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aqulia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexism
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Gore, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: War and Torture
islandgirlw21's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
4.25
I really enjoyed this book. I will say the writing style was not my favorite and I would get lost in the middle of some scenes - but maybe I had been reading to fast. The twists kept coming and I didn’t see them from a mile away (and I like to think I’m pretty good at seeing plot twists in other books). Overall, the story was great and I loved seeing the depiction of the Greek gods through this book. It felt more accurate to the true myths of the gods and the story of Lore and her friends was captivating and something great to root for.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, War, Violence, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, Gore, and Grief
alexinwxnderland's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Child death, and Suicide attempt
kellystephanie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I’m a fairly slow reader, I couldn’t put this down! I read it in about 2 weeks which is extremely fast for me as I was planning a wedding and working full time. If you’re into Greek mythology and the Hunger Games trilogy I think this would be a great book for you. Though the subject matter is quite dark I don’t find it overwhelming.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
doot's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book was an adventure! I enjoyed every second absorbing its story! I missed the Percy Jackson craze growing up and read two of the books and have found it hard to continue given its younger demographic writing style. I would say this book is definitely for those fans who grew up and want more adventure, more fighting, more gore, more realism, more magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
sauljr7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Trigger warning: rape
Lore was an interesting read to say the least booktok loves lore but it was hard for me to get invested until the last 100 or so pages the multiple twist were wonderful and it was more inclusive than other books I’ve read
Lore was an interesting read to say the least booktok loves lore but it was hard for me to get invested until the last 100 or so pages the multiple twist were wonderful and it was more inclusive than other books I’ve read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Gore, and Suicide attempt
marcella98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Suicide attempt, Gore, and Sexual assault
baexlee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Lore is an inventive and thrilling modernization of Greek mythos that overall left me satisfied with its conclusions. Following the titular character, Lore, as she lives her life in New York City, debating her next move as time moves her closer and closer to the next Agon. An ancient and cruel punishment designed by Zeus for nine gods that betrayed him long ago, and an opportunity for the hero bloodlines, people like Lore, if they survived long enough to seize the opportunity that is. This is an aspect of the novel that really shines throughout, the Greek mythos is complex, but not expected or implied, and the information is revealed in a way that it carefully balances those reader expectations and subverts them without becoming too convoluted or suspending willing disbelief.
As much as the Agon is driving the events of this novel, Lore does not remain stagnant. Her emotions and the rawness of her feelings are ripe on the page, which is another strength Bracken displays throughout. Despite the briefness of certain moments (I do prefer a bit more romance personally), throughout the novel Bracken shows her mastery of character emotion as she played with my heartstrings. Lore's history and her family background, as well as the connection between her "past" and her "present" creates really intense emotions for her as she must finally face emotions she has not dealt with for the past seven years, Bracken not only handles those emotions but does a great job at putting Lore into the right mindset for where she might have been at the time of the events occurring.
My biggest problem with this novel was the age of the characters. From the very beginning of the book it was implied that Lore was maybe young adult, early twenties at youngest, mid-twenties at most. I'm not marking this as a spoiler because it's in the first chapter but the first chapter establishes Lore in an underground fighting ring, she then eventually goes back to her brownstone that she has inherited with no questions asked. I mention this because later in the novel there is a flashback seven years that establishes Lore to be ten years old in the flashback. There is no other definitive age establishment that i could find within the text so this means that during the Agon and the events of the book, Lore and the majority of our main characters are meant to be seventeen years old. Not only do a lot of Lore's actions now feel a bit more mature than they should, but a great deal of the flashback's also feel greatly aged up as well. Perhaps this was an intentional character choice to show the effects of this type of life and the way that Lore was raised, but it pulled me out of the story on more than one occasion and ultimately brought the star rating down because of it.
As much as the Agon is driving the events of this novel, Lore does not remain stagnant. Her emotions and the rawness of her feelings are ripe on the page, which is another strength Bracken displays throughout. Despite the briefness of certain moments (I do prefer a bit more romance personally), throughout the novel Bracken shows her mastery of character emotion as she played with my heartstrings. Lore's history and her family background, as well as the connection between her "past" and her "present" creates really intense emotions for her as she must finally face emotions she has not dealt with for the past seven years, Bracken not only handles those emotions but does a great job at putting Lore into the right mindset for where she might have been at the time of the events occurring.
My biggest problem with this novel was the age of the characters. From the very beginning of the book it was implied that Lore was maybe young adult, early twenties at youngest, mid-twenties at most. I'm not marking this as a spoiler because it's in the first chapter but the first chapter establishes Lore in an underground fighting ring, she then eventually goes back to her brownstone that she has inherited with no questions asked. I mention this because later in the novel there is a flashback seven years that establishes Lore to be ten years old in the flashback. There is no other definitive age establishment that i could find within the text so this means that during the Agon and the events of the book, Lore and the majority of our main characters are meant to be seventeen years old. Not only do a lot of Lore's actions now feel a bit more mature than they should, but a great deal of the flashback's also feel greatly aged up as well. Perhaps this was an intentional character choice to show the effects of this type of life and the way that Lore was raised, but it pulled me out of the story on more than one occasion and ultimately brought the star rating down because of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
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)
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.
Happy ending meter (no spoilers, just the general vibe of the ending):
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cancer, Terminal illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, and Sexism
lyderz_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“If there were once heroes, they are all gone now. Only the monsters remain.”
Lore is about a brutal tournament set in modern day New York, where every seven years the gods are cast down into mortal vessels and hunted by the descendants of mythic heroes. If a god dies by the hand of a hunter, that hunter gains godly powers but also has to take the old god’s place in the tournament. God, imposter, hunter, messenger, unblooded: they may be pitted against each other but all of them are really fighting to break a cycle of pain and owning up to the fact that they can’t blame the Fates for their own choices and mistakes.
As you can imagine this book is bloody, action packed, and infused with Greek Mythology every step of the way. It tackles a loss of morality in the midst of a ruthless struggle for power, glory, revenge, and survival. It felt very dark and mature for YA, Alexandra Bracken doesn’t hold back on traumatic situations and backstories. There’s this feeling of almost constant disillusionment, there are small betrayals sewn throughout the narrative, and a couple of big ones too. These characters seriously couldn’t catch a break and there were so many mini cliffhangers at the end of most of the chapters that kept the pages turning.
I had super high expectations for this book because I absolutely love The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken. I also really enjoy books inspired by mythology so I was excited going into this. I don’t want to say that it let me down, because I did enjoy it, but there were a few reasons why this book wasn’t quite a five star read for me. Firstly, this book is so full of action and yet it still managed to drag on. It also felt repetitive at parts, especially in Lore’s inner monologue. And let’s talk about Lore.. I understand that this is her epic, and it all amounts to a beautiful journey in the end.. but she frustrated me and I felt emotionally disconnected from her for most of the book. Maybe that just means that I’m heartless, because she goes through some pretty horrific things, but I didn’t really feel for her until the latter half. Also, I wish this book had multiple POVs because a lot happens “off screen” and I adore the side characters!! I wanted to get inside their head and dive deeper into their layers, because we only get to glimpse their complexities. Okay, enough of the negative stuff, let's get back to the important stuff… that being: the romance.
I absolutely loved the subtle romance in this book, which I wasn’t expecting. It’s pretty much a slow burn childhood best friends to lovers, it is so pure, sweet and tender on the surface with a hint of angst and heartache. I’m all for that kind of morally grey, emotionally inhibited, bad boy type that is so typical in YA but it was so refreshing that this book broke away from that trope and gave us a love interest that is just so fundamentally good. He’s pure hearted, sweet, tender, self-conscious, and a healer right to his core (while still being super powerful… and hot). I’m not saying he single handedly made me believe in love, but it’s a possibility. Also, we get to glimpse a super sweet side romance as well!
Lastly, this book had reluctant allies teaming up out of necessity… which is literally the perfect recipe for a chaotic found family. I’m a sucker for found family so that alone was enough to keep me invested in this story, I just wish there was a bit more character depth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Vomit