The Last Greek Story

Lore by Alexandra Bracken: A Book Review

Genre: Fantasy

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Bracken writes a story where the Greek Gods were kicked out of Olympus and made mortal by Zeus due to them abusing their power. To make his point even more efficient, Zeus created a game for his favorite warriors/heroes, in that they were then tasked with hunting the once gods and kill them in order to gain that god’s power and immortality for 7 years only to then be hunted for a week after those 7 years are completed. Lore (the main character) and her friends, tired of blood and killing, want to end the cycle, especially since the new “Ares” is (in every sense of the word) evil.

Overall, it is a nice story. I did really enjoy the main cast. Lore was actually pretty awesome of a character as well as Castor. I really enjoyed the vibe between them. Lore was very hands-on bad ass, while Castor seemed more mellow and along with the flow – while also being a bad ass when needed. Castor is described as what I actually would think Apollo would look like. Miles and Van were cool. I so called them. From the minute both were in the same scene I was like – these two like each other. I also really liked how Bracken didn’t shove their relationship in the reader’s face, but rather worked it into the story to show it naturally. It helped make them more likeable and root for the relationship to the point that by the climax of the relationship the reader does a mental fist pump for them. I did not see the twist coming with Athena, but rereading it, the twist is so obvious it’s slightly embarrassing to me that I did not see it.

That said, the Greek words were slightly confusing and jarring to the story, especially since most of the time I felt the need to translate the sayings or look up the words. While I understand Bracken wanting to be mythologically correct, the Greek words and special weapon names were not needed. I also think that the “new” gods names were also unneeded, confusing, and annoying. Honestly, I think it would have been okay if the names made sense, but the names are so stupid. I get wanting to be called something different, but the new Poseidon choosing the name “Tidebringer”? What kind of name is Tidebringer? Why not Mira or Cordelia? Mira means admirable; peace; female ruler; ocean. Cordelia means daughter of the sea. Both are actual names relating to the sea and make more sense to call someone rather than Tidebringer or The Revealer. In fact, Tidebringer and The Revealer sound more like stage names or stripper names rather than gods.

I am also slightly confused on the ending. Is the cycle broken then? Does everyone know that the cycle is broken? Does everyone know that there are no more gods? I feel like there were more loose ends that should have been tied regarding the end of the cycle.

“An oath was, after all, a curse you place on yourself”

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Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

The Apollo Trials by Rick Riordan

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Plot:	8 / 10
Characters:	10 / 10
Writing:	10 / 10
Editor:	9 / 10
Total	37 / 40

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