Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Rating: 2/5
Cover Impressions: The cover is quite beautiful and matches well with the previous one in the series. I like the styling of the model in a simple dress and headband with natural wavy hair. Although a small part of me does wish it showed some reflection of the opulence of the Underworld palace.
The Gist: After winning both her immortality and a seat as the Queen of the Underworld, Kate Winters must now fight to win the heart of her King and husband, Henry. Just when she is ready to spend some time getting to know the man that she married, her new-found family is attacked by Chronos, King of the Titans and Kate must put her own jealousy and mistrust aside to enlist the help of Persephone, her sister and the woman who broke Henry's heart.
Review: Goddess Interrupted is one of those books that leaves me wishing I could shake the author until she agreed to go back and fix it. I love this world. LOVE! I enjoy the new take on the Gods and Goddesses, I love how they had to re-invent themselves and how they depend on mankind to keep them relevant. I was really intrigued by the imagining of the Underworld as being whatever the spirit expects it to be and believe that this opened the door to explore the moral ambiguity of a person spending eternity being punished, not because they deserve it, but because this is what they have always been told to expect. The plot itself hinges on the many instances of infidelity among the Gods and could question whether or not a person should be held accountable for their actions after having their heart broken over and over again for millenia. Had the author chosen either of these paths, the second half of this novel could have been interesting and thought provoking. However, she did not. Instead, Aimee Carter choose to write page after page of an increasingly whiney girl begging a boy to love her, despite the fact that his words and action show little more than disdain.
The first half of this novel described a fascinating world in which resplendent meadows gave way to rivers of fire and back again. Kate explores this world, enlists the aid of the sister she never wished to know and is part the battle against the King of the Titans. The characters showed major flaws, but we still had half the book to go in which they could grow - I was hungry for more. Then things quickly fall apart. We spend the second half of the book listening to Kate as she laments that Henry doesn't love her. *Knock, knock "Hello Kate? Just thought I would remind you that the world is about to end. Yeah, this big mean dude made of fog is going to kill everyone in the ENTIRE WORLD, could you maybe concentrate on the big picture for one, teeny, tiny moment?" Nope. She didn't listen.
Kate goes on and on about Henry's lack of interest and, normally, I would chalk this up to her being an annoying, self-deprecating character who is unable to see the truth, but no, based on Henry's behavior, I don't think he loves her. He treats her like garbage, refusing to speak to her, refusing to be alone with her and comparing her to his first wife at every turn. At one point I found myself yelling at Kate to get angry, start throwing things, storm out of there, do ANYTHING but cry on your bed and make excuses for why you should overlook his behavior and "give him time".
Goddess Interrupted gets a 2/5 because the world is wonderful and interesting. It is also redeemed by the last couple of pages which leaves me considering reading the next book in the series. But please, no more sycophantic teenage girl characters who are willing to overlook not only major flaws, but horrid mistreatment, for the man that they "love". It sets a poor example to young girls everywhere and with all the Snookies and Lindsay Lohans out there, aren't there enough bad role models already?
Cover Impressions: The cover is quite beautiful and matches well with the previous one in the series. I like the styling of the model in a simple dress and headband with natural wavy hair. Although a small part of me does wish it showed some reflection of the opulence of the Underworld palace.
The Gist: After winning both her immortality and a seat as the Queen of the Underworld, Kate Winters must now fight to win the heart of her King and husband, Henry. Just when she is ready to spend some time getting to know the man that she married, her new-found family is attacked by Chronos, King of the Titans and Kate must put her own jealousy and mistrust aside to enlist the help of Persephone, her sister and the woman who broke Henry's heart.
Review: Goddess Interrupted is one of those books that leaves me wishing I could shake the author until she agreed to go back and fix it. I love this world. LOVE! I enjoy the new take on the Gods and Goddesses, I love how they had to re-invent themselves and how they depend on mankind to keep them relevant. I was really intrigued by the imagining of the Underworld as being whatever the spirit expects it to be and believe that this opened the door to explore the moral ambiguity of a person spending eternity being punished, not because they deserve it, but because this is what they have always been told to expect. The plot itself hinges on the many instances of infidelity among the Gods and could question whether or not a person should be held accountable for their actions after having their heart broken over and over again for millenia. Had the author chosen either of these paths, the second half of this novel could have been interesting and thought provoking. However, she did not. Instead, Aimee Carter choose to write page after page of an increasingly whiney girl begging a boy to love her, despite the fact that his words and action show little more than disdain.
The first half of this novel described a fascinating world in which resplendent meadows gave way to rivers of fire and back again. Kate explores this world, enlists the aid of the sister she never wished to know and is part the battle against the King of the Titans. The characters showed major flaws, but we still had half the book to go in which they could grow - I was hungry for more. Then things quickly fall apart. We spend the second half of the book listening to Kate as she laments that Henry doesn't love her. *Knock, knock "Hello Kate? Just thought I would remind you that the world is about to end. Yeah, this big mean dude made of fog is going to kill everyone in the ENTIRE WORLD, could you maybe concentrate on the big picture for one, teeny, tiny moment?" Nope. She didn't listen.
Kate goes on and on about Henry's lack of interest and, normally, I would chalk this up to her being an annoying, self-deprecating character who is unable to see the truth, but no, based on Henry's behavior, I don't think he loves her. He treats her like garbage, refusing to speak to her, refusing to be alone with her and comparing her to his first wife at every turn. At one point I found myself yelling at Kate to get angry, start throwing things, storm out of there, do ANYTHING but cry on your bed and make excuses for why you should overlook his behavior and "give him time".
Goddess Interrupted gets a 2/5 because the world is wonderful and interesting. It is also redeemed by the last couple of pages which leaves me considering reading the next book in the series. But please, no more sycophantic teenage girl characters who are willing to overlook not only major flaws, but horrid mistreatment, for the man that they "love". It sets a poor example to young girls everywhere and with all the Snookies and Lindsay Lohans out there, aren't there enough bad role models already?
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Talk of sex between two characters, A LOT of talk about infidelity, one sex scene.
Violence: Cuts, attempted strangulation, loss of a limb
Gender: Female
Sex: Talk of sex between two characters, A LOT of talk about infidelity, one sex scene.
Violence: Cuts, attempted strangulation, loss of a limb
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Abuse: None
Substance Abuse: None
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