Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: March 27, 2012
Genre: YA, Mythology
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher
Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. Henry’s first wife, Persephone.
Kate and James spent the whole summer traveling through Greece as friends, but now as the summer winds down, it's time for her to return to the Underworld...and to Henry. She is to be crowned the new Queen of the Underworld, but nothing is as simple as she could of hoped. All Hell breaks lose, and Henry is abducted, leading for Kate, James and Ava on a wild chase to save him before it's too late. Unfortunately, Kate finds that she needs the help of someone she loathes the most - Henry's former wife, Persephone. With her future on the rocks and Henry's life in the balance, immortality might not be everything she'd hoped it would be...and far more complicated.
Guys, I'm a sucker for mythology. I really am. When done properly, it's an incredible adventure, which is why I enjoyed the first book in this series so much. It took Greek mythology and turned it upside down, transforming it into something new. With Goddess Interrupted, author Aimee Carter is switching things up, yet again. With touches of mythology, twists of drama and romance that equal parts gorgeous and maddening, Goddess Interrupted is a maze of an adventure. Featuring solid world-building and intense action, this novel is for all those who want the perfect blend of entertainment and depth to keep your literary appetite satiated.
As I said, I really, really enjoyed The Goddess Test. I thought it was entirely unique. No, it most certainly was not true to Greek mythology, but it was entertaining, and the literary lover in me admired the twist on the classic. That said, Goddess Interrupted was even less true to Greek mythology than the first installment, and part of the ingenue I loved from book one was lost in book two, leading to my disappointment. Unfortunately, I also had a bit of an issue with Kate in book two. She had a strong demeanor in the first novel, leading me to become invested in her story. In Goddess Interrupted, however, she was weaker, meeker and more doubtful of Henry's love than ever. As you all know, I don't like weak female characters, and she seemed to loser her spine a lot in this one. A highlight for me in this installment were the actual action scenes, which were descriptive and intense, making for a very visual experience. That is when I became most invested in the story because the meat of the novel - the heart and soul - rested there.
Overall, Goddess Interrupted wasn't a bad book, but it was a weaker sequel than I had hoped for. The bane of my existence is when a series loses its merit as it goes. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy twists on Greek mythology and romance.
I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
I had a similar reaction to this one Melissa! I actually liked that there seemed to be more mythology in this one, however distant from the real Greek myths, but I struggled with Kate. I supported her in the beginning because I would have reacted the same way she did, with self doubt, but by the middle I was getting frustrated with both of them:) Still enjoyed it overall though!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! It was an entertaining read, but I just wanted so much more strength from Kate!
ReplyDeleteThat's a shame that the MC turned into a weaker character...it's so difficult to enjoy a book when dealing with a character like that. But, it sounds like the first book might still be worth reading, even if the sequel fell off a bit.
ReplyDeleteGreat honest review :)
You know, some people like this one better, so it might just be me...the action parts were awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteBummer...I hate books that suffer from second book syndrome. :( I've read a few other reviews that same the same thing. I'm bummed, but I still plan on reading it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like it that much when I heard that there was a sequel to the goddess test. It would have been a better stand-alone novel. I desperately want to know what happens to Kate and Henry but I don't want it to ruin my love for the story line.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read it but at the same time..I would not fall, I fear that
ReplyDeleteYah, I haven't read the first in the series, but while I enjoy mythology, they've been kind of hit or miss books for me. This one sounds like a bit of a let down, but I've kind of noticed that happens to 2nd books in a YA series. Not that it's a rule, but sometimes I think the waiting makes it happen...that and the storyline. Anyway, excellent review. I don't know if I'll ever get to this series, though.
ReplyDeleteI liked the first book but wasn't in love with it. Kate annoyed me because she seemed so...dense, I guess. And then to go off with James as "friends" seemed a little fishy. Still, I'm intrigued enough to read GI, despite a weaker Kate. Sophomore novels in a series can be hits or misses--maybe this will be a hit for me? One can hope (esp. since I adore mythology of all kinds!).
ReplyDeleteAh, I'm sorry you were disappointed! :( I haven't read the first book yet, though I really want to. The fact that it's not very close to the actual Greek mythology is a little upsetting, but I still think I'm going to try this series out.
ReplyDeleteI don't like weak characters either. Sorry Kate kind of regressed. Hopefully you'll like the next installment more! Wonderful review, Melissa!
You know, some people loved it...I know Jenny from Supernatural Snark thought it was great, so you might be pleasantly surprised!
ReplyDeletehaha I hear ya ;)
ReplyDeleteI'll admit I loved it first because of the covers, and I think book one was really nice...it was just a curse of the second novel, I think!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it! I mean, it was by no means bad...it just didn't up the ante haha
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sophia! I think you SHOULD try the series out - just because the sophomore novel struggled for me doesn't mean it will for everyone :)
ReplyDeleteI read this yesterday and I loved it. I was a little frustrated with Kate as well. But at the same time I thought that it was fairly accurate as to how a lot of young girls think and she did have others planting seeds of doubt in her head.
ReplyDeleteParts of it moved me to tears. I can't wait for the third installment.
Totally understand with her being a weaker character in this one.
ReplyDeleteBrandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog