Clotho the Fate

Goddess Girls #25

by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Get to know Clotho, one of the Three Fates, in this twenty-fifth Goddess Girls adventure!

Eleven-year-old Clotho is always linked with her two big sisters. Together, they are all the Three Fates, with abilities to predict events in mortals’ lives. There are a few rules that the all-powerful Zeus has decreed for them, including a strict no-mingling with mortals policy.

After Clotho discovers letterscrolls from unhappy mortals who don’t love their fates, she wishes there was a way to try and earn their respect. During a secret trip to the Immortal Marketplace—where there is always a chance to run into mortals, too!—Clotho finds herself in over her head as she gets swept up in a competition to celebrate the opening a new store. A competition where her identity as a fate could be revealed at any moment!

If that weren’t enough, Clotho must face up to an old mistake she made several years ago that broke one of Zeus’s other Never interrupt the telling of a fate. It could mess up a mortal’s whole life!

Can Clotho manage to untangle the mess she has made while finding a way to bring the mortals and the Fates together?

Genres: Mythology, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Greek Mythology, Childrens, Juvenile

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2019

About the author

NY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun! Clotho is the youngest of the three fates; spinning out each mortal’s life thread. Yet, she dreams of more: a home to share with her sisters and a few friends (other than her sisters who like to boss her around). Clotho breaks Zeus’s Rule 3 by mingling with some mortals and then has to unravel her web of lies to make things right.

[Birdie]

been in a little bit of a reading slump so used a book from this series to get me out of it again.

[IllyrianShadowsinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I finally understand why I was a stupid child

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have seen these books at my library for years but this latest assignment has forced me to read "fables, legends, myths, and folklore" that have been published in the last five years. It's not my strength when it comes to Reader's Advisory. I had an awesome coworker who helped me out!

However, I felt like giving this book a shot. It follows Clotho, the youngest of the three fates--her sisters--and how she longs to mix with both mortals and immortals. Her path winds up crossing with other familiar faces in Greek mythology. Athena. Aphrodite. Hera. Hercules. So many names will be recognized by the reader.

I have to admit that the book wasn't fully my cup of tea. Yet it is an excellent middle grade novel. I would say that it is perfect for 2nd and 3rd graders. The font size is perfect; there is lots of white space and spacing between lines which aids in benefiting a struggling reader. The story of wanting to make friends, of finding a place to belong, will resonate with sentimental readers. The Greek mythology setting will be enjoyed by readers who love....well....Greek Mythology.

I am happy that I read this book. Now I can direct my library users to this series with more awareness and accuracy. Which means I will more authentic in my interactions.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this series so much
literally i will keep reading them as long as they are written theyre so cute and i love greek mythology and since i know the real stories its so cool & fun to see the parallels and how they spin it i love it
i cant wait for the next book bc its gonna be centered around persephone & yall know i adore the core four
this series. so good
also the author follows me on here idk how she found me but i love that so hello hi if ur reading this i love your works please keep writing more!

[Tiffany Spencer]

Clotho the Fate
Clotho (the youngest fate) and hre two sisters’ job is to help determine the destinies of all the mortal babies. During one of their sessions assigning destinies, Clotho gets distracted while spinning the thread of a prince named Meleager.. In trying to save her knitting needle from falling she breaks one of Zeus’s most important rules and accidently tangles Meleager’s Thread of Fate with another newborn boy named Tantalus.

She doesn’t tell her sisters and hopes the accident won’t matter. Twelve years later, Clotho has completely forgotten about the mistake. After finishing that night’s work, Clotho feels lonely again. She longs for a permanent hom and a chance to make friends outside of her sisters. Clotho learns that her sisters have been hiding the fact that the mortals send them angry letters because they aren’t happy with their destinies and they see the Fates as villians. Her sisters have been hiding this for many years to protect Clotho’s feelings. She’s hurt by this.

Clotho decides to go to the Immortal Marketplace, despite Zeus’s rule that they can’t interact with mortals. She’s also curious to check out Arachne’s Sewing Supplies, an abandoned store that contains yarn and wool that it’s said you can “borrow” since no one owns it now. Clothio enteres the Immortal Marketplace for the first time. She meets Cassandra, who works at a prophecy-themed bakery.

Clotho sees fliers for an upcoming event called Gan On. Several of the other girls from Goddess Girl from Mount Olympus Academy come into the bakery. Before she leaves the bakery, she slips some hand-made thumb puppets into the displays. Clotho explores the abandoned Arachne’s Sewing Supplies shop. There’s an enormous amount of crafting material there. She hears a voice and discovers a spider that turns out to be Arachne. The spider can talk.

Arachne tells Clotho she was once a mortal who got transformed by Athena. Clotho has a vision of her living in the show with her sisters after Arachne shows her around. She also meet a kitten that she becomes enamored with. Curiousity about Game On leads hr to go check it out.

King Oeneus and Queen Althea reveal a competitive arena. Meleager and Atalanta are chosen as captains. Clotho is unexpectedly picked for Atalanta’s team. Arachne has secretly slipped herself inside Clotho’s bag. The arena transforms into a giant magical obstacle course. The games officially begin. The rules are explained. These weapons don’t cause injuries. They just mark you with an X. Clotho and Atlanta develop a friendship during the game. Apollo questions why Artemis was left out of the competition. Immortals also began to voice their opinions about this decision that they find an insult.

Artemis appears and reveals this is all a part of the plan to introduce the opening ceremony. The Calydonia Boar is the game’s main challenge. Even tho Clotho doesn’t have any skills, she finds ways to contribute. Meleager’s crush on Atlanta causes him to perform badly in the arena. The boar is revealed to be mechanical. Meleager lands the wining hit on the boar.Meleager gives the trophy to Atalanta.

Clotho overhears Meleager talking about how his mother tricked his tangled fate and realizes it was her fault. When Clotho leaves, a message from Zeus follows her. She thinks he’s found out what she did, but the message is an invitation to a birthday party. Clotho decides to hide the invitation from her sisters. Clotho is followed by Tantalus, who knows she’s a fate. He’s figured out what caused Meleager’s thread swich. Tantalus is who Meleager’s thread got tangled with.

Athena and the others learn Clotho is a fate. They decide to make the knitted thumb puppets the center of the birthday party. They’ll use them in a puppet show for Zeus. Clotho, for the first time, feels what true friendship feels like. Clotho regoins her sisters, and they do their daily nighttime destiny spinning. She doesn’t tell her sisters about the day’s events.

Cassandra’s prediction about tangled weighs starts to weigh on Clotho. She wonders if she should confess. Zeus has his party at Game On! Tantalus mysteriously loses his narrator puppet, Pelops. Zeus and the guests enjoy the puppet show. Tantalus’s lost puppet is found inside Demeter’s cake. Tantalus is caught trying to steal nectar and ambrosia. He hints at Clotho’s mistake. But Zeus seems to already know about the situation. Zeus wants to punish Tantalus, but Clotho convinces him to not give him such a severe one.

Lachesis and Atrops arrive unexpectedly. Zeus learns that Clotho hid his invitation and calls for a private meeting with the three Fates. Clotho confesses her mistakes to Zeus and her sisters. Zeus finds out that mortals distrust the Fates. Clotho suggests giving morals more influence over their destinies. Zeus comes up with a new idea. The Fates will begin helping mortals directly. It’s decided the sisters will stay at the shop whenever they aren’t traveling. Destiny the kitten becomes part of the family. The shop becomes a center for counseling and crafts. Mortals begin to view Fates more positively. Tantalus serves his punishment in the Tantalize game.

Rating 5: Possibly the most lackluster one I’ve read so far. Handmade thumb puppets? I found it REALLY hard to believe that no matter how childlike they try to make Zeus, the most powerful god would be entertained by this, OR that a whole plot was centered around this.

[Nichole Ostrander · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a girl who is into mythology or going to study the Greeks and romans, I highly suggest this series. In this book it even shows how the word tantalize came to be. The books shows a title bit about the three fates. This series is different take on the myth, but truly fun.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in this middle-grade series. So fun!
This time out, Clotho, youngest of the 3 Fates, ends up disobeying Zeus' third law - Don't mingle with mortals. This is how she came to accidentally mingle.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This addition to the Goddess Girls series deals with issues like loneliness and homelessness, which are definitely some heavy hitter topics that are important to discuss with children. Clotho also gets a lesson in lying and taking responsibility for your mistakes.

[Sascha Broich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting spin, the take of Tantalus' sin and punishment.

[Antonia Woodard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! The story was fun and I liked it!

[Ava M-L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. Especially how they tweak things for kids. Like making tantalus’s punishment into a game. Also this series is light and short. I enjoy reading these after a slump.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am still not enjoying these latest books nearly as much as the first 20 or so. It’s a real shame.

[Verena]

I still don't rate it because I'm really confused. First, because it really seems like this is the very last book of the series! There are not any new books announced. And honestly, currently I prefer Thunder Girls. I can't help it, but GG has never seemed so weak as now.
Now the three Fates are girl goddesses. They are representing totality of fate, which is expressed with their racial diversity (although not so in the book). The cover is not like the Fates in the book.
By the way, Clotho is the blue one of the triplet. The cat is also in the book and so is the spider....it's Arachne! (Do you remember her from Athena the Wise? Wow, let's see, whether our snarky spider gets a happy end!). Spiders are the perfect match for the spinning and knitting Fates!
The basic idea is interesting because mortals complain about their fates and are angry of the particular three goddesses. Clotho wants to change that!
There are interesting mythological attempts, but I'm not 100% persuaded. First, there's the famous Underworld sinner Tantalus introduced in GG world.
Then, we have Atalanta (from Medea the enchantress), but there is no recall of her part in Aphrodite the Beauty. It's a bit confusing, when later books have earlier mythological events.
Last but not least, there is the serpent from Medea the Enchantress. There's a very interesting attempt, but the problem is solved too early. I'm not really satisfied with Clotho's strategy, although I like the idea behind it.
(Spoiler:
Please give the serpent a real friend or another job, like protecting the golden apples of the Hesperides!)