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Wings of Fury #1
Wings of Fury
From Emily R. King, author of the Hundredth Queen series, comes an epic novel of ancient Greece, Titans and treachery, and the women who dare to rise up against the tyranny of the Golden Age.
My mother told me that men would speak about the Golden Age as a time of peace and happiness for all… However, the women of our age would tell a very different story…
Cronus, God of Gods, whose inheritance is the world. Among his possessions: women, imprisoned and fated to serve. The strong-minded Althea Lambros controls her own fate and lives to honor her dying mother’s plea to protect her two sisters at all costs. Althea’s journey toward crushing the tyranny has begun. It is a destiny foretold by the Fates. And she is following their visions.
On the southern isle of Crete, hidden among mortal women who have fled the Titans, is the Boy God, son of Cronus and believed dead. He shares Althea’s destiny to vanquish the Almighty—fate willing. Because Cronus has caught wind of the plot. He’s amassing his own forces against Althea’s righteous rebellion and all those who will no longer surrender or run. There will be war. If she’s to survive to write their history, the indomitable Althea must soar higher than any god.
My mother told me that men would speak about the Golden Age as a time of peace and happiness for all… However, the women of our age would tell a very different story…
Cronus, God of Gods, whose inheritance is the world. Among his possessions: women, imprisoned and fated to serve. The strong-minded Althea Lambros controls her own fate and lives to honor her dying mother’s plea to protect her two sisters at all costs. Althea’s journey toward crushing the tyranny has begun. It is a destiny foretold by the Fates. And she is following their visions.
On the southern isle of Crete, hidden among mortal women who have fled the Titans, is the Boy God, son of Cronus and believed dead. He shares Althea’s destiny to vanquish the Almighty—fate willing. Because Cronus has caught wind of the plot. He’s amassing his own forces against Althea’s righteous rebellion and all those who will no longer surrender or run. There will be war. If she’s to survive to write their history, the indomitable Althea must soar higher than any god.
301 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2021
3330 people are currently reading
12911 people want to read
About the author
Emily R. King
15 books1,224 followersEmily R. King is a reader of everything and a writer of fantasy. Born in Canada and raised in the USA, she has perfected the use of “eh” and “y’all” and uses both interchangeably. Shark advocate, consumer of gummy bears, and islander at heart, Emily’s greatest interests are her four children. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and an active participant in her local writers’ community. She lives in Northern Utah with her family and their cantankerous cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 494 reviews
October 21, 2022
This is a young adult PNR masquerading as mythology fantasy, with heaps of clichés and random bits of half-baked feminism thrown in to look trendy.
The Plot (no spoilers):
The story can be summed up with a few most overused tropes:
- An orphan seeking revenge: Althea's mother was taken away by the Titan god Cronus and died in childbirth, leaving behind Althea and her two sisters.
- A forced marriage / runaway bride: Cronus's general, the villain who took Althea's mother, marked Althea with bonding magic so that she would remain his until he came back to claim her when she grew up.
- A prophecy / the chosen one: Althea grew up and decided it was time to run away for a new life. She visited an oracle and was told that she was the special snowflake destined to find Cronus's son Zeus, who would kill Cronus only with her help.
- A reluctant ally / enemy to lover: Althea enlists the help of a soldier, Theo, who was part of the group that took away her mother, to sail to Crete and find Zeus.
- A love triangle: can you guess this one?
Yawn. I don't think we need more of this in 2021.
One might say that the mythology retelling sets this book apart from the rest. But the truth is, the mythology is what feels the most out of place here. I'm no expert on the war of Titans and I'm not expecting this story to be textbook accurate, but the author twisted too many facts in order to fit the gods into her characters: Zeus is a wimp king; Hera has wings; Theo and Althea's true identities are contrived and feel forced. Certain location names also don't appear correct for their times, such as Thessaly which should probably be Aeolia. Again, I'm not expecting this to be a mythology textbook, but if so much needs to be changed and the worldbuilding can't be done with enough accuracy or detail, then why use mythology at all?
As the first installment in a series, this book does leave some questions unanswered, and the oracle's prophecy about Althea is only half fulfilled at the end, but most subplots wrap up nicely so it could be read as a standalone.
The Characters:
Althea is your typical YA heroine: headstrong, eager to prove herself, acts without considering consequences but somehow always has luck on her side so she never fails. She lounges at the general capturing her mother when she was a child, even though she can't even protect herself, but somehow no one harms her; she judges and chastises Zeus for hiding from Cronus, trying to persuade him to challenge Cronus by saying her mother was killed and so Zeus is obliged to help her bring justice, but somehow Zeus agrees; she duels with one of the guards on Crete and humiliates them by throwing the guard across the camp, even though her goal on the island is to seek the people's help and support, but somehow her prowess gains everyone's respect. The list goes on. I understand that this type of personality appeals to a large audience and that in an ideal world, she's showing off how badass she is and how proud she is for being herself. But as the author keeps reminding us (by telling, not showing), this is a world full of oppression and hardship, which makes it unconvincing that Althea could survive through all her audacious endeavors.
This brings me to the random feminism talks throughout the book. I appreciate the author's attempt at addressing the frequent occurrences of abduction and rape in Greek mythology, but in addition to the same issue of telling instead of showing, I also can't agree that such occurrences warrant the notion that EVERY man is evil, or even worse, EVERYTHING that they do should be condemned, which appears to be what the women in this world believe. For example, here's how Althea responds to a man's compliment (not a malicious or sarcastic compliment, just a simple and natural compliment):
I don't quite understand why compliments need to be made into such a big deal. I take compliments from men and women, and I give them to men and women. I don't think there's ever any prejudice or self-importance implied, and even if there is, I don't think it's the gender of the speaker that makes the difference. There are many more scenes like this that just feel too far-stretched to me.
Maybe these sentiments explain why all the male characters are so dull. Theo and Zeus are boring, easily replaceable, and unmemorable. It says a lot about the characters in this book that my favorite comes to Althea's sister Bronte. She's just about the opposite of Althea: smart, quick in decisions, reasonable in judgment but still always ready to strike. I wish she could've been the heroine instead, and if there's one thing that I could recommend this book for, it's the healthy sister dynamics.
The Writing:
I have a feeling that this book was trying to sound lush and lyrical like Circe. But just like with the feminism side of things, it tried too hard in the wrong direction, and instead ended up with cringy purple prose. Like this:
And similarly, this (I'll hide the character's name for those who might care):
Obviously the second one is a kissing scene, though I'm not quite sure how to picture it. Is the guy trying to literally take her breath away?
The dialogues are clunky as well, especially the banters. I won't quote more ranting material here but a lot of them even sound modern enough to fit right in a PNR.
So to wrap up: I didn't like this book. But I probably have only myself to blame for picking it up before it's published, with no samples or comments to warn me of what I'm getting myself into, so I hope this review can help save someone else's time.
The Plot (no spoilers):
The story can be summed up with a few most overused tropes:
- An orphan seeking revenge: Althea's mother was taken away by the Titan god Cronus and died in childbirth, leaving behind Althea and her two sisters.
- A forced marriage / runaway bride: Cronus's general, the villain who took Althea's mother, marked Althea with bonding magic so that she would remain his until he came back to claim her when she grew up.
- A prophecy / the chosen one: Althea grew up and decided it was time to run away for a new life. She visited an oracle and was told that she was the special snowflake destined to find Cronus's son Zeus, who would kill Cronus only with her help.
- A reluctant ally / enemy to lover: Althea enlists the help of a soldier, Theo, who was part of the group that took away her mother, to sail to Crete and find Zeus.
- A love triangle: can you guess this one?
Yawn. I don't think we need more of this in 2021.
One might say that the mythology retelling sets this book apart from the rest. But the truth is, the mythology is what feels the most out of place here. I'm no expert on the war of Titans and I'm not expecting this story to be textbook accurate, but the author twisted too many facts in order to fit the gods into her characters: Zeus is a wimp king; Hera has wings; Theo and Althea's true identities are contrived and feel forced. Certain location names also don't appear correct for their times, such as Thessaly which should probably be Aeolia. Again, I'm not expecting this to be a mythology textbook, but if so much needs to be changed and the worldbuilding can't be done with enough accuracy or detail, then why use mythology at all?
As the first installment in a series, this book does leave some questions unanswered, and the oracle's prophecy about Althea is only half fulfilled at the end, but most subplots wrap up nicely so it could be read as a standalone.
The Characters:
Althea is your typical YA heroine: headstrong, eager to prove herself, acts without considering consequences but somehow always has luck on her side so she never fails. She lounges at the general capturing her mother when she was a child, even though she can't even protect herself, but somehow no one harms her; she judges and chastises Zeus for hiding from Cronus, trying to persuade him to challenge Cronus by saying her mother was killed and so Zeus is obliged to help her bring justice, but somehow Zeus agrees; she duels with one of the guards on Crete and humiliates them by throwing the guard across the camp, even though her goal on the island is to seek the people's help and support, but somehow her prowess gains everyone's respect. The list goes on. I understand that this type of personality appeals to a large audience and that in an ideal world, she's showing off how badass she is and how proud she is for being herself. But as the author keeps reminding us (by telling, not showing), this is a world full of oppression and hardship, which makes it unconvincing that Althea could survive through all her audacious endeavors.
This brings me to the random feminism talks throughout the book. I appreciate the author's attempt at addressing the frequent occurrences of abduction and rape in Greek mythology, but in addition to the same issue of telling instead of showing, I also can't agree that such occurrences warrant the notion that EVERY man is evil, or even worse, EVERYTHING that they do should be condemned, which appears to be what the women in this world believe. For example, here's how Althea responds to a man's compliment (not a malicious or sarcastic compliment, just a simple and natural compliment):
"Men compliment women because they want something from them, or to flatter themselves. Oh, look how kind I am! Oh, see how generous I am with my praise! I don't want your praise. What you think of me doesn't matter"
I don't quite understand why compliments need to be made into such a big deal. I take compliments from men and women, and I give them to men and women. I don't think there's ever any prejudice or self-importance implied, and even if there is, I don't think it's the gender of the speaker that makes the difference. There are many more scenes like this that just feel too far-stretched to me.
Maybe these sentiments explain why all the male characters are so dull. Theo and Zeus are boring, easily replaceable, and unmemorable. It says a lot about the characters in this book that my favorite comes to Althea's sister Bronte. She's just about the opposite of Althea: smart, quick in decisions, reasonable in judgment but still always ready to strike. I wish she could've been the heroine instead, and if there's one thing that I could recommend this book for, it's the healthy sister dynamics.
The Writing:
I have a feeling that this book was trying to sound lush and lyrical like Circe. But just like with the feminism side of things, it tried too hard in the wrong direction, and instead ended up with cringy purple prose. Like this:
My blade grazed his right forearm. He sucked in a cavernous breath, drinking in the whole night sky.
And similarly, this (I'll hide the character's name for those who might care):
We leaned in, and our lips met. sucked in a breath so deep that I thought he might inhale the world, ...
Obviously the second one is a kissing scene, though I'm not quite sure how to picture it. Is the guy trying to literally take her breath away?
The dialogues are clunky as well, especially the banters. I won't quote more ranting material here but a lot of them even sound modern enough to fit right in a PNR.
So to wrap up: I didn't like this book. But I probably have only myself to blame for picking it up before it's published, with no samples or comments to warn me of what I'm getting myself into, so I hope this review can help save someone else's time.
July 27, 2021
The first book of Wings of Fury by Emily R. King is a different, surprising, and strange version of a romantic mythology story of Cronus's reign.
A retelling mythology story of the time that Gods have less power and women are warriors and fight for their freedom. What should I call the Lambros sisters? Revolutionary maybe?!
"As long as men still think we're their possessions to buy and sell and trade, we will never be safe."
Cleora, Bronte, and Althea are the three daughters of Stavra and Tassos. After their parents died, try to escape and made a better new life for themself, on the island of Crete, where the God Boy was hidden.
Althea's destiny is to guide and protect her older sisters. The oracles direct Althea to her fate for finding Zeus and defeat the God of God's, Cronus (who has swallowed his children), which is responsible for Stavra's death.
I love this book. There are lots of adventures, twists, and well-drawn characters. An unexpected story, fast-paced, and hard to put it down. I'm looking forward to the second book.
Many thanks to 47North and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read Wings of Fury by Emily R. King in exchange for an honest review.
Published Date 01 Mar 2021
My review on 19 Apr 2021
A retelling mythology story of the time that Gods have less power and women are warriors and fight for their freedom. What should I call the Lambros sisters? Revolutionary maybe?!
"As long as men still think we're their possessions to buy and sell and trade, we will never be safe."
Cleora, Bronte, and Althea are the three daughters of Stavra and Tassos. After their parents died, try to escape and made a better new life for themself, on the island of Crete, where the God Boy was hidden.
Althea's destiny is to guide and protect her older sisters. The oracles direct Althea to her fate for finding Zeus and defeat the God of God's, Cronus (who has swallowed his children), which is responsible for Stavra's death.
I love this book. There are lots of adventures, twists, and well-drawn characters. An unexpected story, fast-paced, and hard to put it down. I'm looking forward to the second book.
Many thanks to 47North and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read Wings of Fury by Emily R. King in exchange for an honest review.
Published Date 01 Mar 2021
My review on 19 Apr 2021
June 25, 2021
Wings of Fury was so much to fun to dive into. Right from the very beginning, pages just seemed to fly by. Plus the character themselves were wonderfully entertaining due to the mixing of Gods and strong ass female Warriors.
In it, you will meet Althea. Now she is a bad ass female and her sister's protector. Like most strong independent females, she doesn't let a man control her (in any way). Which, yes, you go girl! From the very first meet and greet, I fell in love with her. It just sucked donkey butt that the world she was living in treated women pretty freaking crappy. If all the males somehow got a swift kick in the nuts from karma.. I would totally look the other way.
Other than that, the addition of Gods was a fun twist. I liked getting to know them and sort of watch them grow throughout the book. It was also pretty interesting to see how Zeus got his powers and such too.
In the end, I just really enjoyed the heck out of this book and now I'm super excited to dive into the sequel!
In it, you will meet Althea. Now she is a bad ass female and her sister's protector. Like most strong independent females, she doesn't let a man control her (in any way). Which, yes, you go girl! From the very first meet and greet, I fell in love with her. It just sucked donkey butt that the world she was living in treated women pretty freaking crappy. If all the males somehow got a swift kick in the nuts from karma.. I would totally look the other way.
Other than that, the addition of Gods was a fun twist. I liked getting to know them and sort of watch them grow throughout the book. It was also pretty interesting to see how Zeus got his powers and such too.
In the end, I just really enjoyed the heck out of this book and now I'm super excited to dive into the sequel!
March 26, 2022
MENUDA SORPRESA DE LIBRO. Quiero desde ya todos los libros de la autora.
En resumen, Alas de furia ha superado incluso mis expectativas y abre la puerta a una trilogía con un mundo que me ha fascinado y del que me muero por leer mucho más. Estoy seguro de que el siguiente libro, después de todo lo que ha sucedido en este, será todavía mejor.
NECESITO PRONTO EL SEGUNDO LIBRO.
Reseña completa
En resumen, Alas de furia ha superado incluso mis expectativas y abre la puerta a una trilogía con un mundo que me ha fascinado y del que me muero por leer mucho más. Estoy seguro de que el siguiente libro, después de todo lo que ha sucedido en este, será todavía mejor.
NECESITO PRONTO EL SEGUNDO LIBRO.
Reseña completa
July 7, 2023
This is such a unique take on the main events of cronus and zeus's first enconuter. Without the twists, this is still a strong story of a girl trying to escape the Fates and be seen as equal to men.
And I have to say, zeus is such a baby girl here 😅
And I have to say, zeus is such a baby girl here 😅
February 8, 2021
When I was in third grade, I was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology (sorry Norse mythology but you guys are too much of a Debbie Downer). This book started off strong as we enter a world where the gods are real (as in it really does take a God in a chariot to bring the sun across the heavens,etc). Not only that but it takes place after Chronos has ascended the throne and before Zeus over throws him. I found this such a wonderful idea as when studying mythology we typically only get a brief line or two that Chronos was overthrown and then it's all Zeus. So it's a fie!d ripe for creative license.
We follow a young girl trying to fulfill a prophecy to help the as of yet unknown Boy God help overthrow the tyrant Chronos. She's strong and independent and quite the feminist. They introduce a secondary character, a soldier who serves Chronos, who joins her in her quest. So far so good.
Then after the halfway point the story starts to fall apart. The characters relationships start to ring false, plot hole and worse character focus and motivations start to fall apart. Plus, you have to be really careful when depicting an immortal free for all to ensure it doesn't descend into farce. For instance, you wanna grab temp!e columns and swing them like baseball bats? Ok. I'll buy it but only if you root as much as possible into realism. Otherwise, it becomes cringe.
Having said that, I'd be willing to try another one of her works. I probably won't continue with this one. In fact reading this only made me want to re-read Camille Oster's "Truth and Sparta." However "Wings of Fury" is YA and "Truth and Sparta" is DEFINITELY not. Though it has no gods and does have a strong female character it also has non-con and true violence...consider yourself forewarned).
Update: I decided to bump this from a 2 to a 3 because as I think about it, I think it was for a younger audience than I originally thought. I was originally thinking high teens. But I think it would be more appropriate for a much younger crowd (10 to 12). So given that, I decided to be less critical as I considered the fact that I would have enjoyed it much more as I went through my mythology phase in 3rd grade.
We follow a young girl trying to fulfill a prophecy to help the as of yet unknown Boy God help overthrow the tyrant Chronos. She's strong and independent and quite the feminist. They introduce a secondary character, a soldier who serves Chronos, who joins her in her quest. So far so good.
Then after the halfway point the story starts to fall apart. The characters relationships start to ring false, plot hole and worse character focus and motivations start to fall apart. Plus, you have to be really careful when depicting an immortal free for all to ensure it doesn't descend into farce. For instance, you wanna grab temp!e columns and swing them like baseball bats? Ok. I'll buy it but only if you root as much as possible into realism. Otherwise, it becomes cringe.
Having said that, I'd be willing to try another one of her works. I probably won't continue with this one. In fact reading this only made me want to re-read Camille Oster's "Truth and Sparta." However "Wings of Fury" is YA and "Truth and Sparta" is DEFINITELY not. Though it has no gods and does have a strong female character it also has non-con and true violence...consider yourself forewarned).
Update: I decided to bump this from a 2 to a 3 because as I think about it, I think it was for a younger audience than I originally thought. I was originally thinking high teens. But I think it would be more appropriate for a much younger crowd (10 to 12). So given that, I decided to be less critical as I considered the fact that I would have enjoyed it much more as I went through my mythology phase in 3rd grade.
February 8, 2021
This was free and I still want my money back.
February 7, 2021
I'm a big fan of YA Mythic Fiction. That is how I would classify this book. It was not *perfect* but I did enjoy it.
The story was quite good. A Greek Mythology retelling from a time before most of the retellings start. Starting a series before Cronus had been defeated is a different and fun take. If you are very serious about the myths being accurately portrayed, maybe this one is not for you. If you are instead all in for as many new twists as possible, you'll enjoy it.
There will be some overly dramatic love tangles in this series. There just has to be. You cannot have Greek Mythology without the drama. I don't consider that a negative. There were some twists that I did not see coming, which in retrospect, I should have. They weren't shocking, I just wasn't expecting it. I think that made it better. It is not every day something in a YA book catches me off guard anymore.
On to the negatives. I think Emily King has some room to grow as an author. The dialogue gets a little clunky in places. The rest of the writing is not quite strong enough to support the more lyrical passages she seemed to desperately try to fit in. I understand the urge to attempt the sometimes hyperbolic, often poetic style of the classics or more serious mythological fiction. Those sentences or passages just felt out of place in this more YA book. I think these, what I would call, rough edges will smooth themselves out as Ms. King writes more.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book. A lot. I will absolutely read the rest of the series, and I've already sent a copy to my Best Friend so she can read it too. If you're looking for a good quarantine escape, he's a good one for you.
https://ssshwearereading.wordpress.com/
The story was quite good. A Greek Mythology retelling from a time before most of the retellings start. Starting a series before Cronus had been defeated is a different and fun take. If you are very serious about the myths being accurately portrayed, maybe this one is not for you. If you are instead all in for as many new twists as possible, you'll enjoy it.
There will be some overly dramatic love tangles in this series. There just has to be. You cannot have Greek Mythology without the drama. I don't consider that a negative. There were some twists that I did not see coming, which in retrospect, I should have. They weren't shocking, I just wasn't expecting it. I think that made it better. It is not every day something in a YA book catches me off guard anymore.
On to the negatives. I think Emily King has some room to grow as an author. The dialogue gets a little clunky in places. The rest of the writing is not quite strong enough to support the more lyrical passages she seemed to desperately try to fit in. I understand the urge to attempt the sometimes hyperbolic, often poetic style of the classics or more serious mythological fiction. Those sentences or passages just felt out of place in this more YA book. I think these, what I would call, rough edges will smooth themselves out as Ms. King writes more.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book. A lot. I will absolutely read the rest of the series, and I've already sent a copy to my Best Friend so she can read it too. If you're looking for a good quarantine escape, he's a good one for you.
https://ssshwearereading.wordpress.com/
March 20, 2021
*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*
Trigger warning: assault and abuse.
This is a thought book, it shows us a world where women are oppressed, treated as objects that have no opinions and no will.
If you know a little bit of Greek mythology, you will recognize several parts of this story, if you are a big fan you may not like the story as much as the author takes certain liberties with the mythology, but even being a big fan, I really liked it.
The author did a great job retelling a story that we already know (the fall of Uranus, and then Zeus knocking Kronos down from the throne) and at the same time bringing new and interesting points that brings a suspense that makes you not know what will happen even though you already know the story.
The final plot twist really surprised me a lot.
I was very happy to read book since I haven't read anything involving Greek mythology in a long time.
I'm anxious to see where the sequence of this book goes since I found the ending very good and well closed.
Trigger warning: assault and abuse.
This is a thought book, it shows us a world where women are oppressed, treated as objects that have no opinions and no will.
If you know a little bit of Greek mythology, you will recognize several parts of this story, if you are a big fan you may not like the story as much as the author takes certain liberties with the mythology, but even being a big fan, I really liked it.
The author did a great job retelling a story that we already know (the fall of Uranus, and then Zeus knocking Kronos down from the throne) and at the same time bringing new and interesting points that brings a suspense that makes you not know what will happen even though you already know the story.
The final plot twist really surprised me a lot.
I was very happy to read book since I haven't read anything involving Greek mythology in a long time.
I'm anxious to see where the sequence of this book goes since I found the ending very good and well closed.
March 2, 2021
This was such a great fantasy based on Greek mythology! I really enjoyed the characters, the world, and the plot.
Althea is told by the oracles that she must find and raise up the hidden child of Cronus, Zeus. In doing so, she hopes that he will create a better world for women than they currently have.
Knowing how Zeus turns out in Greek mythology hasn't stopped me from being incredibly hopeful for how he turns out. It's almost like a villain origin story, because I know Zeus was a terrible person who did whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted.
Gripping me from the first sentence, this book which seeks to tell the story from a women's perspective kept me enthralled until the very end.
Book two, please?
Althea is told by the oracles that she must find and raise up the hidden child of Cronus, Zeus. In doing so, she hopes that he will create a better world for women than they currently have.
Knowing how Zeus turns out in Greek mythology hasn't stopped me from being incredibly hopeful for how he turns out. It's almost like a villain origin story, because I know Zeus was a terrible person who did whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted.
Gripping me from the first sentence, this book which seeks to tell the story from a women's perspective kept me enthralled until the very end.
Book two, please?
February 27, 2021
Another Amazon First reads which was picked at random. The opening is breath-taking, I am drawn into this word instantly, with its sights sound and smells – it’s wonderful, and wonderfully distracting but then it becomes a plot-pointer. Here, from thereafter, every scene’s drama and tension mirror many a Hollywood blockbuster I’ve seen, and it doesn’t stop there, as the banter between the female and male lead are also replays of these movies. However, it’s impressive that Emily R King delivers these with such ease, and maybe it would have had the same impact if it had these movies’ special effects and cinematography.
The story is set in old times, where Cronus is god of the gods and is not aware that one of his sons is alive. This is a retell with a modern spin to tell a tale of what Althea goes through to keep her family together, a promise she made to her mother.
This wasn’t a flawless read, and there was a contradiction in the central message of female independence, as there were many scenes where she was eclipsed by Theo. Theo is her love interest and the other lead whom she’s constantly at odds with in a fun, cute way. These banters are a break from the action scenes, but in a few she seemed to be in his shadow, like the scene where Althea’s sister is held at knifepoint by a bad guy, Decimus, to lure Althea out but instead is reassured by Theo that her sister will be fine, and they need to slip away. I found this an ironic scene that didn’t make sense as Althea resigns not to confront Decimus but instead Theo is outraged and fights with his when Decimus insults his mother. This is one example where the story loses sight of its central message because it’s busier being an action-pack Hollywood flick.
The story is set in old times, where Cronus is god of the gods and is not aware that one of his sons is alive. This is a retell with a modern spin to tell a tale of what Althea goes through to keep her family together, a promise she made to her mother.
This wasn’t a flawless read, and there was a contradiction in the central message of female independence, as there were many scenes where she was eclipsed by Theo. Theo is her love interest and the other lead whom she’s constantly at odds with in a fun, cute way. These banters are a break from the action scenes, but in a few she seemed to be in his shadow, like the scene where Althea’s sister is held at knifepoint by a bad guy, Decimus, to lure Althea out but instead is reassured by Theo that her sister will be fine, and they need to slip away. I found this an ironic scene that didn’t make sense as Althea resigns not to confront Decimus but instead Theo is outraged and fights with his when Decimus insults his mother. This is one example where the story loses sight of its central message because it’s busier being an action-pack Hollywood flick.
February 22, 2021
Move over The Hundredth Queen!! I have a new fav from Emily R. King!! OMG!!!! When I started this book I didn't realize this was set before the rise of Zeus etc. I was thinking it was about Sparta. #Facepalm to me!! Well I soon realized that I was so wrong and dived in even harder because I am obsessed with Greek Mythology!!
This book was SO GOOD! I loved the weave of the story that King has brought us readers. This book rides the line of high young adult and low new adult. Which I think worked out wonderfully for the story. If you love retellings where girl are in a world that they are not meant to be strong but are strong anyway then this is the book for you!
I loved how Althea was so strong with her sisters and the journey she needed to partake in . Even when the world turned itself upside down with a major twist she didn't falter. In the world of mythology this story just makes you really think about the Goddesses that I have come to love and cherish and what they went through. I am excited to get book two of this series and chat once again with the author. Because most of the things I wanted to talk about were all spoilers so I am dying.
This is one more book that I need a support group for! #HelpMe!
This book was SO GOOD! I loved the weave of the story that King has brought us readers. This book rides the line of high young adult and low new adult. Which I think worked out wonderfully for the story. If you love retellings where girl are in a world that they are not meant to be strong but are strong anyway then this is the book for you!
I loved how Althea was so strong with her sisters and the journey she needed to partake in . Even when the world turned itself upside down with a major twist she didn't falter. In the world of mythology this story just makes you really think about the Goddesses that I have come to love and cherish and what they went through. I am excited to get book two of this series and chat once again with the author. Because most of the things I wanted to talk about were all spoilers so I am dying.
This is one more book that I need a support group for! #HelpMe!
March 6, 2021
I am obsessed with any retelling or story based on Greek mythology and have loved Emily R. King's previous works, so this was a no-brainer! The story is an empowering one where women take charge and fight for themselves against ruthless enemies, creatures, and gods.
The story moves at a brisk, almost too quick, pace that begins with action and allows for plenty of thrilling moments. Althea is a headstrong character who is not afraid to challenge herself and stand up for her sisters when she needs to. Bronte is a great foil for her and I enjoyed their interactions. Theo is a kind, misguided man, and even though Zeus lived to annoy those who taught him, I did find him charming at times.
The story plays fast and loose with classical myths, offering an exciting and fresh take while staying true to some of the old gods and traditions. It's also packed with ferocious monsters, wild betrayals, and plenty of drama. Things seem to happen a little too quickly at some points for my taste and I think that Althea jumped to too many conclusions about Theo at other points, but I still found it to be an empowering book.
This is a great story for anyone who enjoys seeing women take charge against men, who enjoy new takes on old myths, and are looking for an energetic weekend read!
The story moves at a brisk, almost too quick, pace that begins with action and allows for plenty of thrilling moments. Althea is a headstrong character who is not afraid to challenge herself and stand up for her sisters when she needs to. Bronte is a great foil for her and I enjoyed their interactions. Theo is a kind, misguided man, and even though Zeus lived to annoy those who taught him, I did find him charming at times.
The story plays fast and loose with classical myths, offering an exciting and fresh take while staying true to some of the old gods and traditions. It's also packed with ferocious monsters, wild betrayals, and plenty of drama. Things seem to happen a little too quickly at some points for my taste and I think that Althea jumped to too many conclusions about Theo at other points, but I still found it to be an empowering book.
This is a great story for anyone who enjoys seeing women take charge against men, who enjoy new takes on old myths, and are looking for an energetic weekend read!
April 3, 2021
4.5 stars!
I love, love, LOVE this book! The Mythology is divine, the characters are intriguing, the plot kept me on my toes, and the writing was delightful. This story is a myth retold from a woman's point of view and therefore perfect for fans of Circe and The Silence of the Girls.
This is the first book I've read by Emily R. King but it definitely isn't going to be my last! I'm so excited there's going to be a sequel!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!
I love, love, LOVE this book! The Mythology is divine, the characters are intriguing, the plot kept me on my toes, and the writing was delightful. This story is a myth retold from a woman's point of view and therefore perfect for fans of Circe and The Silence of the Girls.
This is the first book I've read by Emily R. King but it definitely isn't going to be my last! I'm so excited there's going to be a sequel!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!
August 31, 2022
I should have DNF this. But unfortunately I didn’t so now you get to hear my thoughts.
If you are allergic to men this book is for you. I personally can’t handle the attempted feminism at every single possible opportunity. Not all men are evil. Not all women are saints.
This had potential to be a really neat Greek Mythology retelling but ultimately there was too much that just didn’t work. The world wasn’t built it was “told”. The characters didn’t have any depth and I had a really hard time connecting to any of them. This felt like a debut that skipped the alpha reader/editing process.
If you are allergic to men this book is for you. I personally can’t handle the attempted feminism at every single possible opportunity. Not all men are evil. Not all women are saints.
This had potential to be a really neat Greek Mythology retelling but ultimately there was too much that just didn’t work. The world wasn’t built it was “told”. The characters didn’t have any depth and I had a really hard time connecting to any of them. This felt like a debut that skipped the alpha reader/editing process.
January 24, 2022
Wings of Fury blends mythology and fantasy into an exciting feminist retelling. Unlike most Greek mythology inspired books which focus on the Olympians, this centers on the Titans. Using lyrical prose and exquisite worldbuilding, Wings of Fury instantly transports you to Ancient Greece.
MC, Althea, is a strong YA heroine reminiscent of Zafira (We Hunt the Flame), Bree (Legendborn), or Aelin (ToG). Althea’s past is full of adversity and hardship, but she remains strong-willed and determined. In terms of love interests, the romance is EVERYTHING. Enemies to lovers? Check. But the real relationship at the center of this story is the one between sisters. This emphasis on familial bonds is wonderful to read.
Admittedly, there are a lot of tropes and the plot twists feel a bit predictable. I also would have loved MORE worldbuilding and a bit more to read (the book is only 303 pages). At the same time, parts of the story were incredibly gripping and made me an emotional mess. Emily R. King’s story shines because of strong characterization and pacing. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
MC, Althea, is a strong YA heroine reminiscent of Zafira (We Hunt the Flame), Bree (Legendborn), or Aelin (ToG). Althea’s past is full of adversity and hardship, but she remains strong-willed and determined. In terms of love interests, the romance is EVERYTHING. Enemies to lovers? Check. But the real relationship at the center of this story is the one between sisters. This emphasis on familial bonds is wonderful to read.
Admittedly, there are a lot of tropes and the plot twists feel a bit predictable. I also would have loved MORE worldbuilding and a bit more to read (the book is only 303 pages). At the same time, parts of the story were incredibly gripping and made me an emotional mess. Emily R. King’s story shines because of strong characterization and pacing. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
March 19, 2021
Where...where to even start?
I gave this two stars because I feel horrible giving anything one star, but I can’t really find anything positive to say about it. The concept? Was alright?
But the feminist speeches/internal dialogue of Althea just felt irritating and out of place. It felt very artificial in the world that King had built - she placed 21st century ideals into a sort of Golden Age world? And it does not work. It could have, but she would have had to make Althea fight things that felt more genuine than just “well why can’t I play with a sword?”
Also. On the Golden Age setting.
It’s horrific. It feels like King researched Ancient Greece by looking on tumblr. The major anachronistic element was the Vestal Virgins because they are very Roman. They are the priestesses of Vesta (Hestia to the Greeks) who, at the start of the novel, is not yet a goddess. So how would she have followers?
Except King made the Vestal Virgins followers of Gaea which just. Oh god. No. Why not use an actual cult that worshipped the mother goddess?
There were clear moments when stuff was done to sound literary and lyrical, which is a mode of writing nigh on impossible to get right, and King didn’t get it. Which made it feel like I was reading my own writing from when I fourteen.
I just. I wanted to like it - I wanted it to be good but it just was not. I think there’s potential for this plot, but King needs to work on her craft and also research Ancient Greece slightly more to avoid falling into the trap of Christianising gods. Which she did a lot and it pained me.
I gave this two stars because I feel horrible giving anything one star, but I can’t really find anything positive to say about it. The concept? Was alright?
But the feminist speeches/internal dialogue of Althea just felt irritating and out of place. It felt very artificial in the world that King had built - she placed 21st century ideals into a sort of Golden Age world? And it does not work. It could have, but she would have had to make Althea fight things that felt more genuine than just “well why can’t I play with a sword?”
Also. On the Golden Age setting.
It’s horrific. It feels like King researched Ancient Greece by looking on tumblr. The major anachronistic element was the Vestal Virgins because they are very Roman. They are the priestesses of Vesta (Hestia to the Greeks) who, at the start of the novel, is not yet a goddess. So how would she have followers?
Except King made the Vestal Virgins followers of Gaea which just. Oh god. No. Why not use an actual cult that worshipped the mother goddess?
There were clear moments when stuff was done to sound literary and lyrical, which is a mode of writing nigh on impossible to get right, and King didn’t get it. Which made it feel like I was reading my own writing from when I fourteen.
I just. I wanted to like it - I wanted it to be good but it just was not. I think there’s potential for this plot, but King needs to work on her craft and also research Ancient Greece slightly more to avoid falling into the trap of Christianising gods. Which she did a lot and it pained me.
March 31, 2021
This is a fast paced Greek mythology story that I was happy to dive into. I enjoyed the entire book, from the strong female warriors to the various gods and goddesses, it was easy to sink into this and hard to stop myself from bingeing the entire thing at once.
Althea is her sister's protector and not about to let a man control her. In this world where women have little rights and men can claim anyone they want, Althea stands out. I felt bad that she and the other women had to put up with being treated so poorly and I loved every time one of them stood up to their oppressors. The message of femininity is strong and I couldn't get enough.
I liked the spin on mythology, particularly Zeus and how he came to power. The abilities the gods and titans have are very interesting and I may do some brushing up on myths because I don't remember all the gods and what they represent.
I loved reading this with my buddies and now I'm hyped for book two!
Althea is her sister's protector and not about to let a man control her. In this world where women have little rights and men can claim anyone they want, Althea stands out. I felt bad that she and the other women had to put up with being treated so poorly and I loved every time one of them stood up to their oppressors. The message of femininity is strong and I couldn't get enough.
I liked the spin on mythology, particularly Zeus and how he came to power. The abilities the gods and titans have are very interesting and I may do some brushing up on myths because I don't remember all the gods and what they represent.
I loved reading this with my buddies and now I'm hyped for book two!
February 19, 2021
This book was mediocre. Not even like good mediocre but like, question my life decisions mediocre. The main character, Althea, is (in my eyes) one of the most annoyingly stupid characters I’ve ever read about. There’s also this weird love triangle that, mythologically, doesn’t make any sense. Also, I LOVE Greek mythology. It’s one of the things my best friend and I bonded over, but this really made it seem like the author was skimming the surface with the story. Also, I could tell that the author wanted the book to show feminism but it was coming across as really forced. And after the half way point I don’t even know what was going on. Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me. 🤓
June 11, 2021
DNF at 65%. I can't.
The way amazon marketed it, I was expecting a Circe type masterpiece but it's just a juviliene YA filled with the common and irritating-to-an-adult YA tropes. Very white feminism-ey too with the character challenging misogyny yet the slavery taking place being casually mentioned with no outrage. Arg. No thank you. Next.
The way amazon marketed it, I was expecting a Circe type masterpiece but it's just a juviliene YA filled with the common and irritating-to-an-adult YA tropes. Very white feminism-ey too with the character challenging misogyny yet the slavery taking place being casually mentioned with no outrage. Arg. No thank you. Next.
February 21, 2021
A Greek Pantheon themed fantasy that puports to tell a feminist take of the overthrow of Chronos the Titan by Zeus (and basically say its Hera that does all the real legwork). Its fun, zippy and tries to normalise to some degree the barbarity of the fantastic society it exists in (Gods are still pulling the sun across the sky after all). Nevertheless it still sits in that wierd zone like Gods Of Egypt where all powerful beings rule over normal humans and yet the interaction seems to require armies and minions to do all the oppression you should just be doing on a day to day basis. Its last minute reveal is pretty obvious to anyone who knows Greek Gods 101 - but I appreciate Zeus being a vain puppyish young God in hiding here, anticipating many of his later antics. I guess my main problem was that these are mythological characters I needed humanizing, because it really makes they greater actions increasingly monstrous.
That said there is one great gag at the end when Chronos throws shade a Hera saying she'll only ever be known as Zeus's wife, and she responds that she will also be remember for her amazing ability to hold grudges.
That said there is one great gag at the end when Chronos throws shade a Hera saying she'll only ever be known as Zeus's wife, and she responds that she will also be remember for her amazing ability to hold grudges.
May 22, 2022
A twisty-turny retelling of Greek myth with women taking the lead.
I've been really excited to read this book and so glad that I finally have. Before reading this, I thought premise sounded really cool and there were solid hints that this would be a feminist retelling (which is always a great thing in mythology).
I found one of the most satisfying parts of this book to be the way that the author retold the mythology. Going into this and being familiar with Greek myth made it so much fun. Zeus was hilarious and everything I expect him to be – powerful but a total (slightly loveable) ass.
Althea was a feisty main character who was your classic mortal taking on the burden of the gods somewhat unwillingly, but not really having much choice about it. Her devotion to her sisters and her cunning to find the best solution made the plot exciting – she's a big picture thinker, rather than a blind-sided hero.
The feminism in this was also epic. There were so many great moments where Althea doesn't take bullshit and calls it as it is. She's not afraid to shy away from the truth of just how unfairly and badly women have it. And I really enjoyed that she wasn't meek and that no one (man, woman or other) got away with any form of misogyny without a dressing down. This is always fun to throw into myth/historical fiction to shake up the POV.
My only other comment is that the ending was ferociously rushed. The crux of the story happens within the last three chapters, which was a whirlwind to get my head around and in my frantic attempts to keep up with the plot twists, I wasn't able to totally enjoy the ending. There were also some things left unresolved (perhaps book 2 will answer?)
This book has been flagged as a love triangle in several reviews, but Althea makes it pretty clear throughout the entire book, repeatedly, that she's not romantically interested in men at any point. She's a sexually empowered woman who challenges the status quo that women can't just have sex because they want to, rather than because they're in love.
So in sum, this is a great, fun YA read for fans of mythology. It's not just a YA romance set in a mythologically inspired setting, it's a crafty reimagining of myth – so if you've read Stephen Fry's Greek Myths Retold, for example, this is definitely your thing.
I've been really excited to read this book and so glad that I finally have. Before reading this, I thought premise sounded really cool and there were solid hints that this would be a feminist retelling (which is always a great thing in mythology).
I found one of the most satisfying parts of this book to be the way that the author retold the mythology. Going into this and being familiar with Greek myth made it so much fun. Zeus was hilarious and everything I expect him to be – powerful but a total (slightly loveable) ass.
Althea was a feisty main character who was your classic mortal taking on the burden of the gods somewhat unwillingly, but not really having much choice about it. Her devotion to her sisters and her cunning to find the best solution made the plot exciting – she's a big picture thinker, rather than a blind-sided hero.
The feminism in this was also epic. There were so many great moments where Althea doesn't take bullshit and calls it as it is. She's not afraid to shy away from the truth of just how unfairly and badly women have it. And I really enjoyed that she wasn't meek and that no one (man, woman or other) got away with any form of misogyny without a dressing down. This is always fun to throw into myth/historical fiction to shake up the POV.
My only other comment is that the ending was ferociously rushed. The crux of the story happens within the last three chapters, which was a whirlwind to get my head around and in my frantic attempts to keep up with the plot twists, I wasn't able to totally enjoy the ending. There were also some things left unresolved (perhaps book 2 will answer?)
This book has been flagged as a love triangle in several reviews, but Althea makes it pretty clear throughout the entire book, repeatedly, that she's not romantically interested in men at any point. She's a sexually empowered woman who challenges the status quo that women can't just have sex because they want to, rather than because they're in love.
So in sum, this is a great, fun YA read for fans of mythology. It's not just a YA romance set in a mythologically inspired setting, it's a crafty reimagining of myth – so if you've read Stephen Fry's Greek Myths Retold, for example, this is definitely your thing.
March 21, 2021
A YA/NA Greek mythology story.
Three sisters Cleora, Bronte and Althea despise the God
Cronus (known for eating his children) and for treating females as inferior. Cronus is also responsible for the death of their mother Stavra as he got her pregnant and she died following the birth of a half Titan. Cronus sends one of his soldiers to retrieve the baby girl and the soldier brands Althea with an ownership mark vowing to return for her when she is of age.
When Althea is 18 she attends the town market and visits oracles, who tell her her fate and that she must find the Son of Cronus who has been hidden from him as he is the key to his downfall.
Althea journeys with Theo, a soldier who assisted her and her sister Bronte following Cleora’s capture and they encounter the boy god Zeus. Their travels have them meeting many of the gods - Helios, Selene, Eos who try and help them in their task of defeating Cronus.
There is always a twist and nothing is ever as it seems as the pull that Althea has had inside her has a greater explanation than she could ever have imagined.
A fascinating story of the Greek gods that kept me intrigued. I’m looking forward to reading book 2.
#NetGalley #WingsofFury
Three sisters Cleora, Bronte and Althea despise the God
Cronus (known for eating his children) and for treating females as inferior. Cronus is also responsible for the death of their mother Stavra as he got her pregnant and she died following the birth of a half Titan. Cronus sends one of his soldiers to retrieve the baby girl and the soldier brands Althea with an ownership mark vowing to return for her when she is of age.
When Althea is 18 she attends the town market and visits oracles, who tell her her fate and that she must find the Son of Cronus who has been hidden from him as he is the key to his downfall.
Althea journeys with Theo, a soldier who assisted her and her sister Bronte following Cleora’s capture and they encounter the boy god Zeus. Their travels have them meeting many of the gods - Helios, Selene, Eos who try and help them in their task of defeating Cronus.
There is always a twist and nothing is ever as it seems as the pull that Althea has had inside her has a greater explanation than she could ever have imagined.
A fascinating story of the Greek gods that kept me intrigued. I’m looking forward to reading book 2.
#NetGalley #WingsofFury
June 7, 2022
4⭐️
i really love this book and i don’t hate anything about it, i love all the characters and the plot! it’s a really fun greek mythology story that you should read when you want a book that never gets boring!
i really love this book and i don’t hate anything about it, i love all the characters and the plot! it’s a really fun greek mythology story that you should read when you want a book that never gets boring!
July 7, 2021
I was sceptical at first, but it grew on me
November 3, 2021
I am a sucker for anything Greek mythology and could not resist this one. While I appreciate a strong leading lady, Althea took her role to an annoying level. Uncertain if I will continue.
March 17, 2021
Refreshing telling of the strength of women.
I'm not as versed in Greek Mythology as I wished. Some myths stick with me, but I don't know much about Zeus and Kronos. So I was very much on a ride with this one. I didn't expect where this book went where others more familiar with the myth might know exactly how it would end up.
The heart of the novel though is embracing how strong women are. Much of the novel makes women so inferior to men that it made me angry and uncomfortable. By the end, the internal core of womanhood rivals that of the gods.
The writing style is powerful and emotion-driven. Beautiful prose.
I'm not as versed in Greek Mythology as I wished. Some myths stick with me, but I don't know much about Zeus and Kronos. So I was very much on a ride with this one. I didn't expect where this book went where others more familiar with the myth might know exactly how it would end up.
The heart of the novel though is embracing how strong women are. Much of the novel makes women so inferior to men that it made me angry and uncomfortable. By the end, the internal core of womanhood rivals that of the gods.
The writing style is powerful and emotion-driven. Beautiful prose.
March 6, 2022
Altea y sus hermanas, Cleora y Bronte, viven en un templo dedicado a la antigua titán, Gea desde que su madre falleciera debido a Cronos, el dios más poderoso e implacable que gobierna sobre la Tierra. Las chicas viven junto a las sacerdotisas y vestales dedicadas a la antigua Gea cumpliendo por tanto los mandatos que siguen estas mujeres. Su vida es muy monótona y tranquila hasta que un día los hombres de Cronos acuden al templo y se llevan a una de sus hermanas. Es entonces cuando Altea emprende un peligroso viaje para intentar rescatar a su hermana y así de esa forma cumplir la promesa que la joven hizo a su madre en su lecho de muerte “cuidar y proteger a sus hermanas”. Este viaje llevará a Altea a la isla de Creta a donde la joven se dirigirá gracias a las palabras de un oráculo quién le dice que allí encontrará la ayuda que necesita para derrocar a Zeus.
La verdad es que siempre me ha gustado la mitología clásica así que tenía ganas de leer este libro ya que en él se incluyen muchos de los ingredientes que me gustan en los libros, entre ellos la mitología griega, una protagonista femenina fuerte, amor entre hermanas, etc. Después de haberlo leído tengo que decir que la historia me ha gustado porque me ha parecido una buena interpretación de los mitos griegos pero se me ha quedado algo sencilla e incompleta en algunos aspectos. Lo mejor del libro es toda la parte de la ambientación en la Grecia clásica, el tema de la importancia que tenían los dioses en esa época, cómo estaban presentes en todos los aspectos de la vida de los griegos creo que está muy bien reflejado en la historia. Otra cosa que me gustó de este libro fue que la autora se basó en la historia de los titanes y cómo estos llegaron a gobernar sobre el panteón griego. Esto lo diferencia de otros libros ya que hay muy pocos libros inspirados en esto y muchos sobre la época de los dioses olímpicos. También me gustó mucho los temas que la autora trata en el libro, el machismo que vivían las mujeres de esa época, la importancia de la familia, el precio de las mentiras y los juramentos, etc. En cuanto a los personajes decir que están bastante bien. Altea, la protagonista, es una chica fuerte que no se amolda a los preceptos griegos de cómo se tienen que comportar las mujeres en esa época. Un periodo de tiempo en el que las mujeres tienen que mostrarse en público siempre ocultando su rostro ocultándolo siempre con máscaras para que los hombres no puedan verlas y así reclamarlas para sí mismos. Ella rechaza ocultar su rostro, además le encanta entrenar con arco y otras armas, una tarea que tienen prohibidas las mujeres. del resto de personajes solo destacaría al capitán Teo porque es un buen personaje masculino, a Zeus y a Cronos por ser el villano de la historia y su importancia en la trama. La verdad que el final me gustó porque me pareció un desenlace muy propio de los mitos griegos y porque me sorprendió una revelación del final ya que no me esperaba que Altea y sus hermanas fuesen los personajes que descubrimos que son. Lo que menos me gustó de la historia fue el intento de incluir un romance en la historia y algunos aspectos de la historia que se me quedaron algo flojos pero supongo que esto puede deberse a que la historia es autoconclusiva. Tengo que decir también que en algunos aspectos la historia me recordó a La canción de las hermanas de Rebeca Ross, por ejemplo en el hecho de que la protagonista tenía una discapacidad en una pierna, la ambientación griega y la importancia de las hermanas. En definitiva un libro que está bastante bien y que disfrutaréis si os gusta la mitología griega.
La verdad es que siempre me ha gustado la mitología clásica así que tenía ganas de leer este libro ya que en él se incluyen muchos de los ingredientes que me gustan en los libros, entre ellos la mitología griega, una protagonista femenina fuerte, amor entre hermanas, etc. Después de haberlo leído tengo que decir que la historia me ha gustado porque me ha parecido una buena interpretación de los mitos griegos pero se me ha quedado algo sencilla e incompleta en algunos aspectos. Lo mejor del libro es toda la parte de la ambientación en la Grecia clásica, el tema de la importancia que tenían los dioses en esa época, cómo estaban presentes en todos los aspectos de la vida de los griegos creo que está muy bien reflejado en la historia. Otra cosa que me gustó de este libro fue que la autora se basó en la historia de los titanes y cómo estos llegaron a gobernar sobre el panteón griego. Esto lo diferencia de otros libros ya que hay muy pocos libros inspirados en esto y muchos sobre la época de los dioses olímpicos. También me gustó mucho los temas que la autora trata en el libro, el machismo que vivían las mujeres de esa época, la importancia de la familia, el precio de las mentiras y los juramentos, etc. En cuanto a los personajes decir que están bastante bien. Altea, la protagonista, es una chica fuerte que no se amolda a los preceptos griegos de cómo se tienen que comportar las mujeres en esa época. Un periodo de tiempo en el que las mujeres tienen que mostrarse en público siempre ocultando su rostro ocultándolo siempre con máscaras para que los hombres no puedan verlas y así reclamarlas para sí mismos. Ella rechaza ocultar su rostro, además le encanta entrenar con arco y otras armas, una tarea que tienen prohibidas las mujeres. del resto de personajes solo destacaría al capitán Teo porque es un buen personaje masculino, a Zeus y a Cronos por ser el villano de la historia y su importancia en la trama. La verdad que el final me gustó porque me pareció un desenlace muy propio de los mitos griegos y porque me sorprendió una revelación del final ya que no me esperaba que Altea y sus hermanas fuesen los personajes que descubrimos que son. Lo que menos me gustó de la historia fue el intento de incluir un romance en la historia y algunos aspectos de la historia que se me quedaron algo flojos pero supongo que esto puede deberse a que la historia es autoconclusiva. Tengo que decir también que en algunos aspectos la historia me recordó a La canción de las hermanas de Rebeca Ross, por ejemplo en el hecho de que la protagonista tenía una discapacidad en una pierna, la ambientación griega y la importancia de las hermanas. En definitiva un libro que está bastante bien y que disfrutaréis si os gusta la mitología griega.
March 6, 2021
I’ve got a lot of mixed feelings about this one!
General Premise:
Althea Lambros lives in a time and place ruled by Titan gods and goddesses, but especially Cronos, the “god of the gods.” In a desire to avenge the death of her mother, protected her sisters, and because the oracles have spoken that this is her destiny, Althea goes on a journey to take down Cronos.
What I Enjoyed:
- I liked reading a new YA novel focused on the Titans rather than the usual Olympian gods and goddesses.
- There was a fun reveal at the end in relation to the origin of the main characters that I appreciated.
- About halfway through the pace seemed to pick up (but it was slow going until then — it was hard to figure out where we were going).
What I Didn’t Love:
- At the start, there were a lot of names/characters thrown out but their relationships to other characters weren’t very well described or connected, so it felt like lots of hopping around from one person to the next and struggling to remember their association to the main character and vice versa. It took about 20% in for things to start snapping into place.
- There just wasn’t enough time spent initially on describing the world and system. For YA readers not proficient in Titan lore, this would require background knowledge in order to fall in quickly with the story.
- There was a lot of discussion about patriarchal society and the main character’s frustrations of not being allowed or able to do things because she’s a woman, which is fine, but she didn’t actually then DO much through most of the story to make that change. She didn’t really seem to become a great female protagonist until the end. There was ultimately of fe most talk and feelings and ideology, but I just found Althea to be not as strong of a female character as I hoped for or expected. Maybe ultimately she just wasn’t super likable for me.
- It’s also really hard to listen to someone screaming for equality when our main character wasn’t also just as angered by the slavery system that was also a part of the storyline. There were slaves casually mentioned throughout the whole novel yet it was never addressed as a problem. If it was not written in to be a system that needed to be overthrown, it served zero purpose and didn’t need to be written in; this is a fantasy-esque story based on mythological lore, so the “needing to be historically accurate” argument just won’t work here.
General Premise:
Althea Lambros lives in a time and place ruled by Titan gods and goddesses, but especially Cronos, the “god of the gods.” In a desire to avenge the death of her mother, protected her sisters, and because the oracles have spoken that this is her destiny, Althea goes on a journey to take down Cronos.
What I Enjoyed:
- I liked reading a new YA novel focused on the Titans rather than the usual Olympian gods and goddesses.
- There was a fun reveal at the end in relation to the origin of the main characters that I appreciated.
- About halfway through the pace seemed to pick up (but it was slow going until then — it was hard to figure out where we were going).
What I Didn’t Love:
- At the start, there were a lot of names/characters thrown out but their relationships to other characters weren’t very well described or connected, so it felt like lots of hopping around from one person to the next and struggling to remember their association to the main character and vice versa. It took about 20% in for things to start snapping into place.
- There just wasn’t enough time spent initially on describing the world and system. For YA readers not proficient in Titan lore, this would require background knowledge in order to fall in quickly with the story.
- There was a lot of discussion about patriarchal society and the main character’s frustrations of not being allowed or able to do things because she’s a woman, which is fine, but she didn’t actually then DO much through most of the story to make that change. She didn’t really seem to become a great female protagonist until the end. There was ultimately of fe most talk and feelings and ideology, but I just found Althea to be not as strong of a female character as I hoped for or expected. Maybe ultimately she just wasn’t super likable for me.
- It’s also really hard to listen to someone screaming for equality when our main character wasn’t also just as angered by the slavery system that was also a part of the storyline. There were slaves casually mentioned throughout the whole novel yet it was never addressed as a problem. If it was not written in to be a system that needed to be overthrown, it served zero purpose and didn’t need to be written in; this is a fantasy-esque story based on mythological lore, so the “needing to be historically accurate” argument just won’t work here.
April 1, 2022
Patri: Tenía muchas espectativas en esta historia y creo que tenía muchos elementos para ser un buen libro, sin embargo, el desarrollo de todo no me ha convencido lo suficiente y se ha quedado en nada, cosa que me ha sabido muy mal.
La autora nos plantea un mundo de la antigua grecia, con dioses y con toques feministas, además de traiciones, y prometía mucho esa combinación, pero creo que no lo ha sabido llevar bien. Únicamente cita ciertos momentos para dejar ver ese mundo feminista pero sin más, no hay un desarrollo o un contenido adecuado a la época, ni si quiera una lucha a favor de ello, algo con lo que calar mejor ese mensaje. El elemento de los dioses, que también me llamaba mucho la atención, tampoco ha sido lo esperado, creo que le falta bastante profundidad a la ambientación en general.
Por otro lado, la protagonista es bastante desquiciante, porque es el típico personaje "valiente" que actúa a todo y puede con todo porque sí, y los secundarios no es que vayan mucho mejor. Y para terminar la trama y la narración, de verdad que tuve que buscar si era el primer libro que escribía la autora, pero no, ya tiene publicadas dos series, y me sorprendió mucho por la falta de fluidez en la trama, la poca base que tiene, los saltos de escenarios y los diálogos tan meh.
La autora nos plantea un mundo de la antigua grecia, con dioses y con toques feministas, además de traiciones, y prometía mucho esa combinación, pero creo que no lo ha sabido llevar bien. Únicamente cita ciertos momentos para dejar ver ese mundo feminista pero sin más, no hay un desarrollo o un contenido adecuado a la época, ni si quiera una lucha a favor de ello, algo con lo que calar mejor ese mensaje. El elemento de los dioses, que también me llamaba mucho la atención, tampoco ha sido lo esperado, creo que le falta bastante profundidad a la ambientación en general.
Por otro lado, la protagonista es bastante desquiciante, porque es el típico personaje "valiente" que actúa a todo y puede con todo porque sí, y los secundarios no es que vayan mucho mejor. Y para terminar la trama y la narración, de verdad que tuve que buscar si era el primer libro que escribía la autora, pero no, ya tiene publicadas dos series, y me sorprendió mucho por la falta de fluidez en la trama, la poca base que tiene, los saltos de escenarios y los diálogos tan meh.
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