For fans of Greek mythology and strong female leads comes an epic tale of honor and family from the famed Alexandra Bracken. This contemporary fantasy novel where City of Bones meets Percy Jackson has an undeniably unique mythological twist. Lore explores the concepts of honor, fate, and family in the midst of a bloody and violent seven-day trial where loyalties are immediately tested and lines are crossed. No one is who they say they are, and at the heart of it, the main characters are unraveling mysteries surrounding their own pasts. This book demands to be read, and then reread. Once you open Lore, you won't be disappointed.
Alexandra Bracken is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Darkest Minds series and the Passenger series. Born and raised in Arizona, she moved east to study history and English at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. After working in publishing for several years, she now writes full-time. Her work is available across the world in over fifteen languages and has been adapted for the big screen. Visit her online at www.alexandrabracken.com and on Twitter and Instagram @alexbracken.
Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals. They are 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, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory after her family was murdered by a rival line. 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 her out: Castor, a childhood friend Lore believed to be dead, and Athena, one of the last of the original gods, now gravely wounded. The goddess offers Lore an alliance against their mutual enemy and a way to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to rejoin the hunt, binding her fate to Athena's, will come at a deadly cost--and it may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.
Lots of contemporary fantasy written with female leads is often in the third person, which makes it more difficult to connect with the main characters sometimes--but not with Lore. Lore is the kind of female lead I think we've all been waiting for. My favorite thing about her is that she's angry, surprisingly enough. Much like Jude in The Cruel Prince, Lore has her mind set on one thing, and will do anything to get it. To her, gaining honor for her family name is the only way to avenge her dead family. To anyone who stands in her way, no matter how briefly, she unleashes the full power of her rage against them. I enjoy the narration because of her strong female voice, and how it is often at war with confidence and uncertainty. Her voice felt real, in the midst of all the fantasy and mythology weaved through the novel.
I am an ardent lover of greek mythology, especially anything to do with the Greek gods. It was so fascinating to see the ways in which Bracken brought the mythology to life. Instead of the gods being unreachable figures, Lore and her mortal companions often interacted with multiple gods or their reincarnations, so to speak. Everything within this fantasy world was connected to Greek mythology--whether that be the ancient bloodlines, the weapons, and even the places they populated in New York City. The world is wild, like a total departure from the Greek mythology we thought we knew. Bracken transforms it into something else entirely, something reachable. Even after days away from the story, I couldn't wait to get back to New York City during the Agon. I will admit that it did take a little while until I felt like I fully understood the ins and outs of the Agon and this world, but once it all clicked, I found myself vying for the escape that Lore provided.
Lore tackles so many dense themes and idea, including feminism, loving your city, and honor. Lore is often frustrated with the way the Agon is full of men, with less opportunities for women to fight and to gain kleos, or honor. Some of the best, strongest moments in the prose is when Bracken articulates Lore's frustration with her misogynistic world. While Lore is very much imbued in the Agon during the events of this book, there was a period of time she was separated by it, and imbued in New York City. Part of her identity revolves around her status as a New Yorker, so when the very final ending plot twist occurs with Athena, it makes a full circle moment for all of us. And finally, my favorite theme was honor. Lore battles a lot of repressed anger as she explores ways to gain honor for her family. The different avenues she finds herself down all to gain one intangible thing is interesting--and (spoiler alert) we don't really know if she actually attains honor by the end. While not getting a concrete answer on that was a little unsatisfying, it's really nice to think that maybe she did in the future, because of her actions on the sixth and seventh days of the Agon.
For more Alexandra Bracken, visit her at www.alexandrabracken.com and on Twitter and Instagram @alexbracken.
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