Lore by Alexandra Bracken

What happens when ancient Greek mythology meets modern day New York City?

First off, this is such a creative and innovative plot. To be able to take the popular, well known gods of Greek Mythology that we all studied at some point during our school years and make it fit into the 21st century is no small feat.

In a nutshell, there are houses that exist from the different family lines. Every seven years the Agon takes place. This is a seven day god hunt. Meaning that hunters, members of these houses (Kadmos, Odysseus, Perseus, etc), are able to hunt and kill existing gods (Athena, Ares, Artemis, etc.). If a hunter successfully kills a god, that hunter takes the god’s power and basically becomes that god reborn, without taking the god’s name. As a result, they now become the target for hunters. Rest assured. At this point there are not many original gods left.

Confused? I was at first. I totally get the concept of the story, but there were so many names and houses and titles that at the beginning of the book I struggled to keep them all straight. While there is so much depth and development in the story, crossing plotlines, and secrets of the past, the message is clear. Sometimes you just can’t change your fate.

Lore, Melora Perseous, is the last of her line since her parents and two little sisters were slaughtered seven years ago at the end of the last Agon. She has vowed to change the course of her life and, in the aftermath of the tragedy, she has successfully found a way to hide in New York City and is trying to create a life for herself outside of the mythological family drama. I don’t see how easy that could be when she is only now 17. Not sure how a 10 or 11 year old could be on their own. But, that is the magical world of fiction, and the fact that you just never know who the people really are that come into your life.

She is dragged back into the world of hunters and magic as the new Agon begins by her childhood friend Castor, who she believed was dead. Guess, this is the perfect time to start discussing the characters of the book. The majority of the focus is on the group of misfits that come together: Lore, Castor, Van (another childhood acquaintance and friend of Castor), and Miles, Lore's current roommate. They really couldn’t be more different.

I thoroughly enjoyed these differences, but at the same time there was something that prevented me from really connecting with them. Throughout all the life and death encounters they faced, I was never like “OMG, if Bracken kills this character I’m going to scream!” I would have been ok with whatever outcome came their way. Don’t worry, no spoilers here. However, I still have a favorite, Miles. 

He has absolutely zero connection to this mythological family mess and just falls into it by chance when Athena shows up on their doorstep on the verge of death. Yeah, it’ll be a little hard to keep that from him. But his naivety towards Lore’s childhood and the danger she is in as Wrath, Ares reborn, hunts for a shield that belongs to the Perseous family creates some very uncomfortable conversations. I love his tenacity to just jump in, volunteer to risk his life and stick by Lore’s side. In some ways, he becomes the little sidekick character of the book. I mean, yes, he did seem to adjust to the shock of everything pretty quickly, but I can move past that!

As a reader, you are pulled into the changing tides as each group seems to have a leg up on the others only to have something epic happen to change the course of action. Everyone has secrets and ulterior motives that you don’t really see coming. There was never a dull, slow moment in the book. There were always pieces that were being laid out, building to climatic events, only to then have the cycle repeat as something else needed to be done or plans changed as a result of those events. 

Bracken slowly weaves in elements of Lore’s past to develop her character and show her motivations, weakness, and grief  to explain why she does what she does now in the present. You can feel the pain of her past, betrayals of people she believed in, and her tremendous will to persevere and live. There were so many times that she could have just given up, but she found her strength. She pulled on the love of her family to make her continue. She sacrificed many times for the greater good, namely the millions of people that live in New York City. Not sure how New York didn’t know something more dramatic was going on other than a storm, but again...fiction.

There was so much action throughout the book, that by the time the climax rolled around, it was almost anticlimactic. I honestly wasn't all that surprised by how the whole thing ended. For a book over 450 pages, it was a quick read simply because it was so fast paced. 

I’m a huge fan of Greek mythology, so I was fascinated by the concept. When studying the stories of the gods, there are so many morals that can be drawn from them. There is enough depth to them for hours and hours of analysis and discussion. Bracken did expertly wove these into this book without slapping you in the face with them. There are also the themes that are developed and are built upon the ancient stories and lessons. One area in particular is how the power struggle between men and women is addressed and the perceived inequity between the two genders. It was very intriguing when the legend of Medusa was used as the pillar of this analysis.

Where does Lore land on my bookshelf? 

I’d put it on my middle shelf. I really did enjoy it, and I totally recommend it. If you like YA, mythology, and just an epic story then you definitely need to add this to your TBR list. For me, it is the fact that I just couldn’t get the characters to stick with me. The fact that I was indifferent if they died or not was a problem for me. I love to feel deeply for the characters in the stories I read. I want to really hate them or really love them. I want them to become real people. In this situation, when I finished the book, I was like, “Wow, that was a good book, what’s next?” I wasn’t left with any lingering questions, concerns, or emotions. I didn’t have a book hangover, and I really, really wanted one!

Final note, Lore does receive bonus point for have a map!