The Shadow of Perseus
9.0
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The myth of Perseus, told through the story of the three women who knew him best - his mother Danae,...
Mythology Historical fiction Retellings Greek Mythology Feminism
Apocalypse of the Alien God: Platonism and the Exile of Sethian Gnosticism
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In the second century, Platonist and Judeo-Christian thought were sufficiently friendly that a Greek...
Epic of Helinthia
8.0
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When a madman seized the throne, the gods on Olympus fell silent, and the island of Helinthia...
Greek myth
The World of Myth: An Anthology
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Since its publication in 1991, The World of Myth has provided thousands of students with a...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Maidens in Books
Jun 24, 2021
"Death was no stranger to Mariana; it had been her traveling companion since she was a child--keeping close behind her, hovering just over her shoulder. She sometimes felt she had been cursed, as if by some malevolent goddess in a Greek myth, to lose everyone she ever loved."
Unpopular opinion time... this book did not work for me. I did not find it engaging nor interesting. I had to force myself to keep reading, as I did not care for any of the characters, including Mariana and Zoe. Mariana is fixated on Edward Fosca from the beginning and seems convinced she should insert herself in a rather serious murder investigation despite not seeming one bit qualified. I'm not sure how her group therapist qualifications lend her any credentials and she lies constantly, much to the annoyance (justified) and detriment of the police. There are basically no sympathetic characters, and there seems to be no reason to care about the murdered women, as we're given no background on them. Some characters (e.g., Julian) seem inserted for no reason whatsoever.
There is a lot of Greek mythology tucked into the story and perhaps I was just over it, as I've read several books revolving around Greek myths lately. It was a lot, though, and sometimes did not seem relevant to our story.
This thriller is certainly atmospheric, with Cambridge playing a strong role in the setting. You definitely feel a part of the academic setting, and I learned a lot about the university while reading. It's dark and somewhat foreboding, but since I was not fully invested in the story, I could only feel so tense. There are some twists, but the big twist came too late and seemed too preposterous to be truly exciting. The author throws in so many red herrings that you find yourself almost rolling your eyes.
Still, this is a very popular thriller for many readers, so chances are it may work for you. For me, it just didn't hold my interest or seem all that, well, thrilling. 2 stars.
Overall: <b>3.5 stars</b>
<i>A Tangled Web</i> by Mercedes Lackey (Light Fantasy)
A retelling of the Greek myth pertaining to Persephone and Hades, with some added Norse mythology. A cute story, if a little thin on actual plot. I'll probably forget it by next week.
<i>2.5 stars/5</i>
<i>Cast in Moonlight</i> by Michelle Sagara (Fantasy/Urban Fantasy hybrid)
Fascinating mythology and world-building, intriguing characters and races. If I hadn't already been interested in reading the Chronicles of Elantra series, this would have done it. Pretty much a perfect story that stands alone quite well.
<i>5 stars</i>
<i>Retribution</i> by Cameron Haley (Urban Fantasy)
A solid short story dealing with a sorcerer and enforcer for a mob boss. Has some interesting ideas and is a promising beginning to a new series. While it does have cursing, it feels authentic and fits the scenes and characters. This is definitely not a story for the faint of heart.
<i>3 stars</i>
Crucible of Resistance: Greece, the Eurozone and the World Economic Crisis
Euclid Tsakalotos and Christos Laskos
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Syriza's victory in the recent Greek general election has shaken the foundations of the Western...
The King Must Die
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'Mary Renault's portraits of the ancient world are fierce, complex and eloquent, infused at every...
Daughter of Sparta (Daughter of Sparta, #1)
8.0
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Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior,...