Loki is known as the trickster god in Norse mythology and this book definitely lives up to that hype. This isn't your Marvel Loki, but a Loki that most readers won't like very much. It begins at the beginning with the creation of Loki and spans centuries as the gods live by themselves, not always harmoniously, then with the creation of man; with Loki's wife, kids, loves, enemies, and eventually with the gods turning on Loki even though, according to him, he always did what they asked. Burgess' Loki did not always have an easy life--his children were hunted, he was exiled, his wives/loves were treated unkindly or unfairly--so at times it's easy to feel sorry for him, but mostly what the reader ends up feeling is disgust.
What I thought would be an interesting book dealing with Norse mythology turned into a crude and repetitive story about all of the disgusting things Loki had done over the centuries, whether on his own or by order of Odin, and his punishments for each wrong, real or perceived, committed in the name of his king. Examples of the crudeness are how they describe man as literally being sculpted out of excrement, graphic sexual scenes, and extreme language throughout. If it weren't for the graphic sex and language, I would have thought this book was written for 14-year-old boys.
I know that most mythology is filled with stories of the gods doing horrible things to both humans and each other, but this book was so poorly written--repetitive, shock for shock sakes, lack of empathy for any character--that I was barely able to get through it. I can't think of anyone I would recommend it to especially since when most people think of Loki, it's as the Marvel Tom Hiddleston version.
Read-alikes:
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris
Azurée Agnello, West Babylon Public Library
The mythical stories of ancient Greece have been heard, read, and shared in some form, for over 2,500 years. With so much history to draw from, it can provide challenges for contemporary authors to find new ways of depicting these figures that are still so well-known today. Clytemnestra, the debut novel from Costanza Casati, gives center stage to one of the most infamous and controversial figures from the Homeric sagas. Clytemnestra, Princess of Sparta, Queen of Mycenae, and wife of Agamemnon, is depicted in myriad ways in the ancient sources. In some, she is a jealous, vindictive, and petty wife, who betrays her husband. In others, she is a powerful Queen that carefully plots her revenge against her enemies. However, in both of these depictions, she is more of an archetype than a fully formed character; Casati’s novel sets out to rectify this by giving the reader a total picture of this fascinating mythical figure.
Casati grounds Clytemnestra, and the more well-known figures around her like Helen, Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Menelaus, in a realistic depiction of Bronze Age Greece. The novel contains no supernatural or spiritual elements like you may expect to find in a mythical tale. This approach is especially effective in the beginning of the story, as we witness Clytemnestra grow from precocious princess into a formidable warrior-queen. Her relationships with her far more famous sister Helen, and her cousin Penelope, future wife of Odysseus, are the strongest parts of the book, as you get to see how three of the most important women from the myths of Greece interact before they become the famous figures they are known as now.
Casati’s version of Clytemnestra is a wonderful fully-formed character, complete with her own virtues and flaws, as well as many contradictions that make her feel so realistic. This is not a case of an author taking an often poorly presented figure (which occurs far more to the female characters in these myths) and turning them into a paragon of virtue and heroism; but rather an author breathing new life into a character. By borrowing elements from both traditions of Clytemnestra’s story: one the vindictive Queen, the other the heroic vengeful mother; Casati’s depiction allows Clytemnestra to become her own character without being shackled to the past. The strongest element of this is when Casati allows Clytemnestra to almost speak to the authors and historians who will write about her. She knows she will be a controversial figure in history. It does a great job of exposing how men are treated as heroic in these stories, for doing the very same acts Clytemnestra is forever vilified for. These elements are fascinating and engaging, but in other areas the novel falls short.
Casati’s version of this Bronze Age Greece is rich in description and she does a great job of making the reader feel as though they are in the throne rooms of these ancient palaces. However, there’s little to no engagement with some very important aspects of life back then. Spartan slavery was extremely brutal, even to their contemporaries, and yet in Clytemnestra, the slaves, known as helots in Sparta, are firmly in the background or an occasional plot device. Casati presents Sparta as a progressive city-state since, according to her in interviews, it treated women better than other Greek city-states. This was only true for the wealthiest women in the city like Clytemnestra; the majority of women in Sparta were in bondage; repeatedly being brutalized, raped, or murdered, by the Spartan elite. In regards to the lack of any sort of supernatural or mythical element, it does make the story more grounded, but every religious figure in the book is portrayed as a complete charlatan. Ancient Greek religious beliefs dictated nearly every aspect of their day-to-day lives and yet Casati pushes it to the side, often giving many of the characters confusing motivations when their beliefs in the divine are removed. These flaws do not take away from the rest of novel, but they do prevent it from achieving grander heights.
Overall, Casati’s novel is a welcome depiction of an often misportrayed figure from Ancient Greece. Readers that don’t know Clytemnestra’s story will probably find it far more engaging than those who know the twists and turns that are coming. Additionally, readers who are more historically inclined, may find Casati’s versions of Sparta and Mycenae as too similar to the modern day and far too removed from their actual history. All readers however, will gain an appreciation for Clytemnestra and the way she herself as been presented throughout history.
Read-alikes:
Circe by Madeline Miller
Ithaca by Claire North
Elektra by Jennifer Saint
Circe by Madeline Miller
Ithaca by Claire North
Elektra by Jennifer Saint
Connor McCormack, Northport-East Northport Public Library
This adult fantasy novel is based on the Old English epic Beowulf, which was written down sometime between 700 and 1000 A.D. The author has a PhD in medieval literature and used the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf when crafting this story. This is her fiction debut. Reading Beowulf is not a prerequisite for enjoying this book, but it would certainly provide helpful context. Fortunately, the author does provide a family tree and a glossary of Old English words. Readers of Beowulf will particularly enjoy Emmerichs’ occasional use of kennings, a figurative compound phrase frequently employed by Old English poets.
The setting for this novel is Geatland in what is modern-day Sweden. It is coastal, lush, and remote. Many readers will easily be able to visualize it as akin to Rohan in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. The novel grips the reader in the prologue. The main character, Fryda, nearly dies in a dramatic earthquake that leaves her hand injured. Unbeknownst to her, a rageful dragon caused the earthquake, but we do not meet the dragon until the end of the book. Meanwhile, we flash-forward to Fryda as a young woman, 20 years old. She is the daughter of the clan’s lord and the cousin of King Beowulf. She is a sympathetic and likable protagonist. Strong-willed, but equally loving and kind, she is a three-dimensional character. Her dream is to be a woman-warrior, a shield maiden. A major early conflict in the novel comes from Fryda’s father’s cold and distant personality and his refusal to let his daughter become a shield maiden. This parent-child relationship gives the book a YA feel. The action scenes, romance, and fantasy elements will also appeal to a young audience. Explicit language lands this book in the adult section.
I have a few criticisms of this novel. Romantasy is not a genre I enjoy, and this book did not change that. It will appeal to a narrow audience of younger readers who enjoy romantasy, especially those who are familiar with Beowulf. After the initial excitement of the prologue, the plot is rather slow, with almost all of the story taking place within a period of three days. The alternating point-of-view is occasionally jarring. The villain is also occasionally cartoonish in his malice. The romance loses momentum after the characters profess love for each other in the middle of the book. In fact, Fryda and Theo, the lovers, already have a well-established friendship when the novel begins, and they already love each other, albeit secretly. As a result, we do not get to watch them falling in love, nor do we see any relational conflict between them. An avid audio reader, I was also disappointed with the audiobook. The narration frequently made the dialogue smack with melodrama and sentimentality. I also think that readers will be disappointed that the dragon is generally off the radar until the end of the book. On the positive side, most of the characters are interesting, likable, and believable. There are multiple action scenes throughout, which will appeal to the younger audience I mentioned.
Grendel by John Gardner
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Emma Yohannan, Emma S. Clark Memorial Library
The original Slavic tales about Baba Yaga portray her as an old crone that lures children into her hut on legs and kills them. This retelling presents Yaga as a half mortal goddess who presents as a younger woman who wants to live in her little hen house on chicken legs in the woods and tend to local mortals with herbs, potions, and tinctures. She is drawn back into the larger world when her dear friend, the tsaritsa, Anastasia comes to her terribly ill from a mysterious illness and Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia. Yaga follows her back to 16th Century Moscow, with only her wolf and owl, only to learn how dreadful things are for Mother Russia. The tsar, Ivan IV, the Terrible, has sunken into madness and paranoia and has assembled a band of citizens, the oprichniki, to round up those he deems his enemies. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.
This retelling explores themes of feminism, dark vs light, gods & goddesses vs Christianity, families, mental health, and good vs evil. It includes real people from history and other known folklore characters.
This is a long saga of 20 years and sometimes the pacing is off, but at the same time there is underlying intensity. The ongoing love story carries interest throughout the tale. An author’s note and glossary (real people, fairy tale & mythology figures, and places) are included at the back of the book. Readers who like Russian History and those who like feminist folktales and/or mythology will like this book.
The author was born in Moscow and received a BA in English and Political Science from Pepperdine University and a JD from Northwestern School of Law.
Read-alikes:
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave by Marianna Mayer
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott
The Path of Thorns by A.G. Slatter
Jo-Ann Carhart, East Islip Public Library
Medusa is a Gorgon, one of three sisters, but she differs from her sisters in that she is neither immortal nor ugly. Left on the shore for her sisters to raise, she looks like an ordinary baby girl, and grows up to be quite lovely with long, flowing hair. Along the way, she and her sisters, usually portrayed as nothing but evil, become a loving family and are very protective of each other and devoted to each other. The sisters live on an isolated shore (partly because everyone’s afraid of them) and are thus unaware of the various dramas that are happening elsewhere but will soon prove devastating to them.
Those dramas, mostly centering around the Greek gods and goddesses and their half-divine offspring, include Poseidon’s jealousy of Athena, Perseus’s exile with his mother Danaë, Cassiopeia’s exile with her daughter Andromeda, and Atlas’s sentence to hold up the world. These all come together to result in Poseidon violating Medusa in Athena’s shrine, which prompts Athena to curse Medusa (as though it were her fault) by changing her beautiful hair to snakes. Trying to protect his mother from a king who wanted to marry her against her will, Perseus accepts a challenge to bring back Medusa’s head, a quest in which he gets help from Athena and Hermes. After severing Medusa’s head, Perseus uses it (without knowing its power, in Haynes’s retelling) to kill anyone who gets in his way as he tries to return to save his mother from the clutches of the king, and through his detour to save Andromeda. He then gives Medusa’s head to Athena, who makes it part of her shield, giving her the power of the stone gaze.
Like most retellings, Haynes changes the narrative by giving the female characters agency and making them the center of the story. As a student of the classics, Haynes is well-versed in her sources, so while some prior knowledge of Greek myths will be helpful to the reader, it is by no means necessary, as Haynes paints the story in full color. Haynes is also a radio and television personality, and showcases her vast vocal skills in her narration of the audiobook, bringing the characters’ voices to life, especially Medusa’s snarkiness and the take-no-bull Greek Chorus.
Read-alikes:
Medusa's Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear
The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
Athena's Child by Hannah Lynn
Mara Zonderman, Westhampton Free Library
Eliza Herman is a Descendent of Eros, the Greek God of Love, making her a Cupid. Eliza has spent most of her life trying to avoid her family’s Cupid-for-hire business. She is one of the most powerful Cupids, accidentally enchanting people simply by stepping on their foot or bumping into them, this has caused disasters all of her life. When a family crisis requires her to fill in at her family’s business, Eliza steps in, but needs to get a provisional Cupid license, even to simply answer the phones. In order to do that, she needs a mentor to oversee her first enchantments. Enter Jake Sanders, Eliza’s childhood friend, childhood crush. and fellow Cupid. Eliza’s first enchantments start off well, but suddenly begin to fail and cause hate and bickering instead of love. Even worse, she accidentally enchants Jake, but the feelings seem to be stronger than just an enchantment. That can’t be for someone who doesn’t believe in Love with a capital L.
This is a mythological romance. The book has descendants of Eros, Fates and Furies, Discords, and more based in Greek mythology. There are science fiction tie-ins with the use of artificial intelligence and Mandroid robots and how it will affect love and human relationships. The book does have some spicy moments. The book is in third person, though on occasion there will be a half chapter that is in first person from Jake’s point of view. This gives readers a little peek into his side of the story.
I would recommend this to contemporary romance readers that enjoy a little paranormal. You do not need to know mythology before reading this book. The promotional quote on the front of the novel is “Percy Jackson for romance fans” and that is a great way to describe it.
Read-alikes:
Witch Please by Ann Aguirre
Accidentally Aphrodite by Dakota Cassidy
Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim
Nanci Helmle, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building
This book is based on the story of Persephone, Demeter, and Hades (in which Hades kidnaps a young Persephone, and her mother, Demeter, struggles to get her back.)
In Fruit of the Dead, Cory is Persephone. She is just 18 with no direction and few friends. She drinks and takes drugs with no thought to consequences. On the last day of summer camp (where she’s a counselor) she is persuaded by an older man (Hades) to join him at his private compound (on a private island, no less) to be nanny to his children for the summer. Although Cory has some doubts about Rolo (Hades), she has nothing else planned for the summer, so she goes along with him (and the children), even signing an NDA.
On the idyllic island, where Rolo is away at work much of the time and the staff won’t talk to her, Cory becomes addicted to pain killers.
Emer, Cory’s mother, is in China where she heads a company that is trying to grow bioengineered rice. Emer has always been about her work to save the world and is away much of the time, but when she loses contact with Cory (lost her phone in the ocean), she dumps everything to try to find her. But, does Cory want to be found?
Lynch writes well and quite beautifully. I would go so far as to call it “literary fiction.” Cory’s story is told in third person and she comes to life for the reader but doesn’t ask for or seem to expect much empathy. I couldn’t empathize or sympathize because although she’s young, she has social media and should know better. Indeed, I think she does know better, but just can’t get up the energy to say no.
Emer’s story is told in first person. The reader never really feels what she’s going through as she searches for her daughter. There’s no sense of urgency. There is also plenty of dialog but no quotation marks, so it’s a bit tricky to know who’s speaking and slows the reader down.
Read-alikes:
The Helios Disaster by Linda Knausgard
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
The Middle Daughter by Chika Unigwe
Lori Ludlow, Babylon Public Library
The tagline on the cover of the book sets the reader up, and says it all: “Before Eve, There Was . . . Lilith.” In Hebrew myth, Lilith was the first woman created and Adam’s first wife. The couple lived together harmoniously in Paradise until Adam’s increasing need to dominate Lilith at every turn—and it began to annoy Lilith. The final straw for Lilith was when Adam insisted that she lie beneath him during relations, and she refused. Adam went into a fury, brandishing a weapon that he had created (a weapon that Lilith saw no need for in the Garden of Eden) declaring that he was her lord and her master—to which Lilith responded: “You are my what?” Lilith asserted that when they were created, they were created equally—one was not destined to be subservient to the other. Ultimately Adam rapes Lilith and banishes her from the Garden. To say that Lilith does not tolerate the exile lightly is an understatement. She spends the next several thousand years, immortal as she is, traversing all of the world and time seeking revenge, leading an effort to enlighten all women (and humankind) with the knowledge that they are created equal. In fact, Lilith emphatically declares “Woman is not made from man . . . Rather, man is born from woman!” Lilith’s ultimate goal is to restore a balance in the world that can only come if both halves are equal and working in communion.
Throughout the book, Lilith cavorts with biblical figures that most readers will be familiar with—Eve, Noah, Jezebel, Mary Magdalene—and most readers will have some knowledge of the roles that each of these figures plays in certain religions and histories. But make no mistake, author Marmery has created an “alternative history.” A book that turns all that has been traditionally taught on its head; a book that attempts to explore the justifications that have been used since the beginning of time to support the view that woman is inferior to man. This book may actually be considered the original feminist manifesto.
The author’s writing style is lyrical, poetic, and whimsical. The exquisite descriptions of time and place will fully engage the reader making it hard to put the book down because it moves along seamlessly. A knowledge of the bible is not necessary, but there is no doubt that some knowledge will only enhance the reader’s experience. This book may not be for anyone that might be offended by an alternative interpretation of traditional biblical teachings. But for others, this story may be an eye-opener—offering a new perspective on the origin of the gender dynamics that are, in many cases, inherent in society to this day.
Read-alikes:
Jezebel by Megan Barnard
Naamah by Sarah Blake
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Deborah Formosa, Northport-East Northport Public Library
When she is a child, the Oracle of Delphi tells Psyche's father, King Alkaios, that "Your child will conquer a monster feared by the God's themselves." Years later Psyche, the princess of Mycenae, angers Aphrodite, and Eros (Cupid), the god of desire, is sent to deliver a spiteful curse. When she is struck by one of his arrows, Psyche will fall in love with the first person she sees only to lose her beloved the moment they look upon each other. The curse however backfires and it is Eros who is condemned to desire Psyche. Woven amongst the challenges which naturally include interference by the gods is the start of the Trojan War. Will Psyche conquer the monster? Can Eros break the curse before it is too late? Do Psyche and Eros truly love each other?
This is a wonderfully engaging retelling of the love story of Psyche and Eros. McNamara bases her tale on a combination of Lucius Apuleius's Metamorphoses (The Golden Ass) along with thoughts gleaned from Anne Carson (contemporary scholar), Empedocles (ancient philosopher) and Euripides. The story also intertwines other myths of well known Greek figures such as Atalanta, Persephone, Medusa, and Hekate.
Though leisurely-paced, the story is character driven, atmospheric, and intricately plotted with an engaging writing style.
Read-alikes:
The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
Circe by Madeline Miller
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Sue Ketcham, Retired
Told from the perspective of the goddess Hera who was married to Zeus, this story is about Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and her ruling over the island Ithaca while her husband has been away at war for years. No one knows if he’ll ever return and in his long absence, the people of Ithaca begin to force Penelope to marry so that their land may have a king and will be ruled by a male figure. She is reluctant to marry a suitor because she fears they will declare war on Ithaca. She also believes Odysseus still lives and will come back to her one day. Many living on the island fear raiders and pirates attacking their land and therefore, the young men, including Penelope’s son Telemachus, form a militia, training for war.
The main idea Claire North puts forth in her book is how Ithaca is run by the women who remained behind after their husbands left for the war. Penelope and her maids took action in managing the suitors who wanted to wed her. They learned to defend their homeland, keeping it from crumbling to the ground while farming and gathering food so that no one starves. These women are unrecognized in their efforts but continue to keep the peace and order to their land. Eventually, cousins Elektra and Orestes visit Ithaca to explain that their mother, Clytemnestra, has killed their father, Agamemnon and now they are on the hunt to kill her. When Penelope finally encounters Clytemnestra, she makes a plan to save her from her vengeful children in exchange for Elektra, Orestes, and their people to retreat from Ithaca. Will everything go as planned? Will Clytemnestra be saved and will her children flee?
This novel is well-written, describing the various names and characters in Greek Mythology and their connections with one another. For someone who doesn’t have a background in this genre, it is easy to follow the history of each mythological figure all the while comprehending the main plot and its climatic points in the story. Readers who would like to learn more of Penelope’s character will find much interest here. This title would be appealing to those who like a more feminist approach, particularly women ruling a place and fighting in wars. Although it feels a bit too descriptive at times, the narration and dialog make this a more fast-paced story with intriguing subplots. Hera speaks with humor and sarcasm which brings light to a troubled tale. And the saga continues with the second book titled, House of Odysseus and the third titled, The
Last Song of Penelope.
Read-alikes:
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood
Circe by Madeline Miller
Liana Coletti, West Islip Public Library
“The gods demand their justice, but we suffer for it every time.” - Jennifer Saint, Elektra
Despite the title, Elektra, is an even-paced reimagining of the intertwined stories of three Greek mythological heroines: Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra. The story is told from their alternating points of view.
Clytemnestra is the sister of Helen (as in Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman that has ever lived) and wife of Agamemnon. She is a loving mother who watches one of her daughters be sacrificed to the gods by her husband before setting off to wage a war in Troy. Overwhelmed with grief, Clytemnestra decides almost immediately that she will avenge her daughter’s death. Will Agamemnon die fighting in the war or survive only to come home to Clytemnestra seeking vengeance?
Cassandra is the Princess of Troy. She is a prophet that no one believes, leaving her powerless to stop the impending attack on her home.
Elektra is the youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. She was very young when her father went off to war and idolizes him, while clashing with her mother. She eagerly awaits her father’s return...
I would recommend this novel to patrons who enjoy Greek mythology or tragedies, especially the female characters.
Read-alikes:
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Circe by Madeline Miller
Phaedra by Laura Shepperson
Jessicca Weber, The Smithtown Library - Smithtown Building
Pheadra, by Laura Shepperson, traces the story of a young princess as she travels from her home as a young bride. Her journey is fraught with trials as she navigates the path to adulthood as royalty, a young woman no longer in the presence of her own family and support system.
As a younger sister, Phadra is allowed more leeway in the palace. She follows mural painters and even begins to learn to paint. Described as plump, not as beautiful as her older sister Ariadne but an attentive student, Phaedra is still a child when Theseus comes with other tributes to Crete. Her innocence is evident in her interactions with Xenethippe, a young woman who is sent to Crete as a tribute from Athens. Phaedra is offended on behalf of Xenethippe when she witnesses a man roughly handle the tribute in the hallway. This interaction is indicative of Phaedra’s perspective regarding the rights of women. Xenethippe understands that men use and abuse women’s bodies, however Phaedra has grown up with a sheltered life and has been taught that she has the right to expect respect.
Bride Phaedra does not know what to anticipate when entering her new home in Athens. She is shown to run down, under furnished rooms where she and her maid are left to their own devices. At night she hears what Shepperson calls the night chorus. Women’s voices carry and bring words of despair, warning, and judgement about the men who they serve. Phaedra feels it her duty to find a way to change the culture in the palace, but feels ill prepared to exert her authority as queen.
When Phaedra becomes a victim of sexual violence, she fully understands the horror faced by common women daily in the castle at Athens. But she remains impotent, the power she anticipated obtaining as queen lost (not coming) from an absentee husband who presides over a court of misogynistic loose cannons.
Shepperson relays an old tale with new perspective, allowing a feminist voice to come through. The powerlessness of women in society, their diminutive status in the world, and their overall lack of power over their own lives, (particularly over their own bodies), is exemplified by Phaedra’s story. The storyline that could easily be tangled in its complexity is handled deftly, leaving the reader absorbed and easily following the narrative while feeling connectivity with the characters.
Long time lovers of Greek myths will appreciate reading more about Phaedra, who is classically a secondary character. Shepperson crafts her story with a feminist perspective, giving voice to the often glossed over women of antiquity. She raises valid questions about the Gods and their place in Greek society. Both enjoyable and thought-provoking, Phaedra will appeal to a myriad of readers. Shepperson’s debut novel is character driven, descriptive, and suspenseful.
Read-alikes:
The Women of Troy by Pat Barker
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
Circe by Madeline Miller
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
House of Names by Colm Toibin
Ellen Covino, Sayville Public Library
Lore Olympus is currently a 5-volume (with the 6th and 7th volumes coming out later in 2024) adult graphic novel. Created by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe, it originally debuted as a webcomic and was released through the platform Webtoon. It was first released as a print book in 2021. Today, it is one of the most popular graphic novels in the US and has won multiple awards including the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for best web comic.
Lore Olympus is a modern re-telling of the story of Persephone and Hades. In it, Persephone is portrayed as a young 19-year-old goddess who has left the mortal realms to attend college in Olympus. Living with her roommate Artemis, she tackles many of the challenges that mortal college students face, including roommate issues, stress over her grades and scholarships, tension with her mother, internships, nasty pranks, and toxic masculinity. By chance she meets the 2000+ year old Hades, King of the Underworld, and they both fall madly in love with each other, albeit surreptitiously. Unfortunately, their budding relationship is plagued by many problems including meddling family members and, not least, their age difference.
The graphic novel is very moving and often touches on difficult topics like rape, abuse, and toxic relationships. The artwork is utterly gorgeous, full of deep, saturated colors and expressive character design. While the themes in the story are sometimes very serious, there are many moments of comedy that are supported by artwork. This is definitely a case where the story and artwork really support and expand on each other - Lore Olympus would not be the same as a normal novel.
All in all, I read the first two volumes of the graphic novel and am desperate to find out what happens next. I feel like it would be most appropriate for college students and adults or perhaps more mature high schoolers. Anyone who has an interest in classic Greek myths or romances would enjoy this novel.
Read-alikes:
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Wicked + the Divine by Kieren Gillen
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Punderworld by Linda Sejic
Carolyn Brooks, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building
