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House of Shadows #1
Daughter of Darkness
Deina is trapped. As one of the Soul Severers serving the god Hades on earth, her future is tied to the task of shepherding the dying on from the mortal world - unless she can earn or steal enough to buy her way out.
Then the tyrant ruler Orpheus offers both fortune and freedom to whoever can retrieve his dead wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld. Deina jumps at the chance. But to win, she must enter an uneasy alliance with a group of fellow Severers she neither likes nor trusts.
So begins their perilous journey into the realm of Hades... The prize of freedom is before her - but what will it take to reach it?
Enter the Underworld in an epic new fantasy, where the Gods of ancient Greece rule everything but fate.
Then the tyrant ruler Orpheus offers both fortune and freedom to whoever can retrieve his dead wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld. Deina jumps at the chance. But to win, she must enter an uneasy alliance with a group of fellow Severers she neither likes nor trusts.
So begins their perilous journey into the realm of Hades... The prize of freedom is before her - but what will it take to reach it?
Enter the Underworld in an epic new fantasy, where the Gods of ancient Greece rule everything but fate.
420 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2022
177 people are currently reading
21571 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 528 reviews
October 14, 2022
this was fun. i enjoy YA greek mythology stories because they tend to focus on the adventure side of lore. and while this book is entirely quest driven, i also appreciate the more complex nature of the gods that is shown.
i mean, the world of greek myths is a violent place and this story definitely shows that side of it. i think it made this version of the underworld that the characters experienced that much more dangerous and exciting. it made everything feel more high stakes, which i liked. i also like how this doesnt retell a specific greek myth, but just takes place in the world in general. it allows for a lot of creative room, which i think the author used quite nicely.
my only complaint would be the characters themselves. theyre a little weak, a little inconsistent. i just dont think the characterisation was the best. but its not the worst, either, so theres that.
overall, a pretty strong and entertaining start to a series!
↠ 3.5 stars
i mean, the world of greek myths is a violent place and this story definitely shows that side of it. i think it made this version of the underworld that the characters experienced that much more dangerous and exciting. it made everything feel more high stakes, which i liked. i also like how this doesnt retell a specific greek myth, but just takes place in the world in general. it allows for a lot of creative room, which i think the author used quite nicely.
my only complaint would be the characters themselves. theyre a little weak, a little inconsistent. i just dont think the characterisation was the best. but its not the worst, either, so theres that.
overall, a pretty strong and entertaining start to a series!
↠ 3.5 stars
October 14, 2023
This review and others @Bookerification
Thanks to the publisher and Readers First for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This cover is absolutely gorgeous with its beautiful illustration and simple colour scheme. I also love the references to various elements of the story, as these create strong links between the cover and the story it represents.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The rich writing style is descriptive and easy to follow, with every sentence building a vivid picture. This not only brought the action-packed story to life but made it easy to absorb the fascinating world inspired by Greek mythology. I also loved the tension and unease that slowly intensified throughout the story, as this made it hard for me to stop reading.
"Human frames weren’t meant to channel the power of a god."
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The story begins at a leisurely pace as the world and characters are gradually introduced. Once the stage is set, the pace picks up dramatically due to the action-packed quest. Besides threats from monsters, gods and rivals, the characters face various challenges, betrayals, past hurts and personal demons. With each chapter, hints are given regarding past and future events, which kept me eager to grasp the whole picture. Add on the numerous twists and revelations throughout the story, and it is easy to see why I was invested. Despite all this, the storyline never seemed overwhelming. It even manages to touch on themes such as misogyny and slavery. By the end, most loose ends are wrapped up nicely, and a little cliffhanger is used to sets things up for the sequel.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Great effort is taken to introduce Deina's character as tough and reckless. While this initially felt forced, I soon came to love Deina's ambition and drive to achieve her goals. The growth and complexity slowly displayed by her character during the quest made her even more appealing.
"Sometimes defiance is worth almost any price"
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tackling the quest with Deina are four other key characters. These took some time to grow on me but eventually wormed their way into my heart. Although we do not get much of their perspectives, each character is given a distinct personality and backstory, which makes them memorable. Besides these four, a few other characters are gradually introduced throughout the story. These were also memorable as they play specific roles within the story and are given some depth.
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟.5
With such a strong storyline, the romance aspect of the story is only a simple subplot. The main relationship is easy to spot as the characters have a lot of chemistry and history. Theirs is a cute, slow-burn romance that is only tainted by the fact that I think the male lead was too easily forgiven for his past mistake. In contrast, the second relationship that unfolds was unanticipated and seemed rushed. Not much is done to establish the connection between the characters, and things fell apart before I could get invested in the relationship.
At the end of the day, ‘Daughter of Darkness’ is a wild ride filled with tension, twists and danger (once it gets going). Not only is the story action-packed, but the world and characters it presents are fascinating and refreshing. The core premise is similar to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and I would recommend that to those who like this book.
Thanks to the publisher and Readers First for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This cover is absolutely gorgeous with its beautiful illustration and simple colour scheme. I also love the references to various elements of the story, as these create strong links between the cover and the story it represents.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The rich writing style is descriptive and easy to follow, with every sentence building a vivid picture. This not only brought the action-packed story to life but made it easy to absorb the fascinating world inspired by Greek mythology. I also loved the tension and unease that slowly intensified throughout the story, as this made it hard for me to stop reading.
"Human frames weren’t meant to channel the power of a god."
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The story begins at a leisurely pace as the world and characters are gradually introduced. Once the stage is set, the pace picks up dramatically due to the action-packed quest. Besides threats from monsters, gods and rivals, the characters face various challenges, betrayals, past hurts and personal demons. With each chapter, hints are given regarding past and future events, which kept me eager to grasp the whole picture. Add on the numerous twists and revelations throughout the story, and it is easy to see why I was invested. Despite all this, the storyline never seemed overwhelming. It even manages to touch on themes such as misogyny and slavery. By the end, most loose ends are wrapped up nicely, and a little cliffhanger is used to sets things up for the sequel.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Great effort is taken to introduce Deina's character as tough and reckless. While this initially felt forced, I soon came to love Deina's ambition and drive to achieve her goals. The growth and complexity slowly displayed by her character during the quest made her even more appealing.
"Sometimes defiance is worth almost any price"
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tackling the quest with Deina are four other key characters. These took some time to grow on me but eventually wormed their way into my heart. Although we do not get much of their perspectives, each character is given a distinct personality and backstory, which makes them memorable. Besides these four, a few other characters are gradually introduced throughout the story. These were also memorable as they play specific roles within the story and are given some depth.
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟.5
With such a strong storyline, the romance aspect of the story is only a simple subplot. The main relationship is easy to spot as the characters have a lot of chemistry and history. Theirs is a cute, slow-burn romance that is only tainted by the fact that I think the male lead was too easily forgiven for his past mistake. In contrast, the second relationship that unfolds was unanticipated and seemed rushed. Not much is done to establish the connection between the characters, and things fell apart before I could get invested in the relationship.
At the end of the day, ‘Daughter of Darkness’ is a wild ride filled with tension, twists and danger (once it gets going). Not only is the story action-packed, but the world and characters it presents are fascinating and refreshing. The core premise is similar to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and I would recommend that to those who like this book.
June 7, 2022
4.5****
I loved this. I don’t know what is with me at the moment but the last two fantasy books I’ve read have Death as a character and I have thoroughly enjoyed them both!!
This had everything I want out of books based on Greek mythology: it was set in antiquity and the authors obviously had done so much research as it stuck so closely to the source material! This is a fantastic retelling of various Greek myths and concepts which have been used to make this fantasy story world and plot work (and I find that can be rare!).
This book had intriguing concepts: some children around the age of 7-10 years will get a mark appear on their forehead and a small amount of power ‘gifted from the gods’; this will determine which “house” that person will be sent to to train (Zeus, Poseidon, Hephaestus; and Hades). Their lives are then spent carrying out tasks and working off their indenture to the gods for their power.
Understandably, many of the characters want out of their indenture. When King (tyrant) Orpheus offers freedom and riches to soul severers who complete the task of bringing his Queen Eurydice back to the mortal realm, Deina and other Soul Severers of Hades House undertake the perilous journey to the Underworld if it means getting their freedom. The issue is, there are many rivalries between individuals in the group and this mission is not going to be easy when feathers are ruffled and trying to deal with things in the Underworld.
I really enjoyed the use of Orpheus as a villain and Tyrant and was a total spin on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth (which I loved!). I really enjoyed how the author’s used so many Greek myths or history to suit their purposes, for example: a nod to Odysseus in The Odyssey using wax when facing the sirens; mentions of prophecies based on words said by the Pythia in history, and; the myths of Cadmus, to name a few.
The authors also did a stunning job at describing the intricacies of the underworld and what the characters were facing! Whether this be the sinister rivers of the underworld, the dead or other Gods. I obviously loved Cerberus ♥️
The atmosphere and magic of the underworld was very immersive.
This book featured a band of people (people who have rivalries between themselves) coming together to complete a daunting task. It was almost like the Hunger Games in terms of trying to survive and facing such difficulties.
This was such a great, albeit dark, adventure through the underworld. I loved the characters and the concepts and can’t wait for Book 2!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.
I loved this. I don’t know what is with me at the moment but the last two fantasy books I’ve read have Death as a character and I have thoroughly enjoyed them both!!
This had everything I want out of books based on Greek mythology: it was set in antiquity and the authors obviously had done so much research as it stuck so closely to the source material! This is a fantastic retelling of various Greek myths and concepts which have been used to make this fantasy story world and plot work (and I find that can be rare!).
This book had intriguing concepts: some children around the age of 7-10 years will get a mark appear on their forehead and a small amount of power ‘gifted from the gods’; this will determine which “house” that person will be sent to to train (Zeus, Poseidon, Hephaestus; and Hades). Their lives are then spent carrying out tasks and working off their indenture to the gods for their power.
Understandably, many of the characters want out of their indenture. When King (tyrant) Orpheus offers freedom and riches to soul severers who complete the task of bringing his Queen Eurydice back to the mortal realm, Deina and other Soul Severers of Hades House undertake the perilous journey to the Underworld if it means getting their freedom. The issue is, there are many rivalries between individuals in the group and this mission is not going to be easy when feathers are ruffled and trying to deal with things in the Underworld.
I really enjoyed the use of Orpheus as a villain and Tyrant and was a total spin on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth (which I loved!). I really enjoyed how the author’s used so many Greek myths or history to suit their purposes, for example: a nod to Odysseus in The Odyssey using wax when facing the sirens; mentions of prophecies based on words said by the Pythia in history, and; the myths of Cadmus, to name a few.
The authors also did a stunning job at describing the intricacies of the underworld and what the characters were facing! Whether this be the sinister rivers of the underworld, the dead or other Gods. I obviously loved Cerberus ♥️
The atmosphere and magic of the underworld was very immersive.
This book featured a band of people (people who have rivalries between themselves) coming together to complete a daunting task. It was almost like the Hunger Games in terms of trying to survive and facing such difficulties.
This was such a great, albeit dark, adventure through the underworld. I loved the characters and the concepts and can’t wait for Book 2!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.
May 22, 2022
3.5 ⭐
Sing, O muse, a song of Death ...
I think there are a lot of readers that will love this book. A group of Soul Severers journey to the Underworld on a quest to find and restore a spirit back to life. Along the way, they must navigate the many hidden dangers of the Underworld and determine who can be trusted. The world is inspired by the Mycenaean civilisation of Bronze Age Greece and there are characters loosely based on the Orpheus and Eurydice from the myths.
For me, there was something missing. My attention waned frequently and my feelings regarding both the book and its characters are conflicted. I found the characters easier to dislike than to like, but at times they surprised me. The prologue was without a doubt the best written part of the book. It was full of a dark atmosphere that had me really excited. Unfortunately, the rest of the book seemed mild in comparison. I wanted more edge... which I think is reasonable to expect from a trip to the Underworld. There were also things that I thought could have been better explained and this impacted my enjoyment of the story. The mysterious boy shrouded in shadows is what kept me reading. Sadly, his appearances were sporadic.
Regardless, I would still consider reading book two.
Sing, O muse, a song of Death ...
I think there are a lot of readers that will love this book. A group of Soul Severers journey to the Underworld on a quest to find and restore a spirit back to life. Along the way, they must navigate the many hidden dangers of the Underworld and determine who can be trusted. The world is inspired by the Mycenaean civilisation of Bronze Age Greece and there are characters loosely based on the Orpheus and Eurydice from the myths.
For me, there was something missing. My attention waned frequently and my feelings regarding both the book and its characters are conflicted. I found the characters easier to dislike than to like, but at times they surprised me. The prologue was without a doubt the best written part of the book. It was full of a dark atmosphere that had me really excited. Unfortunately, the rest of the book seemed mild in comparison. I wanted more edge... which I think is reasonable to expect from a trip to the Underworld. There were also things that I thought could have been better explained and this impacted my enjoyment of the story. The mysterious boy shrouded in shadows is what kept me reading. Sadly, his appearances were sporadic.
Regardless, I would still consider reading book two.
July 16, 2022
4.5 stars
Steeped in Greek mythology and full of such endearing characters, Daughter of Darkness is a richly detailed and enthralling start to an irresistibly magical new Duology from the authors of A Throne of Swans, Katherine and Elizabeth Corr.
“Sing, O muse, a song of Death”
In a desperate bid to evade her future as a soul severer (and gain her freedom), Deina embarks on a deadly quest to the underworld to retrieve the soul of Eurydice, wife of Orpheus the tyrant king. But in order to succeed she must team up with a group fellow soul severers she neither likes or trusts.
The journey into the realm of Hades is perilous and the price of freedom is before her….but what will it take to reach it?
This was such an enjoyable (and rather addictive) read! The worldbuilding was so rich and incredibly detailed that I found myself immersed in this ancient landscape of gods, monsters and tyrant kings. It’s a loosely based reimagining of the Orpheus and Eurydice tale and I found it really intriguing. I loved how action packed and plot twisty it was and the characters we encounter were all so exquisitely crafted. There were soo many likeable characters too (my faves were Deina and Drex but I really liked Theron and Nat as well.)
The romance between Deina and Theron was subtle but really well written and I really loved the slow-burn, tension filled buildup though I suspect there may be a little chemistry between Deina and Nat as well so I’m definitely intrigued to see where it goes.
I loved the imagery of the underworld which was beautifully written and incredibly atmospheric— the threat of danger around every corner was utterly palpable and rendered every scene with a delicious (and intense) urgency that I really enjoyed.
The action is fast paced and ferociously brutal at times, I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once during Deina and Co. journey through the underworld. Not knowing if they’d all make it back alive was, seriously gut wrenching—but in the best way possible!
Trust me, there’s soo many twists, turns, betrayals and revelations that it was difficult to predict what was going to happen next, and THAT ending was *chef’s kiss* absolutely phenomenal—I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!
A must read for YA fantasy or action/ adventure lovers and fans of Greek mythology.
Also a huge thank you to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for the e-arc.
Steeped in Greek mythology and full of such endearing characters, Daughter of Darkness is a richly detailed and enthralling start to an irresistibly magical new Duology from the authors of A Throne of Swans, Katherine and Elizabeth Corr.
“Sing, O muse, a song of Death”
In a desperate bid to evade her future as a soul severer (and gain her freedom), Deina embarks on a deadly quest to the underworld to retrieve the soul of Eurydice, wife of Orpheus the tyrant king. But in order to succeed she must team up with a group fellow soul severers she neither likes or trusts.
The journey into the realm of Hades is perilous and the price of freedom is before her….but what will it take to reach it?
This was such an enjoyable (and rather addictive) read! The worldbuilding was so rich and incredibly detailed that I found myself immersed in this ancient landscape of gods, monsters and tyrant kings. It’s a loosely based reimagining of the Orpheus and Eurydice tale and I found it really intriguing. I loved how action packed and plot twisty it was and the characters we encounter were all so exquisitely crafted. There were soo many likeable characters too (my faves were Deina and Drex but I really liked Theron and Nat as well.)
The romance between Deina and Theron was subtle but really well written and I really loved the slow-burn, tension filled buildup though I suspect there may be a little chemistry between Deina and Nat as well so I’m definitely intrigued to see where it goes.
I loved the imagery of the underworld which was beautifully written and incredibly atmospheric— the threat of danger around every corner was utterly palpable and rendered every scene with a delicious (and intense) urgency that I really enjoyed.
The action is fast paced and ferociously brutal at times, I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once during Deina and Co. journey through the underworld. Not knowing if they’d all make it back alive was, seriously gut wrenching—but in the best way possible!
Trust me, there’s soo many twists, turns, betrayals and revelations that it was difficult to predict what was going to happen next, and THAT ending was *chef’s kiss* absolutely phenomenal—I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!
A must read for YA fantasy or action/ adventure lovers and fans of Greek mythology.
Also a huge thank you to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for the e-arc.
June 8, 2022
Destiny is for heroes, not thieves.
Deina is a Soul Severer, taken as a child to live her life in servitude to the god Hades. But all she yearns for is freedom, stealing money and items where she can to be one step closer to that elusive goal. When the Tyrant, King Orpheus, offers freedom to the Soul Serverer who can retrieve his dead Queens soul from the underworld and bring her back to life, Deina jumps at the chance. Yes, it will be a deadly quest, but she can't pass up the chance to finally be free 'Guaranteed bliss in the afterlife is all very well, but she wanted a life this side of the veil too- a better life than this'
She and a group of soul severers embark on their quest, and along the way they must navigate many hidden dangers of the underworld and decide who can be trusted.
As a lover of mythology, I was SO excited to get an eARC of this book! It started off strong, and I was intrigued by the mysterious boy of shadows and was curious where our morally grey MC, Deina's, quest would take her and how he was involved. And so I read, waiting for some sort of connection and action. And waited. And waited some more...
I'm sure there are many people who will love this book, I personally just found it lacked that certain spark that made me reluctant to put it down. It was, infact, easy to put down, and up till about the 70% mark I found it a bit of a slog. The group adventures through the underworld annnnnndddd, that's about it. I found the story didn't have much progression for such a big bulk of it, then loads was shoved into the last 30% of the book!
I enjoyed the characters and the mythology woven throughout this tale, and I do look forward to where this series is going to go, I just found this first instalment slow and a bit underwhelming, hinting at more excitement and romance and adventure and character and plot development, but not actually hitting the mark.
3.5 🌟
*** Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ebookin exchange for an honest review***
Deina is a Soul Severer, taken as a child to live her life in servitude to the god Hades. But all she yearns for is freedom, stealing money and items where she can to be one step closer to that elusive goal. When the Tyrant, King Orpheus, offers freedom to the Soul Serverer who can retrieve his dead Queens soul from the underworld and bring her back to life, Deina jumps at the chance. Yes, it will be a deadly quest, but she can't pass up the chance to finally be free 'Guaranteed bliss in the afterlife is all very well, but she wanted a life this side of the veil too- a better life than this'
She and a group of soul severers embark on their quest, and along the way they must navigate many hidden dangers of the underworld and decide who can be trusted.
As a lover of mythology, I was SO excited to get an eARC of this book! It started off strong, and I was intrigued by the mysterious boy of shadows and was curious where our morally grey MC, Deina's, quest would take her and how he was involved. And so I read, waiting for some sort of connection and action. And waited. And waited some more...
I'm sure there are many people who will love this book, I personally just found it lacked that certain spark that made me reluctant to put it down. It was, infact, easy to put down, and up till about the 70% mark I found it a bit of a slog. The group adventures through the underworld annnnnndddd, that's about it. I found the story didn't have much progression for such a big bulk of it, then loads was shoved into the last 30% of the book!
I enjoyed the characters and the mythology woven throughout this tale, and I do look forward to where this series is going to go, I just found this first instalment slow and a bit underwhelming, hinting at more excitement and romance and adventure and character and plot development, but not actually hitting the mark.
3.5 🌟
*** Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ebookin exchange for an honest review***
October 31, 2022
Deina is one of the many spending her life serving Hades, god of the Underworld. She longs for freedom and so, no matter what the stakes are, allows herself to enter his domain in search of whatever it will take to grant it to her. Taking on the gods will never prove an easy feat however, and none can be trusted to deliver truth or to become her saviour.
I found this an exciting and fast-paced read. The trajectory of the novel took its characters ever deeper into the Underworld, with darker aspects about their nature revealed as their adventures turned increasingly sinister. This never became an altogether eerie read, but it did prove to contain exciting elements and action-dominated throughout it.
It was thrilling to read of how many mythology figures and facets were build inside this narrative, which also managed to retain something unique and entirely of its own. This author duo crafted a solidly enjoyable, well-paced, and informative novel, steeped in ancient lore and adventure.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the authors, Katharine Corr and Elizabeth Corr, and the publisher, , for this opportunity.
I found this an exciting and fast-paced read. The trajectory of the novel took its characters ever deeper into the Underworld, with darker aspects about their nature revealed as their adventures turned increasingly sinister. This never became an altogether eerie read, but it did prove to contain exciting elements and action-dominated throughout it.
It was thrilling to read of how many mythology figures and facets were build inside this narrative, which also managed to retain something unique and entirely of its own. This author duo crafted a solidly enjoyable, well-paced, and informative novel, steeped in ancient lore and adventure.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the authors, Katharine Corr and Elizabeth Corr, and the publisher, , for this opportunity.
July 19, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Not sure how to feel about this book. It was good and was written well and yet something didn’t truly grab me and sink me in. The world building and the descriptions of each world was amazing but there was a lot of it. I think the first chapter was also very hard to understand from anyone who doesn’t have a lot of background knowledge of Greek myths because the names threw me off instantly and I had to try adjust.
The relationship between Theron and Deina was written well as enemies bit their development into ‘friends’ and then ‘lovers’ was off. There was no push and pull vibes.
The other characters were cool (but Chrysse (was that her name?) was bleh) but I didn’t really feel attached to them. I predicted which one I shouldn’t trust and some of the plot twists too. Nat was probably the most interesting and I wish we saw more of him.
Not sure how to feel about this book. It was good and was written well and yet something didn’t truly grab me and sink me in. The world building and the descriptions of each world was amazing but there was a lot of it. I think the first chapter was also very hard to understand from anyone who doesn’t have a lot of background knowledge of Greek myths because the names threw me off instantly and I had to try adjust.
The relationship between Theron and Deina was written well as enemies bit their development into ‘friends’ and then ‘lovers’ was off. There was no push and pull vibes.
The other characters were cool (but Chrysse (was that her name?) was bleh) but I didn’t really feel attached to them. I predicted which one I shouldn’t trust and some of the plot twists too. Nat was probably the most interesting and I wish we saw more of him.
July 12, 2025
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
This is apparently the new, US publication of a previously UK-published book from 2022. In a weird twist, the title is slightly different but the cover is the same. At least that means I may not have to wait forever for the sequel, since it's already been written and published previously.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. I love fantasy, but historical fantasy is lowest on the list, and ancient Greek myths are definitely in the "meh" category. Somehow this dark fantasy (and it is dark, with a lot of violence and cruel trickery) managed to blend several recognizable Greek myths and heroic stories into a new, fresh tale of desperate people journeying through the Underworld on a nigh-impossible quest. The historical details felt spot on, and the authors talked about the liberties they took in the afterword, which I liked; the Underworld was menacing and strange and yet mesmerizing, too. There were plenty of shocking revelations and betrayals (some I saw coming, some I didn't) to keep the stakes high, and the characters, especially Deina, were compelling on their own. I really, really liked this one.
This is apparently the new, US publication of a previously UK-published book from 2022. In a weird twist, the title is slightly different but the cover is the same. At least that means I may not have to wait forever for the sequel, since it's already been written and published previously.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. I love fantasy, but historical fantasy is lowest on the list, and ancient Greek myths are definitely in the "meh" category. Somehow this dark fantasy (and it is dark, with a lot of violence and cruel trickery) managed to blend several recognizable Greek myths and heroic stories into a new, fresh tale of desperate people journeying through the Underworld on a nigh-impossible quest. The historical details felt spot on, and the authors talked about the liberties they took in the afterword, which I liked; the Underworld was menacing and strange and yet mesmerizing, too. There were plenty of shocking revelations and betrayals (some I saw coming, some I didn't) to keep the stakes high, and the characters, especially Deina, were compelling on their own. I really, really liked this one.
June 17, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
An intriguing deep-dive into the well-known story of Orpheus and Eurydice, told from a different perspective and with many plot twists that will keep you guessing throughout! So much research has clearly been carried out for this novel, with the story feeling completely believable throughout.
The adventure into the Underworld aspect of this novel takes up most of the story and it was a real journey through many plains of the Underworld with cameos from Charon and Cerberus. However, while I understand that this is the world of the dead, all of these settings felt very similar with pretty much all of them being described as bleak and grey in one way or another. It felt very repetitive after a while.
If you love Greek mythology, you will definitely love this one. It's heavily steeped in both the Greek mythology you know, and lesser known aspects as well, and it was so much fun to read!
There are a whole host of characters, and as you can imagine with a troop of Soul Severers journeying into the Underworld in the hopes of winning their freedom, there is loyalty and betrayal, friendships, relationships, enemies, and more. I liked the characters a lot, but definitely the side characters more so than the main character, who could be pretty annoying at times.
An intriguing deep-dive into the well-known story of Orpheus and Eurydice, told from a different perspective and with many plot twists that will keep you guessing throughout! So much research has clearly been carried out for this novel, with the story feeling completely believable throughout.
The adventure into the Underworld aspect of this novel takes up most of the story and it was a real journey through many plains of the Underworld with cameos from Charon and Cerberus. However, while I understand that this is the world of the dead, all of these settings felt very similar with pretty much all of them being described as bleak and grey in one way or another. It felt very repetitive after a while.
If you love Greek mythology, you will definitely love this one. It's heavily steeped in both the Greek mythology you know, and lesser known aspects as well, and it was so much fun to read!
There are a whole host of characters, and as you can imagine with a troop of Soul Severers journeying into the Underworld in the hopes of winning their freedom, there is loyalty and betrayal, friendships, relationships, enemies, and more. I liked the characters a lot, but definitely the side characters more so than the main character, who could be pretty annoying at times.
August 31, 2022
Dark, tense and full of twists and turns. I loved the atmosphere and the mythology woven into this. It really got into the gritty side of these stories and wasn't afraid to be dark and without hope at times. I loved how the characters knitted together and the found family group that we follow, ticking all the morally grey boxes in the very best way.
January 29, 2023
3,5⭐️
Nu vreau sa mint, dar atentia mi-a fost atrasa instant de coperta atunci cand a fost anuntata lansarea titlului “Fiica întunericului”, nu doar atrasa, ci de-a dreptul hipnotizata. Abia asteptam sa pun mana pe ea, sa ii descopar povestea si a ajuns la mine la scurt timp de la aparitie datorita celor de la @corinteens.
Odata aruncata in poveste, am fost fascinata de prolog, sincer, si nu mai aveam rabdare sa avansez cu lectura tot mai mult. Insa nu stiu care a fost buba, dar interesul a inceput sa-mi scada cand vedeam cat de greu se misca actiunea, cat de multe descrieri si detalii cuprinde, desi descrierile le-am inteles ca erau esentiale pentru a intelege povestea, dar totusi, ce e prea mult, e prea mult…
Deina este o Despartitoare de Suflete si trebuie sa “lucreze” vreme de 40 de ani pentru Hades pe Pamant, dupa acesti ani slujiti isi poate castiga liberatatea. Insa cand Orfeu, regele - tiran, este dispus sa-i ofere libertatea celui care-i aduce mult iubita sotie, pe Euridice, din Lumea de Dincolo, Deina nu se gandeste de doua ori si se ofera voluntara, nestiind la ce anume se înhama…Alaturi de alti Despartitori de Suflete porneste într-o calatorie plina de neprevazut…
Cum spuneam, am pornit cu entuziasm si am fost dezamagita cand vedeam ce greu merge lectura, ca ma plictiseste pe alocuri, insa aveam un interes in a afla cum se va incheia calatoria Despartitorilor de Suflete. M-am “târât” prin primele 250 de pagini, abia apoi a inceput sa se dezmorteasca actiunea si sa devina mai interesanta, atentia mea fiind captata.
Mi s-a desfasurat o poveste încarcata de minciuni, secrete, dezamagiri, prietenii distruse, manipulari, interesuri proprii, tradari, un joc mârsav al zeilor, ca doar nu se putea altfel cand vine vorba de zeitati…
Mi-a placut tare de Deina, neinfricata, determinata, nechibzuita uneori, dar si inteligenta, sunt curioasa cum îi va evolua povestea în volumul urmator ☺️. Pana atunci, mai începem alte serii, în loc sa le terminam pe cele deja începute 🤣.
Nu vreau sa mint, dar atentia mi-a fost atrasa instant de coperta atunci cand a fost anuntata lansarea titlului “Fiica întunericului”, nu doar atrasa, ci de-a dreptul hipnotizata. Abia asteptam sa pun mana pe ea, sa ii descopar povestea si a ajuns la mine la scurt timp de la aparitie datorita celor de la @corinteens.
Odata aruncata in poveste, am fost fascinata de prolog, sincer, si nu mai aveam rabdare sa avansez cu lectura tot mai mult. Insa nu stiu care a fost buba, dar interesul a inceput sa-mi scada cand vedeam cat de greu se misca actiunea, cat de multe descrieri si detalii cuprinde, desi descrierile le-am inteles ca erau esentiale pentru a intelege povestea, dar totusi, ce e prea mult, e prea mult…
Deina este o Despartitoare de Suflete si trebuie sa “lucreze” vreme de 40 de ani pentru Hades pe Pamant, dupa acesti ani slujiti isi poate castiga liberatatea. Insa cand Orfeu, regele - tiran, este dispus sa-i ofere libertatea celui care-i aduce mult iubita sotie, pe Euridice, din Lumea de Dincolo, Deina nu se gandeste de doua ori si se ofera voluntara, nestiind la ce anume se înhama…Alaturi de alti Despartitori de Suflete porneste într-o calatorie plina de neprevazut…
Cum spuneam, am pornit cu entuziasm si am fost dezamagita cand vedeam ce greu merge lectura, ca ma plictiseste pe alocuri, insa aveam un interes in a afla cum se va incheia calatoria Despartitorilor de Suflete. M-am “târât” prin primele 250 de pagini, abia apoi a inceput sa se dezmorteasca actiunea si sa devina mai interesanta, atentia mea fiind captata.
Mi s-a desfasurat o poveste încarcata de minciuni, secrete, dezamagiri, prietenii distruse, manipulari, interesuri proprii, tradari, un joc mârsav al zeilor, ca doar nu se putea altfel cand vine vorba de zeitati…
Mi-a placut tare de Deina, neinfricata, determinata, nechibzuita uneori, dar si inteligenta, sunt curioasa cum îi va evolua povestea în volumul urmator ☺️. Pana atunci, mai începem alte serii, în loc sa le terminam pe cele deja începute 🤣.
September 8, 2022
flat 3.00 objectively, and a 2.8 subjectively.
-
recommend: nah.
-
recommend: nah.
August 8, 2022
*Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this book to review!*
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I picked it up on a lazy Saturday morning I was having and pretty much devouring the entire thing in a single sitting. I was totally unprepared for how quickly I would get sucked into this world.
If Greek mythology has always intrigued you but often intimidates you, I’d say dipping into some YA like this book would be a great place to start. Though I was still a little out of my depth with a lot of names and places being passed around during the first few chapters (I was not a mythology kid by any means) I still followed this just fine. You get into the flow and understand the gist of relationships between characters and their dynamics pretty easily the more you go with it. Don’t be scared!
I was wholly unprepared for how dark this book was truly going to get, but I ended up absolutely loving that about it. It really didn’t shy away from gruesome and barbaric. I should’ve foreseen just how deep we would go from that first ridiculously eerie opening chapter but it took me completely by surprise. This is quite dark for a ya book but I am here for the chaos.
If you have a tendency to root for the morally grey protagonists who wields a dagger and is trying her best, you’re going to absolutely fall in love with Deina. She is a little bit chaotic, very messy and utterly unpredictable but you can’t help but root for her wholly through this journey. It’s amazing to see the development she goes through and how her relationships with various characters change as events take place.
If you also have a tendency for a found family trope, this hints at it. I really wanted it to go deeper and at points this story was almost too plot heavy, but I liked it nevertheless. I wish the relationships did have a little more depth to them, especially between the small group of characters we follow. I think it needed more dialogue and intimate scenes to really build those bonds. It would have built up a lot more emotion through reading.
There’s also a little sprinkle of romance in here which I liked, who knew the friends to rivals to lovers trope could hit so hard. There’s only one bed? No! There’s only one box to squish in together to travel across a river that may be their last moments alive. A little bit iconic. The mutual pining was good but I think it could’ve been so much more intense.
Overall I really enjoyed this and cannot wait for the next instalment. It was well written, fast paced, full of action and had a very intriguing plot.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I picked it up on a lazy Saturday morning I was having and pretty much devouring the entire thing in a single sitting. I was totally unprepared for how quickly I would get sucked into this world.
If Greek mythology has always intrigued you but often intimidates you, I’d say dipping into some YA like this book would be a great place to start. Though I was still a little out of my depth with a lot of names and places being passed around during the first few chapters (I was not a mythology kid by any means) I still followed this just fine. You get into the flow and understand the gist of relationships between characters and their dynamics pretty easily the more you go with it. Don’t be scared!
I was wholly unprepared for how dark this book was truly going to get, but I ended up absolutely loving that about it. It really didn’t shy away from gruesome and barbaric. I should’ve foreseen just how deep we would go from that first ridiculously eerie opening chapter but it took me completely by surprise. This is quite dark for a ya book but I am here for the chaos.
If you have a tendency to root for the morally grey protagonists who wields a dagger and is trying her best, you’re going to absolutely fall in love with Deina. She is a little bit chaotic, very messy and utterly unpredictable but you can’t help but root for her wholly through this journey. It’s amazing to see the development she goes through and how her relationships with various characters change as events take place.
If you also have a tendency for a found family trope, this hints at it. I really wanted it to go deeper and at points this story was almost too plot heavy, but I liked it nevertheless. I wish the relationships did have a little more depth to them, especially between the small group of characters we follow. I think it needed more dialogue and intimate scenes to really build those bonds. It would have built up a lot more emotion through reading.
There’s also a little sprinkle of romance in here which I liked, who knew the friends to rivals to lovers trope could hit so hard. There’s only one bed? No! There’s only one box to squish in together to travel across a river that may be their last moments alive. A little bit iconic. The mutual pining was good but I think it could’ve been so much more intense.
Overall I really enjoyed this and cannot wait for the next instalment. It was well written, fast paced, full of action and had a very intriguing plot.
December 28, 2022
Redactare pentru CorinTeens.
O poveste care reinterpretează într-o cheie surprinzătoare atât miturile Oracolului din Delphi și al luntrașului Charon, de data asta cu Despărțitori de suflete care ajută muribunzii să nu treacă neînsoțiți și neconsolați (cei care merită, firește) pe lumea cealaltă, dar și pe cel al lui Orfeu și al lui Euridice, oferind însă o întorsătură de situație (două, chiar, dar pe cea de-a doua prefer să o ignor) la care chiar nu m-aș fi așteptat (de asta se și numește așa, nu?) și care lasă loc de o continuare. Încotro? Cine știe? Cert este că personajele acestei povești foarte alerte și sângeroase participă la nenumărate să le zicem misiuni pe tărâmul lui Hades în încercarea de-a o găsi pe Euridice, soția tiranului Orfeu care conduce lumea cu o mână de fier (și ajutat generos de vrăjitori extrem de puternici), și a-și câștiga nu doar libertatea, ei fiind sclavi prin naștere, ci și o sumă consistentă de bani care le-ar putea schimba viața.
O poveste care reinterpretează într-o cheie surprinzătoare atât miturile Oracolului din Delphi și al luntrașului Charon, de data asta cu Despărțitori de suflete care ajută muribunzii să nu treacă neînsoțiți și neconsolați (cei care merită, firește) pe lumea cealaltă, dar și pe cel al lui Orfeu și al lui Euridice, oferind însă o întorsătură de situație (două, chiar, dar pe cea de-a doua prefer să o ignor) la care chiar nu m-aș fi așteptat (de asta se și numește așa, nu?) și care lasă loc de o continuare. Încotro? Cine știe? Cert este că personajele acestei povești foarte alerte și sângeroase participă la nenumărate să le zicem misiuni pe tărâmul lui Hades în încercarea de-a o găsi pe Euridice, soția tiranului Orfeu care conduce lumea cu o mână de fier (și ajutat generos de vrăjitori extrem de puternici), și a-și câștiga nu doar libertatea, ei fiind sclavi prin naștere, ci și o sumă consistentă de bani care le-ar putea schimba viața.
November 5, 2023
Started #nohypeNovember with this fun pick.
Anything-Greek-retelling/reimagining tends to be TBR worthy in my book. What a creative what-if journey for the category.
I think the YA category felt younger to me at points- like if your MG was into this subject, it’s an easy win. Or perhaps a buddy read with them?
Anything-Greek-retelling/reimagining tends to be TBR worthy in my book. What a creative what-if journey for the category.
I think the YA category felt younger to me at points- like if your MG was into this subject, it’s an easy win. Or perhaps a buddy read with them?
June 6, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5-75
Thank you to Hot Key Books for providing this book in exchange for a review!
Was this the place that myths came to die?
Deina is a Soul Severer, working in the House of Hades performing the rites for those passing through death in the mortal world. She wants nothing more to escape her indenture and jumps at the chance to journey to the underworld to bring Orpheus’s wife back to life. However, her team of allies are actually her competitors and she doesn’t put backstabbing beyond them.
But if this is a game, I pray that the Underworld at least gives us a real chance to play…
Whilst at its core, this is a journeying mission through the underworld, it hints at a bigger mystery, conspiracy, and fate than Diane imagined. This makes it a layered story, full of twists and turns and new possibilities to keep you on your toes.
’No. I know what I am. A Soul Severer. A thief and a trickster. Nothing more. Nothing less. And whatever this destiny is that you keep talking about, I refuse to accept it.'
The mythology woven into this book was enjoyable for a YA novel - it never felt forced. In fact, it provided history and legend with such finesse that the story completely transported me to Diane’s time and world.
I loved the strength of Diane in this book, a woman in a team made up of mostly men, in a wider world where women are seen as weak, she shows her potential and courage, standing up for women everywhere.
She’s also unapologetically outspoken and stubborn, not shying away from her scarred face, her unusual job description, or her determination to seek a better future and freedom for herself.
This is a YA that uses familiar troupes, but doesn’t overuse them or just regurgitate them, there are intrigues and twists to each aspect of the story.
Whilst the plot twists were painfully predictable, there was one aspect I throughly enjoyed where the author completely subverts our expectations of norms and gender. I’d love to discuss this more, but it happens at such a late stage in the book, I don’t want it acting as a spoiler or ruining the delightful surprise.
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Thank you to Hot Key Books for providing this book in exchange for a review!
Was this the place that myths came to die?
Deina is a Soul Severer, working in the House of Hades performing the rites for those passing through death in the mortal world. She wants nothing more to escape her indenture and jumps at the chance to journey to the underworld to bring Orpheus’s wife back to life. However, her team of allies are actually her competitors and she doesn’t put backstabbing beyond them.
But if this is a game, I pray that the Underworld at least gives us a real chance to play…
Whilst at its core, this is a journeying mission through the underworld, it hints at a bigger mystery, conspiracy, and fate than Diane imagined. This makes it a layered story, full of twists and turns and new possibilities to keep you on your toes.
’No. I know what I am. A Soul Severer. A thief and a trickster. Nothing more. Nothing less. And whatever this destiny is that you keep talking about, I refuse to accept it.'
The mythology woven into this book was enjoyable for a YA novel - it never felt forced. In fact, it provided history and legend with such finesse that the story completely transported me to Diane’s time and world.
I loved the strength of Diane in this book, a woman in a team made up of mostly men, in a wider world where women are seen as weak, she shows her potential and courage, standing up for women everywhere.
She’s also unapologetically outspoken and stubborn, not shying away from her scarred face, her unusual job description, or her determination to seek a better future and freedom for herself.
This is a YA that uses familiar troupes, but doesn’t overuse them or just regurgitate them, there are intrigues and twists to each aspect of the story.
Whilst the plot twists were painfully predictable, there was one aspect I throughly enjoyed where the author completely subverts our expectations of norms and gender. I’d love to discuss this more, but it happens at such a late stage in the book, I don’t want it acting as a spoiler or ruining the delightful surprise.
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August 15, 2024
I’m just a sucker for books with a quest🤷🏻♀️
October 6, 2022
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
If you love Greek mythology and quests you’ll love Daughter of Darkness by Katharine Corr and Elizabeth Corr, a reimagined story of Orpheus and Eurydice!
Deina who is trapped as a Soul Severer volunteers for a dangerous quest to the Underworld to retrieve the wife of the evil tyrant Orpheus from the dead. If successful she will win her freedom. Deina as a Soul Severer is marked by Hades to release souls from the dying in the mortal world over to the Underworld.
The small group of volunteer Soul Severer’s encounter a perilous journey and there are rivalries, loyalties and betrayals. I enjoyed the complex characters, how the story ramps up to an exciting pace and how the relationships between the volunteers developed.
I loved the Greek myths, the storytelling, the quest and the darkness that was beautifully crafted into this immersive tale. What a stunning cover design too!
I can’t wait for the sequel, Queen of Gods coming soon!
Publication Date 05 October 2022
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin Australia for a copy of the book
If you love Greek mythology and quests you’ll love Daughter of Darkness by Katharine Corr and Elizabeth Corr, a reimagined story of Orpheus and Eurydice!
Deina who is trapped as a Soul Severer volunteers for a dangerous quest to the Underworld to retrieve the wife of the evil tyrant Orpheus from the dead. If successful she will win her freedom. Deina as a Soul Severer is marked by Hades to release souls from the dying in the mortal world over to the Underworld.
The small group of volunteer Soul Severer’s encounter a perilous journey and there are rivalries, loyalties and betrayals. I enjoyed the complex characters, how the story ramps up to an exciting pace and how the relationships between the volunteers developed.
I loved the Greek myths, the storytelling, the quest and the darkness that was beautifully crafted into this immersive tale. What a stunning cover design too!
I can’t wait for the sequel, Queen of Gods coming soon!
Publication Date 05 October 2022
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin Australia for a copy of the book
June 12, 2022
“Sing, O muse, a song of Death and the maiden… ”
This absolutely gorgeous book is a firm favourite so far this year, the characters are likeable, it contains references to ancient Greece and Greek Mythology. The pacing was wonderful, the writing was flawless, and the characters were incredible (special mention to Deana, Chryse, and Theron. It honestly hits the nail on the head for everything I want in a YA book inspired by Greek Mythology. I especially loved that they spun the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice a little differently from the original, this version sees Orpheus as a tyrant and Eurydice isn’t all too keen to come back from the Underworld.
Now, we all know I’m am honest reviewer, more so for books involving ancient Greece or Rome, but I was absolutely not disappointed with this one. The authors CLEARLY did their research for this book, and not only on the myths and the Greek pantheon, but on ancient Greek society as a whole. They were clear and concise with the who-who’s in mythology when they’re mentioned, and they used accurate examples throughout the book for various myths and heroes. I loved that the city of Iolkos has different districts named after each deity -Apollo’s quarter was home to the city’s artists, while Poseidon’s homed the fishermen and sailors. And honestly, the authors’ description of Jason is absolutely spot on, third-rate husband indeed!
“One-time home of Jason, second-rate hero, third-rate husband and thief of the Golden Fleece.”
Please pre-order this book ASAP, I’ll be preordering every copy I can find online. Thank you so much to Hot Key Books for sending me a proof in exchange for my honest review.
Please can I have book two now?
This absolutely gorgeous book is a firm favourite so far this year, the characters are likeable, it contains references to ancient Greece and Greek Mythology. The pacing was wonderful, the writing was flawless, and the characters were incredible (special mention to Deana, Chryse, and Theron. It honestly hits the nail on the head for everything I want in a YA book inspired by Greek Mythology. I especially loved that they spun the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice a little differently from the original, this version sees Orpheus as a tyrant and Eurydice isn’t all too keen to come back from the Underworld.
Now, we all know I’m am honest reviewer, more so for books involving ancient Greece or Rome, but I was absolutely not disappointed with this one. The authors CLEARLY did their research for this book, and not only on the myths and the Greek pantheon, but on ancient Greek society as a whole. They were clear and concise with the who-who’s in mythology when they’re mentioned, and they used accurate examples throughout the book for various myths and heroes. I loved that the city of Iolkos has different districts named after each deity -Apollo’s quarter was home to the city’s artists, while Poseidon’s homed the fishermen and sailors. And honestly, the authors’ description of Jason is absolutely spot on, third-rate husband indeed!
“One-time home of Jason, second-rate hero, third-rate husband and thief of the Golden Fleece.”
Please pre-order this book ASAP, I’ll be preordering every copy I can find online. Thank you so much to Hot Key Books for sending me a proof in exchange for my honest review.
Please can I have book two now?
April 23, 2024
I found this story gripping and I really enjoyed following the characters’ quest through the underworld. The writing was beautiful; the authors created a darkly vivid setting that was terrifying and exhilarating to experience. I felt the characters’ actions were predictable at times and at other times their actions were completely unbelievable to the point where I felt a little skeptical. But there were also some interesting twists in the plot.
October 1, 2023
"You wish to flee Iolkos. But if all cities are like Iolkos, if all cities are starving and enslaved, then where can you go to be free? Where can you run to, Soul Severer of Hades?"
Deina is a soul severer, of the House of Hades. Trapped in her life in Iolkos, she is given the opportunity of a lifetime when tyrant king Orpheus comes to their settlement. The bearer of his wife Eurydice's soul from the underworld will have the indentured service ended. Let the perilous adventure begin...
I am chronically obsessed with Greek myth retellings and reimagining's. This reimagining is no different! I loved Deina, for her imperfectness and her bravery. I loved the cast of morally grey characters on her journey. The plot was thrumming, although it did slow a lil in the last third, I still wanted to know what lay before our heroine. The extensive exploration of the underworld was absolutely divine - I was there. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second in this duology.
"What is truth in the mouth of a god?"
Deina is a soul severer, of the House of Hades. Trapped in her life in Iolkos, she is given the opportunity of a lifetime when tyrant king Orpheus comes to their settlement. The bearer of his wife Eurydice's soul from the underworld will have the indentured service ended. Let the perilous adventure begin...
I am chronically obsessed with Greek myth retellings and reimagining's. This reimagining is no different! I loved Deina, for her imperfectness and her bravery. I loved the cast of morally grey characters on her journey. The plot was thrumming, although it did slow a lil in the last third, I still wanted to know what lay before our heroine. The extensive exploration of the underworld was absolutely divine - I was there. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second in this duology.
"What is truth in the mouth of a god?"
August 16, 2023
"I won't leave my friends. I have to stay the course. To try to save them, if I can. Them, and myself... If I didn't, I wouldn't be properly human."
The first thing this book reminds me of, is - of course! - Tom Jones. Yes, the singer. Of this song, coincidentally one of the greatest songs of the 70s, obviously.
...
I'm currently experiencing some sort of a black-out, sorry.
Ehm...
OK, so, I love Deina. She's an enormously strong character. At this moment, I'm trying to remember if I felt as if she really changes a lot during the honest, and to be honest: I don't think so, really. The only way I clearly noticed something changing was her behaviour regarding the other characters in the book, especially regarding Theron. I'm still not entirely sure what to make of that, actually. Clearly, it's another love story, but for some reason I don't mind that it's present. Is it necessary? No. Did it annoy me? No. And that's already very positive of itself, at this stage. Maybe it's because they have some history together, which I didn't become aware of until some time after they'd left on their quest. Well played, Corr sisters. It took a long time before Deina's (and, but less so, Theron's) behaviour started pointing towards something that hinted at an event in their past. Before that, I just thought Deina loathed him.
I'm assuming that one of the 'big reveals' in the book regarded Deina's parentage, but honestly, I wasn't surprised at all - I saw that coming a mile away. So that just wasn't very exciting to read about. I'm much more interested in her abilities now, though, and what's in store for her.
Chryse... I'm still not entirely sure what to make of her and her part in the story. As soon as she accompanies the questers, it's clear that something is up with her, but I never expected it to be... that. She and Deina have something special, or I at least had that impression, but clearly I was mistaken... or the authors made a mistake. Maybe it would have been interesting to have a few chapters from her point of view, to get a better understanding of her. Anyhow, the what and why regarding what she did left me stunned. Never saw it coming, I thought it was something entirely else, some much more personal problem.
But I'll be honest here: I'll miss her anyway. Although, of course, .
And the other characters present in the book were great too. Most of them were annoying at first, but then they start to change and grow onto one another. As I already said, Theron turns out to be very interesting. Aster less so, but he too changes very clearly over the course of the book. Drex is the one who stays more or less the same, I guess, but in hindsight, that's to be expected. I liked Charon and Hades as well!
This book is not by far the first one to take a look at the Greek myths and spin its own tale, of course. I love the entire backstory of all the... the watchamacallits, the things that Deina and the others are, you know, some kind of divine representatives. (The fact that I can't remember their name, doesn't lessen my enthusiasm in the slightest, by the way. Ooh, it's the - wait for it! - Theodesmioi.) The entire journey through Hades is described terrifically, and the twisted background of the myth surrounding Orpheus and Eurydice was also very well-spun.
Anything else? There's a lot of action in-between dialogues and descriptions, of course. There's a hell (sorry) of a lot going on, and I never felt the story slackening at any time. It starts off very quickly with something you could call a prologue, I assume, and right after that the main story starts. Which never stops, it goes on, right till the end - and leaves you hanging on that cliff.
Yes, I'm keeping this one.
8/10
The first thing this book reminds me of, is - of course! - Tom Jones. Yes, the singer. Of this song, coincidentally one of the greatest songs of the 70s, obviously.
...
I'm currently experiencing some sort of a black-out, sorry.
Ehm...
OK, so, I love Deina. She's an enormously strong character. At this moment, I'm trying to remember if I felt as if she really changes a lot during the honest, and to be honest: I don't think so, really. The only way I clearly noticed something changing was her behaviour regarding the other characters in the book, especially regarding Theron. I'm still not entirely sure what to make of that, actually. Clearly, it's another love story, but for some reason I don't mind that it's present. Is it necessary? No. Did it annoy me? No. And that's already very positive of itself, at this stage. Maybe it's because they have some history together, which I didn't become aware of until some time after they'd left on their quest. Well played, Corr sisters. It took a long time before Deina's (and, but less so, Theron's) behaviour started pointing towards something that hinted at an event in their past. Before that, I just thought Deina loathed him.
I'm assuming that one of the 'big reveals' in the book regarded Deina's parentage, but honestly, I wasn't surprised at all - I saw that coming a mile away. So that just wasn't very exciting to read about. I'm much more interested in her abilities now, though, and what's in store for her.
Chryse... I'm still not entirely sure what to make of her and her part in the story. As soon as she accompanies the questers, it's clear that something is up with her, but I never expected it to be... that. She and Deina have something special, or I at least had that impression, but clearly I was mistaken... or the authors made a mistake. Maybe it would have been interesting to have a few chapters from her point of view, to get a better understanding of her. Anyhow, the what and why regarding what she did left me stunned. Never saw it coming, I thought it was something entirely else, some much more personal problem.
But I'll be honest here: I'll miss her anyway. Although, of course, .
And the other characters present in the book were great too. Most of them were annoying at first, but then they start to change and grow onto one another. As I already said, Theron turns out to be very interesting. Aster less so, but he too changes very clearly over the course of the book. Drex is the one who stays more or less the same, I guess, but in hindsight, that's to be expected. I liked Charon and Hades as well!
This book is not by far the first one to take a look at the Greek myths and spin its own tale, of course. I love the entire backstory of all the... the watchamacallits, the things that Deina and the others are, you know, some kind of divine representatives. (The fact that I can't remember their name, doesn't lessen my enthusiasm in the slightest, by the way. Ooh, it's the - wait for it! - Theodesmioi.) The entire journey through Hades is described terrifically, and the twisted background of the myth surrounding Orpheus and Eurydice was also very well-spun.
Anything else? There's a lot of action in-between dialogues and descriptions, of course. There's a hell (sorry) of a lot going on, and I never felt the story slackening at any time. It starts off very quickly with something you could call a prologue, I assume, and right after that the main story starts. Which never stops, it goes on, right till the end - and leaves you hanging on that cliff.
Yes, I'm keeping this one.
8/10
December 15, 2022
3.5⭐️ rounded up. This was good! The adventure was fun, the fellowship was great. The twists and turns were a mixture of expected and unexpected. It was just a little slow for me for like the first 60%. But once that action hit it was great. Will be interesting to see where the sequel goes.
July 28, 2022
This is so so good.
I've become a little wary of YA fantasy as it can border on too fast paced and therefore lose a lot of the detail on locations, relationships, characters, etc... but this book reminds me of the power of a YA fantasy novel.
I've read in other reviews that people have felt the first 150ish pages were too slow paced but I think that shows how subjective it can be. For me the the whole thing was paced perfectly. A lot happens and it could often feel like I was losing my breath as action sequence after catastrophe after danger happened and then we'd have a moment of respite to catch our breath before it all started again. That pacing made it feel like you were in the danger with them whilst still giving you time to explore the relationships and politics that raise the stakes.
From a diversity perspective I found it interesting that the House of Hades almost subvert expectations by saying that relations between same sex couples was completely fine but relations between men and women was not allowed as the aim was to prevent reproduction within the houses. So far though no trans or non-binary rep and I don't think there is very much in terms of racial diversity but the setting is Ancient Greece, so a time when there wouldn't be much migration across continents... so not really a problem for me.
One of the reasons I have a love hate relationship with YA is that often the protagonists can become one dimensional. In this case whilst our female main character is doing everything she can to gain her freedom, it not only makes sense in the situation in which she finds herself but she also grows as a character as she continues on her journey.
I'll be putting a more indepth review on my learning log because I feel like I have so much more to say on this. But needless to say that I will be purchasing a finished copy of this book.
I've become a little wary of YA fantasy as it can border on too fast paced and therefore lose a lot of the detail on locations, relationships, characters, etc... but this book reminds me of the power of a YA fantasy novel.
I've read in other reviews that people have felt the first 150ish pages were too slow paced but I think that shows how subjective it can be. For me the the whole thing was paced perfectly. A lot happens and it could often feel like I was losing my breath as action sequence after catastrophe after danger happened and then we'd have a moment of respite to catch our breath before it all started again. That pacing made it feel like you were in the danger with them whilst still giving you time to explore the relationships and politics that raise the stakes.
From a diversity perspective I found it interesting that the House of Hades almost subvert expectations by saying that relations between same sex couples was completely fine but relations between men and women was not allowed as the aim was to prevent reproduction within the houses. So far though no trans or non-binary rep and I don't think there is very much in terms of racial diversity but the setting is Ancient Greece, so a time when there wouldn't be much migration across continents... so not really a problem for me.
One of the reasons I have a love hate relationship with YA is that often the protagonists can become one dimensional. In this case whilst our female main character is doing everything she can to gain her freedom, it not only makes sense in the situation in which she finds herself but she also grows as a character as she continues on her journey.
I'll be putting a more indepth review on my learning log because I feel like I have so much more to say on this. But needless to say that I will be purchasing a finished copy of this book.
May 22, 2024
Une bonne lecture. C’est intéressant de suivre Deina dans son périple. Par contre on sent que c’est écrit à 4 mains, et pas pour de bonnes raisons. Je m’explique: certains moments sont longs, lents, inintéressants et on sent la distance entre le lecteur et Deina. Au contraire des événements sont bien écrits on est tenus en haleine et on kiffe.
March 17, 2025
Maaaaai, de ce nu vad cartea asta pe booktok? E superba.
Pentru fanii mitologiei grecești este fix cireașa de pe tort.
Pentru fanii mitologiei grecești este fix cireașa de pe tort.
May 19, 2023
The Corr sisters are great at making interesting worlds! Looking forward to book 2.
June 14, 2023
What a whirlwind! Wow. How to begin reviewing this…! There’s just so much to cover. The story, the plot, the characters, the set up, the world it encompassed, the mythology, the writing, just everything. I loved it all.
From the beginning I could tell this was going to be a great one. I’ve read a few other books by these authors and they’ve never let me down. They’ve been so entertaining, with seriously outstanding storylines and a world to really throw yourself into and get invested in. And boy can I say I was invested in this one. I needed to know what was going to happen and how it was going to end. I had no idea what was coming and I was so not prepared for the twists and turns that blew my mind!
Deina was such a fab main character too. I really warmed to her as well as to the others in the motley crew tasked to bring Euradice back to the living. The idea of the soul severers was inspired and honestly, the whole book was just great. I can’t find fault. Especially towards the end, my eyeballs were nearly on fire at how quickly I was tearing through the pages as I was so on edge and eager to find out how it was going to conclude.
Ooof. And that ending. I need the next one and I can’t wait to read that one. I don’t think I’ll rest until I do! Seriously amazing book !!
Thank you to the author and publishers via NetGalley for this book in return for my honest thoughts and review.
Update: reread this a year later. Still awesome. And now the second one has just come out and I’m off to read!
From the beginning I could tell this was going to be a great one. I’ve read a few other books by these authors and they’ve never let me down. They’ve been so entertaining, with seriously outstanding storylines and a world to really throw yourself into and get invested in. And boy can I say I was invested in this one. I needed to know what was going to happen and how it was going to end. I had no idea what was coming and I was so not prepared for the twists and turns that blew my mind!
Deina was such a fab main character too. I really warmed to her as well as to the others in the motley crew tasked to bring Euradice back to the living. The idea of the soul severers was inspired and honestly, the whole book was just great. I can’t find fault. Especially towards the end, my eyeballs were nearly on fire at how quickly I was tearing through the pages as I was so on edge and eager to find out how it was going to conclude.
Ooof. And that ending. I need the next one and I can’t wait to read that one. I don’t think I’ll rest until I do! Seriously amazing book !!
Thank you to the author and publishers via NetGalley for this book in return for my honest thoughts and review.
Update: reread this a year later. Still awesome. And now the second one has just come out and I’m off to read!
December 4, 2022
DNFed at 37%. I received this as an ARC via Netgalley and given how much I'd enjoyed Throne of Swans and love Greek mythology I really thought this book would work for me. However, as much as I thought the concept of the plot was incredible, something was lacking. I think the relationships were all so tenuous and fraught for too long and that made it hard to connect to the characters. It may pick up later on but I just can't bring myself to have the energy to read on unfortunately.
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