Review - Elektra by Jennifer Saint

 

 Title: Elektra

Author: Jennifer Saint

Pages: 328

Publisher: Wildfire

Release Date: 26th April 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.

Clytemnestra
The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon - her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris. Her husband raises a great army against them, and determines to win, whatever the cost.

Cassandra
Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall.

Elektra
The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. But, can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?

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My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Headline and NetGalley*

There is a curse on the House of Atreus - a long history of violence and deceit against fellow family members.

Clytemnestra is married to Agamemnon of House Atreus. Her sister, Helen, ruins Clytemnestra's hopes of ending the curse when Helen is taken to Troy by Paris and Agamemnon leads an army to retrieve her.

Cassandra is a princess of Troy who is cursed by Apollo to never be believed when she tells others of her prophecies. Cassandra suffers constantly, knowing how her home will fall and being unable to do anything about it.

Elektra is the youngest daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and idolises her father. She devoutly waits for father to return home and cannot understand her mother's anger and thirst for vengeance.

As a fan of Greek mythology, I was excited to read this book, especially as I didn't know anything about Elektra.

Of the three protagonists, I found Cassandra and Clytemnestra's chapters and perspectives more interesting than Elektra's as I empathised with them more given what they went through.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I did think the pacing was a little off and I did begin to lose interest towards the end. However, the mythology was interesting and I thought the author did a good job of weaving the three characters' stories together.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I would recommend the author.

I am a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but it was a solid read overall.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Review - Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom, #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

 

 

Title: Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom, #1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Pages: 504

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Release Date: 20th January 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads: 

 Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm. Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley*

Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess, and they have lived together on the moon all her life.

One day, Xingyin learns that she has been kept hidden on the moon from the powerful Celestial Emperor who imprisoned Xingyin's mother on the moon for stealing an elixir of immortality.

Xingyin flees from the moon, having to leave her mother and everything she knows behind in order to be safe and for her existence to remain secret.

Alone, Xingyin creates a new identity and will take every opportunity she can to work towards obtaining her mother's freedom, even becoming the prince's learning companion which entitles Xingyin to learn magic as well as how to fight.

Xingyin's time in the Celestial Kingdom is filled with danger at every turn.

Can Xingyin save her mother?

The premise for this book really intrigued me and I was excited to read it, especially as I had seen lots of praise for it.

Xingyin was a likeable and relatable protagonist, and I felt sorry for her having to leave her mother and home behind. It was interesting to read and see her interactions as well as the decisions Xingyin took. I liked the friendships that Xingyin made and how she cared about others but also wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

The setting and concept of the Celestial Kingdom and the different magic were interesting and I liked that they were inspired by Chinese mythology.

The plot was enjoyable and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped and did find the book perhaps a little long. However, I thought the pacing was pretty good overall, and I was interested in what was happening.

The writing style was enjoyable to read and I would definitely consider reading another book by the author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, unique read.