore zu entkommen versuchte, zieht sie wieder in seine Fänge. Sie muss um ihre Freunde und ihre Zukunft kämpfen und jede Sekunde davon hat mich in den Bann gezogen. Besonders gefallen haben mir die Wendungen, die ich niemals vorhergesehen hätte, die mich sprachlos zurückliessen und gut und böse verschwimmen liessen. Der gekonnte Spannungsaufbau und die Plottwists machen Lores Geschichte zu einem atemlosen Abenteuer, bei dem ich sogar noch einiges über griechische Mythologie lernen konnte. Einzig gegen Schluss liess mich die Handlung etwas kalt und auch das Ende war für mich nicht ganz befriedigend.

Fazit:
Eine absolut gekonnte Erzählung basierend auf griechischer Mythologie, die ich Fantasy-Fans definitiv weiterempfehle! Auch aus feministischer Sicht wurde ich nicht enttäuscht – Lore und auch die anderen weiblichen Charaktere haben mich überzeugt und mir mehr als genug Material gegeben, um mich gut in sie und die Geschichte hineinversetzen zu können. Einzig das Ende hat mich etwas ernüchtert zurückgelassen, aber abgesehen davon hat mich die Geschichte rund um Lore wirklich gepackt!

Themen: Fantasy, griechische Mythologie, Liebe, Freundschaft, Familie, Tradition
Story: 4/5
Spannung: 5/5
Charaktere: 5/5
Lesefluss: 4/5

It was okay.

I give this book 3.5 stars. It was not bad but it wasn't as good as I had expected it to be. It was entertaining in a way. The last 20% of the book I found myself skimming over it.

The characters were okay, they just seemed somewhat plain to me, like there wasn't really any depth to them and their relationships. To me there wasn't really a development.

The story itself was unique and different. It has potential however it felt rushed and at times there was a lot of background to what was happening that was missing some other times I questioned myself when did something happen.

TW: this book really heavily featured themes of sexual violence and assault against girls. I hadn't been expecting it and found it really hard to read.

I was so impressed by Fryda Wolff's narration on the audiobook though. The best voice acting I've ever come across, I'd listen to more things she read for sure

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No