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Olympus, Texas
March a commis l’irréparable : coucher avec la femme de son frère. Après deux ans d’exil, il se risque à revenir dans sa bourgade natale du Texas, Olympus. Mais ce retour est loin de ravir l’ensemble de la famille : sa mère ne lui a pas pardonné et son frère rêve de régler la chose à coups de poing. Pour couronner le tout, les jumeaux, enfants illégitimes de son père, se trouvent impliqués dans un accident fatal. En quelques jours, la tension est à son comble, les vieilles rancunes rejaillissent et la ville entière assiste au spectacle… Au cœur de cette tourmente aux allures de tragédie grecque, une réconciliation est-elle encore possible ?
Dans ce roman caustique, Stacey Swann mêle les souffrances les plus intimes aux rebondissements les plus inattendus, et décortique avec malice les mécanismes de cette force destructrice que nous appelons l’amour.
Traduit de l’anglais (États-Unis) par Jean Esch
« Un véritable coup de balai qui dépoussière la saga familiale américaine. » USA Today
Dans ce roman caustique, Stacey Swann mêle les souffrances les plus intimes aux rebondissements les plus inattendus, et décortique avec malice les mécanismes de cette force destructrice que nous appelons l’amour.
Traduit de l’anglais (États-Unis) par Jean Esch
« Un véritable coup de balai qui dépoussière la saga familiale américaine. » USA Today
407 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2021
728 people are currently reading
23348 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Swann
10 books260 followersStStacey Swann’s debut novel Olympus, Texas (Doubleday) was a Good Morning America Book Club selection, an Indie Next Pick, and was longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Swann holds an M.F.A. from Texas State University and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Her writing has appeared in LitHub, Electric Literature, Texas Highways, Epoch, and other journals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,880 reviews
August 11, 2021
That's right, I just gave myself five stars :)
June 13, 2021
Do you like juicy dysfunctional family tales? Then this is the book for you! Marialyce and I buddy read this one, and are so glad we did!
You’ve probably heard the story is a contemporary nod to the mythological Greek gods. If you are a fan, you’ll pick up on the similarities (even in the dogs Rom and Rem). If you’re not a fan it doesn’t matter, the story is strong enough to stand on its own merits.
The Briscoe family lives in the small Texas town of Olympia. Peter, the family’s patriarch, has three children with his long-suffering wife June, but is a philanderer who has also fathered three children outside of his marriage. As it is in small towns, all of them know and interact with one another.
When the novel opens, Peter and June’s son, March, has returned home after a two year self-imposed exile when it was discovered he’d been sleeping with his brothers wife, Vera.
March has intermittent explosive disorder (yes, it’s a real thing) and his return seems to be the catalyst for long held-secrets and resentments to boil over in the family. There are jealousies, fighting, lies, and more, culminating in an explosive shocking event. The rest of the novel deals with the fallout of this tragedy.
This family is a flawed mess, yet somehow the author makes them sympathetic and I found myself rooting for them. The women in particular are strong, which I appreciated.
Taking place over the course of seven days, what a week it was! Although the themes are as old as time, the novel feels fresh and fun, and ends with hope for the future for this complicated family.
The format was brilliant with how the sections are titled. The days of the week alternate with backstory sections with titles such as, The Origin of March’s Exile, The Origin of Vera’s Broken Heart, The Origin of Thea’s Anger, The Origin of June’s Rage.
This book will be on my 2021 favorites list. Don’t miss this fantastic page-turning debut!
You’ve probably heard the story is a contemporary nod to the mythological Greek gods. If you are a fan, you’ll pick up on the similarities (even in the dogs Rom and Rem). If you’re not a fan it doesn’t matter, the story is strong enough to stand on its own merits.
The Briscoe family lives in the small Texas town of Olympia. Peter, the family’s patriarch, has three children with his long-suffering wife June, but is a philanderer who has also fathered three children outside of his marriage. As it is in small towns, all of them know and interact with one another.
When the novel opens, Peter and June’s son, March, has returned home after a two year self-imposed exile when it was discovered he’d been sleeping with his brothers wife, Vera.
March has intermittent explosive disorder (yes, it’s a real thing) and his return seems to be the catalyst for long held-secrets and resentments to boil over in the family. There are jealousies, fighting, lies, and more, culminating in an explosive shocking event. The rest of the novel deals with the fallout of this tragedy.
This family is a flawed mess, yet somehow the author makes them sympathetic and I found myself rooting for them. The women in particular are strong, which I appreciated.
Taking place over the course of seven days, what a week it was! Although the themes are as old as time, the novel feels fresh and fun, and ends with hope for the future for this complicated family.
The format was brilliant with how the sections are titled. The days of the week alternate with backstory sections with titles such as, The Origin of March’s Exile, The Origin of Vera’s Broken Heart, The Origin of Thea’s Anger, The Origin of June’s Rage.
This book will be on my 2021 favorites list. Don’t miss this fantastic page-turning debut!
April 30, 2021
Dysfunctional family, messy lives and a nod & a wink to the mythological Gods. March, (Mars) the prodigal son has returned to his home town. Banished two years previous for sleeping with Vera, (Venus) his brother's wife. He plans, hopes for a chance to make restitution, but plans, as they often do, go away from the very beginning. Although his father Peter (Zeus) is glad to see him, the same cannot be said about his mother June, (Hera) and his brother. Although he will not be the only cause for all the mishaps and tragedies that his returns seems to unleash, he will be the trigger.
A well done remarkable debut novel. Entertaining, fully developed characters, and an intriguing plot that kept my interest. Broken marriages, a terrible tragedy, a long simmering scandal and secrets long kept are revealed. By books end several characters have changed, grown, split apart and faced realizations that are necessary to move forward. Is there anything that is messier than families?
"Being family just means we don't have the safety of fences between us."
ARC from Doubleday.
A well done remarkable debut novel. Entertaining, fully developed characters, and an intriguing plot that kept my interest. Broken marriages, a terrible tragedy, a long simmering scandal and secrets long kept are revealed. By books end several characters have changed, grown, split apart and faced realizations that are necessary to move forward. Is there anything that is messier than families?
"Being family just means we don't have the safety of fences between us."
ARC from Doubleday.
February 9, 2021
Honestly, I didn't read the summary before I started it and was just like, "Why are these terrible people so terrible?" but then I finally picked up on all the mythology allusions and realized the destructive and self-destructive family echo the Gods and lessons of Mt. Olympus and suddenly it all made much more sense and I was able to really enjoy it thoroughly without hating everyone.
Learn from me. Read summaries first.
Learn from me. Read summaries first.
June 4, 2021
“Olympus, Texas” by Stacey Swann is akin to a Greek tragedy with overt references to Greek mythology. The story includes the fury of the gods; tricking gods with detrimental results; cheating gods; angry gods; vengeful gods; and even twins. The stage is a small town in Texas, Olympus, population 2000. The actors in the tragedy are a family, the Briscoe family, and while the family churns it’s play, the people of the town see it all, the Briscoe family supplying fodder for the town munitions.
The story opens when March returns home after a two-year self-imposed banishment after bedding his brother’s wife. The brother, Hap, takes a sledgehammer to his truck with an audience of the family and a veterinarian. The family dynamics is confusing at first, with the father, Peter, possessing three children with his wife, June, and twins Artie and Arlo who are a result of an affair. There is another boy out there, but he doesn’t come into play much in the story. June has a tender spot in her heart for the twins, as their mother hasn’t always been emotionally well. June has allowed the twins to be part of her family, understanding the need for family and stability.
Back to the story, although March returns, his mother has not forgiven him, nor his brother. March hangs with the twins initially, as he decides what he wants to do.
The twins have a very close relationship, but that is about to change. Arlo is a musician and has been on the road for a long time. While he was gone, Artie (the sister) began a relationship with a man who she knows Arlo will not like. So much subterfuge in the first 50 pages!
The story takes place in six days. A lot occurs in those six days. There are a few chapters that explain certain character’s wrath, anger, lust etc. They provide a backdrop to the family drama.
Author Stacey Swann is a gifted writer. Those six days tell a complex and compelling story of a family with strong members. Although the whole town knows everything that goes on, this family provides an exceptional amount of excitement. There is a hunting accident, more than one marriage in transition, bar fights, fights in general, and a very interesting funeral. Swann writes authentically and beautifully. The characters are richly flawed and beautifully complex. Ambivalence runs deep. The characters are all difficult to like, even June who has shown nothing but kindness to her husband’s extramarital affair children. In those six days, Swann is able to show the ugliness that we all possess or are capable of.
I’m a huge fan of domestic fiction and family saga dramas. This one will stick with me because it highlights the yin and yang in humanity.
The story opens when March returns home after a two-year self-imposed banishment after bedding his brother’s wife. The brother, Hap, takes a sledgehammer to his truck with an audience of the family and a veterinarian. The family dynamics is confusing at first, with the father, Peter, possessing three children with his wife, June, and twins Artie and Arlo who are a result of an affair. There is another boy out there, but he doesn’t come into play much in the story. June has a tender spot in her heart for the twins, as their mother hasn’t always been emotionally well. June has allowed the twins to be part of her family, understanding the need for family and stability.
Back to the story, although March returns, his mother has not forgiven him, nor his brother. March hangs with the twins initially, as he decides what he wants to do.
The twins have a very close relationship, but that is about to change. Arlo is a musician and has been on the road for a long time. While he was gone, Artie (the sister) began a relationship with a man who she knows Arlo will not like. So much subterfuge in the first 50 pages!
The story takes place in six days. A lot occurs in those six days. There are a few chapters that explain certain character’s wrath, anger, lust etc. They provide a backdrop to the family drama.
Author Stacey Swann is a gifted writer. Those six days tell a complex and compelling story of a family with strong members. Although the whole town knows everything that goes on, this family provides an exceptional amount of excitement. There is a hunting accident, more than one marriage in transition, bar fights, fights in general, and a very interesting funeral. Swann writes authentically and beautifully. The characters are richly flawed and beautifully complex. Ambivalence runs deep. The characters are all difficult to like, even June who has shown nothing but kindness to her husband’s extramarital affair children. In those six days, Swann is able to show the ugliness that we all possess or are capable of.
I’m a huge fan of domestic fiction and family saga dramas. This one will stick with me because it highlights the yin and yang in humanity.
June 9, 2021
I know I normally write longer reviews than this, but I genuinely do not have enough of an opinion on this book to analyze what did and didn’t work for me. A thoughtful critique this will not be, so keep scrolling if that’s what you’re looking for.
Olympus, Texas came with some glowing recommendations by friends I usually agree with. ‘Family drama’ as a genre is a little too sweeping of a category for me and usually feels kind of reductive, but that’s basically all there was to this. This family had drama. It was mostly preventable and all the participants were annoying, but it was dramatic. Unfortunately I did not care about what happened to them because they’re a family of the world’s most boring sociopaths. Yawn, eye-roll, etc....
This book was mostly forgettable, probably not worth the time I spent reading/listening to it. If you need an equivalent to a background tv show in book form, then I guess I could recommend this. But honestly by the time you asked for a recommendation like that, I’d probably forget I read this in the first place. Whatever, three stars.
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
Olympus, Texas came with some glowing recommendations by friends I usually agree with. ‘Family drama’ as a genre is a little too sweeping of a category for me and usually feels kind of reductive, but that’s basically all there was to this. This family had drama. It was mostly preventable and all the participants were annoying, but it was dramatic. Unfortunately I did not care about what happened to them because they’re a family of the world’s most boring sociopaths. Yawn, eye-roll, etc....
This book was mostly forgettable, probably not worth the time I spent reading/listening to it. If you need an equivalent to a background tv show in book form, then I guess I could recommend this. But honestly by the time you asked for a recommendation like that, I’d probably forget I read this in the first place. Whatever, three stars.
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
May 5, 2021
QUICK TAKE: The Briscoe family has been at the center of most of the drama in their sleepy Texas town; Patriarch Peter is the unfaithful but loving husband to June, who has had to suffer quietly for decades, the “good wife” who has stood by her man in light of Peter’s infidelities and children out of wedlock. When the book opens, youngest son March has just returned home 2 years after leaving town when it was discovered he was sleeping with Vera…older brother Hap’s wife. His return to town is the catalyst for most of the book’s drama, in addition to a tragedy that befalls Arlo and Artie, Peter’s illegitimate adult children that ultimately affects the entire family.
A fast-paced, propulsive read, what really sets #OlympusTexas apart from other titles in this genre is author Stacey Swann’s whip-smart, firecracker dialogue and character development, in particular the female characters, who could easily have come across as caricatures, but are instead full of fire and brimstone and refuse to be supporting characters to the men here. Of note, I especially adored Vera, who easily could have come across as the cheating wife whose bad behavior ultimately allows our hero to discover his true self and become a better person. Here, Vera fiercely fights back against that narrative, laying the blame for her affair at Hap’s feet, scorching earth and anyone in her way as she chews scenery and takes down all the badly-behaving Briscoe boys along the way (a standoff in Peter’s office is particularly juicy and memorable).
I definitely expect this one to make an appearance on year-end lists, and can’t wait to discuss it more in-dept with all of you. Olympus, Texas is now available. Thanks to my friends at @doubledaybooks for the gifted copy!
A fast-paced, propulsive read, what really sets #OlympusTexas apart from other titles in this genre is author Stacey Swann’s whip-smart, firecracker dialogue and character development, in particular the female characters, who could easily have come across as caricatures, but are instead full of fire and brimstone and refuse to be supporting characters to the men here. Of note, I especially adored Vera, who easily could have come across as the cheating wife whose bad behavior ultimately allows our hero to discover his true self and become a better person. Here, Vera fiercely fights back against that narrative, laying the blame for her affair at Hap’s feet, scorching earth and anyone in her way as she chews scenery and takes down all the badly-behaving Briscoe boys along the way (a standoff in Peter’s office is particularly juicy and memorable).
I definitely expect this one to make an appearance on year-end lists, and can’t wait to discuss it more in-dept with all of you. Olympus, Texas is now available. Thanks to my friends at @doubledaybooks for the gifted copy!
June 10, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars (mostly due to a slow start for me)
On the front cover there is a quote from Richard Russo, “Wildly entertaining”
I’m not sure that I would use those words but this family saga was definitely compelling to me.
Peter & June are the family patriarch and matriarch. Peter’s marital indiscretions over the past 30 years have given them a non traditional group of kids including 1/2 siblings that are also a big part of their lives.
Stacey Swann sprinkles quotes from Ovid’s Metamorphosis at the start of some chapters as you read about each individual person in this family and their own personal evolutions. She goes back and forth from past to present so that the reader can understand each character’s experiences.
Family trauma is real and this story gives us many examples about how it can affect future generations.
On the front cover there is a quote from Richard Russo, “Wildly entertaining”
I’m not sure that I would use those words but this family saga was definitely compelling to me.
Peter & June are the family patriarch and matriarch. Peter’s marital indiscretions over the past 30 years have given them a non traditional group of kids including 1/2 siblings that are also a big part of their lives.
Stacey Swann sprinkles quotes from Ovid’s Metamorphosis at the start of some chapters as you read about each individual person in this family and their own personal evolutions. She goes back and forth from past to present so that the reader can understand each character’s experiences.
Family trauma is real and this story gives us many examples about how it can affect future generations.
May 29, 2021
Family dynamics come in all forms. They can be friendly loving and kind yet often, they can be harsh, unforgiving, and doomed. The dynamics going on in the book Olympus certainly seemed to be of the second variety as their lives twirled, spun, and verged on the frantic during the years of marriage, births of children, both legitimate and not so, and their growth.
The patriarch of the family Peter Briscoe rules the family like a god. He's a philanderer one who has children scattered throughout the town and yet his poor suffering wife, June loves him so she gives a bit of a nod to her husband's affairs and carries staunchly on. Her three children have felt the repercussions of her lacking love for them as she caters to Peter. Her daughter is living far away, her son, March who she treats with distinct coldness, has just returned to Olympus and seems to stir up a bucket load of trouble. March had been dallying with his brother's wife, Vera, and left town two years ago. At his return, we see events again being forced to the surface as Hap, and March circle one another with pent up emotion. Added to the mixture is Peter's two illegitimate twins, Artie and Arlo who find their once assumed closeness tested by the happenstance of a killing.
Of course, there are the resemblances to the Greek gods and with a kind of quiet yet knowing nod we see that effect in the characters we encounter. The strong ones I felt were the women, who learned or knew that they were not the ones at fault when things go south, for the men, gods that they might think themselves to be, bear the responsibility for their actions.
This is not a family who is able to forgive and forget for the wounds are deep seeded, and at times as they bubble to the surface we wonder if this family will ever be whole. Perhaps whatever they find at the end will be just good enough even though the hurts, anguish, duplicitous natures will never go away. In the end, we have to wonder are all families held loosely together by nothing but tenuous strings that are fragile. One jolt can break them apart and so it is and has been with the Briscoes.
There was much to mull over in this story and truly you don't need to hold a degree in ancient myths and legends to know and recognize the ability of families to just plain screw everything up.
Jan and I really enjoyed this family turmoil book and although we were lacking in our ancient gods background, we were able to make connections that were both appropriate and so revealed the way families often act.
The patriarch of the family Peter Briscoe rules the family like a god. He's a philanderer one who has children scattered throughout the town and yet his poor suffering wife, June loves him so she gives a bit of a nod to her husband's affairs and carries staunchly on. Her three children have felt the repercussions of her lacking love for them as she caters to Peter. Her daughter is living far away, her son, March who she treats with distinct coldness, has just returned to Olympus and seems to stir up a bucket load of trouble. March had been dallying with his brother's wife, Vera, and left town two years ago. At his return, we see events again being forced to the surface as Hap, and March circle one another with pent up emotion. Added to the mixture is Peter's two illegitimate twins, Artie and Arlo who find their once assumed closeness tested by the happenstance of a killing.
Of course, there are the resemblances to the Greek gods and with a kind of quiet yet knowing nod we see that effect in the characters we encounter. The strong ones I felt were the women, who learned or knew that they were not the ones at fault when things go south, for the men, gods that they might think themselves to be, bear the responsibility for their actions.
This is not a family who is able to forgive and forget for the wounds are deep seeded, and at times as they bubble to the surface we wonder if this family will ever be whole. Perhaps whatever they find at the end will be just good enough even though the hurts, anguish, duplicitous natures will never go away. In the end, we have to wonder are all families held loosely together by nothing but tenuous strings that are fragile. One jolt can break them apart and so it is and has been with the Briscoes.
There was much to mull over in this story and truly you don't need to hold a degree in ancient myths and legends to know and recognize the ability of families to just plain screw everything up.
Jan and I really enjoyed this family turmoil book and although we were lacking in our ancient gods background, we were able to make connections that were both appropriate and so revealed the way families often act.
August 2, 2021
This debut deftly weaves the tales of Ancient Greek/Roman mythology (of Jupiter, Juno and Leto, of Artemis, Apollo and Orion, of Apollo and Daphne, of Haphaestus, Venus and Mars, even Hades and Themis are there) into contemporary Olympus, Texas and the result is quite a story. Taking place in the space of just a week, the story reads like an epic with all the important themes and discord needed to move the tragedy along. Backstories for the main characters provide meaningful reveals and help connect the past to the present. Knowledge of mythology is not at all needed to enjoy this well-written, moving story about family, forgiveness, and damage done. 4 stars
July 12, 2021
[3.4] The Briscoe family members in Olympus, Texas don't treat each other very well - and their interactions are non-stop drama - sometimes veering on melodrama. I didn't like any of them but didn't want to stop reading about their self-destruction. Now I feel like I need a shower to wash them away.
July 19, 2021
“Love and anger had merged in a way that could no longer be disentangle”.
We meet the Briscoes….in the small fictional town, Olympus.
Peter…..(ha, total moral guy) > his unfaithfulness to his wife June, produced three illegitimate children-by not one, but two other women.
There could be more children and there could be more wives….
But we meet five of the kids:
Twins: Arlo and Artie were raised by ‘their’ mother, Lee, ….not far away ….and were considered siblings with the other three children (biologically manifested by Peter and June) > Hap, Thea, and March.
“Party of Five”….it isn’t. The five siblings are not a cozy-committed group.
March ….the sibling we first meet at the beginning of the story ….. was just returning home to Olympus after having been away for two years….
[served in the Army -then loitered for a couple of months in New Mexico]. We learn right away, that March had an affair with his brother’s ( Hap’s ), wife.
“Hap pivots and is suddenly there, inches from March’s face”.
“I’ve spent my life stuffing down my emotions to make room for yours, doing what’s best for you while no one worried what was best for me”.
“And what do I get for my trouble? A brother that ruined my marriage, and not even because he was in love”.
“You deserve better than me. I know that. March takes a couple of steps back. But I always assumed you and Vera would be divorce when I came back, her gone from Olympus. Maybe you’d even be remarried, and it would be easier for you to forgive me because you’d be happy”.
That was ‘not’ how this story goes…..
Peter and June - remained married for decades (affairs, blending kids were just part of the package deal). June’s disposition was not happy-perky-forgiving though. She let her cranky mood be seen and felt.
In time, she has her own an affair….
And this is just a small slice of the chaotic-pie.
Many more things to be angry about - > more subplots to engage > more messy drama from the other family members—
—mistakes, tragic accidents, broken hearts, secrets, and scandalous reasons to give the small town reasons to gossip about.
Plenty of drinking, drunks, Sunday church services, pregnancies, cheating, guns in hand, jealousies, wrong assumptions about love, hunting, fishing, farming, swimming, the need to invoke the local sheriff ….even a couple of feisty lovable dogs….Rom and Rem….
[“The dogs cruise through every room, sniffing, before settling on an old blue shag rug in one of the bedrooms, clearly so ugly it was left behind. March says. ‘Your rug, your room. Have at it”].
Lots of family drama, (the word dysfunctional fits perfectly), a little mythology…. great setting, thought-provoking ethical glitches, and page turning entertaining adventures.
A nod of thanks to *JanB*. It was her wonderful enthusiastic review that inspired me to read this.
Congrats to author Stacey Swann….a native Texan, who earned her M.F.A. from Texas State University and was a Stegner Feller at Stanford University, just might have made herself a household name with “Olympus, Texas”.
Great debut novel.
We meet the Briscoes….in the small fictional town, Olympus.
Peter…..(ha, total moral guy) > his unfaithfulness to his wife June, produced three illegitimate children-by not one, but two other women.
There could be more children and there could be more wives….
But we meet five of the kids:
Twins: Arlo and Artie were raised by ‘their’ mother, Lee, ….not far away ….and were considered siblings with the other three children (biologically manifested by Peter and June) > Hap, Thea, and March.
“Party of Five”….it isn’t. The five siblings are not a cozy-committed group.
March ….the sibling we first meet at the beginning of the story ….. was just returning home to Olympus after having been away for two years….
[served in the Army -then loitered for a couple of months in New Mexico]. We learn right away, that March had an affair with his brother’s ( Hap’s ), wife.
“Hap pivots and is suddenly there, inches from March’s face”.
“I’ve spent my life stuffing down my emotions to make room for yours, doing what’s best for you while no one worried what was best for me”.
“And what do I get for my trouble? A brother that ruined my marriage, and not even because he was in love”.
“You deserve better than me. I know that. March takes a couple of steps back. But I always assumed you and Vera would be divorce when I came back, her gone from Olympus. Maybe you’d even be remarried, and it would be easier for you to forgive me because you’d be happy”.
That was ‘not’ how this story goes…..
Peter and June - remained married for decades (affairs, blending kids were just part of the package deal). June’s disposition was not happy-perky-forgiving though. She let her cranky mood be seen and felt.
In time, she has her own an affair….
And this is just a small slice of the chaotic-pie.
Many more things to be angry about - > more subplots to engage > more messy drama from the other family members—
—mistakes, tragic accidents, broken hearts, secrets, and scandalous reasons to give the small town reasons to gossip about.
Plenty of drinking, drunks, Sunday church services, pregnancies, cheating, guns in hand, jealousies, wrong assumptions about love, hunting, fishing, farming, swimming, the need to invoke the local sheriff ….even a couple of feisty lovable dogs….Rom and Rem….
[“The dogs cruise through every room, sniffing, before settling on an old blue shag rug in one of the bedrooms, clearly so ugly it was left behind. March says. ‘Your rug, your room. Have at it”].
Lots of family drama, (the word dysfunctional fits perfectly), a little mythology…. great setting, thought-provoking ethical glitches, and page turning entertaining adventures.
A nod of thanks to *JanB*. It was her wonderful enthusiastic review that inspired me to read this.
Congrats to author Stacey Swann….a native Texan, who earned her M.F.A. from Texas State University and was a Stegner Feller at Stanford University, just might have made herself a household name with “Olympus, Texas”.
Great debut novel.
August 4, 2022
uno dei più belli letti quest’anno, l’ho divorato, “La valle dell’Eden” vibes
okay, aggiornamento meno first impression ma comunque molto caotico:
Ha tutto quello che mi piace. 1. Scrittura eccellente, ti fai trascinare nelle pagine senza opporre alcuna resistenza e senza rendertene conto 10 minuti dopo sei già a metà libro. 2. Famiglia disfunzionale composta da quattromila membri di cui all’inizio fai fatica a ricordare i nomi 3. Nessuno è uno stinco di santo e a noi questa cosa piace molto 4. Piano piano noti dei dettagli che suonano familiari???? Boom, ti rendi conto che stiamo parlando di mitologia greca e tutto ha ancora più senso 5. Anche se non sai nulla di mitologia greca resta un bellissimo libro.
okay, aggiornamento meno first impression ma comunque molto caotico:
Ha tutto quello che mi piace. 1. Scrittura eccellente, ti fai trascinare nelle pagine senza opporre alcuna resistenza e senza rendertene conto 10 minuti dopo sei già a metà libro. 2. Famiglia disfunzionale composta da quattromila membri di cui all’inizio fai fatica a ricordare i nomi 3. Nessuno è uno stinco di santo e a noi questa cosa piace molto 4. Piano piano noti dei dettagli che suonano familiari???? Boom, ti rendi conto che stiamo parlando di mitologia greca e tutto ha ancora più senso 5. Anche se non sai nulla di mitologia greca resta un bellissimo libro.
June 17, 2021
I didn’t immediately hop on the bandwagon for a copy of Olympus, Texas because the blurb compared it to The Iliad - something I have never read due to the fact that . . . . .
(It also namedropped Friday Night Lights, I guess because it was set in Texas???? Seems like maybe a stretch, but again I’ve not read that one either despite owning it for a hundred million years.)
Anyway, I decided to take a gamble when Richard Russo provided an endorsement since I have read and loved some of his stuff. (And a Pulitzer winner even – maybe I am smart after all!)
Turns out Russo was correct and the combo of an ensemble cast of relatives (100% my wheelhouse) and the Texas connection made me realize maybe my addiction to all things family drama might stem from my childhood where I spent all week counting down the minutes until I went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house on Friday nights and we watched . . . . .
If that’s true, then Knot’s Landing is probably the source of my affinity for neighborhood strife.
Olympus, Texas differs from some of my usual selections featuring meth and trailer parks, but that’s not to say there isn’t a whoooooooooooooooooooole lot going on. Mainly in the form of . . . . .
But also an accidental murder.
Ummmmm, yes please.
JanB, Diane S, debra, Marialyce and Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies all had success with this one too so I feel pretty comfortable declaring myself a “right reader” for once ; )
(It also namedropped Friday Night Lights, I guess because it was set in Texas???? Seems like maybe a stretch, but again I’ve not read that one either despite owning it for a hundred million years.)
Anyway, I decided to take a gamble when Richard Russo provided an endorsement since I have read and loved some of his stuff. (And a Pulitzer winner even – maybe I am smart after all!)
Turns out Russo was correct and the combo of an ensemble cast of relatives (100% my wheelhouse) and the Texas connection made me realize maybe my addiction to all things family drama might stem from my childhood where I spent all week counting down the minutes until I went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house on Friday nights and we watched . . . . .
If that’s true, then Knot’s Landing is probably the source of my affinity for neighborhood strife.
Olympus, Texas differs from some of my usual selections featuring meth and trailer parks, but that’s not to say there isn’t a whoooooooooooooooooooole lot going on. Mainly in the form of . . . . .
But also an accidental murder.
Ummmmm, yes please.
JanB, Diane S, debra, Marialyce and Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies all had success with this one too so I feel pretty comfortable declaring myself a “right reader” for once ; )
Read
September 14, 2021****3.5 Stars***
Dysfunctional family tale is an understatement! This was a compelling family drama full of half-siblings. It was addictive reading inspired by Greek mythology. However, my final thoughts were that Olympus, Texas was sorely in need of a sex education and family planning center.
Dysfunctional family tale is an understatement! This was a compelling family drama full of half-siblings. It was addictive reading inspired by Greek mythology. However, my final thoughts were that Olympus, Texas was sorely in need of a sex education and family planning center.
June 12, 2021
Reading "Olympus, Texas" was like watching a train wreck that I couldn't help but watch. It's a book about people acting badly - over and over again. The novel examines the Briscoe family who live in a fictional town in Texas called "Olympus". At the heart are Peter and June and their five grown children. Peter is an adulterer - two of the children have a different mother than June.
Everyone in the family behaves badly towards one another. Empathy and kindness are in short supply. It does seem to me that the author was intent on showing us how violent her characters could be. I also did not enjoy the (psychologically questionable) explanations of their behavior that were placed in the story.
It's rare that I can't connect with any of the characters in a novel. At times, I felt like I was reading a version of "The Sims" video game. It just did not feel true to life.
I did like reading about Texas as well as the author's nods to the gods of Mount Olympus.
2.5 disappointing stars
Everyone in the family behaves badly towards one another. Empathy and kindness are in short supply. It does seem to me that the author was intent on showing us how violent her characters could be. I also did not enjoy the (psychologically questionable) explanations of their behavior that were placed in the story.
It's rare that I can't connect with any of the characters in a novel. At times, I felt like I was reading a version of "The Sims" video game. It just did not feel true to life.
I did like reading about Texas as well as the author's nods to the gods of Mount Olympus.
2.5 disappointing stars
May 29, 2021
Although a very well-written book, I was not a fan ...I felt like the whole book was talk, talk, talk around in a circle about a dysfunctional family and all their feelings towards one another. The book read like one long therapy marathon. I felt myself not being able to feel a connection, or a shred of empathy or sympathy for any of the characters, they were all extremely unlikable and narcissistic. Can't say I recommend this one.
July 16, 2021
The cover blurbs and IG reviews describe this book as “wildly entertaining,” “fresh and fun,” “a sheer delight,” “hilarious,” and “true.” And I can’t help but ask myself…was I reading the same book? I LOVE a dysfunctional family drama, and I don’t need likable characters to be satisfied. But this book just didn’t deliver on any level. Maybe if I were better versed in Greek mythology the characters would make sense, but arguably the characters should stand on their own in this novel. Instead, they were flat and nonsensical, with no legitimate explanations for why they act in certain ways (especially Vera). It felt like the author was making cardboard cutouts do what she wanted them to do rather than the story flowing from the lives of the characters. I also had a really hard time keeping the characters straight, not only because there are so many of them, but also because none of them have distinct voices. Such a disappointment for one of the most hyped books of the summer.
May 26, 2021
Misery on a stick. Every character is just an insufferable douche and I hated them all. Blah.
September 1, 2021
3 Stars
Read
July 27, 2021In Greek mythology, the gods are often depicted as vain-glorious, self-serving beings. They're powerful, beautiful, temperamental, and theatrical. The dramas that unfolded on Mount Olympus are the stuff of legend because gods can do legendary things. They fall in love with humans. Manipulate humans. Champion humans. Take away their divinity and all that comes with it and they become self-serving, selfish, vain, dysfunctional humans. Ms. Swann did an excellent job translating the well-known attributes of specific gods to the humans of Olympus, Texas. This family, headed by Peter (Zeus) and June (Hera) are as dsynfunctional as they come. Unlike the myths, they come with no magical remedies for sorting themselves out and end up heartbroken or worse. They're terrible parents and siblings and unfortunately, I didn't warm to any of them. I was glad to see a glimpse of redemption by the end, however.
June 22, 2021
OLYMPUS, TEXAS takes place over 6 days. I read this page turner in under 6 hours. It was an absolute stellar debut.
Love & lust.
Chaotic family dynamics.
Forgiveness or acceptance.
Small town history.
Greek mythology connections.
Death & intrigue.
Soooo good. The writing was pitch-perfect. The scenery was colorful. The cast was messy. But what I loved most was that the story didn’t just focus on one character. Each player had equal stage time. As the present day drama unfolds we get a glimpse at how each characters ‘origin story’ factors in.
I may re-read this on audio simply to experience it again.
Love & lust.
Chaotic family dynamics.
Forgiveness or acceptance.
Small town history.
Greek mythology connections.
Death & intrigue.
Soooo good. The writing was pitch-perfect. The scenery was colorful. The cast was messy. But what I loved most was that the story didn’t just focus on one character. Each player had equal stage time. As the present day drama unfolds we get a glimpse at how each characters ‘origin story’ factors in.
I may re-read this on audio simply to experience it again.
Read
May 17, 2021MIND. BLOWN.
We are only in May and have a lot of books to go, but I have no doubt that Olympus, Texas will be in my Top 10 of 2021. The cover is beyond stunning, the writing flawless, the story is incredibly creative, and the characters are unforgettable. I urge to go to your local bookstore or library and get this one today.
The Briscoe family has had their share of struggles and family drama. The patriarch of the family, Peter, has had multiple affairs throughout his marriage to June. His infidelity not only tests their relationship, but those with and between their children. When Peter and June's son, March, returns to town the drama really begins.
This book took me over a week to read, which is not like me. I felt like this one sucked me in and I couldn't breathe. I had to take it slow, to take in the full enormity of this family, their pain, and their trials. About 1/3 of the way into the book you will be blown away. You literally will not see it coming when it hits you.
We are only in May and have a lot of books to go, but I have no doubt that Olympus, Texas will be in my Top 10 of 2021. The cover is beyond stunning, the writing flawless, the story is incredibly creative, and the characters are unforgettable. I urge to go to your local bookstore or library and get this one today.
The Briscoe family has had their share of struggles and family drama. The patriarch of the family, Peter, has had multiple affairs throughout his marriage to June. His infidelity not only tests their relationship, but those with and between their children. When Peter and June's son, March, returns to town the drama really begins.
This book took me over a week to read, which is not like me. I felt like this one sucked me in and I couldn't breathe. I had to take it slow, to take in the full enormity of this family, their pain, and their trials. About 1/3 of the way into the book you will be blown away. You literally will not see it coming when it hits you.
May 16, 2021
Diane S wrote a perfect review.
June 30, 2021
The premise and cover of Olympus, Texas immediately grabbed my attention, but I wasn’t expecting anything earth-shattering. I figured I was in for an interesting story that would hopefully keep me engaged but which I would most likely forget about soon after. I was incredibly mistaken. It’s closing in on mid-June, and I can unequivocally say this is the best book I’ve read so far this year. And I started off the year with The Labyrinth of the Spirits, which blew my mind. I can’t believe I found this book even more impactful. Not only was the story excellent and the characters impeccably crafted, this book was a masterclass on the psychology of fictional beings who have been around for millennia without being this thoroughly exposed and explained. I feel like an entire college class could be taught on the Greek pantheon using Olympus, Texas as a textbook. It’s incredible, and it changed the way I think about stories I’ve known for decades.
The characters in this little novel are weirdly compelling. Less than fifty pages in they already felt more fleshed out and real than some real life human beings I’ve known for years. And that was before I fully realized who they were and what they represented. They are almost uncomfortably realistic in a remarkably short span of pages, and I was honestly in awe of the author’s character craftsmanship.
This book managed to feel like equal parts Grecian drama and a vivid image of the American South. It is also a blazingly furious, feminist answering of everything wrong with the world of Greek mythology. And, as stated in the narrative itself, this family is a walking collection of deadly sins; and yet, for all of their flaws and for all the ways they so deeply wound one another, there is genuine love there. The way in which the author mines the psyches of these characters who have been around for millennia and manages to flesh them out so fully is mind-blowing.
I knew going in that this novel was inspired by Greek mythology, but I had no idea that residents of Olympus, Texas would be modern takes on the gods of the classical Olympus. Zeus, Hera, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo, Athena, Hades, and others are present in more mortal forms, and it was fascinating to pair these characters up with their immortal counterparts. There are also more minor mythical characters littering the narrative, and every single little inclusion was so deftly and subtly crafted that I was awed.
I’ve read plenty of Greek myth retellings, but this book was so different. It wasn’t trying to retell one particular story of give a new take on one particular character. Instead, the story takes these famous faces and couches them in a new setting, but where the same stories play out. Yes, there is a realistic, modern twist to each component, but they’re essentially the same tales that have been told about the Greek pantheon for millennia. And yet it’s one of the most creative books I’ve ever read. One of the things lacking in classical myths is insight into the motivations of the players. Here, the author gives us motivations and insights in spades, and it has changed the way I perceive the original myths. I found the idea fascinating, and the execution utterly compelling.
It amazes me how effortless every aspect of this novel felt, especially considering how much juggling had to be done to give each of these characters room to shine without changing anything at the core of the gods and goddesses they represented. I was also stunned by how sympathetic the author was able to make characters like Hera and Aphrodite and Zeus, who have always felt so petty and two-dimensional to me. The reverse can be said for deities I’ve always been more drawn to, like Hephaestus and Athena. And the depth of insight on the part of the author is absolutely astounding. I would think she had taken things as deep as humanly possible, and she would blow me away with another little reveal.
Even though this story is perhaps the most fascinating retelling I’ve ever read, it is at its heart an incredibly moving, intricate, heartbreakingly believable family drama that would still be fantastic without the reader having any knowledge of Greek mythology. And it addresses so many questions with both depth and grace. Is bad behavior a product of nature or nurture? Does family bring out the worst in one another? Can selflessness be just as harmful to others as selfishness? Do the sins of the father always come back on the son? Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of those who came before us? And, to go back to the Greek inspiration behind this tale, how much are women expected to suffer at the hands of the men who supposedly love them? Because every tragedy in this story, whether taking place on the page or in the past, is the product of a man’s lust, or jealousy, or pride. Not that the women aren’t culpable, but the author did a great job harkening back to the mythological source material in this regard.
I loved everything about Olympus, Texas. The setting was believable, the character development was absolutely astounding, and the psychological insights into these timeless personalities will inform my views of them for the rest of my life. While I do feel like this would still be an incredibly compelling family drama for those who have no familiarity with Greek mythology, anyone who shares my fascination with Greek mythology should absolutely not pass on Olympus, Texas. Swann spent twelve years writing this book, her DEBUT NOVEL, might I add, and it really shows. This book is a masterpiece. Full stop.
“Being family just means we don't have the safety of fences between us.”
The characters in this little novel are weirdly compelling. Less than fifty pages in they already felt more fleshed out and real than some real life human beings I’ve known for years. And that was before I fully realized who they were and what they represented. They are almost uncomfortably realistic in a remarkably short span of pages, and I was honestly in awe of the author’s character craftsmanship.
“It's much easier to break a thing that has already been broken once. Mending rarely makes it stronger.”
This book managed to feel like equal parts Grecian drama and a vivid image of the American South. It is also a blazingly furious, feminist answering of everything wrong with the world of Greek mythology. And, as stated in the narrative itself, this family is a walking collection of deadly sins; and yet, for all of their flaws and for all the ways they so deeply wound one another, there is genuine love there. The way in which the author mines the psyches of these characters who have been around for millennia and manages to flesh them out so fully is mind-blowing.
“...those absent can feel more present, do more damage, than any warm body in the room.”
I knew going in that this novel was inspired by Greek mythology, but I had no idea that residents of Olympus, Texas would be modern takes on the gods of the classical Olympus. Zeus, Hera, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo, Athena, Hades, and others are present in more mortal forms, and it was fascinating to pair these characters up with their immortal counterparts. There are also more minor mythical characters littering the narrative, and every single little inclusion was so deftly and subtly crafted that I was awed.
“When people define themselves in comparison to something else, they become that much more committed to never changing their minds about that something else.”
I’ve read plenty of Greek myth retellings, but this book was so different. It wasn’t trying to retell one particular story of give a new take on one particular character. Instead, the story takes these famous faces and couches them in a new setting, but where the same stories play out. Yes, there is a realistic, modern twist to each component, but they’re essentially the same tales that have been told about the Greek pantheon for millennia. And yet it’s one of the most creative books I’ve ever read. One of the things lacking in classical myths is insight into the motivations of the players. Here, the author gives us motivations and insights in spades, and it has changed the way I perceive the original myths. I found the idea fascinating, and the execution utterly compelling.
“Pessimism wasn't a negative trait for them. It was a way to consistently feel happier, each mediocre event a triumph over potential calamity.”
It amazes me how effortless every aspect of this novel felt, especially considering how much juggling had to be done to give each of these characters room to shine without changing anything at the core of the gods and goddesses they represented. I was also stunned by how sympathetic the author was able to make characters like Hera and Aphrodite and Zeus, who have always felt so petty and two-dimensional to me. The reverse can be said for deities I’ve always been more drawn to, like Hephaestus and Athena. And the depth of insight on the part of the author is absolutely astounding. I would think she had taken things as deep as humanly possible, and she would blow me away with another little reveal.
“Our reactions to most things are muddier than we admit. Yours don't have to be all good or all evil. They just are what they are.”
Even though this story is perhaps the most fascinating retelling I’ve ever read, it is at its heart an incredibly moving, intricate, heartbreakingly believable family drama that would still be fantastic without the reader having any knowledge of Greek mythology. And it addresses so many questions with both depth and grace. Is bad behavior a product of nature or nurture? Does family bring out the worst in one another? Can selflessness be just as harmful to others as selfishness? Do the sins of the father always come back on the son? Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of those who came before us? And, to go back to the Greek inspiration behind this tale, how much are women expected to suffer at the hands of the men who supposedly love them? Because every tragedy in this story, whether taking place on the page or in the past, is the product of a man’s lust, or jealousy, or pride. Not that the women aren’t culpable, but the author did a great job harkening back to the mythological source material in this regard.
“If romantic love contained so much foolishness, waste, and want, why seek it out? It seemed a natural disaster on par with a hurricane--one would deal with it only if evacuation proved impossible.”
I loved everything about Olympus, Texas. The setting was believable, the character development was absolutely astounding, and the psychological insights into these timeless personalities will inform my views of them for the rest of my life. While I do feel like this would still be an incredibly compelling family drama for those who have no familiarity with Greek mythology, anyone who shares my fascination with Greek mythology should absolutely not pass on Olympus, Texas. Swann spent twelve years writing this book, her DEBUT NOVEL, might I add, and it really shows. This book is a masterpiece. Full stop.
August 18, 2025
As an avid mythology lover, I am ashamed to admit that the mythological connection was not as readily apparent while reading. I didn't even read the blurb or know about this until I finished. However, I can now look back and see the connection. I think the most transparent one is Peter as Zeus. The number of kids he had with other women in a small town was hard to imagine.
Overall, this tragic family drama drew me in and immersed me in the characters' jacked-up lives. The hardest part to fathom was the "accidental" death. I felt this was the novel's most minor believable part. Unfortunately, this affected a lot of things negatively for me.
There wasn't much action, but the pace wasn't too slow either. It was a lot more introspective and told through dialogue than "showing" a story.
I'm glad I didn't know the mythological connection before reading, as it didn't distract me. I ended up enjoying this one purely for the drama.
4 Stars.
Overall, this tragic family drama drew me in and immersed me in the characters' jacked-up lives. The hardest part to fathom was the "accidental" death. I felt this was the novel's most minor believable part. Unfortunately, this affected a lot of things negatively for me.
There wasn't much action, but the pace wasn't too slow either. It was a lot more introspective and told through dialogue than "showing" a story.
I'm glad I didn't know the mythological connection before reading, as it didn't distract me. I ended up enjoying this one purely for the drama.
4 Stars.
May 24, 2021
I can't count the times I've fallen asleep while reading this.. I've wanted to like this book because it is a gmabookclub pick for May but it wasn't my cup of tea. There's so much going on in this story and not one can keep my interest.
May 30, 2021
I usually love a good dysfunctional family saga but this family was the worst. I hate them all. I couldn’t root for anyone. Well maybe Artie. Maybe?
June 4, 2021
In this debut dysfunctional family story about the Briscoes of Texas, younger brother (March) returns to his family’s small town after a 2 year absence following an affair with his older brother’s wife, kicking off a tornado of events that will change the family forever. It's a character-driven novel that kept me quickly turning the pages. It's deliciously scandalous with a plethora of dislikable characters. The story is rooted in Greek mythology, with each character corresponding to a Greek mythological figure, but the story stands on its own even without this tie-in.
August 29, 2021
”As if we would have chosen any of you, a walking collection of deadly sins.”
Olympus, Texas takes place over one week in a small town by the murky Brazos River where families have lived for generations and gossip never dies. The prominent Briscoe’s exist and endure here alongside the patriarch’s mistresses and the “walking collateral damage from a man who always thinks he can have anything he wants.”
The narration was in the present with an occasional short chapter that filled in a backstory of a person or event. I never became confused regardless of the number of narrators because each chapter lead with a character and the action.
The Briscoe’s consisted of Peter and June, married more than 30 years, and their three grown children: Hap, Thea, and March. Plus, Peter’s brother, Hayden Briscoe. But, because of Peter’s philandering ways, the family tree was complicated.
After Peter’s first affair was revealed, he promised “it would never happen again.” June “let herself be convinced.” But she “was changed.”
Artie and Arlo were Peter’s twins with Lee, a weak and neglectful mother, who were now 30ish, like March. Artie and Arlo “could always count on each other” growing up as they tentatively visited their father but only at June’s house, never theirs.
The book opens with March coming home after betraying his brother two years past and Arlo returning from touring with his band. To say they were received with mixed feelings is understated. It seems, within the course of a couple of days, these two cannot avoid making selfish and impulsive choices that became the catalyst of change in this story.
This family was loud and messy and dysfunctional with a capital “D.” As much as I didn’t like them, I began to understand there was more to them below the surface as their motives were revealed. Not that I had sympathy for their poor choices, I’m not a fan of “forgive and forget”, but I found myself engaged in this “train-wreck” of a family.
The climax of this character driven story came earlier than I anticipated. I kept looking for one more jaw-dropping event to occur, but it didn’t. The rest of the book focused on the ripple effect the event brought. I think the ending was realistic, even if I wished for more character growth across the board. I took the lack of it to confirm that some people never change or learn from their mistakes. If this were a myth, it would show how one’s toxic choices can poison others.
Speaking of myths, only the names of some characters and chapters gave a nod to Greek mythology with the sinful behavior being the strongest link. So, if you know little of mythology or it doesn’t appeal, not to worry, it does not play an overt role.
Overall, I found this an impressive debut novel that I’ll likely remember. Recommended for fans of domestic fiction who do not expect a happy ever after ending.
Olympus, Texas takes place over one week in a small town by the murky Brazos River where families have lived for generations and gossip never dies. The prominent Briscoe’s exist and endure here alongside the patriarch’s mistresses and the “walking collateral damage from a man who always thinks he can have anything he wants.”
The narration was in the present with an occasional short chapter that filled in a backstory of a person or event. I never became confused regardless of the number of narrators because each chapter lead with a character and the action.
The Briscoe’s consisted of Peter and June, married more than 30 years, and their three grown children: Hap, Thea, and March. Plus, Peter’s brother, Hayden Briscoe. But, because of Peter’s philandering ways, the family tree was complicated.
After Peter’s first affair was revealed, he promised “it would never happen again.” June “let herself be convinced.” But she “was changed.”
Artie and Arlo were Peter’s twins with Lee, a weak and neglectful mother, who were now 30ish, like March. Artie and Arlo “could always count on each other” growing up as they tentatively visited their father but only at June’s house, never theirs.
The book opens with March coming home after betraying his brother two years past and Arlo returning from touring with his band. To say they were received with mixed feelings is understated. It seems, within the course of a couple of days, these two cannot avoid making selfish and impulsive choices that became the catalyst of change in this story.
This family was loud and messy and dysfunctional with a capital “D.” As much as I didn’t like them, I began to understand there was more to them below the surface as their motives were revealed. Not that I had sympathy for their poor choices, I’m not a fan of “forgive and forget”, but I found myself engaged in this “train-wreck” of a family.
The climax of this character driven story came earlier than I anticipated. I kept looking for one more jaw-dropping event to occur, but it didn’t. The rest of the book focused on the ripple effect the event brought. I think the ending was realistic, even if I wished for more character growth across the board. I took the lack of it to confirm that some people never change or learn from their mistakes. If this were a myth, it would show how one’s toxic choices can poison others.
Speaking of myths, only the names of some characters and chapters gave a nod to Greek mythology with the sinful behavior being the strongest link. So, if you know little of mythology or it doesn’t appeal, not to worry, it does not play an overt role.
Overall, I found this an impressive debut novel that I’ll likely remember. Recommended for fans of domestic fiction who do not expect a happy ever after ending.
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