Lore (Chapter Sampler) by Alexandra Bracken

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Chapter Sampler was provided by NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.

This chapter sampler review is being published before the release date (January 5th, 2021)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, graphic injuries, loss of a loved one, grief

“A new age was in reach, waiting to be seized by one strong enough to dare.”

Friends and fellow readers… Wow. This was only a six chapter teaser of this upcoming book and it stole my breath away. I lost count of how many times my breath hitched, how often I was clutching my fists in anticipation of the next page, and just really impressed that I’m now hooked. And now begins the long, long wait of waiting till 2021 to actually get a finished copy of Lore. My retelling-loving soul needs this book now! I have to know what’s going to happen next! I have no doubt that this is going to make my top books for 2021.

Thousands of years ago, nine gods—Athena, Artemis, Poseidon, Dionysus, Apollo, Hermes, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Ares—staged a failed revolution against Zeus. As punishment, they are doomed to face the Agon every seven years: they will walk the earth as mortals, and if they’re killed by a hunter, they forfeit their immortality.

In present day Manhattan; we follow Lore, a young woman who fights as an underground fighter to cope after the loss of Iris, a woman who was like a grandmother to her. With the past slaughter of her family and the being the last mortal living member of The House of Perseus, she carries a great deal on her shoulders. But when a ghost of a familiar face brings her a warning during one of her fights and she comes home to one of the nine gods waiting for her, Lore will be thrust back into a ruthless world she longed to escape and has no desire to return to. That is… until an offer is made that she can’t resist.

“I will kill the false Ares in you name… If you swear you will aid me… If you vow to bind your fate to mine…”

Let’s just get this out of the way. The intense screeching that took place while reading this chapter sampler. I love mythology and I love it even more when, it’s not only a retelling, but actually done well! Just from the little bit that we receive in this chapter sampler, I’m excited and head of heels. Also, when I say this is a retelling, I’m not kidding when I say this is a Medusa retelling. Yes, that’s right, Medusa retelling! Medusa is such an underrated monster of Greek mythology. She may be one of the most famous monsters from Greek mythology, but we don’t see enough of her in fantasy novels. So I’m really excited to see more authors giving her some spotlight especially with the way the author is choosing to retell Medusa’s story.

This is only a six chapter sampler and it’s such a fast paced read. You can tell that this book is going to be fast paced from all the action, the little details that can really make a scene unforgettable, and the way the mythological tidbits come into play. I’m incredibly excited to get a finished copy of this book, to read my first work by Alexandra Bracken, and to see how this Medusa retelling is spun. And before I forget, so far we have several BIPOC characters that have been introduced, one of whom is gay and of South Korean descent. Miles is Lore’s best friend, a pure cinnamon roll, has such a contrast in personality compared to Lore’s intense personality, and is probably going to play a much larger role in this story.

“You can gain immortality by becoming a god, but you can also gain it through glory. Kleos is the honor that comes from becoming a legend—someone others keep alive through stories and songs. Your body can die, but your name will live forever.”

Overall, I’m truly excited for this release and I can’t wait to explore this story further, to watch it unfold. And I’m excited to see how Miles will bloom and grow in this story, as well. As a novice to Bracken’s work, I can’t wait to experience her writing style and knowledge of Greek mythology to deliver us a captivating tale. My soul is ready for 2021 to be here to deliver this release. And if you have the opportunity to read the chapter sampler, definitely give it a chance because it hooked me from the very first page! My biggest prediction, this is going to be my top book for 2021. There, I said it and it’s out in the universe now! Now the wait begins!

The quotes above were taken from a chapter sampler and are subject to change upon publication.

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