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nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It seems I have an incredibly unpopular opinion on this one. This modern approach to the aggressive family dynamics of the Greek and Roman gods felt clunky and clumsy, overwrought and underthought.
Peter (Jupiter/Zeus) and June (Juno/Hera) Briscoe are notorious in Olympus for Peter's real estate scheming and philandering and June's loyalty, though June prides herself on her tiny acts of violence and anger, pouring hot coffee on Peter from above morning after morning. Daughter Thea (whose mythological counterpart I haven't been able to identify) has moved away and become an attorney, resentful of her parents' selfishness and uninterested in the daily dramas of her small-town family. The tension between their sons, Hap (Hephaestus/Vulcan) and March (Mars/Ares), is the crux of the novel, which begins with March's return to Olympus after a self-imposed exile two years ago, when he was discovered having an affair with Vera (Venus/Aphrodite), Hap's wife.
Peter's illegitimate son Arlo (Apollo) has also returned to town, back for the summer after a band tour cut short, hoping to recruit his twin sister, Artie (Artemis/Diana), to reprise her role as his manager. Artie, though, has just begun a new relationship for the first time and is reluctant to leave her new love, Ryan (Orion), for fear he won't wait for her to come back.
Over the span of a single week, emotions build and erupt, with anger, in all its forms, as the dominant propelling force of the novel. Though an interesting exploration of rage itself, the novel features limited character development, and rather than creatively incorporating a range of myths, superficially retells a basic story. I anticipated a greater level of sophistication and was disappointed by characters and plot lines that hardly dipped beneath the surface and deep-seeded conflicts that resolved so quickly. I did consume the novel in a single day, which is certainly a mark in its favor, but I was hardly emotionally invested and suspect it will be quickly forgotten.
Peter (Jupiter/Zeus) and June (Juno/Hera) Briscoe are notorious in Olympus for Peter's real estate scheming and philandering and June's loyalty, though June prides herself on her tiny acts of violence and anger, pouring hot coffee on Peter from above morning after morning. Daughter Thea (whose mythological counterpart I haven't been able to identify) has moved away and become an attorney, resentful of her parents' selfishness and uninterested in the daily dramas of her small-town family. The tension between their sons, Hap (Hephaestus/Vulcan) and March (Mars/Ares), is the crux of the novel, which begins with March's return to Olympus after a self-imposed exile two years ago, when he was discovered having an affair with Vera (Venus/Aphrodite), Hap's wife.
Peter's illegitimate son Arlo (Apollo) has also returned to town, back for the summer after a band tour cut short, hoping to recruit his twin sister, Artie (Artemis/Diana), to reprise her role as his manager. Artie, though, has just begun a new relationship for the first time and is reluctant to leave her new love, Ryan (Orion), for fear he won't wait for her to come back.
Over the span of a single week, emotions build and erupt, with anger, in all its forms, as the dominant propelling force of the novel. Though an interesting exploration of rage itself, the novel features limited character development, and rather than creatively incorporating a range of myths, superficially retells a basic story. I anticipated a greater level of sophistication and was disappointed by characters and plot lines that hardly dipped beneath the surface and deep-seeded conflicts that resolved so quickly. I did consume the novel in a single day, which is certainly a mark in its favor, but I was hardly emotionally invested and suspect it will be quickly forgotten.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gun violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism and Animal death
Minor: Stalking and Sexual harassment
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