RATING: 4 out of 5 Enchanted Roses

ONE-WORD REVIEW: MYTHICAL

READING TUNE: Afraid by No Wyld

TAG LINE:

Bind your fate to mine.

OPENING LINE:

Her mother had once told her that the only way to truly know someone was to fight them.

REVIEW:

I was fortunate enough to be gifted a copy of LORE on Netgalley -- thank you Disney Hyperion! LORE is actually the first novel by Katherine Laurin I have finished. I tried to read PASSENGERS and made it at least 2/3 through but had to DNF it (which I RARELY do, like ever but I would love to give it another chance in the future). Nevertheless, LORE was a completely different experience for me, in the best possible way.

I am a big lug for Greek mythology especially retellings. While LORE isn’t a retelling per se it is heavily inspired by badass goddesses and gods of Greek mythology. To add the icing to the cake, LORE's premise also heavily resides around cool ancient fighting tactics while using New York City as its arena for the hunting of gods during the week-long Agon. During the last Agon, seven years ago, Lore's entire family was murdered in their house and her best friend died from cancer. With no one left in the world, Lore was insistent on starting a new life away from all of the death, loss, and glory. To change her fate.

You may deny the Fates, but they will not deny you.

But on one fateful night, her past catches up with her when a legendary goddess bleeding from a mortal wound tracks her down and seeks her help. And forces Lore to deal with deep wounds and bloodthirsty desires for vengeance. I mean: COME ON! I love the premise of LORE.

For seven days, every seven years, the gods walk on earth as mortals. If you can kill one, you become a new god and take their power and immortality.

Having said that, as much as I enjoyed LORE there some adjustments could have been made to the story. It was a little hard to follow what exactly was going on in relation to making plot connections to the gods & hunters' motives and what they were searching for during the hunt. For example, it took me a bit to figure out Wrath a.k.a False Ares was searching for not one but two mythical items which explained why he was on this homicidal rampage. Also, I couldn’t understand why False Ares wanted these mythical items -- by page 275 I still was lost as to why Ares was on his search.

It also took me a long while to figure out why goddesses and gods were being punished by Zeus via being cast out of Olympus and thrust into mortal bodies --although they were able to retain their powers--which could be killed by the Houses of mortal hunters. Moreover, I feel like all of the logic and intentions of the Hunters and gods could’ve been clearer because I was pretty much lost for at least the first third of the story -- my understanding of Agon, motives, logic, etc. felt splotchy for a while there.

As for what I enjoyed most about LORE, there are many things. The characters were well-rounded and I connected with many of them. The worldbuilding was fleshed out -- it was the perfect blend of the real world and mythical legends. As a native New Yorker, I also think Bracken captured my city really well, which is always bonus points in my book.

I loved Bracken's play on the infamous lore of Greek gods and goddesses. But, most importantly readers were given the chance to see those gods in a different light, in an interesting and refreshing new way. As gods and goddesses, they are not required to uphold the same standards mere mortals are. Mortals are defined by their consciousness -- their conscious decisions to do right or wrong--, whereas Greek gods are not so restricted. Gods are not confined by the same moral codes of humanity. So, it was super interesting to see these unfathomable immortal beings of divinity cast into human roles, where they struggled to reconcile their divinity with flesh and blood bodies that could die, became physically fatigued, required sustenance, etc.

“You may be a god,” she told him, relishing the sight of his struggle. “But I’m the Perseides.”

The pacing was the perfect speed for the unfolding of the plot -- fast during the action-packed scenes, lulling but gutting during the emotional scenes. And let us not forget the incredible Plottwist crafted by Bracken, the goddess of Wordery. I will not spoil it here but: DAMN. It was great.

Monsters lived in the shadows. To hunt them, you couldn't be afraid to follow. And the only way to destroy them was to have the sharper teeth and the darker heart.

My favorite thread when I read is generally the romance, and Bracken -- who claims to have difficulty with romance beats -- did not disappoint! The story doesn't have the instalove trope but more of a childhood friends turned enemies (onesided) turned friends turned lovers trope going on I delighted in. I wanted to desperately squeeze and hug Castor while reading LORE. Lore and Castor had great chemistry and the tension in defining their rebuilding a connection make me swoon with its angst and sweetness.

"You confuse me," he said plainly. "It's always been this way. I want to tell you everything, but there's a part of me that's still afraid of seeming weak."

All in all, I had a great time reading LORE and recommend it to anyone who has a sweet tooth for badass heroines, soft, warrior boyfriends, Greek Mythology, and cool fighting scenes.

CHARACTERS:

LORE PERSEIDES: Suffice it to say Loris character is my favorite archetype of heroine. She is fierce as hell, can fight tooth and nail, surly on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside, and fiercely loyal to her friends. I empathize with her character very much because I understand what it means to have to hide your heart behind hard walls in order to survive.

She slammed a fist against the front of the shield, and the roar that burst from it was deeper than thunder -- it was primordial.
It raged through the air, bellowing through the quiet streets. She struck it again, and again, until her ears rang and she heard the call echo back to her from distant buildings. The power blazed through her. She felt invincible.

CASTOR ACHILLEOUS: Castor is my favorite brand of delicious cinnamon roll boyfriends. Although he grew up in a blood-thirsty world filled with bullying, hatred, murder, and betrayal, and suffering from cancer, he still managed to be sweet, kind, loyal to his friends, and loyal to himself.

“He didn't want to let her down, because she would have lost her training partner and had to leave the program. But more than that, he always wanted to see her. He always wanted to follow her, even if it was right into trouble."

FAVORITE QUOTES:

She had had her family. Her bloodline. Her name. Lore had borne the weight of those responsibilities from the moment she first learned the word Agon. Castor, though -- Castor had been different. It felt as if he had been given to her by the gods, and she to him.

+

"I accept your apology," he told Iro. "Thank you for helping the Achillides."
Lore blew a piece of hair out of her face. "This is why I always had to hold all of our grudges as kids. You've never had the heart for them."

Happy Reading!
Ashley
www.TheTatteredPage.com

Wow, that was pretty amazing. This reminded me a little bit of the War on the Gods series by A.P. Mobley, but it was probably a bit darker than that. It was sort of like a cross between the Hunger Games and War on the Gods with a bit more emphasis on the ugly aspects of war and sacrifice. But don't get me wrong--it was not a war book. The focus was on Lore and her friends and uneasy alliances as they fight to survive the Agon, which is a 7-day event that happens every 7 years when 9 of the Gods who betrayed Zeus will walk the earth in mortal forms and their houses have to survive to be the last ones standing. Several of the houses have already died off at the start of this book, and Lore is the last of her line, the house of the Perseides (Perseus). She has spent the last 7 years in hiding and trying to avoid the world of the Agon, but she is quickly sucked back in. This is an action-packed story and there is definitely a fair bit of death, but somehow the story is energizing and by the end, I was moved to tears, but not all in a bad way. I loved the ending and thought this was a great stand-alone novel. At 576 pages, it's a fairly hefty novel, but it's the perfect length for a serious stand-alone story. The author did a great job researching all the various myths and the story was both well-written and well-thought-out. I have not read her books before, but I will definitely check out her Darkest Minds trilogy after this!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

***I received an uncorrected proof of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

"The old gods must die to allow the new to rise."†

This book was basically Greek mythology meets the Hunger Games set in modern NYC. Every seven years, a group of nine gods are made mortal and forced to fight for their lives in the Agon. This is their eternal punishment for rebelling against Zeus in ancient times. If the human descendants of the other gods succeed in killing them, they gain their power and immortality. There are very few originals left by the time we get to Lore's timeline. This in itself is such an interesting concept! Readers still get to experience some recognizable Greek deities, but also new incarnations in the image of others. Lore has also got a great amount of legend built in and organically shaped to fit the narrative... tons of anecdotes, stories, weaponry, language-use. I'm Greek and a mythology-nerd so I was into it. Like, damn, this book really checked all my boxes.

Star lost for lackluster characterization of major "side-characters" (Miles, Van, Iro). They weren’t in enough scenes (present or past) to flesh them out completely. This made it difficult to understand their emotions and motivations.

Lore is a stunning example of a perfect standalone.* Bracken masterfully executed complex world-building and organic character development all while filling the plot with unexpected twists and turns. *I would not complain if she ever decided to return to this world and write about some of the previous Agons, just sayin.


†check against final text

I was very impressed with this novel. I wasn't sure that the story would hold up, given that it was a lengthier novel than I had expected, but there were no unnecessary lulls in the story. The pacing was well done. The action and intrigue remained interesting throughout, the plot twists (while sometimes predictable) were entertaining, and the characters were well developed. I would love to know more about Miles after his introduction to this world, and about Van's history. In my opinion, they both have stories to tell. However, I do think that the author inserted just enough of their stories into this novel, given that the principal storyline was based on the past of another character.

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for providing a copy of this e-book for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for providing me with an ARC to review.

Lore was one of my favorite books that I read in 2020, as well as my last read of the year. There was something about this book that stood out to me from other books that I read—and it definitely wasn’t because it was fresh in my mind.

Lore is set in a world where humans have the ability to become gods. Due to a punishment from Zeus, nine gods—Athena, Ares, Poseidon, Dionysus, Artemis, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes and Aphrodite—face the Agon every seven years, where they walk the Earth as mortals. If they are killed by a hunter, the hunter takes on their powers and the original god is lost. In Lore, only four of the original gods remain—Athena, Artemis, Apollo and Hermes. Lore left the world of the Agon and hunting behind years ago, with no intention to go back. That is until a friend from Lore’s past finds her and Athena turns up at her doorstep with a promise: to help her kill the man who killed her family.

The dynamic between the new gods and the old gods was interesting and their distain for one another was well developed in this story, as was the Agon in general. This world is so expansive that, even though Lore is a standalone, there could be prequels told about this world and how the Agon came to be without over saturating.

The characters in this story and their friend dynamic were perfect, they felt as though they’d known each other forever, despite some of them having met during the course of the book. None of the characters fell flat and they all contributed to the story, the plot couldn’t have gone on without them. My one issue with the characters, though, was the childhood friends to lovers romance in the story. These two characters, in my opinion, showed zero romantic chemistry throughout the story and it almost felt like they weren’t the characters that were fulfilling this trope, but they were. The story could’ve remained the same without this added romance.

Overall, Lore is an action packed story with an amazingly immersive world and a cast of characters that feel like your friends while you’re reading. There was never a dull moment in this story and every twist and turn will keep you on your feet and the book in your hand. Lore is perfect for any fan of Rick Riordan or general greek mythology and turns those figures we know into something fresh and exciting.

TWs: blood, violence, murder (parents, children), gore, terminal illness, abuse, attempted rape/sexual assault, arranged marriagearranged marriage

This was really great! Based around the Greek gods, but such an original different kind of story. Quite a Hunger Games feel to it as well! I loved the characters and different houses of Greek heroes. Such a fast paced, exciting story with a tiny bit of romance too. I couldn’t put this down! I wish this was a series, but sadly it is a standalone it seems! A must read for anyone who loves Greek mythology!

As punishment for angering Zeus, the Olympians are destined to live the Agon, being hunted for seven nights every seven years. For the hunters, whoever kills a god, gains their powers. Lore, the last living member of the House of Perseus, has gotten out of the hunt. But when Athena arrives wounded on her doorstep, she is thrust back into the middle of the hunt, where she will now become one of the hunted.

I really loved this. I found it a little bit slow to start, but around chapter 7 or 8 it really picked up, and then it didn't stop. This book was such a page-turner. I was so invested in Lore's story. I adored these characters so much, and loved their dynamic. Lore is so sarcastic and angry, but has a heart of gold, Castor is such a sweetheart, and Miles is so precious. Alex Bracken always writes such amazing ensemble casts and found families.

There were so many twists and turns! I really found myself unable to put this book down, especially near the end. I was so invested in the characters and their plans. It was all so perfectly laid out, with all of the different plotlines coming together in the end.

Thank you, Alexandra Bracken, Disney-Hyperion, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

“My name will be legend.”

LORE
Lore by Alexandra Bracken was one of my most anticipated books for 2021 and was the final book that I read in 2020. The Agon has arrived. It is an event that occurs every seven years and is a punishment set by Zeus himself. Nine Greek Gods and Goddesses are punished for a rebellion so during the Agon, they walk on Earth as mortals while members of ancient families hunt them for their power and immortality. Melora Perseous, known as Lore has been avoiding the Agon since the destruction of her family years before. When she comes home and finds a wounded Athena on her doorstep, she would love nothing more than just to let her die, but the Goddess offers her something that she craves…revenge. Things become more complicated when her childhood friend reappears. Castor should be dead, but now he has the powers of the God, Apollo. They all must work together to survive the Agon and also prevent an enemy from becoming powerful enough to destroy humanity.

**Trigger Warnings: Child Death, Torture, and Rape**

This book did not just meet my expectations…It EXCEEDED them! The writing is beautiful. The characters are complex all while bringing together the ancient legends we all know. It addresses the male-female dynamics of ancient Greek culture and reimagines a modern world where these characters exist. Men still believe that they are in control and have the power over women and twisting that control in ways to serve them.

“There would always be a man deciding my fate, whether it was my father, an archon, or a husband.”

LORE
Lore is hardened by the life in which she was raised. But even more so after the brutal death of her family, which leaves her as the last of her house. She does have Miles, her roommate and dear friend. Miles is everything. I loved him so much. He is smart, funny, and brave even when surrounded by Gods and Goddesses. Even Athena respects Miles. While we are on the subject of Athena…I about lost it when Lore questioned her about Medusa! For those who don’t know the story, Medusa was raped by Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Athena then turned Medusa into a gorgon. She has snakes for hair and could turn anyone to stone who looked her in the eye. She was killed by Perseus, who happens to be the House that Lore belongs to. Anyway, Athena’s response is everything.

“They imagined her hideous because they feared to meet the true gaze of a woman, to witness the powerful storm that lives inside, waiting. She was not defeated by my Uncle’s assault. She was merely reborn as a being who could gaze back at the world, unafraid. Is that not what your own line did for centuries, staring out from behind her mask?”
-Athena

LORE
As someone who studied mythology in college, this statement is perfection. I had to set the book down to take a deep breath and collect my thoughts. As a survivor of sexual assault, I had always related to Medusa. In fact, I had planned on getting a Medusa tattoo someday. While she is frequently depicted as a monster. She has actually been a symbol to ward off evil. Even her named, Medusa, means to protect. Her face is seen on ancient shields and even ancient houses or buildings. —-But I digress. This moment of the book meant so much to me.

Overall, I can’t recommend this book enough. What an incredible way to end 2020?! It was a terrible year…but the books have been fantastic. This book is epic (the battle scenes are brutal and VERY descriptive), complex, romantic, and beautiful all at the same time. This book deserves more than 5 stars. Make sure to preorder this book or add it to your wishlist! It comes out on January 5th, 2021!

Alright, let's dig into this unique, cheeky piece of literature, shall we?

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are purely my own. Lore is set to be published on 1/5/2020. This review does NOT contain spoilers.*

UM, OKAY. Lore. From the gorgeous cover, I (wrongfully) assumed this was a Medusa-esque retelling. And while the myth of Medusa does become relevant to the story, we actually follow young Lore and a few ragtag friends in New York City over the span of one week. Yes, this entire 480 page book takes place during 7 days (though there are some interesting flashbacks to break it up a bit).
Here's the basics: Lore and her friends are part of a secret-society-style community of ancient bloodlines that train their children to become Spartan-like warriors in the hopes that one of their own may achieve "kleos" (glory) by killing one of 9 ancient Greek gods during this one-week span that occurs once every seven years-- a weeklong event called the "Agon." During the Agon, 9 Greek gods become mortal, and if a member of any "bloodline" kills a god, that person inherits the god's power. You with me? Because we're just getting started.

Honestly, for the first half of this book, I wasn't overly impressed. It didn't really seem like it was doing anything new; it felt more like a superhero story with Greek mythology overlaid on top of it. HOWEVER-- after maybe the 40% mark or so, this really picks up. And I mean REALLYYYY picks up. Like, you-should-look-up-the-trigger-warnings picks up. I'm not kidding. Because by the 70% mark, this had become one of the gnarliest, grittiest, most open-faced and bold young adult fantasy stories I've read in a loooong time. Lore does not shy away from the tough stuff, unlike many young adult fantasies that pull their punches to remain more broadly appealing. LORE DOES *NOT* PULL ANY PUNCHES. I cannot overstate this. Look up the trigger warnings, okay?

My actual thoughts: Even though I wasn't enamored from the start, I was certainly enamored by the end. This book did surprise me, and I'm happy to say it. There are scenes in this book that felt both raw and refreshing to see in a female-led young adult story. There are extremely intense themes addressed and I really think Bracken did them justice and let the emotions of the characters breathe.

Speaking of the characters..! Where to begin?! Our main heroine Lore is complex, flawed, has a temper, has lots of baggage, and struggles to process her guilt, past traumas, and grapples with the idea of destiny (or the "Fates") and whether she is truly in control of herself. Her best friend Castor is both strong and soft, emotionally intelligent and silly, comfortable in his manliness AND also insecure because of other normal human-y reasons too. WE LOVE COMPLEX CHARACTERS IN THIS HOUSEHOLD! We love characters that have pasts that do more than just serve the plot! We love characters that GROW and process their actions and reactions throughout the events of the story, to lead up to an absolute nail-biter of a conclusion that felt 100% earned/justified because of all the work and growth we went through with the characters. Honestly, a masterclass. I said it.

Nuts & Bolts: The pacing was BREAKNECK. This is definitely a zero-to-sixty kind of story. There were moments where I felt like I had whiplash. Again, this happens entirely over just seven days. That being said, I really admired the balance Bracken found in separating character-driven, emotional moments vs. super action-packed fight scenes. The fight scenes read beautifully and clearly without any fluff, and the deeper character moments read with passion and intensity without feeling cliche.

Overall: This is dark and twisty, feminist and loud, and (admittedly) a fresh and exhilarating take on a Greek mythology retelling. I am positive this is going to be a huge book this season.

Look at me, starting off the new year with an on-time review! Lore is Alexandra Bracken’s latest fantasy novel and it’s a standalone - total, satisfying completion in one easy book. I must admit, I was drawn in by the striking cover featuring Medusa. This is based on Greek mythology so that and the title are quite appropriate!

Lore is actually the shortened name of our main character Melora Perseous, last of the line of Perseus. She was formerly part of a society of hunters descended from the famous ‘heroes’ of legend (Herakles, Perseus, etc.) and it is their mission to hunt down the nine Greek gods during a period called the Agon. The Agon occurs for seven days every seven years and during this time the gods become mortal and can be killed. Their killer will take up their mantle, usually enriching their own house in the process. It is a vicious cycle, with the houses hunting down the mortal gods, but also killing one another. House Kadmou is the strongest and their former leader and current Ares incarnation is the one that murdered Lore’s parents and baby sisters during the last Agon. Lore stepped away from that life and has been hiding ever since, but the Agon is in New York again and when Athena shows up on her doorstep wounded, she makes a deal to hunt down Aristos Kadmou and get her revenge. 

This was an edge of your seat adventure throughout and I actually had to put it down a couple times when I just knew something terrible was about to happen. Alex Bracken is not afraid to hurt the characters you love or have them hurt others so be prepared! Lore’s desire for revenge and the rage she holds inside really propel this story forwards, but it’s certainly not all about vengeance. She is reunited with a childhood friend she thought dead since the previous Agon and there’s some happiness, a lovely found family arc, and plenty of heart-pounding action. The story is further rounded out with a series of flashback chapters from seven years (or more) prior, when Lore was first meeting Castor and Van, her first encounter with Aristos Kadmous, and the revelation as to why Aristos would want her dead. 

This is for real one of the best young adult fantasy books I’ve read in FOREVER. This would easily appeal to those who primarily read adult fantasy, though the characters are teenagers. The writing is mature and the characters aren’t a bunch of childish idiots and none of them suffer from being overly powerful or the Chosen One. Lore was an excellent change of pace from what I’ve been reading, as it is set in present day New York and I was surprised to find that I do in fact still dig stories about Greek gods in modern times. Overall, I’d highly recommend this for any YA fans, adult fantasy readers looking for an excellent mythology story, and most definitely for fans of Alexandra Bracken’s previous works!

Do or die stakes of Hunger Games meets Rick Riordan in this YA mythical novel.

Lore lost her family in the last agon, and this time around, she wants to end it once and for all. With a diverse group of mortals and gods, she might throw off the heavy mantle of her past and redeem her family.

Or die trying.

This was a fast-paced, action-packed mythic book. I loved the mixture of the modern and the old, the human world with the gods, and Greek mythology. A few places where the action becomes burdensome, but the author makes up for it by every scene having a purpose that ultimately leads to the last showdown between Lore, a 17-year-old girl, and immortal beings.

This will be perfect for Rick Riordan fans who mourn the ending of their favorite series and a great way to draw others into the myths and stories of ages past. Also a great read for fans of the Divergent series, Hunger Games, and other dystopian novels. If you are a highly- sensitive person, please be aware there are some triggering scenes and descriptive acts of violence.

This book while placing the gods in modern times like Rick Riordan does in his series brings out a darker side of the gods. The character development of Lore, Miles, Castor, and Van draw you into their lives and make it easy to connect with them through out the book. I love how the author gives each of the characters a back story that slowly reveals itself as the story goes along. Lore is torn between two worlds. One in which she is the last surviving member of a powerful Greek family, who every seven years partakes in a battle for power over the Gods who have fallen to the earth. The other in which she longs to leave that world behind and just be a normal teenager. When the new Agon cycle starts Lore's past draws her back into the fight. What will be reviled and can Lore end the Argon? The story itself is fast paced and easy to follow. This is a wonderful book to read if you have any interest in the Greek gods. Thank you so much Netgalley and Disney for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Looking for an action-filled adventure full of magic, epic battles, and amazing characters? Lore has got it all! Set in NYC, Lore deals with both mental and physical battles. This is the perfect read for fans of The Percy Jackson Series or The Mortal Instruments!

I was lucky enough to read a sampler a little earlier on and I was hooked, so I was incredibly excited to read Lore! As with most of the books I read, I love to try and predict what comes next and it safe to say there were quite a few twists and turns in Lore's journey I did not see coming! I absolutely loved following Lore's adventure and my sister was witness to my audible gasps as my kindle was filled with notes of "OMG" or "WHAT", it's one of those books!

While the adventure is something I really enjoyed and want more of, as a romance lover I couldn't help but wish more some more continuations of the romance in Lore! Although this book is easily a five-star read without any further romantic plot, the romantic in me can't help but wish for more!

Since I couldn't go back to NYC for college this year, I was really happy to have a magical escape starring NYC! If you're craving some Greek mythology and action you should definitely pick up Lore!

It’s a challenging read; I was confused for the first quarter of the book until more plot elements came to light. This was compounded by the fact that some of the characters are referenced using multiple/different names. There are a LOT of action scenes, but they’re balanced by quiet moments between friends. I loved the focus on relationships and life contentment. There’s a slight bit of romance, but it’s on the back burner and very mild.

When I taught 6th grade language arts, I had students who chain-read the Percy Jackson books because they couldn’t get enough of the mythology. I was always encouraging (bribing) them to branch out and read other books as well. I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending Lore to most of them due to the violence, strong language (one F-bomb and a few other words), and plot complexity. However, the more mature readers would eat it up! I have NO doubt that this will be a movie someday.

Yikes. I guess I'll be in the minority on this one.

I wanted to love this. I wanted to love this SO BADLY. The premise is so interesting - an Agon happens every 7 years during which one of the members from the bloodline families can kill a god and take on their powers and immortality. Some of the original gods were killed off long ago and some are still alive, hiding every 7 years. This <i>sounds</i> fantastic and I have been anticipating this one for a long time because I'm a total Greek mythology nerd.

Unfortunately, this was honestly kind of a mess. There was a lot info-dumping, but none of this dumping came at the right time and it always seemed to be lacking a few details. In flashbacks, you're given part of the backstory and then propelled back to present time. In these flashbacks, I really didn't get a good feel for Lore or her family's role in this whole thing. I know it was stated several times, but I still honestly don't get why.

Also, there are friendships highlighted that are supposed to be a big deal, but they're not really given any focus so it's hard to care about those characters - Miles, Iro, Van. And again, with each of these characters, you're given part of a backstory and then the present day just continues. Nothing seemed to be fully fleshed out.

I'm so disappointed and frustrated because I expected to love this. It was pitched as Percy Jackson meets Hunger Games... and I guess plotwise, it was seeing as it's about Greek gods having to fight to the death to survive. But that's it. None of these characters (including Lore) were really developed and I felt the world-building was poor seeing as I can't tell you the impact the Agon has had on these gods or bloodline families for the past century. All you know is that they're being hunted so others can take their immortality and powers, but there was no mention of the impact of the Agon besides that.

Such an intriguing premise, but really weak execution.

First, I'd like to thank Disney Publishing Worldwide - Hyperion and Netgalley for my ARC!

This book starts off strong and grabbed my attention immediately. When meeting Lore we learn that she is a strong, independent woman who you don't want on your bad side. Once the story gets going you're thirsty for more information. Who's Castor, what's his backstory with Lore and most importantly what is Lore's backstory. Then arrives Athena, who educates us on the Hunt and, let's say, the various Olympian God's lineage. It was here that l could tell this book was extremely well researched, giving the reader a lot of information. However, I will admit it did overwhelm me and from that point on I struggled to keep everything straight. That combined with the pacing I found myself sadly losing interest.

Unfortunately, as much as I love Mythology, I don't feel like I was the right audience for this book. As I kept reading I felt that even though I was given answers to my questions, I still wanted more. I wanted to feel more connected to the relationships of the crew and more backstory in general. I will say that I absolutely loved the concept and it's unlike anything I've read before.

If you enjoy Percy Jackson and The Hunger Games, pick up a copy of this book!

I want to thank the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book to read and review.
I'm a huge fan of Bracken's dystopian work. I tore through it when I read it.
This book is nothing like that. And I was glad to see the author pick up a different genre and still do so many great things with it.
I adored the concept of the Greek Gods/Goddesses mythology background in this book. It was refreshing to see them take on human form and walk among the humans without anyone being the wiser. It was also refreshing to have this twisted as a different tale, with the Gods/Godesses seemingly more human and able to be killed. The fascinating twist of the original Gods/Godesses being usurped and losing their lives and powers to those who were lesser was a nice addition to Greek mythology. I will say there is a large cast of characters and, while the book does provide information before you start on who they are, it was still a bit hard to keep it all straight. I did find myself back peddling to make sure I understand who was who and who stood where with whom.
Bracken did a wonderful job fleshing out each character and helping us understand all their personalities.
I was surprised to find there would not be any more books in this series (at least not any I can find) as I think it could definitely be expanded. Overall I was very happy with reading this one.

The Agon takes place for one week every seven years. During the Agon, the Greek gods are mortal and hunted by descendants of ancient bloodlines. If a god is killed by a hunter, their power is passed onto the hunter who then ascends to become the new god. As this Agon begins, Lore receives a warning that the god responsible for her family's murders is trying to track her down. She plans on leaving the city for the week when she finds Athena dying on her doorstep. Lore is thrown back into the life that she has been running from and she needs to fight for her life.

This book had me hooked instantly. I felt like I was going through the entire experience with Lore and her friends. I was intrigued by the twist of Greek gods becoming mortals and hunted as punishment. Lore is a fantastic and immersive book that I didn't want to put down even after the last page. I will definitely be reading more of Alexandra Bracken's books.

Trigger warning: sexual assault

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Alexandra Bracken, NetGalley, and the team at Disney-Hyperion for the advance reader copy of Lore, a standalone contemporary fantasy

I was a huge fan of Alexandra Bracken in my teens, especially The Darkest Minds series. I applied for Lore on a whim on NetGalley never expecting to get it because I am not exactly a strictly YA reviewer. Nonetheless, Disney-Hyperion took a chance on me. So keep that in mind when you read my review, I was a huge fan of her earlier work and I do not read as much YA as I used to.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: Lore is the main character of this standalone urban fantasy novel. As an orphan Lore has fended for herself for quite a while, she’s a fighter both physically and emotionally. The story begins in medias res, in the middle of a boxing match she is in. Lore is really Melora Perseous, the last remaining member of the House of Perseus. It is one of many Houses named for famous Greek Heroes and it is these Houses that compete in the Agon. When the Agon occurs the Gods of Olympus walk the earth as mortals and the descendants of the heroes have one week to kill them in order to take upon their powers. The most important God in Lore’s story is Athena, who shows up on her doorstep bloodied and wounded. Athena knows who killed Lore’s family and offers to help Lore avenge their deaths. Castor is the other important character in the story, he was Lore’s childhood best friend and training partner. He has been dead for the last seven years so when he appears at the start of the new Agon it floors Lore.
Pacing: A lot of the reason why I docked stars from my rating came from this category. I often felt like the pacing was off. When I was invested in the story the book was flying by and then I would hit walls of dense mid-book territory that kept me reading this for days on end. I worry a not as fast reader would really slog through this. So if you love Alex’s work or Greek mythology it may be worth the slog for you. This is not to say that I think the book could have been shorter, the world was so expansive and cool. Such a unique take on Greek myths, something that I loved seeing played around with, in books and fictional worlds. I just wish there were more action scenes and less of what felt like filler in some parts.
Setting: The story is set in modern-day New York City and it really takes center stage in the story. Lore and her pack of friends galivanting all over the city. Often the city bears the brunt of the damage this Agon is inflicting. Lore really identifies with her home and works tirelessly to protect it.
Romance: The romance between Lore and Castor is one built on friendship. Lore spends a lot of the book staring longingly at Castor, commenting on his beauty. This is not a major part of the book and that could have been a combo of things. I would not have said it was because it was a YA book because based on Alex’s previous track record she is not scared of writing heart-stopping romance. It may have just been the nature of this being a standalone that not much time could have been afforded to the romance.

"My name will be legend."

I read my first Alexandra Bracken book back in 2015, and I was instantly hooked. Her stories and characters mean the absolute world to me, and she forever will be one of my favorite authors. Any time I’m roped into a conversation about books and favorites, I always find an opening to talk about the Darkest Minds series. I can talk about her characters for hours. I’m always telling everyone to pick up at least one of her books from the store. Heck, I could spend days thinking about the very small, but very important, two-word phrase—”um, hi?”—from the Passenger series because I fully unraveled after reading that duology.

When Lore was first announced, I don’t think I could have been more on board if I tried. And when the sampler was released through NetGalley, I immediately became attached to the characters (especially Miles) and their stories. Then, I was gifted with a full ARC of arguably my most anticipated release of 2021? I was, and still am, absolutely beside myself.

A HUMONGOUS thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for providing me with an advanced copy of Lore in exchange for an honest review!

tw: violence, fighting, blood, gore, sexual assault.

Synopsis: Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

Whenever I pick up an Alexandra Bracken novel, whether it be my first time through or a reread, I have to constantly remind myself that I’m reading about fictional people. Her ability to create such complex and realistic characters never fails to astound me, and Lore is certainly no exception to her amazing characterization.

Only a few pages into the full book, and I was immediately obsessed with and intrigued by Lore. She is resilient and stubborn. She is strong in more ways than one, and she will not let anyone judge her by her appearance, gender, or past. Lore is fiercely protective over the people she cares about, and that’s evident through her whole journey. Whether she’s trying to avenge her family’s deaths or attempting to keep her roommate as safe as she can, Lore will do absolutely anything in her power to help anyone she loves.

We first meet Lore in the basement of a restaurant as she’s earning her keep through underground fights. And, right after she pummels her opponent to a pulp, we meet Castor, a person from Lore’s past—a person in which she has spent the last handful of years believing him to be dead. You see, as Lore was growing up, her and Castor trained together so they could be prepared for the Agon when they came of age. But, Castor left the fighter track and began training as a healer. Between that path change and the whole Castor-is-dead scenario, it’s safe to say there’s some existing tension between the two. Then, Castor steps in the ring with Lore.

I will definitely get more into this later in my review, but I am utterly obsessed with the way Alex reveals her characters through small details within their actions. This fight between Lore and Castor, for example, puts both of their personalities on full show. Lore, surprised to see someone she thought died years previous, uses her anger as fuel to win. Castor on the other hand, while putting on the show, immediately asks Lore if she’s okay after punching her. Not only is this showing Lore’s stubbornness and festering anger, but it showcases Castor’s mask that he has become so used to donning. He puts on a strong, hardened face stepping up to the fight but can’t avoid his true nature and immediately asks after Lore because he cares for her. I mean, just within that small moment, you learn so much about the two characters, and I could probably gush about it forever.

As we learn more about Castor though, it’s pretty dang hard to not adore him. He’s kindhearted, strong in more ways than he thinks, and courageous. Like Lore, he’ll also do just about anything for anyone he cares about; he is loyal through and through. And, on a more casual level, he’s incredibly witty and capable of fantastic sarcasm. I’m struggling with where to include one of my favorite quotes from him within this whole review, and I can’t not post this without it, so please enjoy: “Of course, you may continue to refer to me as my lord or Radiant One. I will even respond to Your Supreme Excellence on occasion.”

Then, we meet the wonderful, wonderful Miles. I kid you not, after reading his few appearances in the sampler, I knew I would absolutely love him in the whole story. I mean, right after he’s introduced, Miles and Lore stop at a diner and he orders Mickey Mouse-shaped chocolate chip pancakes and coffee, served with whipped cream. If my spirit animal can be a fictional character, it would almost certainly be Miles.

Other than his diner order and his overall sass, Miles is a fantastic character for a lot of reasons. As Lore’s mortal roommate, he knows nothing of her past life. To Miles, the ancient gods are probably nothing more than myths taught in school and he’s never once heard of the hunt, whereas Lore grew up training for it. But, once he’s introduced to the Agon and ancient bloodlines, his head is reeling and he’s understandably confused. Because of that, he looks to Lore and asks clarifying lessons about all of it. So, while Lore is explaining her world to Miles, she’s explaining it to us. While we do get a grasp on the world as we learn from the characters already immersed in it, we’re able to relate to Miles because its new to us too.

Lore, Castor, and Miles are different from one another but they’re also so very similar. They’re each strong and brave in their own right, as well as protective over specific people. But they portray these attributes so differently, and that’s what makes them so realistic.

Also realistic in relation to the characters, is their dialogue. No conversations between any two characters ever feels forced or unnatural. Or, if it does, it was done intentionally. Much like the way in which Alexandra Bracken reveals her characters through their actions, their dialogues reveal a little more. If characters have known each other for a while, their conversations are organic; they know their song and dance because this isn’t their first time. But, with awkward first encounters, you can feel that apprehension. You can feel Lore’s anger when she first sees Castor again or even when she sees a bleeding Athena on her doorstep. The dialogue is just. so. good.

It’s probably obvious at this point, but I could scream about these characters for a good long while (and I think we’re nearing that point already). They are very distinctly themselves; their personalities and traits never falter, no matter their doomsday situation. And on top of it, the emotional character development is top tier as far as I’m concerned.

"Sometimes you just have to survive to fight another day."

Much like the characters themselves, the world building in Lore is next level.

The opening of the book brings you right into the hunt as Hermes is killed and his power passed on. As readers, we are quite literally thrown in the middle of it from page one, and that really helps shape the world we are inhabiting. It’s essentially a matter of showing rather than telling, and it allows us to fully immerse ourselves into the story. This way of inviting the reader in is prevalent through the whole story through perfectly placed flashbacks, and it really just works.

Another amazing feat accomplished by Ms. Bracken in creating this fantastical urban world is that everything from the plot to the world-building itself is a slow progression.

Like I’ve said, after we see Hermes perish, we’re thrown right into the ring with Lore years after she took herself out of the very world we’re trying to learn about. At that point, we don’t understand the Agon, the ancient bloodlines, what killing a god really means, etc. We’re in the dark about the world Lore grew up in, and I mean all of this in the best way possible. Because, once we start collecting details here and there about that very world, we’re able to piece it together. We start understanding the hunt; we learn the different positions within each family; we learn who is alive and who is dead. By being slowly introduced to the world, we’re able to get a solid grasp on the world before the plot really amps up. So, once the plot does amp up and actions are answered with their consequences, we understand how devastating those consequences can be. As readers, we understand the severity of what is happening and how it can literally destroy everything.

On top of that, because of the beautifully slow world-building, it was so easy to immerse myself within the story. I could run around Manhattan with the characters because I knew what their city looked like, the rules they had to live by. This is master storytelling at its absolute finest.

The slow world-building also allows for a slow-building plot. And that plot pacing works flawlessly in the same way because the small discoveries and side tasks add up to a really explosive moment that further helps you understand the gravity of the Agon and the severity it can cause. And, when there are action-packed scenes back to back, it’s not at all overwhelming because of the pacing. Again, if I haven’t said it enough already, Alexandra Bracken is a genius.

"There are far worse things to become than a monster."

Like I said earlier when I was gushing about Lore, Castor, and Miles, the characters of Lore can’t help but reveal themselves through their mannerisms, their dialogue, and the way they hold their shoulders. I mean, I don’t know that Miles is protective over Lore because I’m told he is. I know that because I can see it first hand.

This showing of characterization happens on nearly every page, but let’s go back to the opening fight scene with Castor and Lore.

Lore defeats her first match no problem. He’s an absolute jerk, makes some comments he shouldn’t have, and Lore easily beats him. There is no hesitation, no question marking her face. When Castor steps into her vision, Lore is confounded. Her mind is running a mile a minute with questions and confusion, which invites that hesitation. And, during this scene, Lore is more observant of those watching the fight. She’s more aware of her surroundings because she is less focused on her opponent because she’s thinking too much. So even with just that slight switch of writing tone, we know that there is a long history between Castor and Lore. Not only that, but we want to find out everything we can about that history. Because of Alex’s writing style, you can’t help but want to inhale the story in one go.

Not only did Alexandra Bracken reinvent Ancient Greek gods and place them in one of the most well-known cities, fighting for their lives, but she also found the time to bring up women’s rights and what it means to be a female.

Women weren’t always allowed to become hunters. And, once they were allowed in the hunt, they were still ridiculed and oppressed. Even when a woman killed an ancient god and overtook his powers, she was looked down upon, as if she broke the rules of the game, when she so clearly didn’t. And in casual conversation surrounding the hunt, there were numerous allusions to young girls being sold off to marriage, only to produce more children for that bloodline.

A woman’s place in this world is transparently laid out, and it’s obvious what is expected of them; it’s truly horrifying. Even Athena herself talks about the need of creating your own fate and not following the one a man created for you. Again, being able to talk about women’s rights and what it means to be a girl is an incredible feat and was probably one of my favorite elements of Lore.

"When we can’t change the past, the only thing left is to move forward."

I’m still reeling from this book. It was so amazing, everything I knew it would be and more. The ending was so satisfying and it wrapped up in the best way possible. I truly loved these characters and their stories entirely, and I hope that you all feel the same way if you pick up Lore.

If it’s not obvious yet, I could gush about Lore for hours on end (and thank you for making it through this lengthy review this far! I appreciate you!). I have pages and pages of notes that I could probably create three more blog posts with. I mean, there were so many quotes I fell in love with but didn’t exactly have the room to include. But, for your enjoyment, here are a handful of them:

‘Manhattan had once knelt before him, and would again.’
‘While grudges could feed themselves over centuries, memories faded at the pace of years.’
‘Her destiny was a gift, and now she would manifest it.’
‘In that moment, the past became the present, and the present the past, and it was just the two of them in the shadows of their city, the way it had always been. The way it should have been forever,’
‘But how we are remembered is less important than what we do now.’
‘Strong or weak—I hated those were the only things we were allowed to be. I wanted to be defined by the life I lived.’

Lore by Alexandra Bracken officially releases on January 5, 2021. Find out where you can pre-order the book on her website or run to your local bookstore on the release date!

Another big thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for providing me with an ARC for review!

You might like this if:
- you’re interested by greek mythology
- you love friends to lovers
- you like strong female protagonists
- you play ‘happiness’ by Taylor Swift on repeat
Overall: 5 feather necklaces out of 5 – ★★★★★.