Thursday, September 5, 2013

{Book Review & Giveaway} Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Title: Goddess
Series: Starcrossed #3
Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 28, 2013


Blurb:

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.


Inhales deeply and releases! Step one to overcoming LBS, AKA... Last Book Syndrome, has commenced, and boy did I pick the right book to begin the endings with. The Starcrossed Trilogy is everything Greek Mythology should be--passionate, twisted, tabooed, a perverse game board for the Olympus Twelve, and Goddess upped ratcheted up the action, the deceit, brought on some new players and pitted the Scions against the each other, forcing what could be an apocalyptic war.

In my humble opinion, Dreamless suffered from sophomore book syndrome, though all the information is useful and important to this trilogy. I think it just pulled my heart in so many directions it made me anxty, throughout the whole damn thing. 

Now Goddess, I continually made notes so I wouldn't forget all the things I wanted to talk about. And man there are just so many. The book starts right where Dreamless leaves off, Zach is dead and he's left his trusty ancient dagger with Matt? Immediately I needed to know what that meant. But apparently my immediately and Ms. Angelini's immediately are two different things. Then Matt's body begins to fill out and not just in a "eh, he's growing up" way. The Delos' start looking at him differently, wondering what's going on. They'll soon find out.

Helen, Ariadne, Jason, Lucas, and Orion are still recovering from the battle in which Helen, Orion and Lucas, not only sent Ares to Tartarus, but by becoming blood brothers, they combined the House of Thebes (founded by Apollo), the House of Rome (founded by Aphrodite), the House of Athens (founded by Poseidon), and the House of Atreus (founded by Zeus). This is the event in which the prophecy states that the Tyrant will be formed. A person who possesses powers from all four houses. This person is thought to be absolute power, and "absolute power corrupts absolutely." The Tyrant is to be killed.

Just a snippet of the prophecy:

The time has come. The children must overthrow the parents--or be devoured by them.
The Hero
The Lover
The Shield
The Tyrant--have taken the stage.
The Warrior waits in the wings, the last to join the battle.
The Tyrant shall rise up with power unlimited. On one choice will the fate of all be decided.

So, as you read through the prophecy, think about who you might place in those roles. Some, might be obvious, but others not so much.

One interesting twist that I absolutely loved is the Fates recast the characters from Helen of Troy until the actual outcome of the battle at Troy happens; therefore, there are a handful of Scions who look exactly like the gods who fought the battle. These Scions are meant to eventually replace the gods they resemble. It's such a cool angle and I feel sure my description is lacking, but I loved it anyway. 

Then we have the Oracle, Cassandra. She's found a way to keep the Fates from prophesying through her and she may also be falling in just a little bit of love. This made me happy, because I hated seeing Cassie suffer so much. Those Fates are a bitch sometimes.

Overall, I loved the trip Josephine took me on. I loved how she twisted the mythology but managed to keep the same overall theme throughout the story. Balance is a must and the Tyrant's power must be checked, and it will be. I fell in love with all the characters in book one, hated a few in book two, then fell right back in love with them in book three. Some lived, some died, some were tricked and trapped for eternity.

My emotions flew all over the map: I cried when Helen realized her true heart, I laughed for joy when Cassandra realized she actually had choices, I cried again when beloved heroes died, and rejoiced for those who lived. My heart truly ached at the connived deceit between friends and family. But in the end, Josephine left me with an ending I can handle, maybe even love just a little... or more than chocolate!!!

A Couple of My Favorite Quotes:

"The prophecy has been fulfilled. The Houses are one, Helen." Hades took her hands between both of his, cradling them in warmth. "You will raise Atlantis, or Avalon, or Helena--whatever you wish to call it--and once your world is made you can decide who may enter, who must stay or go, and how each inhabitant experiences your land. It really is all up to you." - Page 135
That's the thing about walls, Matt thought. The men on either side of them sometimes have nearly everything in common--except for the one detail that they are willing to kill each other over. - Page 220
~Kristin A


****MINOR SPOILER ALERT, BUT GIVEAWAY TIME****

We find out through Hades that Helen is not only a Descender, but a Worldbuilder. When she descends, she may create her own world. It may look however she wants it to look and she controls this world. She makes the rules as to who enters it's borders and if they may exit. Will they return to the real world as an Immortal, or simply as they were. Is her world a place for warriors who've fought a good battle, or friends she plans to spend eternity with, or maybe something else completely?

What I want to know is this: If you could create your own world, meant for the afterlife - good or bad, what would you create? What would it look like? What would your rules for entrance be? Would it be to extract revenge or reward a well-lived life. Be creative, imagine you were a Greek god and think how they think... if that's even possible. Jot down you answer in a blog post, put it in a Facebook post, tweet it, or simply put it in the comment section. I'll pick a winner on September, Friday the 13th... to reverse all that bad luck and stuff.


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9 comments:

  1. I'm really a simple person. If I were to create an afterlife, I really would resemble it to my vision of heaven with God. I know it's fun to read about angst and drama, but when I get to the afterlife, I want drama-free, peace, love, and understanding. I'll be surrounded by loved ones and others whom I've never met but will share a kindred spirit with. Now getting to that afterlife will take it's fair share of crazy, but once I get there, let's leave the crazy behind :)

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  2. I'd create a world where all my friends and family would be present with me.

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  3. If I were to create my own version of afterlife, I think I would re-create a version of Dante's Inferno. I know that's crazy cruel but I am thinking of a karma-like afterlife where people get the justice they deserve. If you've done more good than harm while your still alive, you won't be stuck in cruelty and move on to a better version.

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  4. I'd create a world where all my friends and family would be present with me.

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  5. If I were able to create my own afterlife, I would have a heaven-esque place where people who are genuinely good at heart will never want for anything, they can be happy together in paradise. For the not so good and the awful, I'd want an underworld with a level for the "not so bad" so they don't suffer much. But the people like murderers and abusers would each have their own personal cells where they'd suffer a fate to match their crime.

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  6. That's an amazing question I would want my afterlife place to be a reward for a life well-lived but not one that wouldn't forgive mistakes. I think if we could weigh intentions and balance good with bad, it would be enough to enter, like a case by case admittance. LOL It would be paradise but each person would have a room they could go to that would be their space, their idea of perfect bliss and they could visit it and stay there as much as they wanted.

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  7. Definitely some kind of warm island, lots of trees and everything I need to just relax.

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  8. I'd have to create an after-life that gives peace. It would be whatever you needed it to be. Your safe place or sanctuary.I don't know how I'd judge who was worthy to be admitted. No-one is perfect after all.

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  9. Not entering since I read the book, but great review. I liked Dreamless -- but I know a lot of people felt the way you did. And I agree that this was a good ending to the trilogy!
    Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics

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