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A review by fell4
Cupid: A Tale of Love and Desire by Julius Lester
2.0
This book has a two out of five stars because of three major flaws. I think most of these may only be flaws to me, so don't think this book isn't any good, because I did enjoy reading it.
However, while I love a good Greek mythology retelling (especially one involving Eros and Psyche), this book mixes Roman and Greek, with emphasis on the Roman which, while similar in some ways to Greek, I do not enjoy reading.
Also, Cupid (the book) is a book that has a narrator, not one of the main characters, telling the story, which was odd and he broke the fourth wall often, and badly.
The last thing is the very title itself. With the focus characters name being Cupid, it is not a very smart decision to name the title of the book Cupid as well; and A Tale of Love and Desire sounds like this book is on the raunchy side. I am glad to report it is not, and I am sad to say that the romantic situations in the book are horribly described. Seriously. I've read better fanfictions that describe two characters kissing and the innuendo leading up to the end of the chapter so the work will stay PG-13. The author seems afraid to describe anything, because its a book for young adults, but wants to have scenes like that in there because, hey, it's a teen book and don't they all have to have that sort of thing in there? I feel like the book would be stronger if those scenes were taken out and hinted at because then we wouldn't have to know how badly this author is at writing non-explicit love scenes.
However, while I love a good Greek mythology retelling (especially one involving Eros and Psyche), this book mixes Roman and Greek, with emphasis on the Roman which, while similar in some ways to Greek, I do not enjoy reading.
Also, Cupid (the book) is a book that has a narrator, not one of the main characters, telling the story, which was odd and he broke the fourth wall often, and badly.
The last thing is the very title itself. With the focus characters name being Cupid, it is not a very smart decision to name the title of the book Cupid as well; and A Tale of Love and Desire sounds like this book is on the raunchy side. I am glad to report it is not, and I am sad to say that the romantic situations in the book are horribly described. Seriously. I've read better fanfictions that describe two characters kissing and the innuendo leading up to the end of the chapter so the work will stay PG-13. The author seems afraid to describe anything, because its a book for young adults, but wants to have scenes like that in there because, hey, it's a teen book and don't they all have to have that sort of thing in there? I feel like the book would be stronger if those scenes were taken out and hinted at because then we wouldn't have to know how badly this author is at writing non-explicit love scenes.