Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
This was one of those books that wasn’t all bad but just wasn’t for me and failed to make me feel invested.
Part of the problem was that I had the wrong expectations. I had imagined a guy getting marooned on an island with a dangerous and badass gorgon, but then she’d take a liking to him instead of turning him to stone right away, and they’d fall in love. Instead, it was about a guy getting mixed up with Greek deities, getting rushed into a marriage with a gorgon, and then having battles and going on mini quests. It was one of those stories about an ordinary guy who gets thrust into a crazy situation, turns into a badass, and gets the girl. The gorgon was basically just a damsel-in-distress who was hardly in the story at all, which disappointed me because she was the main reason I read this book. (I’ve heard from the author, however, that she’ll feature more in the next book.)
Another part of the problem was that the POV (which I think was omniscient) was very distant, and the story plot-driven. Not necessarily bad things, just not my preferences. I never felt close to the characters or really knew what their emotions were.
The other main reason I think I didn’t enjoy this as much as I wanted to was that it seemed like the book teetered on the edge of realistic and silly without fully committing to either, and that just didn’t quite work for me.
This was a fun, light-hearted kind of story though. Reading about Greek Gods is almost always fun. I feel like the author captured the “totally out of touch with humanity, bored, conniving, and a little bonkers” portrayal of them well. It also ended up having a nice, if slightly forced, message in the end about how *SPOILER* love isn’t just a feeling, it’s also a choice (as in, you have to choose to work on the relationship, to stay with that person). *END SPOILER*
Also, this was the first in a series, but it wraps everything up well enough that it works as a standalone if you want it to.
So overall, this didn’t quite work for me, but anyone who likes light-hearted, plot-driven, ordinary-to-badass stories with Greek gods may enjoy it more than I did.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes light-hearted, plot-driven stories, the "ordinary guy becomes badass" trope, and Greek gods.
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Best first sentence in a book review: “After getting crushed by a whale…” 😁😁😂😂
Lol it was definitely a unique start to a book.
Disappointing! I’d hoped, from the title and the cover art, that the story would focus on the Gorgon.
Me too :-/
I can see why you thought you were going to read something different:). A great review, Kristen.
Thanks!
I love books featuring the Greek gods. The premise is interesting. It’s good to know that this is more of a lighter read. (Though it’s too bad the gorgon plays more of a damsel-in-distress role.) I’d be interested in reading it when I want something lighter.
Books with Greek Gods can be fun! It’s definitely a lighter read 🙂 I hope you like it if you try it!
Oh my gosh that cover! Killing me. Love the snakes… there aren’t a lot of good gorgon covers. That would look AWESOME in hardback. Oh and can you imagine being married to a gorgon? I mean she’s attractive, sure, but all that hissing all the time… and would they stay on her pillow???? Course maybe the sleep when she does… anyway sorry this was meh. What a shame. After reading your review I think I like the sound of your premise (or your expectations) better, with her sparing him and them falling in love slowly? Also a book like this needs to have that gorgon front and center! Still, it’s good news that she’ll appear more in the second one.
I may have to get this just for the cover, but the story doesn’t sound bad either, now I know what to expect.
It is a great cover! Lol snake hair would definitely be scary to go near. I like the sound of my premise better too, haha. But yeah, when you have a gorgon on the title and cover, she really ought to be in the book more. You might like it though if you have the right expectations!
Still sounds kind of fun and maybe it will pick up with the next book. I had the same expectations reading the summary.
So a definite maybe from me lol
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
Yeah, I really don’t think my expectations were unreasonable considering all the gorgon-ness in the title and cover and blurb, so it’s a bummer the book didn’t turn out that way!
“Ordinary guy becomes badass” trope? I don’t think I’ve actually heard of that or read that actually. Can you give me a more specific example? If it seems interesting, I might just check it out.
Great review!
I don’t really know how else to explain it? Idk if it’s technically a known trope, but I’ve come across that in numerous books. In this one he was a normal guy and then he ended up battling gods and monsters and stuff.
yeah this sounds like it could have used alot more character development. I always have to force myself through books where I don’t know care about the characters. You idea of this book sounds like it would have worked better too.
Yeah, I would’ve liked to get closer to the characters :-/
That is a little odd that the gorgon isn’t in it much considering the title is The Gorgon Bride. I kinda thought that would be the most interesting aspect of the book. I’m not much for romance, but I want to know how and why he was forced into this marriage and how exactly does it work out considering? It sounds like fun though.
Right? Considering she was on the cover and the in the title, I thought she’d be more in the book! But yeah, with the right expectations going in, it might be a more fun read 🙂
I am sorry to hear this book wasn’t quite for you. It does look interesting and I don’t think I’ve seen many books with gorgon’s. It’s always difficult when you go in with wrong expectations and the book isn’t what you expected. I had expected the gorgon to be more of a part of the story as well, especially as she’s on the cover and in the title.
I am also not a fan of omniscient point of view, so I can see why that didn’t quite work for you. It can feel very distant indeed. Great review!
Thanks. It is disappointing sometimes when a book doesn’t meet your expectations. But exactly! You can’t put a gorgon on the cover and the in the title and then hardly have her in the book!
Yeaaaah as soon as I read the line ‘get the girl’ in the synopsis I thought – I don’t think is the kind of book I would want to read or be able to enjoy reading. It sounds like it was just a bit too rushed for it to be enjoyable and that it wasn’t what you hoped it would be :/ I hope your next read was better for you!
Yeah, I’ve read a few books with that general “ordinary guy becomes badass and also gets the girl” plotline, and it’s usually not for me either. I don’t think this was bad, it just wasn’t right for my tastes and not what I was expecting.
Gah, not for me books are just ugh. You know they aren’t terrible but there’s nothing there which clicks so they are just meh when you think back on them. At least you tried it, it sounds like there was potential there but it didn’t work out.
Agreed. Like, I don’t want to be all, “Don’t read this!” It’s just that it wasn’t right for me. Yeah, I’m glad it gave it a try, just a bummer it wasn’t what I thought it’d be.
Ugh, sorry that the book didn’t end up being what you thought it would be. That would disappoint me as well.
It’s tough when books don’t meet your expectations!
yesh I don’t do too well with omnipresent POV either. And yes I would have not expected the gorgon to be a damsel-in-distress either. I don’t like my regular human female characters to be DiD! so I would have very high badass expectations for a gorgon! 🙂
Yeah it’s just never my fave. Lol yeah, gorgons have total badass potential!
The real mystery is how she’s holding that pose she’s doing on the cover – that’s comic-book worthy! Lol.
Lol it is a bit comic-worthy, isn’t it?