Books about Greek mythology are in abundance and always will be. We are fascinated by the ancient stories and with powerful gods walking on earth. Alexandra Bracken takes it a notch further in her novel Lore and asks the question “What if the Gods were mortal for a week?”
Lore: Summary
Lore is trying to escape her past and the Agon world but it won’t let her. She gets dragged back into the Agon, a week where gods are mortal and whoever kills them gets their power. Lore’s family was murdered by a rival god and faction. Now, when revenge finds her, Lore gives in to her desires to kill the one that killed her family.
But it is not that simple. Her family is the weakest clan since they are the last surviving members of the Perseus sect. Lore has a secret that one of the opposing gods wants to know. It doesn’t help that he is killing all the other gods and planning to be named the victor of the Agon.
It is up to Lore and her friends to stop the killings and the enemies plan. But they are outnumbered and outpowered. Lore does have the god of war Athena on her side. But her solution to everything is with violence, the same life Lore tried to escape from. Now, the fate of New York City and the world is in her hands.
Commentary
This book is a wild ride and in a good way. Bracken merges Greek mythology, the 21st century, and New York City. And it works brilliantly. The fights are great and the inner character conflicts carry the novel. The fact that I can’t compare it to another novel is a compliment in itself. But if I had to choose, I would say this novel is the Percy Jackson series on steroids.
Bracken touches on a lot of interesting conflicts and commentates on the flaws of Greek mythology. You can like something and still see the problems it has and Bracken does just that. Choosing Lore, a female protagonist, is her reply to some of those flaws.
Conclusion
I would put this novel on top of a lot of people’s recommendations. Bracken is a wonderful storyteller and I expect a lot of brilliant novels from her. This novel will definitely make the top of my Greek mythology recommendations.