*Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

This was an action-packed story with updated mythology, grandiose writing, and romance.

But, there was constant exposition for the dense world-building and relationships., so the momentum was a little too up and down to get completely hooked into the flow. There were some entertaining character dynamics and fun plot-lines, but not enough to keep me engaged.

Overall, this will be an exciting release that works for a lot of the YA audience, just not for me.
Pick this up for a bloody and melodramatic action plot with a focus on fate, duty, and a FTL romance.

Alexandra Bracken has done it again, continuously solidifying her position as one of the best teen and YA writers today. I could NOT put her newest book, Lore, down and loved every bit of it! Full of action, drama, lore, and suspense...I did not want it to end! Phenomenal!!

5 out of 5 stars for Lore by Alexandra Bracken.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

9781368002318


576 Pages
Publisher: Disney Publication / Hyperion
Release Date: January 5, 2021

Fiction, Mythology, Teen & Young Adult

Every seven years the Agon takes place. During this week, nine ancient gods appear on the earth as mortals. If you kill one, you receive the god’s power. Lore has been hiding since the slaughter of her family. This year however, she has been found by not one but two people from her past. Castor comes into the ring to spar with her. She was startled since she thought he was dead for these past seven years. On her way home, she and her friend Miles follow a blood trail leading to Lore’s brownstone. Leaning at the top of the stairs is the goddess Athena suffering from a severe stab wound.

To be honest, I picked up this book because of the cover. I love anything to do with Medusa and the image on the cover was intriguing. The book is written in third person point of view and the characters are very developed. The book jumps back into Lore’s past as she trains with the Achillides bloodline then back to the present. If you like Percy Jackson and other mythological stories, you will enjoy this book.

As a longtime fan of Alexandra Bracken’s, I’ve had Lore saved as an anticipated 2021 release pretty much since it was first announced. The Darkest Minds was one of my favourite book series back in the early-mid 2010s, and I’ve liked everything else that Bracken has put out, though I’ll admit nothing has quite compared to that breakout series. I’m pleased to report that while Lore didn’t wow me, it was an enjoyable read that I think will appeal to fans of the author’s work, and to anyone nostalgic for the Hunger Games era of YA literature.

Lore takes place in a world where, every seven years, nine Greek gods become mortal for a week. During that time, known as the Agon, they are hunted by the descendants of great heroes, who all know that killing a god means taking their power and becoming a new god. Our protagonist, Lore, left this world years ago. However, when a childhood friend and an ancient god both seek out her help, she finds herself pulled right back in, and right at the start of the new Agon.

This book’s greatest strength is its worldbuilding. Bracken weaves Greek mythology into a contemporary setting in a way that feels new and exciting, but still features plenty of easter eggs for people already familiar with the stories. Fans of the Percy Jackson books will love this new take on Greek mythology, and maybe learn something new along the way! It also has strong Hunger Games vibes at times, hence my earlier comparison.

In many ways, Lore feels like a throwback to the mid-2010s era of YA literature, perhaps with a slightly more diverse cast. It’s a bit trope-y, and rife with girl power feminism that isn’t exactly bad, but feels just a little bit outdated in 2020. The romance subplot is fine, if forgettable. The plot is fast-paced and easy to follow.

I almost feel bad comparing Lore to The Darkest Minds or Passenger, but I generally felt like this book was lacking both the emotional punch and the wit of Bracken’s past work. One of the weak points of this book, for me, was the characters. This surprised me, because the characters and their relationships were probably my favourite part of The Darkest Minds – and Passenger too, for that matter. I just didn’t feel like I got a good sense who any of these people were, and that made it hard for me to get into Lore. I kind of felt like it might have worked better as a series.

All in all, this was a fun read, and I would recommend it to fans of YA fantasy and especially anyone who’s into Greek mythology. It did, however, fall somewhat short of my admittedly high expectations.

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.

Lore finds herself back in the Agon after spending 7 years hiding from the world she was once a part of when a God shows up asking her for help. The story reads Greek mythology meets Hunger Games as Lore fights to survive and defeat a new God. There's action, romance, and some great character building.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Lore, the upcoming standalone fantasy from Alexandra Bracken, was one of my most anticipated 2021 books. And friends, I’m so happy to report that I felt like it lived up to my high hopes! Set in my beloved New York City, Lore centers around an event that happens every seven years called the Agon – a punishment for nine Greek gods where they are forced to walk the earth as mortals and be hunted by descendants of ancient bloodlines who want to seize their power and immortality. Melora “Lore” Perseous thought she had escaped the trauma of her family’s brutal murder at the hands of a rival bloodline years ago. But when this year’s hunt begins, she’s dragged right back into the world she thought she’d left behind by two unexpected individuals: Castor, the childhood friend she believed long dead, and Athena, one of the remaining original gods who offers an alliance in order for Lore to get her revenge before she leaves the Agon behind forever.

Honestly, I’m a sucker for stories with elements of Greek mythology woven in. That was the major reason I was drawn to Lore (outside of the fact that I happen to be a fan of everything else Bracken has penned) initially, and it delivers so well on that front. This is not your traditional retelling where the story follows a specific myth. Instead, this is a story that is inspired heavily by its source material, from the harsh brutality of the Agon (including physical violence, torture, murder, sexual violence, among many things – this review has a list of content warnings you can refer to) to the heavily patriarchal family structures to the immortal magic and divine abilities that each god or goddess is blessed with to the traditional ‘hunt’ structure and weaponry. It felt like a modern-day myth, and that really hit my sweet spot.

I didn’t actually realize that Lore takes place in New York City until I picked it up, a detail that I somehow missed when I read the summary originally. But that’s another thing that I really enjoyed! It was really fun to see the vibe that I associate with the city translated in some way on the page. The way the setting was written really captured all the contradictions of this city - the grit, the no nonsense, the classic, the luxurious, the modern, the natural, just to name a few. While it’s certainly a more polished version of the city I love, it still felt like the same place and I have to commend Bracken for capturing its spirit.

The character work is one of the most impressive things about Lore. Bracken still has a deft hand when it comes to writing an ensemble cast, and I was especially fond of the allies and friends Lore works with along the way (though I could have used a touch more time with them). But her masterpiece is really in how Lore comes alive off the page. Lore is a complex young woman, shaped by her history, her relationships and her present circumstances. She’s quick-witted (seriously, her remarks can be so sassy!), capable and is certainly in no need of anyone to take care of her when she can handle herself well in a fight. In fact, her defiance (and the anger that fuels it) was one of my favorite things about her! But I also loved seeing her broken and vulnerable, her other emotions adding a softness to those sharp corners she often leads with. Lore often has to make some tough choices, and while I don’t think she necessarily handled everything well, I was rooting for her to find her own version of peace and closure.

The other aspect of Lore that I really loved was the actual plot. Readers are given a brief idea of how the Agon began before meeting Lore on page for the first time, and things just escalate (and keep escalating) from there. It’s clear right away that there are very high stakes, and it’s equally obvious that there is more to the story as well (as indicated by the few flashbacks interspersed throughout the book). There were constant goings-on - planning sessions for the next move that needed to be made, following trails of clues, fending off opponents, revelations being dropped or arrived at– and it definitely kept me hooked. It’s definitely a lot to be jam-packed into one book! But it worked really well, in my opinion, and the structure is definitely perfect for a standalone.

If I were to nitpick at the book, I would say that I wish we’d gotten more time with the secondary cast and I felt like the ending was a little abrupt for my tastes. But really, they happen to be minor complaints in the overall scheme of things and have more to do with personal taste.

In case you hadn’t already guessed, I loved Lore a whole lot! It’s a well-written epic modern-day myth about a young woman whose fate is tied to powerful (and immortal) forces and how she takes that same fate into her own two hands. Alexandra Bracken has once again crafted an impeccable story for her readers and, in particular, it’s a tale that’s exactly my cup of tea. I definitely recommend adding it to your TBR if you haven't already!

Every seven years, Zeus has sentenced the rest of the Greek gods to become mortals on earth, where the descendants of famed Greek heroes will hunt them in order to gain their power. The week of the hunt is brutal and violent so when Lore loses her family as a child, she runs away, determined to leave this world behind. Seven years later though, two potential friends and allies request her help - and offer her the chance at being done with the hunt once and for all.

This fast-paced fantasy is especially fun if you are a fan of Greek mythology, which I am. Bracken brings the fickle nature of Greek gods into contemporary times, with the characters' warring houses and ever-changing alliances. It reads almost like a modern Trojan war. In addition to finding herself thrust into the middle of this conflict again, Lore must confront her family's legacy and her own past. After seven years of turning her back on it, she's no longer a young child and realizes that not everything she believed was true. And if it's not true, what does that mean about who she is and what she's given up? These are classic coming-of-age questions, and Lore's painful background make for an interesting exploration. The ending is a little easy, and the violence is a little more savage than I'd recommend for younger teens, but otherwise, I enjoyed it.

DNF

Though I love Alexandra Bracken's ideas, the execution, in terms of plotting, world building, and characterization has always left me wanting. Due to great early reviews, I decided to give Bracken another shot, because I want to love her writing. Unfortunately, I do not think her style is a good fit for me. The opening scenes feel like a constant succession of character introductions, and I would have liked to see them layered in. so I could get a sense of who Lore is and really care about her.

Loved Percy Jackson, but want something for a slightly older audience? Well, look no further. Alexandra Bracken has written a really intense book based on Greek Mythology. Set in modern day New York, we jump right into the Agon, a competition that occurs every seven years. During this time, the gods become mortal and roam the earth. If someone kills a god during this time, they inherit their power and become a new god.

This book doesn't hold back. There is a lot of graphic violence, and I often skimmed over the descriptions. The story was really interesting, following Lore as she attempts to avenge her family's wrongful deaths during the previous Agon.

Lore was a really relatable character, full of anger and confusion. Castor, her sparring partner and love interest, was so sweet. The romance took a back seat to the action, but there was just enough sprinkled in to give you a respite from the violence once in a while.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this one.

I was sent a full advanced readers copy to review via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

When I first found Lore, I was captivated by the cover of the book. I have always been fascinated with greek mythology and I will read or listen to any stories when I can. This book was not an acception.
When I first started reading, I felt as though it was slow and I was hesitant to finish because I was afraid it was going to be bad.

I was WRONG.

Lore is Hunger Games but with Greek Gods.
This book is full of twist and turns, betrayal, loyalty and true love.
Lore is not your average girl and the world she comes from is nothing but average. Every seven years Agon starts (every man for themselves) and Lore has to figure out wo she can trust and how to escape death.

This book is a must read!

**I was sent a full advanced readers copy to review via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

WOW.
Easily my best, and by far most enjoyable read of 2020.

Percy Jackson meet the Hunger Games... kind of?
Take all of the greek mythology, quests, and hunts to the death - put them in everyone's favorite romanticized city of New York and you have a fantastical Alexandra Bracken read.

If there were once heroes, they are all gone now. Only the monsters remain.

Melora (Lore) lives in a similar world to our own (pre-pandemic), but with ancient deadly secrets. Gone are the days where the Greek Gods and Goddesses are untouchable, content to live above the mortals. Now they are cast out of the protection of their father's (Zeus) favor, and every seven years the Agon begins. The Agon subjects these Gods to the mortal world, in mortal flesh. For seven days these Gods are no longer immortal, their deaths resulting in power unimaginable for the hand that delivers it. Five mortal bloodlines remain to hunt these Gods. Both the originals left, and the new gods who have ascended. Lore, the last of her bloodline, has escaped this world. Not only hiding from the hunters of other houses, but from her past. When the Agon begins again in her home of New York City, Lore is forced to make a choice when an injured Athena awaits her on her porch.
Stay away from the world she so desperately wanted to escape? Or seek the revenge her heart has anguished for years over?
This story was filled with so much adventure, mystery, and a HUGE plot twist that truly took me by surprise.
Not to mention a childhood friends to lovers romance that adds just the right sweetness to this epic tale.

Alexandra Bracken's writing has always upheld a level of whimsical sophistication, and this story is no different. Her story will take you all around New York City, in a way that makes you yearn for the City - even if danger lies in every turn. The story follows Lore throughout the Agon, as she battles who she was, who she is, and who she wants to become. The foils of her childhood friend, and Athena are great personifications of the internal struggle Lore faces throughout this novel. Similar to Bracken's previous book, The Darkest Minds, even in the serious danger of the Agon, there are bonda of friendship that from, resulting in a strong found family theme.
The balance of quests, friendship, humor, love, and pain that takes place through the novel will keep your mind wandering to this book days after.
As I found myself yearning to learn the truth of so many secrets, of mysteries unknown even to our main characters, I could barely put this book down.
Due to the greek mythology background, there is a lot of information to digest, and learn. The pull of the mystery of it all kept me reading, even through my initial confusion. As the story unfolds and more information is uncovered, the less confusion I felt. My background in greek mythology goes as far as the unit I was taught back in middle school, and the occasional recreational read, but even my limited knowledge of it didn't hinder my understanding, or enjoyment of this book.
Bracken truly delivered in this stand-alone and I couldn't be more excited for it to be out in the world!

This was such a fun, new take on Greek Mythology. I loved every minute of this book, it’s twists and turns, and it’s characters. Lore was such a fun character to explore, especially as she navigated the world she had grown up in, and how much she both loved and hated it.
From the moment I got the first sample of chapters to the full ARC, I had a feeling I would love this book and I did.

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney/Hyperion for providing me with a digital copy for review.

I was initially skeptical to request this book, mostly because Greek mythology was never my favorite thing, but I'd heard nothing but positive things about this book, and I really enjoyed Alexandra Bracken's Darkest Minds trilogy, so I decided to give it a shot, and I am so glad I did! This book was fun, engaging, and the characters all stood out on the page. The concept of the Greek gods being made mortal every seven years in order to be hunted in what is called the Agon really fascinated me. I had never come across a similar theme before. I've heard that it's a cross between the Hunger Games and Percy Jackson, and that description could not be more accurate. I sped through this book and was sad when it was over.

The only reason I'm giving it four stars instead of five was that the beginning confused me in terms of the explanation given of the Agon, how the houses and bloodlines worked, and whether or not all characters were mortal or considered "gods." Before starting this book, I thought Lore was immortal who gave it up after the death of her family. I did not realize that she was mortal the whole time. There was a lot of info-dumping at the beginning regarding the world and how it worked, but other than that, I have nothing but positive things to say about this book. I would highly recommend it to young adult fans, those who love Greek mythology and high stakes races.

Combining Greek mythology with a present-day adventure this story covers a more grown-up version of a PERCY JACKSON AND THE LIGHTNING THIEF style fantasy. Every seven years for seven days gods walk among the mortals and if you can kill one you will become a god. Lore's whole family was killed during the last Agon and now she really wants nothing to do with any of it. The next Agon is happening and it is in New York City and Lore gets pulled into the battle to stop a demigod and avenge her family. Bracken does a fantastic job of world-building and holds us suspended between the world we know and what is happening in between. The action never stops and we also deal with the themes of family, grief, and big-time revenge. Fans who started out with and outgrown Percy Jackson, as well as readers of the RED RISING series by Pierce Brown or THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jamison will enjoy this young adult brutal fantasy. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

As soon as I heard about this book, I was ecstatic. I absolutely love any story that involves greek mythology, and when I realized that Bracken was going to be bringing the story to life, I was even more excited. And luckily, I was not let down. The beginning of the story was a little confusing because the idea of the Agon was something that I had never heard of before, but once I got into the story and figured out how all of the bloodlines and the Agon worked, I was hooked. Bracken did an amazing job at bringing greek myths into the mortal world, and her constant twists and turns kept me turning pages as fast as I could. I also loved the relationships in the book. It has that found family aspect that I absolutely adore, and I became way too attached to the characters. I loved this book and I can't wait for everyone else to experience it's magic.

I quite enjoyed Lore! Really wasn't what I was expecting, much more of a serious fantasy straying more towards adult than YA. I do see why it has had comparisons to The Hunger Games in the sort of short time period killing 'games/event.'

Criticisms were the beginning dragged a bit due to the amount of info-dump, but it wasn't too bad. I also really enjoyed this being a stand alone fantasy - and I feel like it did well with character arcs and plot in just 500 pages. I do wish her friend 'Miles' got more development, he felt rather unneeded.

Lots of twists and turns that kept me interested, and I definitely did not see some of them coming.

Alexandra Bracken was really popular with our teen readers a few years ago and Lore, a fantastic Greek mythology mash-up, will absolutely give her even more readers. It's a fast read, and a really good one. I hope the cover will be embossed or something though, as the all white version I've seen online is so flat and not likely to entice casual or reluctant readers to pick it up. Still, that's a pretty minor quibble!

First Glance
I’m a sucker for anything involving a revised version of mythology, particularly Greek mythology. So when I saw this book on NetGalley while browsing for advanced copies to request, I couldn’t resist. The idea that some of the gods were being punished with a hunt in mortal bodies sounded gritty and exciting!

Positive Bits
The slow feed of information on the Agon and the people within it was done well. There weren’t a bunch of info dumps to slug through while reading; instead, the details were woven into the story and explained as needed within the context of the story. It helped that one of the main characters isn’t part of the Agon’s world, so we gain lots of explanations via his questions to the other characters.

I enjoyed Athena’s role in the story. As the goddess of strategy and reason, her choices made sense the way you’d expect a deity to consider choices (as opposed to a mortal person). The other gods were interesting in their own ways, but she held a unique place in Lore’s adventure.

An overall theme of being raised within a culture and wanting to leave it played well into the plot, from start to finish. It echoed a familiar thread seen in people who leave certain churches or political factions for their own well-being, and thus it really hit home how lost Lore felt and how hard the entire experience was for her.

Less Enjoyable Bits
Maybe it was just me, but I was left confused several times in the beginning. While the book is written in third person following Lore’s point of view the entire time, there are moments when the scene slips out of focus. I think part of that had to do with reading too fast in sections that included explanations of this Agon event and the world-within-our-world in which it occurs.

Some plot points disappointed me, largely due to the letdowns between culture and choices made by various side characters. If you live in a culture were honor and glory are key to everything, I don’t understand how betrayal of your people fits into that picture. Ever. So sometimes I was left scratching my head and wondering how choices made sense.

I had envisioned a different ending (or two, or three). There’s nothing wrong with the ending that we got, but I personally hoped for more. And without spoiling anything, I had hoped that the person with Poseidon’s power would be more involved in the story. They were mentioned enough to seem important, but then they came and went from the actual plot with little fanfare.

Is it worth the coin?
Yes – This book is an action-packed reimaging of the Greek gods, and I think it’s worth a read. I can’t help but wonder if the author will release any similar myth-based stories in the future, because I’d grab them too!

I expected I would love this book after seeing the gorgeous cover, that it was written by Alexandra Bracken, and that it had Greek mythology, and I was not wrong! It was even better than I thought it would be!

It's the story of Lore, who thought she had left the world of the Agon, only to be thrown back in when a bleeding Athena shows up on her doorstep and the best friend she thought was dead is back in her life. The Agon happens every 7 years and is the time period where, in punishment for their rebellion, the Greek gods become mortal and can be killed to have their powers claimed. Lore must face her past, fight her enemies, and try to break free from this patriarchal world.

I was hooked from the beginning! Lore's personality and her fight against the patriarchy was amazing. As a Greek mythology lover, I enjoyed all the references to Greek mythology, but you do not need to be familiar with the stories to follow the book.

I also appreciated the length of the chapters. As a wife and mother, I get interrupted a LOT when reading and I liked that I didn't have to stop in the middle a long chapter if I had to set it down!

I can't recommend this book enough! It comes out January 5th and is the perfect book to start your 2021.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a complementary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t going to request this one but then I kept hearing about it and greek mythology/retellings always get me so here we are! 😂

This was my first time reading a book by this author. Although I have heard of her other works, I just haven’t picked them up. I did enjoy her writing style and maybe reading this one will give me the push to check out her other books.

This is a unique retelling of Greek mythology and one I liked for the most part. It was hard at the beginning to get into but I think that was based on trying to understand everything and remembering each house’s details. The action is a bit slow but once it builds, it easy to get swept away and then I was flying through the book. Plus, the plot twists were ones that I never saw coming. I will say that I wasn’t really a fan of the ending because it just didn’t leave me satisfied enough. It was very open-ended and left me with a few questions.

The character development was a bit hit or miss for me. Some had more development than others, which is to be expected since it is a standalone, but I also wish I would have been given more background for certain characters. For the main characters like Lore, Castor, Miles, and Van, it was easy to like them from the beginning. I like when that happens because it just makes their story that much better.

As with most books, there is a bit of romance. Out of the two, I did like one more than the other and that was just based on development. One had more but I can see others really enjoying both.

When it came to Lore, I didn’t realize how dark this book would be. From the blurb there is the mention of hunting the gods/goddesses down but dang, these people are intense! Even though it isn’t super gory, it still details the attacks on people and it does talk about blood a lot. Another thing that came up a few times was the way women/girls were treated by the archons or gods. You get the gist of what they are referring to and an encounter that Lore had goes into a bit more details than other mentions. I did like that the author talks about the bad things gods/goddesses did and doesn’t sugarcoat it like other retellings have. If you aren’t a fan of those things, I’d steer clear or go in prepared. It didn’t bother me but I know it can when it comes to others.

Overall, this book was pretty good. It was a unique retelling with characters and a plot that many will enjoy.