User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
this story is basically the entire percy jackson series and all the greek myths squeezed into one book.
obviously, i approve. lol.
this is a really entertaining story and i think readers who enjoy quest-based plots will have a lot of fun with it. i really enjoyed how this shows the fickle, almost cruel, nature of the gods. their characters arent downplayed at all and i found the unsoftened portrayal of them to be refreshing. i think it helps that daphne is a total boss and can hold her own against them.
overall, this is a riveting adventure story, full of myths and legends, heroes and villains, gods and mortals. and its only the first book! this series is going to be a wild ride.
↠ 4.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
~Special thanks to Netgalley and Jimmy Patterson Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!~
When you find a book that you actually like, and you just stand there.
Bamboozled.
-Booksy, 2021I can honestly say, I squealed for about five minutes after having found out that they actually let me read this.Rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 4.7 awestruck stabby stabby fwends
I need Dr. Booksy to take the floor now because Booksy is crying in pain as to why this had to end.
*cleans glasses*
*clears throat aggressively*
*adopts a British accent*
Known data: Booksy willingly chose to keep this book in the 'Currently Reading' pile, for about three days.
Unknown data: What the heck did she try to accomplish??? Three days later, she's still a mess.
Hypothesis: Booksy needs help.
This book was without a doubt, a blessing. It was such an extremely enthralling story, filled with gripping action that left my 3 am self (welcome back, my love) in a state of shock. Apart from that, of course, I must mention that I gasped in horror/betrayed/heartbroken/YASS GIRL about six thousand and twelve times, because UM HOW COULD I NOT. (Dr. Booksy is a guest, not the driver. All caps belong to Booksy. Forgive her intrusion) The book obviously had some things I disliked, but they are so little and so rarely present, I dare not take it out from Why Did This Happen Arsenal. Ha! Smart being, 'tis I.
The lack of actual want to do other things besides, sleep, cry and eat, have forced me to actually sit my butt down and write this.
The writing , y'all. It was splendid and so very delicious. Forget about a snack, it was a whole MEAL. I had a CRUSH on this writing. I was MARRIED to it. You get it, right? The descriptions were exquisite, the way certain things were handled, like the pace, and feel of the story were staggeringly amazing. And best of all? I remember none of the, 'Not like other girls'. You want to know why? Because GUESS WHAT! All of the female species found in between the pages of this story actually had a certain degree of personality and vigor to do something else than just be present. Which as you know, I absolutely adore. What else can I say about the writing... hmmm... oh! I NEED MORE OF IT.
So, let's talk a bit about
the plot. Oh, how I wish I COULD SPOIL, DANG IT.
It was so astoundingly well-thought-out. The way it all started, from beginning to oh so bittersweet end, left me craving for more. And not because I NEEDED more, regarding the details and such. But because I NEEDED AND WANTED MORE. All the little clues, and masterfully placed questions and intriguing conclusions. I couldn't believe what I was reading- a book with an actual PLOT. The twists and descriptions left my heart feeling full, forgetting the fact that I do not have one. A heart, that is. All the things had a purpose, which I loved and had actual meaningfulness to the story. Picture this, try not to breathe for two hours. That's how it felt. And no, I don't mean in Basic YA Breath Holding. That's another topic for another time.
Next on, because if I stay too long in a section, I'll somehow convince myself to 'take a break' and return in 'five minutes'. Y'all KNOW those five minutes feel like three and turn out to be five hours at the end of the day. Pfft, I don't know how I've survived this long without getting sued for Endangerment to Productive Beings.
The characters. My PEOPLE, the characters were so GOOD! I was annoyed and feeling like I had been smack down with a truck at the same time, because of how surprised and flabbergasted they made me feel. Well, most of the characters, of course. We can't have it all, it's against the rules of Life.
I was stupid enough to google
Daphne (who is the MC , by the way ) and basically decided to read her whole life history. Which included spoilers. LOTS OF DANG SPOILERS. So yes, I would recommend not doing that. The crushing sense of disappointment that will invade your soul afterwards, will taste like your parent's stories of when they were young and literally had to walk across the Pacific Ocean to get to school. *sigh* That makes incredible SeNsE, naturally. You know what WASN'T natural? How an amazing MC this girl turned out to be. See, I am sure all of you have experienced a certain satisfaction when the main character in a novel (be it YA or otherwise) actually has a spine and is willingly to pull it out and use it as a sword to cut people's heads off. Metaphorically, obviously. Unless you count this girl, I don't think the word 'metaphorically' existed in her vocabulary. And oh my goodness, did I LOVE it. Since it is an ARC, I'm not going to be able to quote this wonderful human being, so I'll have to deal with describing her in three words.
1.) Warrior
2.) Slightly arrogant (with reason, because, COME ON)
3.) Stabby
The rest of the cast characters were wonderful in their utmost detailing (Dr. Booksy is slightly drunk on chocolate). It was full of color, and flamboyant sarcasm. For which I live for. Again, I cannot delve in too much into each and every one. So I'll just state the following: All of them were well constructed, all of them had a story, also, ALLL of them were a LOT of characters. I advise you to keep a mental notebook handy and Wikipedia ready to be googled. Oh! And don't forget, THERE ARE GODS AND MYTHOLOGY AND GOSH DARNIT I NEEDED MORE. Alas, I will never be satisfied, satisfied, satisfieeeeddd. *smirk*
The romance was good. No, it was GREAT.
Why? Because it was barely present. *smile like nobody is out for you*
I suggest that if you're looking for something that will make your toes curl (and not because of all the action. Although those are the best) would very honestly advise you to find another book slightly more... romantically focused. Don't get me wrong, it was sweet and swoony, and cute, and bloody (don't mind that last one). But it isn't anything to make your nonexistent heart go for a run. Scratch that, sometimes it went for a sprint. With a rain shower nearby to cool down.
On a closing note , the action was a palpable delight, the characters were a whole buffet and of course, the whole story was amazing from start to wonderful finale. Did it have flaws? Yes, and I don't mean the grammar or anything. But I think that in the mood I was in when I read this, that specific subject was not of importance to me. The book actually lived up to the hype which I'll forever be grateful for.
I just realized y'all.
IT ACTUALLY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE.
I recommend this to people whose expectations have slightly lowered but are still sky-high (if that makes sense) and actually want to enjoy their next read. If you're not a fan of an overly enthusiastic fast-paced book, then um... maybe don't read this. Also, if you actually have plans before reading this book, please cancel them. It will help your mental facilities to cope.
I think.
Although I never have plans, since I'm extremely antisocial and socially awkwar-
Disclaimer: Any and all opinions said up there are my own, and please feel free to call me out for any errors or any offensive comments, so I can get right on it and get it fixed!
P.S:
The mythology . I need a moment.
I have no clue whether it was accurate nor if it had misconceptions, but really? I'm just glad it wasn't boring. I can't with this.
I literally can't.
*fans mascara less puny eyelashes*
It was so beautifully crafted, and I got flustered on multiple occasions because of how much I enjoyed reading about it. Now, I'll go compulsively add mythology books to my TBR, thank you very much-
Oh! AND THANK YOU FOR READING THIS, SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU.
It's been a looong while since I've sounded so optimistic during a review. It's creeping me out.
------------------------Previous Review------------------
Your ARC for Daughter of Sparta has been acceptedPublishers:
Me:
Rating: really liked it
One of my most anticipated releases for 2021 and I have to say that it was a disappointment :(
I'm a sucker for Greek Mythology. Even more so for enemies-to-lovers, so when I heard that
Daughter of Sparta included both of which I loved -- well to say that I was excited is an understatement. Unfortunately these high expectations I had were not met *depressed*
“You think we gods play such petty games with our powers, but they are nothing compared to the games mortals would play with just a small fraction of them.”
Daphne and her brothers have always been considered as outcasts in the face of the Spartans. Longing to be accepted by her people, Daphne will do anything for them despite how they've treated her.
When an encounter with Artemis leads Daphne to find out that her brother has been cursed, she'll have to go on a mission to do Artemis's bidding lest she lose her brother forever. But of course, Artemis is oh so kind enough to offer the help of her very own brother
the irony, the one and only,
Apollo.
And so the journey begins with Daphne and Apollo travelling around places to retrieve the items Artemis has demanded for -- and whether or not Daphne is able to get them... well the fate of the world rests in her hands, no pressure at all.
It sounds really interesting, right? Especially having a god as a companion?? And not just any god, but Apollo??? Yeah... I wish I could say it was done amazingly.
Idk maybe I just have the worst attention span known to humanity but I kept putting the book down and doing other things. Like I didn't really care enough to read the book and was quite bored a lot of the time. And it's funny because there's like
a lot of action but I just wasn't invested enough?? It was all pretty underwhelming :/
"Good strategy is a matter of perspective. One is only strong as the other is weak."
The characters were pretty amazing though. The way Daphne spoke in such a sophisticated way omg so many good quotes coming from her. And she's arrogant but not in the annoying way. I love Daphne's strength and her love for her people
even though they treat her terribly And the way the author doesn't stress the fact that she's nOt LiKe OtHeR gIrLs because of her powers and mission. My respect📈
Apollo was... Apollo. Nothing new there of course. His charming personality had me swooning at times but also I was distrustful of him throughout the whole book... so that definitely didn't have me loving him. The side characters I adored -- Lykou and Theseus were really fun and sweet, although I didn't really hold much of an attachment for the two. Honestly, none of the characters had me with the
"I would die for them" feeling which is pretty sad but oh well.
I really liked Daphne and Apollo as individuals but to be honest, I didn't really ship them... like their bantering was perfect and hilarious but I just cannot ship the two because my mind kept thinking of all the ways Apollo might be playing with her feelings or something since he's, you know, a god -- and as they say, never trust the Greek Gods👀
The romance in general wasn't really a huge focus. It was all on Daphne's journey to rescue the Muses and her character growth throughout the story. I wouldn't even have been able to enjoy the romance much anyways considering how suspicious I was of Apollo lol.
Okay, also something I've noticed for a long time in literally every Greek mythology book I've read-
🛑!!spoilers below!!🛑Why oh why is the villain always Ares. Like I'm not even surprised anymore when a character says "There's a traitor in Olympus" -- like please don't even bother saying that when I already know it's going to be Ares. And of course that's literally what happened here🤡 Poor Ares, always being picked on and turned into the villain🥺 Like I get why it makes sense that Ares would be the villain in novels but like?? CHOOSE ANOTHER GOD. It's not even a mystery anymore😭 It's so old. I'd love for the villain to be someone I'd least expect, just please
And Theseus's death was so underwhelming💀 I only found him slightly interesting but I didn't care much for him, so his death was not really sad.
Oh but the way Apollo got rejected by Daphne in the end has me wheezing I can't it's too funny omg. GO DAPHNE BAHAHA
🛑!!spoilers end!!🛑Anyway, I do feel like I was slightly scammed by that synopsis because I mean?? Reading the blurb had me so hyped, and the book really had so much potential but just the execution fell flat for me.
Also I can't believe this was actually going to only be a standalone at first with that ending?? Thankfully there's going to be another book. I just hope I enjoy it much more than this.
____
Pre-read Review: Apollo as a love interest is something i never knew i needed in my life🥺🥺
Rating: really liked it
Did somebody say...
SPARTA and FEMALE WARRIORS and GREEK GODS and ENEMIES TO LOVERS???
*punches TBR button with fist*
Rating: really liked it
Before I start with the review, please know I'm at the bottom of the caste when it comes to Greek mythology because let's be real: I barely hark back my full history, and what makes you think I have the full idea of other culture's myths in my brain
(but there's always Google so all is cool) "A threat to you is a threat to me, kataigida"
Daughter of Sparta is a reinterpretation of Daphne and Apollo, transforming what has historically been male-dominated mythology into a thrilling and inspiring female-led adventure. Therefore, if you enjoy Greek mythology or Percy Jackson, I'm placing my bet that this novel will not disappoint. Emily Andrews breathed fresh life into Daphne and Apollo, transforming their dismal fate into something more favorable and fascinating.
If I have to describe this book in a word, it would be:
PACKED , and pack it is with actions, emotions, thrills, and adventure. Treated as misfits in Sparta, Daphne and her brothers struggle to acquire the honor of being true Spartans and so the Agon in the Carneia was supposed to bring their family honor and glory. But when Daphne's brother fails to show up for the race, Daphne had to step in and what was supposed to be a simple race ends up bringing down Daphne's brother, the gods, Olympus, and the entire universe. Now Daphne had to be on a quest to retrieve the nine stolen treasures from Mount Olympus and restore their abilities.
From the first chapters, Daphne's sense of alienation and of not being fully accepted by the Spartans is palpable, and her desire to belong fuels many of her actions. Daphne is a determined and remarkable fighter with a touch of latent magic who never hesitates to plunge herself headfirst into danger, and I like this shift of narrative. Women in Greece did not have many rights, albeit Sparta was an exception. Daphne as a strong warrior rather than a hapless damsel in distress added to the plot's appeal.
After making digging into Daphne and Apollo's story, there seems to be devoid of anecdote and they are often tragic and melancholic. However, this does not appear to be the case with Andrew's Daphne and Apollo. Apart from Daphne's dogged determination, we could also see Apollo's willingness to make up for one of his careless pasts. Despite their initial disagreements and a few disputes, we see them learn to know each other and connect along their voyage. Like, the basic bitch in me always screams for Hades and Persephone, but maybe I will consider Daphne and Apollo from now on ✨
My favorite part of this book? Definitely, the side characters. With Lykou and Theseus in the picture, this book almost promised the found family trope (view spoiler)
[(I'm just sad that Theseus did not make it to the end) (hide spoiler)]. I love the pairing and the dynamic between each of them — Daphne and Lykou's friendship (despite the hint of potential romance in the beginning), Apollo and Theseus' funny bromance, and Apollo and Theseus love-hate relationship. The main squad in this are wildly different, with each one facing their challenges and bringing their own thing to the collective table of would-be heroes. The author took care of them so the readers would have the full experience of Daphne's journey.
Be that as it may, considering my lack of foundation in this myth, it is unavoidable that I would struggle a little. This novel has a vast cast, and the author throws the reader right into the middle of the action from the first page, regularly utilizing Greek phrases and mentioning characters from other myths. But again, no worries, because we always have Google, so it's fine but the point remains that it can get perplexing through times.
And as much as I found the plot entertaining, and while I enjoyed the quest Daphne was sent on, I felt that the story could have benefited from less action and more character development for Daphne and Apollo. We love a full pack of action books, but I can't help being the character-driven person that I am. I see the growth, there is a backstory as well but I know it could be balanced out better.
Regardless, this book is still amazing as it is. I did not put much expectation when I see one of my friends being quite disappointed by it but I was pleasantly pleased by how quickly this book drew me in. Andrews weaves a true-to-mythology portrait of the gods that are both truthful and charming, in a sense that the gods are less than perfect and, at times, less than benign. The ending was so fitting and it kind of gives you the same sense as the original Daphne and Apollo, but with a glimmer of hope for something more in the next installment.
Rating: really liked it
Spartans don’t fear death. Death fears them.
✅ Mythology / Gods
✅ Action
✅ Plot
✅ Fast pace
✅ Kickass main character
🆗 Hate-to-love (kind of) / Romance
Daphne is a young woman living with her two brothers and adoptive parents in Sparta. She is not seen as a true Spartan, however, and will forever remain a
mothakes, a non-spartan who is not allowed as many liberties as true-spartans are. Daphne spent her life training and fighting, hoping to one day be seen as something more than a mothakes. When she has the opportunity to take her brother's place in a ceremonial race to catch a stag and bring the gods favor and good harvest to the land, she decides to go with it, hoping that she might gain status and recognition, but little does she know her life is about to change drastically.
The gods are just and cruel, beloved and feared. Ligeia insists that the gods are so merciless because they love us, that they only want us to better ourselves. I believe it’s because the gods are envious of us. They will never understand the beauty of watching the day pass and knowing that it could perhaps be your last. They will never experience the bitter taste of fear as it floods your senses or the sometimes bittersweet ache of pain. They also fear us because they understand that whipped backs will always heal, and eventually, they will no longer bow.
At the behest of Artemis, and under the threat of never getting her brother back, Daphne is forced in a quest to recover mysterious items that were stolen from Olympus, but will thankfully have the help of Artemis's twin, the gorgeous Apollo. This book is full of action and ancient Greek myths and legends. It's fast-paced, and our heroes barely have the time to catch their breath before another problem appears. They are either fighting monsters or trying to escape them, solving riddles and battling gods. I have to admit that I am far from being an expert on Greek mythology, but I enjoyed the details of the Greek folklore that were weaved into the story, the author definitely knows her facts about Olympus and its inhabitants and a great deal of research has clearly gone into this book.
“You found pleasure in my pain! You enjoyed watching me fall!” I roared, darkness flooding my vision. “Now watch me rise!”
The story is told from Daphne's point of view, and I have to say that I loved her fiery personality. She is proud, strong, and stubborn, and she has quite a temper. She is also very determined and resilient, no matter how hard it gets or how much she wishes to go home and forget about the whole ordeal, she pushes through and emerges stronger than before. Apollo first appears as an arrogant (and sexy) god who can be quite a flirt, but he shows a more vulnerable and almost human side as the story progresses, which I liked.
“You should not have accepted his gift,” Apollo mutters, turning back to the horses.
“Why should I trust you and not him?”
“You should know better, Daphne, than to trust any of the gods.”
The kind of hate-to-love relationship between Daphne and Apollo was expected since this is a loose retelling of Apollo and Daphne's story, but I find that it lacked depth and development. Daphne was wary of Apollo, and with reason since gods are known to be cruel and to disregard human lives sometimes, but after that, I didn't really feel the change between them. Apollo was annoying Daphne, they went through a few adventures together, survived a few life-or-death situations, and suddenly they were kissing, she was feeling all giddy and he was professing his undying love for her... (view spoiler)
[I am actually happy that they don't end up together, I would have been disappointed if Daphne decided to just roll with it and remain with Apollo. (hide spoiler)]This is a great book for fans of mythology and YA. There is action, intrigue, a little bit of romance, and a powerful main character... I am going to read the next book for sure! 😁
On a side note... I had to brush up on my greek mythology while reading this book. Here is a crash course on what (or rather who) you need to know to better understand this book :
- Artemis and Apollo: twins, children of Zeus and the Titan Leto. Apollo is the god of music, poetry, light, prophecy, and medicine, and Artemis is the goddess of hunting.
- Ares: son of Zeus and Hera, god of war
- Hermes : son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia
- Demeter is the goddess of agriculture and fertility and the mother of Persephone.
- Minos: King of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa
- Pasiphae: immortal daughter of the sun god Helios and Perseis
- Ariadne: daughter of Minos and Pasiphae
- Minotaur: son of Pasiphae and the Cretan bull (although it seems as if he is the son of Pasiphae and Minos in the book? As I said, I am not an expert in greek mythology...)
- The Nine Muses are goddesses of the art and the sources of all knowledge. They are also the caretakers of Hesperides, the source of all the power of Olympus.
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Rating: really liked it
I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
- Ancient Greek setting
- Daphne on a quest
- Artemis, Apollo, etc
- The
GODS THEMSELVES, YAY!!!- And even better...
ENEMIES TO LOVERS!!!
Rating: really liked it
I might be a bit biased, but this book changed my life!
Rating: really liked it
this book has
ENEMIES TO LOVERS TO ENEMIES?!!!?!!!?
Rating: really liked it
I'm all here for Daphne spilling the
blood tea on the Greek gods.
Rating: really liked it
Rating ~2.5?
I really wanted to love this one, but sadly did not. I didn’t care for the romance and overall the events that took place just felt far too easy. It shouldn’t feel so easy to best the gods, who all the mortals claim to be so clever.
The greatest indicator that the book did not resonate with me is that I don’t feel all that compelled to pick up the sequel. Might I eventually pick it up? Possibly. But I’m not at the edge of my seat gearing up and eager to do so.
This book feels forgettable and in a sea of many books/series I hope to read, some of which are piling up on my bedroom floor, it’ll likely be lost and forgotten.
Rating: really liked it
3/5
Well that was rather disappointing:/
* spoilers for book below *
I feel like I shouldn’t be surprised with this, because one of my main issues with mythological Retellings are the fact I usually don’t like how the authors interpret it. I love the MCU’s interpretation of Norse Mythology and Madeline Miller’s Greek mythology Retellings, but I didn’t like this one. Perhaps it’s because it strayed a little too far from actual myths, or maybe because I flat out was bored.
The plot was so action packed it was overwhelming. It felt like everything and nothing happened at the same time 💀
Overall it was such a basic plot I was bored. What could have been a difficult quest for the Muses was in fact a simply easy one. Every challenge or villain was defeated. Daphne made a million convenient allies that always said ‘call for me when you need me most and I shall appear’ like ??????
Daphne was such a ~ not like other girls ~ trope. She was always talking about how she hated looking nice, fashion, romance, anything to do with femininity or just looking nice. She literally said ‘why need a dress when you can have a weapon’ like girl.
I hate when authors make their MCs seem tough by rejecting things like dresses or makeup or romance. Anyone can enjoy these things and still be badass! This is why I love Aelin from TOG so much. Bc she knows she is pretty, loves dresses and looking pretty, embraces her feminine side, while still being a total badass.
And beyond that, Daphne was just plain annoying. Her decisions were made in seconds and always right. Seriously?
Apollo was typical Apollo. Charming and all that. He wasn’t different from any other iteration of him I’ve seen. Minus the fact this one wasn’t actually charming in the least bit.
Theseus!! Oh I love him. He outside of this was one of the Greek mythological people I liked and this version of him wasn’t as good but enjoyable except how he died???? Like he doesn’t die that way in the actual stories. Anyways.
Why was Ares the villain yet again? It’s always him like can we please choose someone else. It’s either him or Hades made into the villains and it’s easy to guess and motives are always the same as well.
The romance was AWFUL so glad it wasn’t a large plot point. Not for me and it was just so bland and had zero chemistry whatsoever.
Overall the book was so underwhelming. Plot, characters and everything about it felt so surface level and bland. I won’t continue with this series bc I for one can’t see the Trojan war being interpreted by this author. I will keep Achilles and Patroclus’ tale to Madeline Miller only <3
Rating: really liked it
Daphne and Apollo is one of my favorite myths. This is definitely a fun reimagining of the classics. I don't know if this will be accuarate for everyone but it gave me the high action Xena vibes I missed from when I was a kid! Also, Apollo has my heart.
Rating: really liked it
I'm obviously going to read this because
Madeline Miller has given me a taste of Greek mythology that I just cannot turn away from.
Plus, female-led adventure? I'm in!
Who doesn't like a born-to-be-a-warrior female protagonist?
Rating: really liked it
DNF 51%
I might try this another time. It has everything I love, but for some reason I'm just not drawn to the characters.
