Alexandra Bracken takes readers on a journey of of girl who is forced to return to a world that she had fled, in order to protect those she loves:
The Agon occurs every seven years, the Greek God's of Old are transported into the physical form on Earth and stripped of their immortal power and to kill a God means that the killer inherits their power. The descendants of each house are power hungry and looking for more power each time. Lore fled this world and went into hiding after her family, including her young sisters, were brutally murdered by a rival house. But the war is about to come to her doorstep and a childhood friend who she thought dead has resurfaced and needs her help. Lore is about to re-enter the fight of the Agon and death of the other houses is the ultimate goal.
I think I should start off by saying that for a book that is supposed to be a YA book, it has quite a few disturbing scenes, that would not be suitable (in my opinion) for a young YA reader. Older YA sure, but this is not a book to bridge the gap between middle grade and YA genres.
And that is why, I pretty much loved every minute of this book. It was unique, dark, gritty, loads of action and not completely overwhelming in describing the world that Lore lived in and chose to flee. And when I say dark and gritty there is blood and death and loss and well being that the book is based around Greek Gods that is really fitting that Bracken went as dark as she did, especially since that the God's are at War every seven years. It is tough to have a War without death, maiming, destruction, and murder of the innocent. And to say that the God's in this book revel in it all is an understatement, this is what they "live" for every 7 years.
Lore is a pretty fascinating character and one of the most Badass women out there. Not only is she a great fighter but she is also loyal to her fellow man, and has morals, that seem to be lacking in those who participate in the Agon. She has also shown her ability to adapt to normal life as well as hide from the Gods that are still looking for her. Lore to put it simply is just awesome, even when we get glimpses of her past when she was a child, she was awesome back then too.
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that I was not at all prepared for. I totally thought it was just going to be fighting the Gods, trying to stay alive and out whit the Gods and while this does happen throughout the book I was not prepared to get to attached to Lore and her life and history and the pain that she has suffered at the hands of the Agon.
This was a really different retelling/recreating the Greek Gods and displaying them in not only a different light but century as well. It is hard to like any of the Gods in this book as they are all blood thirsty and just wanting more power and to win the Agon. That is what has shaped them for the centuries they have battled each other. Additionally, their followers are just as blood thirsty, like asking the God Apollo to create a diseases that they could benefit from in their pharmaceutical businesses, like what, you want to kill a who bunch of people with a new diseases so you can make more money from creating the drug to sure it. Just cold man, just cold.
Really enjoyed this book from start to finish and expect to want to read it in one sitting. It really does take a hold of you from the very start. I appreciated the creativity that Bracken brought to the Greek Gods. I look forward to reading more by her.
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