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brothergrrrimm's review against another edition
4.0
I am a sucker for books about the Greek Gods and this book didn't disappoint. Edie is a fascinating character who like most teeneagers is trying to figure out who she is and what she will become. The chosen one trope is a bit tired though and with as much trouble as she gets into once she reaches the Academy, I definitely had flashbacks of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Just like them she gathers a core group of misfit characters for friends and they help her bend and outright break the rules.
My favorite of the supporting cast was Cassie. I love the legends of Cassandra of Troy whom I named my daughter after when she was born. I love how some of her predictions are about mundane things like what to avoid at lunch, but when she makes heavier prophecies it really makes you take notice. Cassie is someone I could see myself being friends with in high school. Some of the events that she saw were really heart wrenching, and the message she left at the end has me itching to read the next book. I hope Edie and Company can rescue her.
The biggest disappointment in the book is that aside from Hermes and Themis none of the gods really stood out as anything more than cardboard cutouts. Just as with Percy Jackson it seems the gods are all braggarts and do nothings preferring to let their games be played out by proxies, rather than manning up and doing things themselves. I would like to see the gods realize they can't just hideout and let things develop. It seems the gods never really learn anything in these books.
All that said, this book is a solid read. The characters are fun and enjoyable. And the plot keeps you on edge wanting to know what is going on at the school, with Edie, and with her and Val. I highly recommend this book.
My favorite of the supporting cast was Cassie. I love the legends of Cassandra of Troy whom I named my daughter after when she was born. I love how some of her predictions are about mundane things like what to avoid at lunch, but when she makes heavier prophecies it really makes you take notice. Cassie is someone I could see myself being friends with in high school. Some of the events that she saw were really heart wrenching, and the message she left at the end has me itching to read the next book. I hope Edie and Company can rescue her.
The biggest disappointment in the book is that aside from Hermes and Themis none of the gods really stood out as anything more than cardboard cutouts. Just as with Percy Jackson it seems the gods are all braggarts and do nothings preferring to let their games be played out by proxies, rather than manning up and doing things themselves. I would like to see the gods realize they can't just hideout and let things develop. It seems the gods never really learn anything in these books.
All that said, this book is a solid read. The characters are fun and enjoyable. And the plot keeps you on edge wanting to know what is going on at the school, with Edie, and with her and Val. I highly recommend this book.
jcbowr's review against another edition
4.0
A bit cheesy... a bit "over the top"... yet a good, fun read. Oh, other than the COMPLETE AND TOTAL CLIFFHANGER!
kricket3712's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn’t put the book down. It was such a fast paced read (I couldn’t read fast enough). The characters really come alive and made me root for them and I seriously would love to adopt Cassie (just saying!). I’m very excited to see what happens in book 2!
lavendermarch's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the main character and side characters, but thought that they could have used some fleshing out. The classes weren't very detailed either. The cover is nice, and the plot in general was okay. Honestly, it felt a bit contrived and I don't think I'll read book 2 in the series. 3 stars.
rogerdoger13's review against another edition
3.0
With her father dead and her mother and sister missing, Edie Evans gets invited to Mount Olympus Academy by none other than the messenger god himself, Hermes. She accepts the invitation in the hopes to learn how to become an assassin and kill those who killed her father and figure out who she truly is. She gets much more than she bargained for.
Fire and Flood is your pretty typical “Academy” book with a slight lean toward being a little dark. There were a few inconsistencies (is Edie going into her senior year or does she have two years of school left? Mom tells her to let her wild side out, while also being an uptight professor.) but overall this is a solid read with all the elements you come to expect from an Academy book. I really enjoyed the last third of the book where we started to get some unexpected twists and the ending was VERY good. I think this series has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to the next book
*I received an advance copy of this book for review purposes.
Fire and Flood is your pretty typical “Academy” book with a slight lean toward being a little dark. There were a few inconsistencies (is Edie going into her senior year or does she have two years of school left? Mom tells her to let her wild side out, while also being an uptight professor.) but overall this is a solid read with all the elements you come to expect from an Academy book. I really enjoyed the last third of the book where we started to get some unexpected twists and the ending was VERY good. I think this series has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to the next book
*I received an advance copy of this book for review purposes.
brittradomski's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
cristoc's review against another edition
fast-paced
2.0
There should be CW at the start of the book. It would be a fun quick read if it weren't for outdated transphobic, homophobic and abelist concepts, such as:
“If you really want to eliminate wind shear, you should cut your breasts off,” she informs me, to which I politely decline. “Suit yourself,” she says, showing me her own, trim silhouette. “I can rise a hundred feet in a second.” “And I can get laid,” I tell her, which she actually laughs at.
So...women without breasts don't get laid according to these authors.
“What, Hermes and Mr. Zee? Yeah, everyone knows they bang. Hermes is the most sexually fluid person in the world. He even tried to come on to Ocypete at one point— she almost gouged his eyes out as a rejection!” Hmm. Well, there goes my feeling special about having a god flirt with me. Apparently Hermes will make a move on anything.
Men and harpies are put on the same level of "anything" Hermes would bang...alright.
“You’re telling me Ocypete isn’t all there?” I challenge her. Then I remember that my flying teacher cut her breasts off on purpose. It could be a fair assessment.
Again...women without breasts are portrayed as undesirable.
There are a few inaccuracies as well, like dragons with wings (they didn't have any in Greek mythology, and this book's worldbuilding is heavily based on it) and the use of togas, which are Roman, instead of Greek correspondents; these details didn't even bother me at first, I know it's a <i>very<\i> light read and I expected a few results of poor research, but those passages spoiled the read and made even the smallest faults astronomically bothering.
“If you really want to eliminate wind shear, you should cut your breasts off,” she informs me, to which I politely decline. “Suit yourself,” she says, showing me her own, trim silhouette. “I can rise a hundred feet in a second.” “And I can get laid,” I tell her, which she actually laughs at.
So...women without breasts don't get laid according to these authors.
“What, Hermes and Mr. Zee? Yeah, everyone knows they bang. Hermes is the most sexually fluid person in the world. He even tried to come on to Ocypete at one point— she almost gouged his eyes out as a rejection!” Hmm. Well, there goes my feeling special about having a god flirt with me. Apparently Hermes will make a move on anything.
Men and harpies are put on the same level of "anything" Hermes would bang...alright.
“You’re telling me Ocypete isn’t all there?” I challenge her. Then I remember that my flying teacher cut her breasts off on purpose. It could be a fair assessment.
Again...women without breasts are portrayed as undesirable.
There are a few inaccuracies as well, like dragons with wings (they didn't have any in Greek mythology, and this book's worldbuilding is heavily based on it) and the use of togas, which are Roman, instead of Greek correspondents; these details didn't even bother me at first, I know it's a <i>very<\i> light read and I expected a few results of poor research, but those passages spoiled the read and made even the smallest faults astronomically bothering.
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, and Transphobia
amandaj6's review against another edition
5.0
What a fun read
I was looking for something fun and paranormal and this was it. It was face paced and action packed and I’m excited for the next book.
I was looking for something fun and paranormal and this was it. It was face paced and action packed and I’m excited for the next book.
belindaclemons_123's review
5.0
Omg I love Edie Cassie Greg and Val. I even like Tina lol. I started this book and just couldn't put it down it had me hooked from the start with how Edie wants to find out who and what she is. And take revenge on who killed her father. I'm still shocked at the ending up really want Edie and Val together
m3l89's review
1.0
A less historically / mythically sound version of Percy Jackson with an angsty female protagonist. There were a mish-mash of fantasy creatures (such as vampires and werewolves) that didn’t necessarily belong amongst Greek Gods and for me they just weren’t knitted together well enough; it was almost as though the authors had tried to cram in as many fantasy elements and possible rather than focusing on fewer and ensuring they made more plot sense and gelled together. The characters were quite stereotypical, tongue in cheek at times with the expected teenage cliques.