Lore, upcoming release from best-selling author Alexandra Bracken (you may know her from The Darkest Minds) takes advantage of the mythology craze and brings you another tale of the Greek pantheon of gods in our modern world. The trend has ridden the coat-tales of the Percy Jackson phenomenon, but this book is different than the many other pretenders.
The Greek gods have been cursed, and every seven years their godhood is stripped from them, and for one week, they are forced to walk the mortal world, vulnerable. If one of the mortal hunters kill a god, they take on that god’s power. There are few of the original gods left, and the hunters are not merciful. This is the Agon, a bloodthirsty trial of endurance and cunning. The hunters are a few families, descendants of great heroes, each vying for the chance to bring honor to their house, whether through battle or ascension to godhood.
Lore is busy prize-fighting, taking the edge off some grief, when an old friend stumbles into her path, an old friend who should be dead. Warned that her life is in danger, Lore half-heartedly plans to skip town before she and her housemate find a goddess lying in wait for them.
Lore is offered a choice: she can walk away from the world she’s been hiding from, or she can get the vengeance she has long desired. She can leave New York, where the battle has already begun, or she can stand her ground. If she can live through the next seven days, she might be able to discover the truth of what happened seven years ago, at the end of the last Agon. But the choice stands before her: will she pursue vengeance, or peace?
Lore is a great character, and her voice is refreshing. She wants to leave a world that has taken everything from her, but she also feels responsible for righting the injustices that have befallen her. She’s not a chosen one, she’s just trying to survive. She is a unique character the likes of which I haven’t seen in a while. Lore isn’t just a badass, nor is she firmly in damsel territory. Her moral compass isn’t fixed, but she values her humanity above all else. The secondary characters are all well-defined and have their own unique perspectives on the world they have been thrust into. The book is surprisingly romantic, despite the bloodshed, and will leave readers hungry for more. It’s an exciting story that can’t come out soon enough.
Lore has the expected publication date of January 5, 2020. The reviewer was provided an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. It can be purchased wherever books are sold, or borrowed from your local library. If you would like to buy it from Amazon, you can do so using our affiliate link.
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