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HETAERA: Daughter of the Gods
She was the original Cinderella....Doricha is twelve when her father is murdered by a roving band of Greeks. Betrayed by a jealous priestess and sold into slavery, headstrong Dori loses her most valuable possession-her freedom. She hopes that one day she can truly be free, but not even Aesop, her mentor, can protect her. The harsh world of classical Greece has little use for the minds of women, and she finds her body traded to another owner, who transports her to a new life of luxury and political turmoil in the faraway deserts of Egypt. All she has to do is be beautiful, all she has to do is love him, and she will be kept safe. The problem is, Dori doesn't want to be kept--by any man. Not even the god-king Amasis, Pharaoh of Egypt.
From the ancient Thracian temple of the Bacchae to the exotic lands of Egypt where political intrigue coils like a nest of asps, Dori learns that fulfilling her father's dying wish is not about bands around her wrists so much as it is bands around her heart. Based on persons and historical events of 26th dynasty Egypt, HETAERA fictionalizes the life of Doricha/Rhodopis--a most extraordinary woman who changed the world.
"HETAERA- DAUGHTER OF THE GODS is a fascinating historical novel in which the strength of one woman triumphs over adversity, and ultimately frees her soul. Slave, temple dancer, concubine, courtesan, she is called many things, but each title must be stripped away so that she can discover who she truly is. A compelling story." -- Christy English, author of THE QUEEN'S PAWN and HOW TO TAME A WILLFUL WIFE
From the ancient Thracian temple of the Bacchae to the exotic lands of Egypt where political intrigue coils like a nest of asps, Dori learns that fulfilling her father's dying wish is not about bands around her wrists so much as it is bands around her heart. Based on persons and historical events of 26th dynasty Egypt, HETAERA fictionalizes the life of Doricha/Rhodopis--a most extraordinary woman who changed the world.
"HETAERA- DAUGHTER OF THE GODS is a fascinating historical novel in which the strength of one woman triumphs over adversity, and ultimately frees her soul. Slave, temple dancer, concubine, courtesan, she is called many things, but each title must be stripped away so that she can discover who she truly is. A compelling story." -- Christy English, author of THE QUEEN'S PAWN and HOW TO TAME A WILLFUL WIFE
286 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2013
11 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Coffey
14 books52 followersJ.A. Coffey writes both sizzling contemporary romance and epic historical fiction with compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page.
A complete cupcake addict, when she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found hunkered over her laptop in a European coffeehouse, test baking desserts, or “feathering her nest” with spruced up flea market finds. A 2014 Indie Book Awards Finalist and former RWA Golden Heart finalist, J.A. is currently working on her latest novel and trying not to get cupcake batter on her keyboard.
A complete cupcake addict, when she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found hunkered over her laptop in a European coffeehouse, test baking desserts, or “feathering her nest” with spruced up flea market finds. A 2014 Indie Book Awards Finalist and former RWA Golden Heart finalist, J.A. is currently working on her latest novel and trying not to get cupcake batter on her keyboard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 23, 2014
All in all, not a bad story.
I picked this book up after stumbling across the author's blog while scouring the internet for information on Rhodopis. The "original Cinderella" of Greek-period Egypt has a moderately-sized role to play in a book I'm currently working on, and it's darned hard to find any resources on her life -- either the character of the legend or the real hetaera who went by the professional handle of Rhodopis. So I was very pleased to find this novelization of Rhodopis' life.
Hetaera: Daughter of the Gods takes the reader from the famous courtesan's earliest days as a Thracian adolescent through some harrowing times up until her final triumph as the consort of Pharaoh Ahmose II (called Amasis in the novel.) Along the way she meets and joins forces with Aesop (he of the infamous fables), and has...some kind of interaction with Sappho, the famous poet. It's an engaging tour through a fascinating part of Mediterranean and Egyptian history.
I had a few quibbles with the book. I felt the writing style was a little dry and flat for my taste; I would have liked a lot more show instead of tell. And I felt like some plot lines were a bit unresolved. Some, like Rhodopis' interactions with Sappho, felt as if they were leading up to more story...but in the end were not explored any further, and I found myself wondering what the heck happened with that character (and some others.)
On the whole, though, it was a fun story that kept me reading until the end. I'll be glad to check out the author's next book, which is about Semiramis (another woman from history about whom not nearly enough has been written!)
I picked this book up after stumbling across the author's blog while scouring the internet for information on Rhodopis. The "original Cinderella" of Greek-period Egypt has a moderately-sized role to play in a book I'm currently working on, and it's darned hard to find any resources on her life -- either the character of the legend or the real hetaera who went by the professional handle of Rhodopis. So I was very pleased to find this novelization of Rhodopis' life.
Hetaera: Daughter of the Gods takes the reader from the famous courtesan's earliest days as a Thracian adolescent through some harrowing times up until her final triumph as the consort of Pharaoh Ahmose II (called Amasis in the novel.) Along the way she meets and joins forces with Aesop (he of the infamous fables), and has...some kind of interaction with Sappho, the famous poet. It's an engaging tour through a fascinating part of Mediterranean and Egyptian history.
I had a few quibbles with the book. I felt the writing style was a little dry and flat for my taste; I would have liked a lot more show instead of tell. And I felt like some plot lines were a bit unresolved. Some, like Rhodopis' interactions with Sappho, felt as if they were leading up to more story...but in the end were not explored any further, and I found myself wondering what the heck happened with that character (and some others.)
On the whole, though, it was a fun story that kept me reading until the end. I'll be glad to check out the author's next book, which is about Semiramis (another woman from history about whom not nearly enough has been written!)
June 10, 2013
I did not know that the Cinderella story had such ancient origins when I started this book - but then again, most moralistic stories have been around since time began. I knew nothing of Rhodopis and her fable of becoming queen of Egypt so I came to this book with wide open eyes and deep interest in the history of this time period.
The novel was very much focused on its protagonist and she tells the tale from the future which can be done well but I felt in this book it led to far too many statements of "if I had only known." This can be useful but I think it was used too heavily, especially in the first third of the tale. The character is an interesting one and what is known of her life (I googled) is fleshed out quite well but she doesn't change much from when the story picks her up at 12 to when it ends at some unknown adult age.
It was quite fun to encounter Aesop in the pages, while most of us are familiar with his fables I am sure that like me, many of us don't know much about the man. Apparently these two intersected in history and that real circumstance is put to good fictional use.
The ancillary characters - particularly the females are really rather one dimensional. Doricha's "near sister" Mara in particular. Her mother and aunt have a huge feud that leads to the whole set up for the book and yet I'm still confused as to what it was all about. A man, yes, but the why was not fully explained - at least not so much as for me to understand. Just not enough development for this reader to really care.
The ending was satisfactory but felt a touch rushed. As if it all had to fit in the last few pages which was disappointing after so much extraneous bits and pieces elsewhere.
Overall I enjoyed the book but found myself frustrated at the lack of history in this historical novel and the effort to try and fit in every known bit of her life whether it went with the flow of the story being told or not.
3.5
The novel was very much focused on its protagonist and she tells the tale from the future which can be done well but I felt in this book it led to far too many statements of "if I had only known." This can be useful but I think it was used too heavily, especially in the first third of the tale. The character is an interesting one and what is known of her life (I googled) is fleshed out quite well but she doesn't change much from when the story picks her up at 12 to when it ends at some unknown adult age.
It was quite fun to encounter Aesop in the pages, while most of us are familiar with his fables I am sure that like me, many of us don't know much about the man. Apparently these two intersected in history and that real circumstance is put to good fictional use.
The ancillary characters - particularly the females are really rather one dimensional. Doricha's "near sister" Mara in particular. Her mother and aunt have a huge feud that leads to the whole set up for the book and yet I'm still confused as to what it was all about. A man, yes, but the why was not fully explained - at least not so much as for me to understand. Just not enough development for this reader to really care.
The ending was satisfactory but felt a touch rushed. As if it all had to fit in the last few pages which was disappointing after so much extraneous bits and pieces elsewhere.
Overall I enjoyed the book but found myself frustrated at the lack of history in this historical novel and the effort to try and fit in every known bit of her life whether it went with the flow of the story being told or not.
3.5
July 22, 2013
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, the biggest highlight of reading this novel would be that that the author did an amazing job describing the culture and atmosphere of Thrace, Greece, and Egypt. Clothing, tattoos, hairstyles, the market, the homes and may other factors are described in flowing detail. Also, the characters and setting are well researched and more than adequately transposed into fiction. I even felt the urge to do some research of my own to find out the dividing line between fact and fiction.
The downside of this novel is that with the exception of her beauty, the main character really isn't exceptionable or admirable except for the beginning and the ending of the novel. While I can see that much of the novel is a coming of age or coming into her own, the character either feels entitled or resigned to her situation. She is selfish and seemingly unaware of how the world works even when she is in the midst of experiencing it. While many things both good and bad occur, she doesn't seem to learn from these situations until the very end of the book. Possibly this could be chalked up to her young age, but after leaving the temple, the passage of time and her age are blurred, especially within the historical context of the novel where the life expectancy of a female slave or even a hetaera wouldn't be lengthy compared to our current standards. For my perception, with this unknown passage of time, she doesn't change much in comparison to the leaps she makes in Pharaoh's court.
On a high note the author pulls the story together well at the end. She ties her tale to the Egyptian Cinderella story and finally shows that the main character has finally developed to caring for people other than herself, as well as the nation of Egypt.
The downside of this novel is that with the exception of her beauty, the main character really isn't exceptionable or admirable except for the beginning and the ending of the novel. While I can see that much of the novel is a coming of age or coming into her own, the character either feels entitled or resigned to her situation. She is selfish and seemingly unaware of how the world works even when she is in the midst of experiencing it. While many things both good and bad occur, she doesn't seem to learn from these situations until the very end of the book. Possibly this could be chalked up to her young age, but after leaving the temple, the passage of time and her age are blurred, especially within the historical context of the novel where the life expectancy of a female slave or even a hetaera wouldn't be lengthy compared to our current standards. For my perception, with this unknown passage of time, she doesn't change much in comparison to the leaps she makes in Pharaoh's court.
On a high note the author pulls the story together well at the end. She ties her tale to the Egyptian Cinderella story and finally shows that the main character has finally developed to caring for people other than herself, as well as the nation of Egypt.
March 12, 2013
Lost some sleep with Coffey's delightful, rich narrative. Consciousness left my head on the keyboard somewhere around 3 AM on Chapter 28. Dreams of the Nile carried me to morning when I completed this mesmorizing tale at first light. I dare you to try to put this down after reading Chapter One, but don't pick it up if you have to work in the morning!I want more. Encore!
April 30, 2013
When I first started Hetaera, I was immediately drawn into the exciting action of Dori's warrior, tribal family and further by the erotic description of her mother's "goddess" training. I became attracted to the character, and began to root for her as she learns to use her beauty, and more importantly, wit, to reach her own goddess status as she is thrust harshly into the male dominant society.
Being a former history teacher, I loved the intricately detailed setting descriptions and Dori's interactions with Aesop and Sappho. She brought these famous characters to life as someone I could talk to. This was an impressive, intelligent use of the English language and a great story.
Being a former history teacher, I loved the intricately detailed setting descriptions and Dori's interactions with Aesop and Sappho. She brought these famous characters to life as someone I could talk to. This was an impressive, intelligent use of the English language and a great story.
August 12, 2013
A copy of this book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 2.5
I'm a big fan of Greece and Egyptian stories. I love learning about the culture and ancient times in those fascinating and colorful countries. This is what attracted me about reading Hetaera: Daughter of the Gods the most. Although I heard it was the "original" Cinderella story; I wasn't too sure what that meant because as much as I love historical fiction, I don't know that much history.
I had a difficult time getting into the story. In the beginning, Doricha is a child but she's narrating the story. The thing is, the narration wasn't like from a 10 year old, or even most 20 year olds; it was very complex. There were many times I had to look up complicated words that were coming from a child's subconscious. It really only bothered me in the beginning-- although throughout the story it was difficult to gauge the age of Dori. The narration did gain a lot of smoothness about 1/3 of the way in; and from then on I didn't have a problem with it and easily slipped into the story.
Doricha had a really tough life. I feel I really need to remark upon the sadness of the story. I tend to stay away from stories that are super sad and that don't have many positive events/outcomes or happiness filtered throughout. Its not that stories like that are not good; its that i need to mentally sort of prepare myself for them. If not I feel like I get sucker-punched. Unfortunately, Hetaera was one of those stories. I was so sad and felt so bereft on Doricha's life journey I had to take breaks of several days at a time and force myself to go back to the story. It was very difficult to do. Bad things happened to her, she as miserable...and then she got even more miserable. I need positivity! I need happiness! Even just a "life sucks, and it's hard but a tiny moment of sunshine redeems all" would've been great. Alas, I did not get any happiness until the end. By end I mean literally the last 3% of the book. So for 97% of the book I mostly felt frustrated, miserable, sad, lonely, and angry at/with Doricha/Rhodopis.
I did love the character building. Aesop was so awesomely written and I loved him.
I feel like I learned a lot about history, without it being shoved down my throat. This was a big plus. I loved learning about Egypt and I felt I could picture the surroundings so vividly. The imagery was just amazing. I think this is important too because (at least for me) I know so little about that period of Egyptian history / Greek history that it was refreshing to feel included. I very easily could've felt left out with this historical details, but I didn't.
The ending redeemed the book in my eyes, but it was still too depressing for me. It was an excellent story, full of picture perfect details. The beginning was rocky, but the story picked up and left me increasingly engaged and invested in the characters. I recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, Egyptian and Greek stories, strong female characters, and historical romance lovers.
Actual Rating: 2.5
I'm a big fan of Greece and Egyptian stories. I love learning about the culture and ancient times in those fascinating and colorful countries. This is what attracted me about reading Hetaera: Daughter of the Gods the most. Although I heard it was the "original" Cinderella story; I wasn't too sure what that meant because as much as I love historical fiction, I don't know that much history.
I had a difficult time getting into the story. In the beginning, Doricha is a child but she's narrating the story. The thing is, the narration wasn't like from a 10 year old, or even most 20 year olds; it was very complex. There were many times I had to look up complicated words that were coming from a child's subconscious. It really only bothered me in the beginning-- although throughout the story it was difficult to gauge the age of Dori. The narration did gain a lot of smoothness about 1/3 of the way in; and from then on I didn't have a problem with it and easily slipped into the story.
Doricha had a really tough life. I feel I really need to remark upon the sadness of the story. I tend to stay away from stories that are super sad and that don't have many positive events/outcomes or happiness filtered throughout. Its not that stories like that are not good; its that i need to mentally sort of prepare myself for them. If not I feel like I get sucker-punched. Unfortunately, Hetaera was one of those stories. I was so sad and felt so bereft on Doricha's life journey I had to take breaks of several days at a time and force myself to go back to the story. It was very difficult to do. Bad things happened to her, she as miserable...and then she got even more miserable. I need positivity! I need happiness! Even just a "life sucks, and it's hard but a tiny moment of sunshine redeems all" would've been great. Alas, I did not get any happiness until the end. By end I mean literally the last 3% of the book. So for 97% of the book I mostly felt frustrated, miserable, sad, lonely, and angry at/with Doricha/Rhodopis.
I did love the character building. Aesop was so awesomely written and I loved him.
I feel like I learned a lot about history, without it being shoved down my throat. This was a big plus. I loved learning about Egypt and I felt I could picture the surroundings so vividly. The imagery was just amazing. I think this is important too because (at least for me) I know so little about that period of Egyptian history / Greek history that it was refreshing to feel included. I very easily could've felt left out with this historical details, but I didn't.
The ending redeemed the book in my eyes, but it was still too depressing for me. It was an excellent story, full of picture perfect details. The beginning was rocky, but the story picked up and left me increasingly engaged and invested in the characters. I recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, Egyptian and Greek stories, strong female characters, and historical romance lovers.
November 8, 2013
I love all things Greek, so I knew that this was a book I wanted to read straight away. This book is a little bit “Pretty Woman” and a little bit “Cinderella”, with a distinctly Grecian/Egyptian flare. I recognized the name, Hetaera, but that was about all and so was excited to read more. I was expecting a lot of mythology for some reason, I guess just by virtue of the topic, but it wasn’t a focal point. The use of temple worship and offerings to the gods were sprinkled throughout the story without overwhelming the plot and in keeping with the customs I would expect for that time period. The imagery was wonderful. Certain events described could be considered graphic, but I don’t think that can be helped in a story like this. The cover art is beautiful and the story unfolds in a nice rhythm avoiding both lulls and excessive peaks in action.
Doricha, the main character, does not have an easy life. Her family and her destiny of life in service at the temple are both destroyed at the tender age of 12. From there this story tells of her long search for freedom, love, and comfort. Doricha grows up along the way and her character adjusts and matures as the story develops. Along her journey Aesop and other characters drift in and out of her life. Aesop and Mara were favorites of mine and I was often frustrated by their relationship with Doricha. Several other characters move in and out of the storyline, all having a purpose in the story. I was never left wondering what the point was of some event or person being in the book. Everything worked well together and belonged. The trials Doricha must endure in gaining her freedom are in line with what I would expect of the time and place for the book. The book description states that this is a fictionalization of historic accounts, but I’m not a historian so I can’t speak to the validity of this. What I can say is that nothing felt out of place with the time period from a reader’s point of view.
Some of the timeline seemed out of sync with the story (i.e. certain events happening faster or slower than would be expected based on content), but this could easily be a matter of perspective. I was reading an electronic version of the book and did notice a few grammatical errors, nothing major that detracted from my enjoyment of the book. This may not be the case in print or even later electronic versions of the book than the copy I was working with. The book ended in true fairy tale fashion while managing to not be completely predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hetaera and would gladly recommend it to fellow lovers of Greek history, Egyptian history, alternative fairy tales and stories of personal triumph. Full disclosure: I have been provided a copy of the book for the purpose of providing a review; however the opinions presented are my own and not influenced or dictated by publisher or author. Written for www.LayeredPages.com.
Doricha, the main character, does not have an easy life. Her family and her destiny of life in service at the temple are both destroyed at the tender age of 12. From there this story tells of her long search for freedom, love, and comfort. Doricha grows up along the way and her character adjusts and matures as the story develops. Along her journey Aesop and other characters drift in and out of her life. Aesop and Mara were favorites of mine and I was often frustrated by their relationship with Doricha. Several other characters move in and out of the storyline, all having a purpose in the story. I was never left wondering what the point was of some event or person being in the book. Everything worked well together and belonged. The trials Doricha must endure in gaining her freedom are in line with what I would expect of the time and place for the book. The book description states that this is a fictionalization of historic accounts, but I’m not a historian so I can’t speak to the validity of this. What I can say is that nothing felt out of place with the time period from a reader’s point of view.
Some of the timeline seemed out of sync with the story (i.e. certain events happening faster or slower than would be expected based on content), but this could easily be a matter of perspective. I was reading an electronic version of the book and did notice a few grammatical errors, nothing major that detracted from my enjoyment of the book. This may not be the case in print or even later electronic versions of the book than the copy I was working with. The book ended in true fairy tale fashion while managing to not be completely predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hetaera and would gladly recommend it to fellow lovers of Greek history, Egyptian history, alternative fairy tales and stories of personal triumph. Full disclosure: I have been provided a copy of the book for the purpose of providing a review; however the opinions presented are my own and not influenced or dictated by publisher or author. Written for www.LayeredPages.com.
March 20, 2013
This is the kind of book that once you start you dont want to stop reading it. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and it wasn't til sometime early the next morning (around 1:30am??) when I was bleary eyed and realized I wasnt processing what I was reading anymore due to sheer exhaustion, that I folded the page and put the book down to get some much needed sleep. Picked it right back up the following morning and was done by noon. Historical fiction isnt necessarily my first choice of genre, but this was a thoroughly enjoyable, get-yourself-lost-in type of read. Very well written, descriptive, good storyline.
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September 26, 2013Just as it claims, the original Cinderella (minus the evil step sisters and pumpkin coach. A story of severe loss and gains. Although Doricha finds true love at last, this story tells much more about a woman's worth considering many perspectives and circumstances. Born a daughter of a tribal warrior she loses her family and place in the world. She lives many lives transcending many worlds. She experiences the disparities of wealth and status first hand,from daughter to wife, slave to homeless, prostitute to Queen.
May 6, 2014
I really enjoyed this novel. It is set in Ancient Greece and ancient Egypt. The author does a great job portraying this time period. Doricha witnesses the murder of her father and then her mother and unborn brother dies. She is forced into slavery and must learn how to survive. This novel had a Cinderella feel to it. I also really liked how Aesop was a big part of the story line. My one complaint is that there was no historical note at the end. I would love to know what was actually true. Overall, this was a great read.
April 19, 2014
I love stories about strong-minded women and so I cheered Doricha as she fought for her freedom in ancient Greece and Egypt, particularly as women had so little going for them back then. Doricha uses her beauty, her wits, and her skill as a dancer to rise above slavery and become the First Wife of Pharaoh Amasis. Coffey tells the story using vivid descriptions of the settings and culture so the reader feels drawn into the time and place.
June 10, 2021
There were two parts in the beginning where I almost quit reading, afraid I’d bought a soft-core porn novel by mistake. Thankfully, I kept reading, because really, although sex is mentioned a lot, this story is about much more than that.
Doricha is a young girl when, through a series of unfortunate events, she is left alone in the world and sold into slavery. Her life’s journey takes many ups and downs, and brings her far across the ancient world from Thrace to Egypt, but she never ceases to rebel against any restraints she feels upon herself.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. The main character, Dori/Rhodopis as not particularly likable to me; I found her to be a bit self-centered, whiny, and childish. But that is also a nice change from the super sweet heroines whose only flaw is “a quick temper”. There were several errors that would’ve been caught by a proper copy editor, but the author mentioned how difficult it is to break into the publishing world without knowing anyone, and so I laud her for not letting that stop her, and for self-publishing.
All in all, a good, but not great book.
Doricha is a young girl when, through a series of unfortunate events, she is left alone in the world and sold into slavery. Her life’s journey takes many ups and downs, and brings her far across the ancient world from Thrace to Egypt, but she never ceases to rebel against any restraints she feels upon herself.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. The main character, Dori/Rhodopis as not particularly likable to me; I found her to be a bit self-centered, whiny, and childish. But that is also a nice change from the super sweet heroines whose only flaw is “a quick temper”. There were several errors that would’ve been caught by a proper copy editor, but the author mentioned how difficult it is to break into the publishing world without knowing anyone, and so I laud her for not letting that stop her, and for self-publishing.
All in all, a good, but not great book.
July 13, 2013
I was provided a copy of this book through Goodreads’ READ IT AND REAP program in exchange for my fair and honest review. I thank the author for providing me with this opportunity.
In Hetaera, we follow Doricha from her early days as a child in Thrace, through her years of slavery, to her rise to fame as Rhodopis, then finally, to the very throne of Egypt. I was engaged in the story from the outset, as Doricha witnesses her father’s death during an invasion of her village by the Greeks. Doricha is thereafter driven to follow her father’s last words and wishes for her: LIVE FREE!
I will say at the outset that it was a pleasure to read a book that was so well done in the sense of proper grammar and punctuation and so forth. While there were a few—there were only a few such mistakes or editing errors. This made for a smooth and easy read. In this regard, I have just one “criticism” really and that was about those things intended to be italicized that showed in my e-copy as underlined. I also have a question about timing. When Doricha becomes a slave, the sense of the number of year that pass seems confused. . . .
There were some very adult situations. But for those, I would have recommended Hetaera to my daughters. Even so, it seems these scenes were used to show the unique world that was ancient Greece and its surrounds and not necessarily for their “erotica-effect.”
I appreciated Coffey’s word choices and word-pictures. She successfully brought me to each place, engaging my senses not just of sight, but also of sound, smell, taste and touch.
Coffey successfully created full and interesting characters—including those whose presence was short lived: Doricha’s strong father; her persevering and sacrificing mother; the jealous and hateful Aidne; the concerned Meriko; the helpful, old Samothraki slave; and so forth. They were, each and all, believable. Having said that, while I felt sorry for Doricha through much of the story, I did not particularly like her. I cannot say why that was. She just didn’t pull at my heartstrings—notwithstanding her circumstances. Another main character that was very interesting was Aesop. I especially liked that he was included in the story—but again, I did not particularly like him.
Well done, Coffey!
In Hetaera, we follow Doricha from her early days as a child in Thrace, through her years of slavery, to her rise to fame as Rhodopis, then finally, to the very throne of Egypt. I was engaged in the story from the outset, as Doricha witnesses her father’s death during an invasion of her village by the Greeks. Doricha is thereafter driven to follow her father’s last words and wishes for her: LIVE FREE!
I will say at the outset that it was a pleasure to read a book that was so well done in the sense of proper grammar and punctuation and so forth. While there were a few—there were only a few such mistakes or editing errors. This made for a smooth and easy read. In this regard, I have just one “criticism” really and that was about those things intended to be italicized that showed in my e-copy as underlined. I also have a question about timing. When Doricha becomes a slave, the sense of the number of year that pass seems confused. . . .
There were some very adult situations. But for those, I would have recommended Hetaera to my daughters. Even so, it seems these scenes were used to show the unique world that was ancient Greece and its surrounds and not necessarily for their “erotica-effect.”
I appreciated Coffey’s word choices and word-pictures. She successfully brought me to each place, engaging my senses not just of sight, but also of sound, smell, taste and touch.
Coffey successfully created full and interesting characters—including those whose presence was short lived: Doricha’s strong father; her persevering and sacrificing mother; the jealous and hateful Aidne; the concerned Meriko; the helpful, old Samothraki slave; and so forth. They were, each and all, believable. Having said that, while I felt sorry for Doricha through much of the story, I did not particularly like her. I cannot say why that was. She just didn’t pull at my heartstrings—notwithstanding her circumstances. Another main character that was very interesting was Aesop. I especially liked that he was included in the story—but again, I did not particularly like him.
Well done, Coffey!
July 9, 2013
Doricha is a young girl, destined to join the priestesses that honour Dionysus - the Bacchae. But her world is thrown into torment as her Thracian village is attacked by Greeks, the young girl watches her father killed, and kills a man to escape.
The story follows her life from then on, shifting from one place to another, never feeling like home.
Hetaera is a story that sweeps across the ancient world of Greece, Thrace, Egypt, and all the countries that surround them. It honours and respects each of these places and their customs, Coffey has painted a very real scene through which our heroine moves.
The Cinderella reference is a mild one, used to good effect. It does not feel like Doricha's tale was forced to fit the bones of the fairytale; but when similarities crop up, it is enough to make you smile.
But not quite five stars for me. It is very well told, but it was very hard to get into. I know that the life of a girl whose father is murdered, followed by the betrayal of her priest and priestess tutors, followed by years in slavery isn't going to be a "nice" story. But I felt that it was all dark, without light; and without that contrast, it took on a monotony that was hard to push past. It is definitely one of those books that you need to be in the right mood to read.
The strength of the book hung on the shoulders of Doricha. Unfortunately, I did not like the lead character for the most part. I found her unyielding and selfish. She was incapable of accepting her position, and unwilling to change it. For years.
It was only when she hit her lowest point and arose as Rhodopis that I began to like her. She suddenly had purpose, and saw those beyond herself. The second half of the book flew by, because all of a sudden I couldn't put it down, just to see what happened to Rhodopis.
Luckily the first half of the book featured my favourite character, Aesop. He was smart, and strong, and willing to stand for what he believed right, in a way he knew would make men listen, not rebel.
Even though the Pharaoh of Egypt is mentioned in the synopsis, and does play an important role in the story; he does not actually feature until the very end. I felt that the anticipation of waiting for him to appear in the story did overshadow what went before.
The story follows her life from then on, shifting from one place to another, never feeling like home.
Hetaera is a story that sweeps across the ancient world of Greece, Thrace, Egypt, and all the countries that surround them. It honours and respects each of these places and their customs, Coffey has painted a very real scene through which our heroine moves.
The Cinderella reference is a mild one, used to good effect. It does not feel like Doricha's tale was forced to fit the bones of the fairytale; but when similarities crop up, it is enough to make you smile.
But not quite five stars for me. It is very well told, but it was very hard to get into. I know that the life of a girl whose father is murdered, followed by the betrayal of her priest and priestess tutors, followed by years in slavery isn't going to be a "nice" story. But I felt that it was all dark, without light; and without that contrast, it took on a monotony that was hard to push past. It is definitely one of those books that you need to be in the right mood to read.
The strength of the book hung on the shoulders of Doricha. Unfortunately, I did not like the lead character for the most part. I found her unyielding and selfish. She was incapable of accepting her position, and unwilling to change it. For years.
It was only when she hit her lowest point and arose as Rhodopis that I began to like her. She suddenly had purpose, and saw those beyond herself. The second half of the book flew by, because all of a sudden I couldn't put it down, just to see what happened to Rhodopis.
Luckily the first half of the book featured my favourite character, Aesop. He was smart, and strong, and willing to stand for what he believed right, in a way he knew would make men listen, not rebel.
Even though the Pharaoh of Egypt is mentioned in the synopsis, and does play an important role in the story; he does not actually feature until the very end. I felt that the anticipation of waiting for him to appear in the story did overshadow what went before.
June 30, 2013
Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Book.
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Author of a very entertaining book, J.A. Coffey quickly caught my attention and did not let up. Like many others, I had a difficult time putting this book down. HETAERA: Daughter of the Gods is a historical fiction based upon an ancient Greek story from several millennia ago. Well researched with plenty of historical details. Much in this book was based upon historical information about Rhodopis, a celebrated Greek courtesan of Thracian origin.
Besides remarkable descriptions of the protagonist, Rhodopis, Coffey’s book contains stunning descriptions of other remarkable characters. Legendary characters such as Amasis II, Nebuchadnezzar, and Aesop are found throughout the book. Besides great character development, this book contains plenty of danger, humiliating abuses, and unanswered love.
The title of this book, “hetaera” refers to highly educated courtesans in ancient Greek society. They were mostly freed slaves who were known for their dance and music, along with their physical and intellectual capabilities. Coffey skillfully described Rhodopis without deviation from the historical understanding of these women.
For those who want to read more about this historical story, I recommend reading Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities edited by William Smith in 1870, reading specifically volume 3, page 651. This edition was scanned by the University of Michigan's project The Making of America. This dictionary is a 3,700-page compendium of 19th century classical scholarship, containing a dazzling array of historical characters, authors, gods and heroes in great detail and depth.
HETAERA: Daughter of the Gods is a fascinating book about a touching love story. Highly recommended for those who love ancient Greek and Egyptian history.
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Author of a very entertaining book, J.A. Coffey quickly caught my attention and did not let up. Like many others, I had a difficult time putting this book down. HETAERA: Daughter of the Gods is a historical fiction based upon an ancient Greek story from several millennia ago. Well researched with plenty of historical details. Much in this book was based upon historical information about Rhodopis, a celebrated Greek courtesan of Thracian origin.
Besides remarkable descriptions of the protagonist, Rhodopis, Coffey’s book contains stunning descriptions of other remarkable characters. Legendary characters such as Amasis II, Nebuchadnezzar, and Aesop are found throughout the book. Besides great character development, this book contains plenty of danger, humiliating abuses, and unanswered love.
The title of this book, “hetaera” refers to highly educated courtesans in ancient Greek society. They were mostly freed slaves who were known for their dance and music, along with their physical and intellectual capabilities. Coffey skillfully described Rhodopis without deviation from the historical understanding of these women.
For those who want to read more about this historical story, I recommend reading Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities edited by William Smith in 1870, reading specifically volume 3, page 651. This edition was scanned by the University of Michigan's project The Making of America. This dictionary is a 3,700-page compendium of 19th century classical scholarship, containing a dazzling array of historical characters, authors, gods and heroes in great detail and depth.
HETAERA: Daughter of the Gods is a fascinating book about a touching love story. Highly recommended for those who love ancient Greek and Egyptian history.
June 20, 2013
Hetaera by J.A. Coffey is a novel adapted from the story of Rhodopis, the first, and an ancient version of the Cinderalla story that was first recorded in the 1st century BCE by a Greek historian named Strabo. Doricha is a Greek slave girl in Egypt who suffers abuse by her fellow slaves. She is beautiful, but has big feet. It is her talent for dancing that catches the eye of a kindly elderly master. She falls in love with a young shoemaker who gifts her an exquisite, unique pair of red slippers before taking advantage of her. Then he suddenly disappears from her life, leaving Doricha devastated and heartbroken. The Pharaoh initiates a great feast for the kingdom, Doricha is prevented from attending by other slave girls. While at the river, a falcon snatches one of her red slippers, flies off with it, and drops it in Pharaoh’s lap miles away. Intrigued and believing it a sign of good fortune by an Egyptian God, he sets out to discover its owner. And of course, as the only woman with feet large enough to fit the slippers perfectly, Doricha rises from slave to the highest ranking woman in Egypt – the Pharaoh’s Great Royal wife.
The Cinderella fairy tale-ish background does not negatively impact the realistic feel of this novel. Well researched, with oodles of historical details, make this a believable tale. There is plenty to like in this story – unrequited love, horrendous abuse, great love, danger, and plenty of plot twists that kept me entertained to the end. Legendary personalities such as Aesop and Sappho play prominent roles in the novel. Vivid descriptions, memorable characters, and a poignant love story make this a fascinating novel to read. Highly recommended for those who love Ancient History and books about Egypt.
The Cinderella fairy tale-ish background does not negatively impact the realistic feel of this novel. Well researched, with oodles of historical details, make this a believable tale. There is plenty to like in this story – unrequited love, horrendous abuse, great love, danger, and plenty of plot twists that kept me entertained to the end. Legendary personalities such as Aesop and Sappho play prominent roles in the novel. Vivid descriptions, memorable characters, and a poignant love story make this a fascinating novel to read. Highly recommended for those who love Ancient History and books about Egypt.
June 2, 2013
It took me about 50 pages to get into it, but the book was pretty good. It was an enjoyable, easy read. It was hard for me to get over the antiquated language, which felt really stilted. For instance, no contractions and very archaic language. When I was reading about the main character in the beginning as a 12 year old girl, it was so hard to imagine those words coming from her brain, even though I recognized the narrator was somewhere in her future. However, I eventually got used to it and then was able to enjoy the story. What may be a turn-off to some readers is that the story is SO implausible that I really couldn't imagine it as a historical fiction. I had to throw it mentally into pure fiction with little to no connection to history. Doesn't mean the story wasn't good, it just didn't let me forget it was a story.
July 19, 2013
This book... this book really made me think. It was so well written that I felt like I was there. It sucked me in from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. I loved the progression through Dori's life, the ups and downs and how ultimately she came out on top. Her perseverance throughout all of the tragedies in her life make her one of my favorite heroines lately. I loved Aesop's presence in the story. The way he was weaved into the plot and the role he played in Dori's life was perfect and he made her a stronger character. There's something to be said for a strong woman who sleeps her way to being queen and is still respectable. I wish I could more accurately describe how much I enjoyed this book but I'm not sure what else to say. It was extremely well written and engaging. I think this is something I could pick up and re-read.
July 29, 2014
*I was given a free copy of this book for a fair and honest review*
This was a wonderful Historical Novel that was essentially a classic telling or version of Cinderella. It includes a slipper that only fits on one girl's feet and tales of wickedness and suffering. I really loved this book.
To be honest, in the beginning I wasn't sure what the heck was going on because I didn't read about the book, I just signed up for a copy and got it. I knew it was a historical novel but when Aesop showed up and they ended up in Greece and Egypt It made a lot more sense.
If you are into Historical Novels and especially ones that take place in ancient Greek or Egypt I suggest you take a look at this one. It is a good read and I would recommend it.
This was a wonderful Historical Novel that was essentially a classic telling or version of Cinderella. It includes a slipper that only fits on one girl's feet and tales of wickedness and suffering. I really loved this book.
To be honest, in the beginning I wasn't sure what the heck was going on because I didn't read about the book, I just signed up for a copy and got it. I knew it was a historical novel but when Aesop showed up and they ended up in Greece and Egypt It made a lot more sense.
If you are into Historical Novels and especially ones that take place in ancient Greek or Egypt I suggest you take a look at this one. It is a good read and I would recommend it.
October 19, 2014
It's been so long since I last read the book but the story seems to have imprinted itself on my mind. The story line , for me, can be considered to be a long one but nonetheless each page was book turner. Each event of her life struck a beat to my heart making the plot as realistic as it could be.
I recommend reading this book if you're into mythologies as is has a wonderful mix of the Greek and Egyptian Gods. The setting of the story is very likely to be set with the same time of Odyssey so I appreciated the book a lot. :)
I recommend reading this book if you're into mythologies as is has a wonderful mix of the Greek and Egyptian Gods. The setting of the story is very likely to be set with the same time of Odyssey so I appreciated the book a lot. :)
July 31, 2013
I really liked this book and the details given. I felt the character's emotions joy and pain. I thought the book however fell a little short when it came to the ending as it was very predictable and generic. With all the creativity in the beginning of the book, the author got lost at the end. But looking past this I enjoyed the book overall!
February 17, 2015
I loved this book! If you read my other reviews, I am quite a picky reader. However, this book was such a great read that I have gone in search of different stories of its kind regarding the life of other Hetaera (there aren't many, and the ones I have found have been a bit dissappointing). Recommended.
April 8, 2013
I'd actually call this historical fiction with a romance subplot, but I don't read that subgenre often enough to make a shelf for it. Lots of detail, both in worldbuilding and character building. Reminds me just a little of Game of Thrones from the POV of one of the prostitutes. Very cinematic!
August 5, 2013
Overall, an interesting story. It dragged a bit in the middle for me, but I pushed through and the story got good again.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this is an unusual coming of age tale weaving friendship, love, loss and the realization of a dream. A recommended read.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this is an unusual coming of age tale weaving friendship, love, loss and the realization of a dream. A recommended read.
July 23, 2013
I loved this book!!! it was brilliant and I could get into it right away. the author also describes the characters extremely well. I look forward to reading more by this author as they are very talented!!!
May 23, 2014
The story was entertaining enough, but sometimes I felt like it was too disjointed and didn't flow. Doricha's life just seemed like it was neatly split into chunks. Village girl then priestess - in - training then slave then courtesan.
June 6, 2014
This book ended so abruptly! This is the reason for the lack of full marks. The story had really gone as far as it could but if you have such an abrupt ending, I prefer a epilogue to help me transition out of the book world.
July 8, 2015
Pleasant surprise
Having recently encountered many disappointing books involving Egypt, this was a wonderful surprise. Well written, relatable characters, and a strong female lead who was quite comfortable being female. Ancient Cinderella story worked fabulously!
Having recently encountered many disappointing books involving Egypt, this was a wonderful surprise. Well written, relatable characters, and a strong female lead who was quite comfortable being female. Ancient Cinderella story worked fabulously!
March 9, 2013
I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I loved writing it! I loved how Doricha/Rhodopis grew through the story to become a woman destined to serve as Queen of Egypt.
April 13, 2013
Great book. Many twists and turns. Life as it must have been in another era. If you like historic novels you will want to read this one.
Ken Vincent
Ken Vincent
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