Review of Rachel Smythe’s LORE OLYMPUS: VOLUME TWO

Lore Olympus: Volume Two by Rachel Smythe

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ms. Smythe continues to weave the relationships and narratives of the mythological figures together into a dramatic (and hilarious) community that feels authentic and realistic. Every word adds additional layers to the characters while reinforcing the histories and tales you know so well. (Or maybe you don’t – I suppose it depends on your background)

In Volume One, I worried Persephone might remain fragile and painfully innocent throughout the story. But she has a backbone and bite to her, and it’s a delight to see it emerge. There’s a balance between ignorant girl from the country struggling to find her place in a ruthless city and woman discovering her place in the world. Ms. Smythe strikes the perfect chord. It makes her an approachable and empathetic character in a way, say, Artemis does not.

The tangled histories continue to emerge, pitting everyone on a massive chess board (yes, pun intended) with complicated rules beyond the ordinary. There’s always more to the story, leaving you guessing, which is exactly what you WANT from an epic of this scale. And the pockets of humor appear in precise moments to break the tension and give the reader a chance to breathe. (Though I dare say Cereberus steals the show)

Ms. Smythe has created a work to rival the original Greek and Roman storytellers. And it’s only my fiendish need to touch and turn pages that prevents me from rushing out and purchasing a Webtoons subscription. (And the self-preservation of needing to sleep)

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