Neon Gods by Katee Robert: A Book Review
Genre: Romance
Robert starts her Dark Olympus series with everyone’s favorite mythology couple, Hades and Persephone. A modern retelling, Robert sets the scene by putting our beloved characters into the city of Olympus – a city somewhere in the United States. Cut in half by the River Styx, there is the main part of Olympus and the “Underworld”. While strong in the romance aspect, the world-building Robert has does not make much sense and leaves a lot of holes to be covered.
Rather than gods, the thirteen main gods of Greek Mythology (Zeus, Posideon, Hades, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Dionysus, Ares, Hephaestus, and Artemis) are job titles and positions that make up something like a council for the city. From these we know that the Demeter positions are voted in (which implies the others aren’t) and that the Zeus, Posideion, and Hades jobs are legacy positions in which sons inherit the title from their father. We also know that the Hera position is connected to the Zeus position by marriage meaning that whoever marries Zeus is Hera. Frankly, while I think I understand what Robert was doing, the concept put out offers too many questions to just lie still. Why are there these roles? Why use these titles? What caused this city to be run like this? The answer being that its based on the Greek myth is not good enough here. Honestly, I think making them all legacy roles would make more sense. Then the Zeus role could be the head position or one that they are all scared of, the Hades role could be the one that butts heads with him, etc.
From that though, the question is raised further of how Olympus became to be raised by it – especially since it was run like this since Greece (again which made no sense). It is also supposed to be in the United States of America… so shouldn’t the city have an outside influence due to American laws and culture? Instead, Robert puts in that the city cannot just be left and offers no outside influence available.
Personally, I theorize that Robert started out with the novel having magical qualities. In this theory, the gods are still gods, Olympus is in a different relam outside of the mortal one (that can still be accessed), and the myth is basically intact except for Persephone not running away. I think rather than titles they are just the names of the people. Hera could still be deceased and Zeus may want Persephone to marry him – but it would not change the fact that Persephone has her own powers. HOWEVER, I think that would make the story more into that of Lore Olympus which was launched in 2017 on Tumblr and WEBTOON. Given the time gap, Robert needed to make her story different to either 1. Stand out more or 2. Not be seen as plagerizing the work.
Either way, Robert was unable to follow through the the substance needed to hold a good story. All that she really gave us as readers is some kinky sex scenes and a romance lovers love story. It may have had some potentional, but Robert did not deliver.
Who would most enjoy the work and who should stay clear (if necessary):
Enjoy:
- Greek Mythology
- Grumpy/sunshine trope
- Kinky sex scenes on par with 50 Shades
Stay Clear:
- Embarrassed easily
- Read for a story rather than pure romance
- Plot Holes are your worst nightmare
Other books like the one reviewed:
50 Shades of Gray by E. L. James
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton
Praise by Sara Cate
Promises and Pomegrantes by Sav. R. Miller
Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
| Plot: | 6.5 / 10 |
| Characters: | 9 / 10 |
| Writing: | 8 / 10 |
| Editor: | 8 / 10 |
| Total | 31.5 / 40 |
Title: Neon Gods
Author: Katee Robert
Edition: print/ paperback
Published: 2021
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 9781728231730
If you want to get it: Amazon; Barnes&Noble
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