Reviewer: Andrea
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Summary:
There are gods among us…
Six young gods are hiding in plain sight among mortals, living secretly in cities across the world. From lavish penthouse soirees to pulsing underground clubs, for them, the party literally never ends. Until now.
On a hot June morning, the body of a beautiful girl is found floating in the rooftop pool of the Jefferson Hotel, her white-ink tattoos revealing the story of a life much longer than seems possible. Only the immortals know the truth: Nadia was the goddess of hope. Now she’s gone, and the world as they know it is ending. The Hudson River has turned blood red. Storms rage overhead. Mania is rapidly spreading across the globe.
It is up to the remaining gods—Lola, Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike and Peitha—to put aside centuries of betrayal and heartbreak, and stop the mysterious source of darkness that is taking over… before the sun sets forever.
Carina Adly MacKenzie, writer for The CW’s hit series “The Originals,” has penned a steamy, romantic, and ultimately redemptive story of forgotten gods, the persistence of hope, and the power of love to save us.
The Review:
When I saw that the author of this novel was a writer for one of my favorite shows, I jumped at the chance to read it, and overall, I wasn’t disappointed. The novel reminded me of the show a lot. The characters are ancient gods and goddesses drawn from Norse and Greek mythology. These six characters are tied together by more than their faded powers. Their connection spans hundreds of years and hook-ups and includes the whole “I love you as more than a friend but can’t seem to tell you” issue. Despite having once had other-worldly abilities, their interpersonal skills need work. I typically hate when a novel overwhelms a reader with names and characters in the beginning, and I nearly abandoned this one for that reason, but if you stick it out, eventually the characters and their powers become very distinguishable.
The muddled mess of their relationships is very entertaining but untangles before the reader gets frustrated with the drama. The direct and indirect characterization were fantastic with the omniscient POV really giving insight on each character. You also get a taste of the history of each when key scenes from their recent and ancient pasts are retold.
The main plot, the impending death of humanity, inspires a truly apocalyptic fear, and there’s a “Masque of the Red Death” feel to some scenes, which I loved. My only complaint, I was quite honestly hoping for a steamier read. It was a little tame considering the “maturity” of the language and the characters.
