Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Everyone loves a good fairytale. What's not to love? Sweep-you-off-your-feet romances, titillating magic and undeniable adventures (will she get back by midnight?!) are all inextricable elements to any classic fairytale--in fact, they've even found their way into books of other genres as well. When I picked up Rosamund Hodge's "Cruel Beauty" and saw that it was a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," I have to admit I was pretty darn excited. Good retellings require a vast amount of creativity and imagination, and I'm always curious to see how authors add their own spin to classic tales--though whether they're fresh and exciting is whole other story (pun totally intended).

Ever since she was born, Nyx has grown up certain about one thing: the sole purpose of her existence is to marry the demonic Gentle Lord, and kill him. After seventeen years of watching her sister be coddled and of being set at a distance by her own father, Nyx finally leaves her home to live in the castle of the all-powerful, evil Ignifex. Nyx understands that she is the only hope for breaking the nine-hundred-year-old curse on the people of Arcadia, but she can't help the resentment she feels for her fate and her family. But Ignifex is not what she expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle--a shifting maze with enchanting rooms--enthralls her. With time running out, Nyx is forced to face a decision with potentially disastrous consequences: to save her kingdom, or to save the man she was never supposed to love.

When I read the synopsis for "Cruel Beauty," I was instantly intrigued. "Beauty and the Beast" was one of my favourite fairytales growing up, and I could only imagine how much more exciting it would be with a butt-kicking heroine. The storyline of the novel presents a fresh take on the classic fairytale, and it was interesting to see how Ms. Hodge wove in her own ideas into the existing story. There's some pretty great world-building going on in the book--just imagine a town with a dark, towering castle, all of which is encased in a sky made out of parchment. No stars, no sky. Talk about a crappy curse, huh? What I also found exciting was the whole concept of the Resurgandi, a group of learned alchemists who are able to manipulate the elements, as it brought a whole new layer of magic to the story.

Having said this, I do think that there were quite a few things about the novel that just didn't quite work for me. One of the first things that come to mind is the whole Greek mythology strand to the plot. While I appreciate what Ms. Hodge was trying to do by merging fairytale and myth into one story, I felt like it was a little too forced at times. For example, there would be sudden mentions of statues of Apollo and Daphne and so on, and it was like it was kind of shoved in there to make the story more ingenious. I do see the connection between these myths and Nyx's whole situation of forced marriage and the like, but I felt like the execution itself wasn't very smooth. Moreover, I didn't feel the tension so much throughout the plot. Sure, there were the multiple tensions between Nyx and her family, Ignifex and her fate, but it just fell a little flat with all of her running around in the castle and kissing two men at once and all that.

Which, naturally, brings me to the characters of "Cruel Beauty." Nyx, as the heroine of the novel, is undoubtedly strong and determined. Quite the feisty lady. But I never felt like her character developed much as the story progressed, and she changed her mind way too quickly about some pretty important things. And what I especially didn't like so much was the almost insta-love going on between her and Shade, and her and Ignifex. Sure, she expresses remorse and some concern about smooching two men at once, but she continues to do so anyway. No biggie. Ms. Hodge does attempt to smooth this whole issue out with the twist in the end, but I felt like it was a little too late, since, by that time, I feel like I lost respect for the heroine of the novel. Ignifex was a pretty alright character--you get your typical bad-guy-but-actually-sincere-on-the-inside business with him, so, yeah. As for Nyx's family, boy oh boy I just hated all of them. A stoic father who doesn't care for his own daughter, an annoying aunt, and a whiny, two-faced sister? No wonder Nyx didn't mind leaving the house so much.

All in all, "Cruel Beauty" is just an okay retelling of a fairytale, with a fairly interesting spin on "Beauty and the Beast." But what really bummed me out was the lack of a truly compelling plot in the novel, as well as subpar characters I never became invested in. I'd say check it out if you're really interested, since this all my opinion, but don't expect a jaw-dropping, heart-racing adventure.

Rating: 2/5

Book Review: The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

Retellings are fascinating--there's no way around it. I mean, taking something old and metamorphosing it into something of yours? It gives us a completely different way of seeing things, like that optical illusion of the pretty young girl/old grandma. It's mind blowing! Rick Riordan's "The Heroes of Olympus" series, as I'm sure everyone knows, takes the gods and heroes of the traditional Greek myths and gives it a modern twist tailored for readers today. "The House of Hades" is the fourth installment to the series, and was released just last month! I'm pretty sure it flew off the bookshelves in no time--there's a reason Percy Jackson is such a big name!

Ever since Percy and Annabeth plummeted into the pits of the Underworld, things haven't been looking good for the demigods. The Greeks and the Romans are gearing up for war against each other, and Gaea's monstrous armies continue to rise. Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank and Leo have to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death and help Percy and Annabeth out of the Underworld, if, that is, they survive the horrors of Tartarus. The clock is ticking for the prophesied Seven--or it might be too late before the giants free Gaea and the world is plunged into the biggest war in millennia.

It's always exciting to see the demigods of Camp Half-Blood again in a way that's like meeting up with friends you haven't seen in ages. I think it comes from the fact that you bond with the characters in a way that's only possible after being with them for eight years--which is precisely how long a lot of readers have spent with Percy Jackson! In "The House of Hades", I loved the development of Percy and Annabeth's relationship as they traversed the pits of Tartarus. You really see them grow more as a couple than individuals in this part of the series, and it's so heartening to see how committed they are to each other despite the crazy amount of hellish (literally!) obstacles they face. There are so many sweet moments--as sweet as being in the gruesome Underworld can get--that really remind readers of how young they actually are, yet there are also moments when you see that their relationship transcends the normal relationships of mortal teens in both depth and maturity. I've always been a huge Percy and Annabeth fan (Pernabeth? Anncy?), and this certainly satisfied my mulish insistence on some sort of romance in books.

The newer demigods are equally as awesome to be with in the series. While they're all part of a team against the dark forces (cue ominous music here), what's really interesting to read about are their individual issues that they struggle with. For example, Hazel knows that she has to face some adversary witch in front of the Doors of Death, and that if she fails, Percy and Annabeth may be stuck in Tartarus forever. She also has to deal with the fact that her father is Pluto, though he's hardly been around for her--oh yeah, not to mention the fact that she's from history! Talk about issues. Another character I liked following throughout the book was Frank, who undergoes a huge amount of development, more so than any other character in "The House of Hades". He really matures as he embraces his responsibility and role as a son of Ares/Mars, but it's also endearing to see him struggle with these changes, since he started off as a pudgy Asian kid who could change into animals. On the flip side of the coin, I have to admit I wasn't really feeling Jason's character. I felt like he was kind of pushed to the side a little, and he ended up as more of a passive, stock character than anything.

As for the plot of "The House of Hades", it remained interesting and fun throughout, which I think was especially helped by the multi-perspective points of view. However, while quite a lot happened to the demigods, both in the mortal world and in Tartarus, I felt like it wasn't as compelling as it could've been. I got the impression that the book as a whole is kind of a filler or detour before the final climax of the series, especially the portions where we followed the other five demigods. I get that the entire point of these crazy heroic journeys and quests is to go from one place to another, and face different foes and overcome different obstacles, but I feel like if Mr. Riordan had condensed it a little more and got to the point a tad more quickly, it would've been much more gripping.

All in all, "The House of Hades" is a great fourth installment to "The Heroes of Olympus" series, with a lot of exciting character development both in individual and in relationships. I can't wait to get my hands on the fifth book, "The Blood of Olympus" (talk about an ominous title), though it's absolutely killing me that I have to wait a whole year for it!

Rating: 3.5/5

Mini Review: The Iliad of Homer, translated by Richmond Lattimore

Note: This is just a mini review because I've only read the first half of the poem as part of my summer reading for college!

Greek myths have always had a tight grip on my interests, especially when they're retold from a completely different perspective. There's something about the myths that speak of heroes and values of the past, and, of course, there's the magic that plays such a dominant role in all the stories. I've always thought of "The Iliad" as a sort of prequel to "The Odyssey", never expecting that it'd be a captivating story all on its own!

When I first found out that we'd be reading "The Iliad" in its original epic poem form, I was a little daunted. Sure, poems are great to read, but a 600-page epic poem? Even "The Odyssey", which I'd read back in eighth grade, was the high-school-ified prose version. Once I cracked open the book, however, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I began to enjoy reading the poem! I think there are several reasons behind this little epiphany. First, the story itself was exciting to read about. I mean, one of the greatest wars of all time between Troy and Greece? Yes please! Behind the action, however, lies the central theme of human nature, from our desire for glory to the common fate that binds us all together: death. Second, the gods themselves were made relatable and even amusing through the descriptions of their jealousies and squabbling and pouting. The fact that even such almighty, immortal beings are subject to human follies really shed some more light on that theme of human nature, and it's almost enlightening to read about. Third, Richmond Lattimore's translation really made it a smooth read. I expected obscure "art thou", "thy shan't" language, but instead, Mr. Lattimore used everyday, understandable language and syntax, whilst sticking to the words and essence to Homer's original poem.

I know this review is relatively short and not as detailed, but trust me when I say you should really give "The Iliad" a shot! Not only do you get bragging rights and the intellectual sensation of having read a classic epic poem (!), but you also learn so much about the way humans are, even if they lived thousands of years ago. Also, if you pick up Mr. Lattimore's translation, I highly recommend reading the foreword by Richard Martin--it illuminates the central themes of the poem and gives you things to look out for as you read "The Iliad".

Book Review: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

For some reason or the other, I’m a sucker for retellings. Or at least, for stories that take something old and transform it into something totally new and original. Richelle Mead’s “Gameboard of the Gods” was released sometime last month, and after reading that it has to do with mythical gods from legend, I knew I had to check it out. Much to my dismay, I found my Kindle an increasingly distant companion as I read the book. There’s just something about the characters and the story that just didn’t do it for me.

Mae Koskinen is a praetorian, a soldier of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier with enhanced reflexes and skills. Justin March, having failed his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims, only longs to return to the Republic of United North America. When he and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger, where unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering, unseen, around them, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely pieces on their gameboard.

One of the main things that really caught me off guard was how old the main characters were. After assuming that “Gameboard of the Gods” was the first book of a new YA series, I was a little disoriented when I found out that Justin and Mae are around thirty-years-old. Which also meant that it amped up the maturity of the whole book, something I found out when they ended up sleeping together in, oh, the third chapter or so. That was when I decided that this is definitely more of a New Adult novel. Not that I really have a problem with a book being a part of the NA genre—it just completely altered my expectations of the characters and their priorities. For example, instead of having a gradual development of romantic feelings toward one another (or the typical YA love at first sight stuff), Mae and Justin’s relationship began slap-bang with some flirting and then the bed. Despite this, I think Ms. Mead did a pretty good job with developing their romance post-supposed-one-night-stand, as both Mae and Justin struggled to come to terms with their feelings toward one another.

The characters themselves were fairly interesting to read about throughout the novel. First, you have Mae, who’s a butt-kicking praetorian who seems to be perfect in just about every single way. Then, you have Justin, the incorrigibly flirtatious, devil-may-care exile who, at the same time, has some genius skills of deduction. Plus he has a couple of crows in his head that talk to him. Yeah. These two characters were generally interesting, but I don’t think I became entirely invested in what happened to them and what they were feeling since Justin seems to be kind of a douche who somehow ends up with a different woman in every chapter, and Mae is a little stagnant as a protagonist in terms of character development. The other, more minor characters, like Teresa and Leo, are more likable—Teresa definitely grows as a character as she adapts to Gemman life, and Leo’s attitude is pretty endearing as well.

Now remember when I talked about how much I love retellings? I felt like “Gameboard of the Gods” really fell short of doing the gods and their myths justice. Admittedly, the concept about the golden apple of discord, as well as that of gods choosing a human as their ‘game piece’, was compelling and intriguing, but I felt like Ms. Mead could’ve taken more advantage of the whole idea. It just seemed as if half the time, she was somehow undermining her own retelling of the gods in the human world by expounding so much on the different religions and how full of bullpoop they are in the RUNA’s eyes. Or maybe that’s what she wanted, to show the conflict between humans and the gods. Either way, it just didn’t really do it for me. More mythical gods and a little bit more magic would’ve been more dynamic and compelling.

Overall, “Gameboard of the Gods” is a fairly interesting start to the “Age of X” series, but it ultimately does fall short of its potential. Things did pick up towards the end, but most of it was pretty slow and not as compelling as it could be. A little disappointed with this one, in the end!

Rating: 2/5

Book Review: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

I love retellings of classic stories. The ways fairy tales, myths and historical events are crafted into new stories with fresh perspectives are unique and super interesting to read. One of the most popular retellings are of Greek myths. My all-time favourite heroic fantasy are David Gemmell's "Troy" series, and it actually amazes me how such a classic tale could be woven into something totally new. Rick Riordan's famous "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series is another retelling of the Greek myths, and luckily it led to a sequel series called "The Heroes of Olympus"! "The Mark of Athena" is its third installment, and was released last week. Don't read the synopsis in the next paragraph if you're new to the series! I don't want to spoil anything for you.

The war against Gaea and her minions is drawing closer. Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel and Frank are the chosen seven demigods, both Greek and Roman, to embark on a quest to defeat Gaea. No biggie, right? Things get a little more complicated when Annabeth has her own quest to fulfill, on her own: to follow the Mark of Athena and avenge her mother. Both quests ultimately lead to the Doors of Death, but the real question is: will the seven demigods reach the Doors alive, or as the next spirits of the Underworld?

As always, Mr. Riordan's masterful storytelling sucks you in and spits you out smack-dab in the middle of a crazy whirlwind of a quest. I love how each and every book, even though they're part of the series, has its own set of quests and trials, and they never bore you. The plot never dropped enough to make the reader lose interest, and there was always so many 'somethings' happening at the same time even though the present narrator was someone who wasn't there. I know that sounds really complicated, but it's not! And that's the magic of it. Everything is presented simply, so that readers don't get confused with what's going on and who's where and what's happening.

Another vital element that makes the books engaging is the characters. Every one of the demigods has their own quirk and distinct personality. For example, you have the laidback yet strong-willed Percy; the serious and thoughtful Annabeth; the stoic yet gentle Jason... and so on. The ways each demigod, as well as the gods and goddesses themselves, embody marked traits are extremely well thought-out and enhance each character. What I particularly love about Mr. Riordan's wit that's present in his characters--I've snorted and giggled at some of the immature humour. And hey, who doesn't need a good dose of childish laughter once in a while?

Overall, "The Mark of Athena" is not to be missed. It's full of crazy, dangerous quests, funny and wonderful characters--and not to mention a cliffhanger that drops your jaw! If you haven't read any of Mr. Riordan's books, definitely check out "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" so you'll be on board with what's happened so far. A must for adventure-lovers and myth-devourers.

Rating: 5/5