Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Pub: 2012; Harlequin Teen
Pages: 304
Genre: Young Adult, Series, Mythology, Retellings
Etc: Props up to Netgalley
Oh why oh why do I do this to myself? I read and reviewed The Goddess Test last year and was ultimately meh about the whole experience. There were just so many things I couldn't buy into. Quite frankly, a whole town created for this ONE girl (yeah, yeah, yeah I get that she was the last girl to get tested for Queen of the Underworld but STILL!)? Not to mention all of the gods and goddess running around in these constructed roles. Nope, couldn't fall hopeless in love with it even though I wanted to oh so badly!
BUT because it seemed as though everyone (and by everyone I probably mean more tweens and teens and YA Adult readers like myself) adored it so when the second in the trilogy (it IS going to be just a trilogy, yes?) became available I thought: oh what the heck; sign me up.
As I might have said to a student who I made a wrong recommendation to...my bad.
[Spoilers will continue, but very slight. Like, you can still read and be SURPRISED by the book.]
This book sorta infuriated me. Kate Winters the newest goddess and immortal to the Other-world clan has come back from her six month above-ground journey to Greece and is ready to start a new life with the surly Henry, god of the Underworld. And yet, when she returns, Henry isn't all that enthused with her arrival. At least not the level of enthusiasm that she expected. And then the creator (Chronos) of the gods has come back with the mission to terrorize and destroy. This ultimately forces Kate to bring Persephone back into the picture even though Henry is still dealing with his feelings.
And this is where I'm gonna be a Hater. As a female (and I don't think I use that card frequently), but more importantly an Experienced Female who Teaches Young Females I am annoyed with the relationship that Kate and Henry represent. Maybe Carter is trying to go for the realistic, you know, Henry was with Persephone for millions of years so even if he is married to Kate he would still have to deal with lingering feelings BUT TO A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD this just condones all of those unhealthy relationships that begin with: I'm giving him time to love me OR you just don't understand, he's going through difficult times OR EVEN WORSE he loves me in his OWN way.
Please someone stamp codependent relationship on Kate's head. Every time Henry would pull away and his family would say give him time and Kate would but she'd PINE and get SAD and then enters martyrdom I wanted to stab myself in the eyes.
So for that reason alone I couldn't enjoy the action of the story. Was that part good? I'm sure it probably was. Will someone remind me not to read the third one?
I did like this one, but I liked Goddess Test, too.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you're coming from where it does give an unhealthy perspective to how relationships work. Conversely, I thought that it showed the importance of communicating and working things out or leaving vs putting up with someone's crap.
As someone who didn't enjoy the Goddess Test, I can tell you that your review convince me I won't even try the following book. Clearly it isn't for me, either!
ReplyDeleteI may pick this up anyway, though. I tend to be able to leave preconceived notions behind and try to immerse myself in a book. I want to thank you, though, for your very thorough review. It at least tells me what to expect, and if I decide to read it and it is not to my liking, then I cannot say that I was not warned!
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