I really thought I would like this book more. It was really appealing - Greek Mythology mixed with real world London in the 1900s. However, the pace and writing fell a bit flat to me at times. I couldn't connect with Dora too. Maybe I just expected more and it didn't live up to it. There were some good plot points and overall, a decent read. A 2.75 rounded up to 3

I really enjoyed this story. I thought that it was a brilliant combination of Greek Mythology and Georgian England. I thought that there was this perfect balance of dark and light that somehow came out to be a morally sort of grey. This is random but in college I took a lot of history classes featuring numismatics, greek mythology and antiques so it is like this book was written straight out of my interests. I love this modern-esque twist on such an old tale and how Dora and Edwards life seemingly intertwined. This book was filled with deceit, mystery, rare antiques and book binding. This is very much so a story where a revaluation of the people you think you know and the world around you is changed. Think taking rose colored glasses off and realizing most of the people around you have a darkness to them. I love the fact that there was a combination of history and fantasy. If I were to say anything I would wish that there were a dash more in the greek mythology side of things but overall I think that does not necessarily take away from the book as a whole .

3.5 stars

Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapmen is a historical fiction novel set in Georgian London that focuses on the myth of Pandora. The novel isn’t quite a retelling, though there is a mysterious vase at the center of the story. Instead, this story is a mirror of the myth, showing another iteration of what happens to a woman caught up in the schemes of men. The protagonist of this novel, Dora, does manage to somewhat extricate herself from their plotting, but readers are not given a chance to enjoy her success because of the novel’s abrupt end. Dora only gets to tell Edward, her love interest, that she never needed him to save her a few chapters before the novel’s epilogue, which announces their engagement. In the end, this wasn’t quite the novel for me. I was hoping for a little bit more romance, myth, or mystery, and barring that, at least a little bit more feminine rage. Still, I think historical fiction readers will enjoy Pandora.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars.

I found the idea of this book very interesting, and I enjoyed reading it. Was it my favorite book of the year? No, it was not. Something failed to fully capture me, though I’m not certain what it was. I liked it, but I didn’t love it.

The book is written in third person present tense, which always feels very strange to me. It’s mostly from Dora’s (21) and Edward’s (26) points of view, with some chapters from Hezekiah's. The writing lacks major flaws and flows well. But it also lacks much emotion or intensity; perhaps that's why I never got fully engrossed in the story. Although I would not compare the story to a textbook, I might say that the writing had the same emotional depth as one. Everything was very matter-of-fact. I never got a pit in my stomach when something bad might happen or felt butterflies during tender, romantic moments. So that's what it was--the book was interesting, but I failed to make an emotional connection to it.

I liked Dora the most; she was intelligent and quirky, somehow innocent and scheming at the same time. But I had mixed feelings about Edward. He seemed to be using Dora in a way that put her life in danger, but he didn't even realize it--or perhaps he wouldn't allow himself to realize it. I warmed toward Cornelius (29 or 30, if I remember correctly), especially when things changed between him and Dora. When it came down to it, he was a good friend.

From the author's note (I always love th0se), I learned that more of the people and events in the book were real or based on fact than I had expected. The image after the final chapter was difficult to read on my Kindle, however, and I could only make out the largest words. I tried it in my NetGalley Shelf app, as well, and couldn't find any way to zoom in so that I could read it.

How it ends: (view spoiler)

Note: Some mild language. One implied sex scene (completely off page). LGBT supporting character(s).

The cover of this book immediately caught my attention, and I really enjoyed reading it.
Readers will be completely absorbed in this atmospheric story set in Georgian England. I loved the author's lush descriptions! The plot also combines historical elements with mystery and even mythology, all of which made the book a really quick read.
This is a fun book to read that will appeal to a wide variety of readers!

I really wanted to like this. I really did. It just didn’t hit the spot. I even tried the Audiobook to see if that would change anything and I just couldn’t get into it. I am a sucker for greek mythology and that’s what drew me in in the first place. I had a hard time getting through this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book early.

OVERALL:
Yawn. I wanted to like this. A period piece. A supposed re-telling. Greek mythology. It checked all the boxes, but genuinely I was bored often. It didn’t take long to read and it wasn’t hard, but I did feel it was a slog.

20 SECOND “WHAT’S THIS ABOUT”:
Dora plays somewhat of a Cinderella in this story. Parents died when she was young, left in the care of her uncle, who treats her like a servant, banishing her to the attic, when his “housekeeper with benefits ” moves in. All Dora wants is to be independent, designing jewelry, but alas, she’s a woman. Enter Edward, a young man who is given a “tip” to talk to Dora because her parents were famous for their antiquities. The work together to discover a mysterious vase her uncle is keeping under lock and key.

My favorite part:
Cornelius

ARC provided by Netgalley and Harper Perennial.

A unique blend of mythology and history, Pandora takes place in 1799s London. It’s a fascinating time period, and the author brings the setting to life with rich descriptions and immersive storytelling. The story is told from three different perspectives, which I liked. I enjoy when books have dual and multiple points of view, and it added to the plot and character development. Dora is an interesting woman, and I enjoyed seeing her relationship with Edward change and grow as they become immersed in a super interesting mystery.

After losing her parents in an archeological dig, Dora, who loves to and excels at designing jewelry, is living with and helping her uncle run an antiquities shop. When they receive a vase, and her uncle starts acting strange, Dora, with the help of Edward, starts to unravel its mystery. It feels like the more they uncover about the piece and its connection to Dora’s family, the more there is to learn.

I liked the story. It has a great premise, the mystery and unraveling of it are intriguing, and the exploration of mythology and how it’s woven into the plot is also well done. Overall, I thought it was a unique and interesting historical mystery with secrets, lies, suspense, and a bit of romance. Thanks to Harper Perennial for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for Greek myths, but all the literary and historical retellings that have been coming out lately are just missing the mark. Maybe this just isn't my genre...

Pandora has a gorgeous cover and an interesting premise but it was just so BORING. I imagine fans will say that the prose is lyrical, but I just found it stilted. Paired with the flat characters and glacial pacing, this just wasn't a winner.

I do think the comps given in the summary - Song of Achilles, Essex Serpent, Circe - were pretty spot on, so if you're a fan of those novels then you may enjoy this.

Absolutely loved this historical mystery, one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year. From the ensemble of characters, the tidbits of extra historical fact, the scandalous Georgian gossip sprinkled throughout and a wonderful retelling of Greek myth. The story unfolds leaving the reader questioning is it coincidence or something more, who is our mysterious man that pops up from time to time and will Dora survive?

I very much enjoyed the author's interpretation of Pandora's myth and the minor parallels between it and our heroine. The touches of magical realism were just right and I would enjoy reading a sequel to see where Dora and Edward end up next... and maybe even an ending or adventure for Cornelius too.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book. You have Georgian England mixed with some Greek mythology. I am not exceptionally knowledgeable when it comes to Greek mythology and luckily you don't have to be to follow this story.

The world building was done very well and I very much enjoyed most of this book.

I think the thing that kept this from being a 4 star read for me what the characters. Some were interesting and than others were just very one dimensional. I know the uncle wasn't supposed to be a likeable character but I would have liked to have learned more about him. It just fell a little flat for me.

Overall this was an enjoyable book and I am glad I gave it a chance.

I was immediately ready upon seeing Georgian London and Pandora in the same blurb. Susan Stokes Chapman writes beautiful prose describing an interesting time and tale in history. The reference to Greek Mythology was lighter than I anticipated but the story was just as riveting. The story was fast paced and filled with interesting characters, symbolism, and intrigue. An incredible debut novel.

Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The combination of Greek mythology and the historical setting was what got me to read this book. I must say it's an interesting mix. With three different POVs, this story will have you reading at a steady pace, the character development was lacking for me, some of them fell flat, but the plot and mystery behind it had me reading it until the end. I wished it was done as an audiobook, I think it would be a good way to experience this story.

When I first saw this book, I assumed it would be a retelling of Pandora. However, I discovered this book to be so much more with its mixture of history and mythology. I really liked that the main character was a jeweler, and occupation that I do not see much in fiction. I do wish the relationship between Edward and Dora was developed more, though.

I love greek mythology and history. Great book. Could not put it down. I’m going to have to get more books from this author. Thank you for the awesome opportunity!

Possible Triggers:
Death | Body Horror | Physical/Mental Abuse | Animal Cruelty

Characters:
This story is told from 3 perspectives (Hezekiah Blake, Pandora Blake, and Edward Lawrence).

Edward Lawrence is my favorite character in the book. ‘The oblivious academic’ is absolutely a personality type that I love.

Positives:
+ Loved the subtle weaving of a mythological myth into a THING. Two fascinating time periods smashed together? Awesome for the visual imagery. This appealed to my love of all things ancient Greece and the propriety and genteel manners of Georgian London.
+ What a fun inclusion of a pet! Not only is he there as a lovely moral support but also an artistic muse/provider.

Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this read. It wasn’t what I was expecting (seeing as I went into it blind I am not surprised) at all. I thought it was perhaps a newer, more modern, take on the Pandora story, or perhaps a continuation, but at a later time period. This was nothing of the sort. Instead we have the slow unraveling of Pandora Blakes history being unveiled to us as we follow a budding romance and a fight to survive in a male-dominated time-frame. I liked most of the characters (not Hezekiah or Cornelius), especially how Dora and Hermes worked together in her art. I really enjoyed the Information at the end of the book, where the author talks about her tweaks to history to make her story work.

Such an interesting combination of historical fiction and mythology, two of my favorite things! This book had history, mystery, romance, and even a little bit of magic (if you choose to believe, which I always do).

While the plot started off a bit slow for me, once I got into the mystery of it all, the latter two-thirds or so of the book just flew by.

I do wish the romance had been developed a bit more, though. Dora and Edward clearly worked well together, and they had the same drive to prove their worth against the odds, but I just didn’t feel the spark. Still, I was rooting for them both.

Definitely an intriguing, well-paced read!

Could the myth of Pandora's box have a basis in reality? Stokes-Chapman brings 18th century London to life as Dora and Edward battle their pasts, their social status, and Dora's evil aunt Hezekiah to uncover the truth about an ancient Greek artifact.

I am an absolute sucker for a retelling, and this one is no exception. While I'm not particularly fond of much of historical fiction (give me antiquity or bust), I thought this was a really good interpretation of Pandora's story by Stokes-Chapman. Really enjoyed!

This was a good book, I enjoyed it! A nice cozy historical fiction mixed with Greek Mythology.

Dora lives with her miserable uncle after her parents died in an archeological dig accident. In addition to her uncle treating her poorly, it seems that he has been up to no good. Dora and her new friend investigate and try to find out what is going on.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.