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A review by dobbsthedog
Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon
4.0
CW: gore, child abuse
I liked this book, though it was not at all what I was expecting! For it being YA fantasy, it is quite graphically gory throughout, so be aware!
Basically, we have our protagonist, Gem, who is a trans teen. The book starts with Gem having a graphically gory dream, and we soon learn that Gem is actually a god from another world and these horrific dreams they’ve been having are actually memories from past lives.
I really love the premise, I think it’s really unique. I am also loving the parallels to one of my favourite X-Files episodes, Never Again, where Scully gets an ouroboros tattoo and there are a lot of discussions on reincarnation and how each time you’re reincarnated you are still surrounded by the people who were important to you in past lives. Because in Godly Heathens, this group of otherworldly gods are always drawn to each other in each life, and a ouroboros knife is central to the storyline.
I also like the questions it asks throughout the book, about good vs evil, what is good and what is evil, especially when past lives are involved; does this new incarnation bear the responsibility for choices they made in the past?
I loved that the ending was a complete twist (sort of) and I’m so glad that I have the second (and final book) available to jump right into.
I liked this book, though it was not at all what I was expecting! For it being YA fantasy, it is quite graphically gory throughout, so be aware!
Basically, we have our protagonist, Gem, who is a trans teen. The book starts with Gem having a graphically gory dream, and we soon learn that Gem is actually a god from another world and these horrific dreams they’ve been having are actually memories from past lives.
I really love the premise, I think it’s really unique. I am also loving the parallels to one of my favourite X-Files episodes, Never Again, where Scully gets an ouroboros tattoo and there are a lot of discussions on reincarnation and how each time you’re reincarnated you are still surrounded by the people who were important to you in past lives. Because in Godly Heathens, this group of otherworldly gods are always drawn to each other in each life, and a ouroboros knife is central to the storyline.
I also like the questions it asks throughout the book, about good vs evil, what is good and what is evil, especially when past lives are involved; does this new incarnation bear the responsibility for choices they made in the past?
I loved that the ending was a complete twist (sort of) and I’m so glad that I have the second (and final book) available to jump right into.