Do you know that feeling you get when you throw on your favorite pajamas? The way they fit you just right. Their comfy-ness envelopes you and you know exactly what to expect from them?
I feel that way about authors sometimes. (As a matter of fact I can pretty much sum most authors up by comparing them to different types of sleepwear. Which might actually say more about ME than those I’m referring to.)
You have NEW authors: They fit just a little too tight, and the tag rubs a hole in your neck. But…a few adjustments, one or two additional dryer sheets thrown in for good measure and you are golden.
You have the dreaded Pretentious authors: They look fantastic when someone stumbles upon them, but you know the fabric is gonna be itchy and chances are your sleep is going to suffer.
And then you have your FAVORITE authors: The ones that always seem to make you feel cozy…bring a smile to your face.
Kendare Blake LIVES in favorite pajama land (or at least she does for me.)
Originally captivated by her ability to beautifully spew prosaic horror across the pages of her debut novel (Anna Dressed In Blood) I have (in the last year) morphed into to something of a Blake fangirl. Why? Because despite her colossal jump in sub-genres (horror to greek mytho) she has managed to maintain the integrity of her writing roots (aka she holds nothing back…graphically speaking.) Blake is not a coddler. I’m not even certain she knows what sugar IS, so the chances of her coating the plot with it is as likely as a polar bear dying it’s hair pink. (Which, for the record, I would pay cold hard cash to see.) Her brusk, no-nonsense way of describing difficult scenarios (inside her work) is what makes her novels stand apart from others in her genre, and ultimately keep me coming back.
But…I’m getting ahead of myself. Why don’t we find out what “Antigoddess” is all about before I break out into song about it.
Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.
Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.
These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.
Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.
Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.
The Goddess War is about to begin.
Fangirl freakout aside, I will admit that “Antigoddess” took me a little longer to “like” than Blake’s previous work. Not for quality (or even plot) reasons, but rather for it’s complexity. And by complexity I mean the fact that every character has (not only a present) but a very (VERY) extensive past. Add in the fact that several of the characters have multiple personalities (think reincarnation, not schizophrenia) and what you have is a book chalked full of he said, she said grudge matches.
It also doesn’t help that the reasons behind the “impending death” (which is the crux of the entire plot) are never really clear. There are hints and speculation, but the actual reasoning behind the God’s chacking on their own feathers (or turning into the world’s longest piece of beef jerky) are never revealed. To some (like me) holding this little secret back is a brilliant way to build future suspense. For everyone else…it might cause some involuntary hair pulling.
But all of these negatives (if they can be called that) take a backseat to “Antigoddess” as a whole. Because once you get past the fact that you aren’t going to know the ending by page 20, or finally figure out the rhythm of the characters, all that’s left is to discover the brilliantness that lies between its pages. AG is (in short form) a Saturday night smack down between all of the Greek Gods. (Yes, I mean ALL.) They have a HUGE problem, and instead of stepping up and helping each-other solve the problem, they act like the immortal butt faces they are and fight about it. Sides are chosen, buildings are exploded, and witches are sent to early graves. We are only privy to the inside information of one side of the fight for survival (Athena’s) but it is incredibly interesting. Especially when Athena starts doubting HERSELF. (Stupid cute boys!)
The history behind the Gods is presented in a truly entertaining fashion (as to not drag down the story) and the plot is full speed ahead from page one. (Which means it is an incredibly quick read.) Overall…I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
So if graphically detailed, rage filled immortals on an impossible mission sounds like something you might enjoy…this is definitely the book for you.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: just because someone has been alive for a million years it doesn’t mean their brain has gotten any bigger.
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| Overall: | 4 |
