Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Lore

This is a super-fast paced book. Maybe even a little too fast paced for my taste. I also didn't care for the sections set in the past. However, the characters are real and flawed. They are honestly my favorite part of the book. There are some crazy plot twists, and the book is never predicable. The way the mythology influences the book is well thought out, and it makes the evens of Greek myths seem real.

Will I read more by Alexandra Bracken?: Honestly, this was too quick for my taste, but it wasn't bad. I won't seek her out, but I won't avoid her, either.

Who do I recommend this too?: People who like fast-paced books, lots of plot twists, violent books, urban fantasy, or fans of Greek mythology.

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careythesixth's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-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

4.0

This was dark, but also a lot of fun. I've been really into Greek myths lately and this was great. It got a little teen angsty at times, but it is a YA book and I'm old. That being said, it's definitely for older teens. This book gets gruesome often, and is not a Percy Jackson readalike. This is for the teen into The Hunger Games and Battle Royale.

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aseel_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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

4.0

4.25

this was FUN!! I loved reading a book that talks about the ruthless and brutality of the Greek gods/goddesses and I loved discussing the misogyny that they had (side eyeing Athena).

I really enjoyed the premise and plot, and all the characters. some parts felt a bit confusing and the writing was a bit hard to follow at times (main reason it didn't get five stars).

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claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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

4.0

The Greek pantheon are still alive, and nine of them are being punished. Every seven years, during the Agon, the gods become mortal, and the surviving descendants of some of the most powerful Greek heroes have one week to kill them and thereby gain their power and immortality—but also their curse, their hunted existence. Only three of the original gods remain at the start of this year's Agon: Athena, Artemis, and Hermes. Lore is the last mortal descendant of the House of Perseus, but she left the hunter's life behind after her family—mother, father, and sisters—were murdered at the end of the last Agon. But when her childhood friend and training partner finds her, and Athena turns up, wounded, on her doorstep, Lore is dragged back into the world of her childhood: one of blood and violence and glory.

This felt like a slightly more adult version of Percy Jackson crossed with The Hunger Games, and while it was rather too violent for my taste, it was hard to put down. I'm a sucker for mythology (Greek and otherwise), and I really liked the little details Bracken added that were related to the myths but not essential for the main plot.

I am also a sucker for the theme of sacrifice, so I liked how that was tied in as well.

I loved a lot of the supporting characters: Miles, Van, and especially Castor.

Happy ending meter (no spoilers, just the general vibe of the ending):

Happy! (kind of inexplicably so, tbh, but I'm not complaining)

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deedireads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Lore was an imperfect book, but it was definitely a fun read with an exciting story.

For you if: You like fantasy based on Greek mythology.

FULL REVIEW:

“A person alone could be controlled, but a person loved by others would always be under their protection.”

As soon as I heard about Lore — new modern-day Greek mythology fantasy set in NYC, yes PLEASE — I was in. Now, having read it, my feelings about it are sort of a paradox. Because while I did think the execution was a bit clumsy, I definitely did enjoy it, and I thought the story was fun and exciting and creative.

Hundreds of years ago, Zeus punished his children by condemning them to the Agon — seven days that happen every seven years in which they become mortal and anyone who kills them inherits their power. Lore is the last surviving member of one of the great families descended from the Greek gods, and the last thing she wants is to get swept up in this cycle’s hunt. But as you can imagine, fate has different ideas.

What didn’t work for me: I thought that the world-building in the beginning could have been cleaner. Having read a lot of fantasy books, even I spotted opportunities where they could have reminded us who a person was or what a thing meant in order to help us follow along. Similarly, I found myself sort of lost during the final confrontation of the book, struggling to follow the logic of the revelations and discoveries that brought all the pieces of the puzzle together. There were also just some clumsy moments with word choices now and then, but enough to be noticeable.

What I did like: The story itself; the unique and creative world she built; the characters we can’t help but root for; and the dueling themes of freedom and destiny, history and perception; heritage and individuality; feminism and tradition.

Bottom line: If you’ve got experience following along with world-building and fantasy plots, and especially if you love fantasy based on Greek mythology, this will be fun to pick up.

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