THE PLOT: Lore by Alexandra Bracken is a fantasy novel based on Ancient Greek mythology and set in modern-day New York. Zeus has punished the Gods – every seven years, they are mortal for seven days. During this time, the descendants of ancient heroes are allowed to hunt them. If you kill a God, you are allowed to gain their powers and become immortal. At least, until you are hunted yourself… The story’s main character is Melora, the last mortal descendant of Perseus. Her whole family was killed at the end of the last hunt and she has decided to set herself free. But when the hunt begins, she finds Athena wounded on her doorstep. As she is dragged back into the fight, she decides to avenge her family. But can she safely re-enter a world where you either hunt or are hunted?

RATING: This book was so fun to read! There were twists and turns at every corner, and the pacing was so taut, I raced to the end. Don’t let the length fool you. It’s such a quick read because it’s super high stakes. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I have to give it 4 and a half stars! Obviously, the use of ancient Greek myth meant it captured my heart, and I loved the research and accuracy. But it’s more than that… It’s been ages since I read a really exciting fantasy novel. This book has reminded me why I love the genre, and I’ll be sure to read more of Alexandra Bracken’s work.

GOOD BITS: The best bits were the characters! Though the huge cast may be intimidating for some, I love stories with intricate genealogies and different, warring factions. I felt like the main characters were all so loveable, despite their flaws, and there were heart-string-pulling love stories (including gay representation). Each character’s actions wholly made sense in the context of their upbringings and personalities (don’t you hate it when you think, ‘why is this character doing this!? They would never do X, Y, Z!’), and they all had a clear character arc.

NOT SO GOOD BITS: It’s a great plot because it’s so entertaining. However, there are some minor plot holes and you have to (obviously) suspend disbelief. I’m afraid to say more because of spoilers, but Melora conveniently “forgot” a couple of major things until the information was absolutely necessary. But, these did not detract from my enjoyment as I felt like it was all plausible within the world of the novel. And, there are so many details and twists, boy! I’m not surprised a few minor bits had to be stitched together.

OVERALL:  If you love action-packed fantasy plus Greek mythology, this is your book. It’s Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games. I love the use of “houses” and dynasties, but it’s really a tale of a young girl whose family has been taken from her by a cruel system and she’s trapped in that way of life. I’d 1000% recommend this if you’re a fantasy lover looking to get over a reading slump with something you can really stick your teeth into.