| Title | : | The Goddess Legacy (Goddess Test, #2.5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0373210752 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780373210756 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 395 |
| Publication | : | First published July 31, 2012 |
Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness....
Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal....
Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another....
James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others - but never knew true loss before....
Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope....
Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.
Contents:
The Goddess Queen
The Lovestruck Goddess
Goddess of the Underworld
God of Thieves
God of Darkness
The Goddess Legacy (Goddess Test, #2.5) Reviews
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I have some very strong emotions about a couple of the novellas...
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How could she do this to me?
HOW IS THIS GREEK MYTHOLOGY? THIS IS A SOAP OPERA! -
Wow! What an amazing journey! I am astounded. Sensational! Five great stories, heart –wrenching, exciting, wincing and cheering, though I can’t bring myself to feel too badly for any of the Greek gods, well …Er… except for Hades- Henry because they are psychos!
Aimee Carter is a very talented writer! Carter is just too much and I can’t wait for the next chapter of her writing career… after the Goddess test series because Carter tells stories that captivates and bring old tales back to existence anew. I never get tired of the way Aimee Carter portrays her Greek gods and it’s amazing to read about their actions and reactions to certain issues. Honestly, its just plain weird! And the Drama! OMG! Kate has a lot to fix in her new family, and I am glad she has the strength to take them on because after reading this book, I am certain she is what the gods need. The Goddess legacy was no different from Carter’s books it was enriching, fascinating, emotionally draining and I loved every minute I spent reading this masterpiece. I love how some of our questions where answered and I smiled at Henry’s reaction when he’d first seen Kate and hers to him! The only problem I had with this book, is that it was too short especially Henry/Hades tale, but no matter I would let my imagination go wild.
Okay… when they say “the gods must be crazy”, this book took that phrase literally! Take Hera/Calliope for instance, I understand everything she’d went through and I understand she didn’t get the life she’d wanted, but in the end… she became the worst of the lot! She is prideful and ruthless and bitter! I almost felt sorry for her… Almost. I didn’t! Serves her right! Zeus, well what can I say? He is the male version of his wife; the only difference is that she believes in fidelity in a way and Zeus not so much! The maddening aspect, in a good way … of this book, is seeing that the gods act like teens, and are ruled by their emotions, it was comical and I finally realized that each one of the gods doesn’t really merit to be called a god…. Er… Well… Hades does and Kate too. All I can say is that this book rocked! And I will read it over and over again despite how royally messed up and dysfunctional this family is... er… except for Hades …Agh! Henry. I can’t wait until the third and final book The goddess Inheritance! Well-done Aimee Carter!
A big thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin publishers for the Advanced Readers Copy of The Goddess Legacy expected publication date July 31st , 2012 -
This and other reviews can be found on
The Psychotic Nerd
Short and Simple Review
So, I didn't enjoy reading this book. Mainly because it just felt really unnecessary. I admit that it's been almost seven years since I've read the last book in the Goddess Test so my memory was a little fuzzy, but I expected this to be an anthology of mythology retellings tied with the Goddess Test world. And, yeah, that is pretty much what this was. There are five stories each about a specific god/goddess and the book starts off with the start of the gods and ends a few years before the start of The Goddess Test. I like mythology retellings, but these weren't very interesting retellings. The stories dragged (even the shorter ones), the writing felt too distant, and I found that I just did not care about what was happening. The stories also focused on the love life of the gods which, yes, there is a lot to work with there, but I feel like there are things about the gods that are a lot more interesting. Again, it's been a while since I've read the series so maybe the series just isn't really my cup of tea anymore. -
This was a great addition to The Goddess Test series. Back-story on main characters is always a great thing, and this was no exception. We are in the viewpoints of Hera, Aphrodite, Hermes and Hades. It was refreshing to be able to understand the characters a lot more. To read how they think, and how they feel and what their actions mean, meant a lot to me. I felt that I could understand them better. Especially Henry’s viewpoint. He is such a quiet and mysterious character and to be able to experience what he’s feeling was interesting to say the least. What I didn’t enjoy was that Henry’s version felt rushed. It was way too short. I felt so sad for him. Persephone treats him so badly, and he cared for her so much. Why I don’t even know.
I found out a lot more about Hera this time around and I didn’t like her character at all. She felt whiny and selfish. The same with Aphrodite. Their excuses for their actions felt so selfish and if there’s one thing I dislike in characters, it’s selfishness. I understand Aphrodite is the Goddess of love, but it felt more like she was lust struck instead of love struck. I didn’t particularly enjoy how she treated Hermes. Yes, it seems like I’m hating on all the women characters in this one, but I just couldn’t side with any of them. I miss Kate though.
Aimee is a wonderful writer and I love her spin on the classic Gods and Goddesses. I hope to own all the books in this series. By the way, all the covers are gorgeous. Kudos to the publisher for keeping them all similar. -
Hera
Aphrodite
Persephone
Hermes
Hades -
The Goddess Legacy was a wonderful addition to The Goddess Test series! I was thrilled that Aimee Carter decided to write these short stories. I was really able to fall more in love with all the amazing characters that Aimee Carter created.
I love the characters that Aimee Carter chose to write about and place into this book. What was so great was the fact that I was able to dive deep into the feelings and emotions of these characters. I was able to understand and even sympathize with them. Even better, I really got to know these characters in a new light, understanding why they came to be what they are in The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted. Aimee Carter gave them real human emotions and made them into characters that I can relate to. Even though there is more than one POV, Carter wrote each character with a different voice, personality and feel. You really connect with these characters in a specific way and you may even have a change of heart for some.
Hera/Calliope’s story was very eye opening. I really got to see how and why she is the way she is. Although I still don’t condone or think what she did to Kate was right, I can understand why Calliope acted the way she did. I really felt her despair, resent, anger, betrayal and loneliness. I like that I got to see a before and after side of her and what really made Calliope lose it. In this story, there is more background with how the council came to be and I enjoyed reading about that. I also got to know more about Zeus/Walter in this story and I totally get why Calliope feels the way she does.
Ava/Aphrodite’s story was very heartfelt and happy. I liked her story because I also got to see a new side of her. A side that was vulnerable and loving (in a true way). Ava just wanted to think for herself, make her own decisions and be happy. I loved reading about how she saw the difference between wanting and needing and passion and commitment.
Persephone‘ story just made me hate her even more. While Aimee Carter developed her character and story well, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for her. I found her to be extremely selfish and hurtful. It was pretty painful to read her story because of the pain she put Henry through. However, I did see that she never wanted what was placed before her. Persephone had no choice and while I pitied her because she was unhappy, I was angry because she lacked such immense amount of insensitivity. Like with Calliope, I understood her and I get why she decided to do what she did.
James/Hermes’s story was everything I hoped it would be! It was adventurous, full of humor and it was just plain fun. His story was all about finding true love, family and acceptance. He learned about adaptation and humility.
And then Henry/Hades. His story really hit home. I never did understand why he loved Persephone, but I really felt all his pain, sadness, sorrow, grief and burden of living an eternity alone. I loved knowing why Henry decided to fade. I enjoyed knowing more about the decision to find him a new queen, seeing him with Ingrid and my most favorite, when he got to see Kate for the very first time. It was so great to read about. Henry is my favorite character and with this short story from him, I loved him even more.
Overall, The Goddess Legacy was an amazing read through and through. Fans of The Goddess Test series will rejoice and devour this collection of short stories. It’s a definite must-read!
More Reviews on my blog:
Words, Pages, and Books -
This was wonderful. I am so happy that Aimee Carter wrote this. Whenever I read a great book that has compelling characters, I always want to know MORE, especially about the backstory and thought process of the main characters who are not the protagonist. This book did just that. It gave an inside look into the lives of Hera, Aphrodite, Persephone, Hermes, and Henry. All of them were well written and helped to explain certain questions that I had lingering from the initial series. I am even more excited for the third book in the series now that I have read this!
SECOND READ:
I have to say that the Aphrodite section is by far my favorite. I do like how the Hera section gives her some humanity, but only a little bit. Odd how the Henry section is from 3rd POV, whereas everyone else is 1st POV. -
4,5* actually. I so had the intention to never give half stars but here I am. I really loved this collection of short stories (hello 2105 reading challenge!) because you get to know different caracters better. This enriches the whole series from an level of quite nice to good and complex. Aimee must have made a study from the original myths and Gods to be able to write these stories. That I like about them is that they are intertwined with everything that has happened so far, they explain sooooo much. I'm really exited to read the last part of the series with all of this knowlegde from the characters.
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I loved getting to dive back into the world of The Goddess Test!
This book was set up like a prequel with stories from the perspectives of several of the characters. It starts off from the very beginning when The Council first defeats the Titans and shows us how each of the Gods joins The Council.
My favorite stories are by far Ingrid and Kate's. I think it's just because I love getting to see the backstory of Henry. This book made me feel much more connected to Henry and allowed me to understand a lot of the decisions he makes in the series. I felt so bad for him after Persephone's story, but also saw the reason why he did not let Calliope be with him.
Overall, if you love the Goddess Test series, this is a great addition to revisit the characters. -
Merci à NetGalley et à Harlequin Teen pour l'ARC de The Goddess Legacy, à paraître le 31 Juillet 2012.
The Goddess Legacy est un ensemble de nouvelles faisant partie de la série Goddess Test d’Aimée Carter. Cet ensemble est composé de cinq nouvelles, ayant pour objet Hera/Calliope, Aphrodite/Ava, Persphone, Hermes/James et Hades/Henry.
Contrairement à "l'entre livre" précédent ce cette série, The Goddess Hunt, ce livre n'était pas (ou vraiment très peu) centré sur Kate, cette dernière n'étant évoquée que quelques fois dans l'histoire de Henry. J'avais peur au départ de ne pas aimer ce livre, étant donné que j'avais été laissé sur ma faim (ce qui est probablement l'euphémisme de l'année) à la fin de Goddess Interrupted, et que ce qui m'importait le plus était de connaître la suite de l'histoire de Kate et Henry... Autant dire que je m'étais totalement trompée puisque j'ai littéralement adoré ce livre. Le fait qu'il ne soit pas centré sur Kate était en fait plutôt un bonus, puisque cela permettait au livre de donner vraiment un contexte aux personnages rencontrés dans les livres précédents, à mieux les comprendre et surtout à avoir une nouvelle perspective sur leurs actions, pensées et réactions, ce qui était parfait pour accompagner les précédents romans. The Goddess Legacy était une lecture géniale en tous points, à la fois drôle, triste, divertissante et passionnante.
Toutes les nouvelles étaient écrites à la premières personnes, sauf la dernière, celle d'Henry, ce qui m'a vraiment permis d'obtenir un aperçu plus complet de l'intérieur des personnages et de leur réflexion, et ce en aillant comme repère leurs actions dans les livres précédents. Le fait que la dernière nouvelle soit écrite à la troisième personne accentuait d'ailleurs ça encore plus, vu que j'ai trouvé ça dommage de ne pas avoir le même accès au pensées d'Henry.
Les nouvelles que j'ai préférées étaient probablement celles de Calliope, Ava et Persephone. Je ne pensais vraiment pouvoir un jour éprouver quoi que ce soit pour cette dernière, sachant qu'elle était un personnage à la limite du détestable dans Goddess Interrupted et qu'elle était une menace pour la relation d'Henry et Kate... Mais elle apparaissait comme un personnage vraiment différent dans cette nouvelle, surtout lorsqu'on a l'occasion de voir comme elle a souffert de son mariage à Hades et comme elle est tombée amoureuse d'Adonis. Faute d'un autre mot, elle apparaissait vraiment plus comme quelqu'un d'humain dans ce livre, et non pas comme un personnage insensible et futile. Elle semble toujours assez égoïste et je suis bien contente qu'elle ai dégagé, mais cette nouvelle permet au moins de mieux comprendre ses actions.
De même, le personnage de Calliope ne m'apparaît plus comme aussi détestable qu'avant après avoir lu sa nouvelle. Celle-ci porte majoritairement sur son mariage avec Zeus/Walter, et son amour pour Henry. Bien qu'elle soit toujours un personnage peu appréciable par rapport à son comportement face aux différentes candidates d'Henry, la façon dont elle était dépeinte dans cette nouvelle m'a vraiment permit de comprendre sa folie et ce qu'elle ressent pour Henry, et plus particulièrement comment elle en est venue à ressentir ça. Cela ne la rend toujours pas appréciable mais permet au moins de la voir sous un autre jour, après qu'on ai eu un aperçu de ce qu'elle a vécu.
La nouvelle d'Ava n'était pas aussi prenante ou dramatique que celles de Persephone et Calliope mais elle était toute aussi bien, avec plus de passages romantiques et doux. Elle relatait sa relation avec Hadès et son mariage à Héphaïstos. Contrairement à la plupart des autres représentation de son mariage, ce dernier était ici dépeint comme un mariage amoureux et volontaire, ce qui rendait la relation d'Ava et Héphaïstos assez adorable. Cette nouvelle était donc assez légère et vraiment agréable à lire.
La nouvelle de James était assez bien également, et relatait son histoire avec une mortelle longtemps avant l'histoire de Kate. Au delà de la fonction romanesque de la nouvelle (qui était très bien remplie et assez passionnante), celle-ci était également assez informative puisqu'elle expliquait pourquoi les dieux avaient changé de noms et éclairait également plus leur relations au sein du conseil.
La dernière nouvelle était bien trop courte... Toujours très bonne, bien sûre, mais trop courte puisqu'on en connaissait déjà une partie et que le reste n'était pas du plus important. Mais Henry, Henry... Il était déjà un personnage génial dans les livres précédents, mais il devient encore plus attachant ici, (sans compter sa présence dans l'histoire de Perséphone... Ou j'ai voulu rentrer dans le livre pour lui faire un câlin), surtout car cette nouvelle se concentre sur sa personnalité et ses sentiments... Ce qui est une autre raison pour laquelle cette nouvelle aurait été beaucoup mieux à la première personne.
Les nouvelles étaient de plus toutes très bien écrites, et avaient toutes un quelconque lien entre elles ou avec les romans précédents, ce qui les rendais encore plus appréciables. Les personnages étaient vraiment bien décrits, bien caractérisés, avec du contexte et était tous assez attachants et familiers, permettant de mieux comprendre les autres livres et leur comportement dans ceux-ci.
The Goddess Legacy était donc une lecture merveilleuse, un livre très bien écrit, apportant beaucoup de matière par rapport aux autres romans et vraiment génial à lire. -
this is a collection of short stories about a few gods and goddesses that we know like calliope, ava, persephone, james and henry. i really liked that we took a step back and knew about them individually before everything that happened in book one occured. we got to see how immature and petty they were and then them continuing being that way but in a more dangerous way.
i liked all their stories except persephone’s because i just thought she was being a bitch and unfair to absolutely everyone in her life. i didn’t like how she treated her mom and i didn’t like how horrible she was to henry. however, i need to acknowledge that she was forced into this marriage, and she never wanted this to happen. but to hurt so many people, and not feeling bad about it, is a no go.
calliope’s story is a little sad. i think her short story showed how and why she became the way she was in the goddess test. for ava, since she’s the goddess of love, i knew that she wasn’t a big fan of monogamy and would have lots of partners but its so uncomfortable reading about her stories with other guys who aren’t her husband. but, i do like that she embraced herself wholeheartedly. james’ story provided insight in why henry was so insecure about james and kate’s friendship. similar to the others, henry has his fair share of sorrows and betrayal. it was easy to understand why he had been pushing kate away in book two but NO OKAY. YOU NEED TO SHOW HER THAT YOU CARE!!!! ugh. his dark brooding personality don’t work with kate and i hope he changes that asap. -
ARC from Netgalley
Well, first, this book is an anthology of stories told from the perspective of different gods/goddesses from The Goddess Test series. I gave my opinion on each one below and after that I will tell you about my reaction to the book as a whole.
Hera(Calliope)-- Well, I will say, reading her anthology was quite enlightening. You really get a grasp at how she became who she is and how determined she is to destroy "the council".
Sad thing is, I don't blame her. I felt ALL of her pain, hate, regret, and scornfulness. But, I feel that she is truly blind. She may be the goddess of marriage, yet she doesn't understand or see love shared between two people. She is very self-centered and lost in her own ambitions. It was all about pleasing her, not working on a relationship with both people coming together as one. This has definitely opened my eyes to her role in the series... Also explains why I dislike her so much!!
Aphrodite(Ava)--Well, what can you say about the goddess of love? Her story is definitely the one about a love triangle. Shoot, she is probably the reason such a thing exists. Torn between two brothers, two different types of love...truly the basics for what make great romance stories... But, when you see it through her eyes, through her heart, you gain a new understanding. I really like Aphrodite. As her story was coming to an end, all I could think was I hope she gets what she wants!!
Persephone--Well, going in to Persephone's story, I was sure that I wasn't going to like her. While reading the other Goddess Test books, I always felt anger and dislike for her. I know that is just from reading from a certain person's POV, but that was how I felt. Now that I have read her story, a new light on her has been shone. I really feel more sorry for her than anything. Being forced to marry someone at age 16 and find that it goes against every grain in your body... Not being able to make your own choice on that matter either. I would probably feel exactly like her. And it is so interesting too... Reading the Goddess Test, all you wanted was for Kate and Henry to be together. Yet, with Persephone.. I couldn't stand the union. I guess that falls to reading the other books first... But, anyway.. I was genuinely happy to see Persephone get her own happiness at the end. Good story to help me understand her better and not be so harsh on her. I still don't like her...but, oh well!!
Hermes(Jack)--Ahhhhh... Hermes.. He plays a significant role throughout these books and his story really shows his character. He's such a lively god and with everything that has happened in his life, you feel for him and hope for the best. Hermes' story really touches on the whole reasoning for Goddess Test. Learning about particular gods fading in to nothing and how this could actually be the fate of them all. Hermes takes the task to find out why they are fading and in turn finds himself. It is like he grows up when he meets the young girl Tuck. She shows him so much in such a short time that with this new found info he is able to piece the puzzle together and explain what is happening and even suggest how to stop it. Sad thing is, all this came at a high price for Hermes. Losing a dear friend b/c of obligations... Great story and just more insight to these great characters!!!
Hades(Henry)-- I absolutely love Hades! He is one of the most passionate guys and hearing from his POV about all he endured and will still endure to find the right Queen of the Underworld as well as a companion to be with him from here on, is rather heart wrenching. No one should have to endure the suffering and loneliness that he has been dealt. He is a loving guy with such a huge heart and knowing that Kate is his last chance at any type of happiness really beefs up the cheering for these two to work...
So, as I finished The Goddess Legacy, I felt a whole new respect as well as anger toward many of the gods and goddesses of this series. I was so compelled from reading this, that I immediately went back and re-read every book and novella AGAIN!! I just couldn't read this anthology without revisiting this world that Aimee has created. I have become so attached to Kate and Henry and all I want to see is their happiness. And reading The Goddess Legacy just strengthens my resolve on how much Henry deserves that HEA!! It also shows that some gods and goddesses deserve to be tortured the rest of their immortal life, but I will let you read the series as well as this FANTASTIC book to make your own judgements!!!
Absolutely BRILLIANT!! Aimee Carter has created a masterpiece that has become one of my favorite series. A DEFINITE MUST READ!!! -
Review originally posted on my blog:
A Book Obsession..
The book as a whole:
I'm a little bit torn about how I feel about The Goddess Legacy. On one hand, I really enjoyed the deeper look into the other characters. The purview is a little bit limited in the full length novels as Kate is the newcomer to the gods/goddesses, and these stories let me see the pasts that influenced their current decisions. On the other hand, that deeper look wasn't exactly a blessing, but more of curse as all my ideals about them have been shattered. . Honestly, I don't think I really care for any of the gods/goddesses other than Henry/Hades. They are all just overgrown selfish, prideful, brats that aren't worthy of their immortality.
The Individual Stories:
I didn't think it was possible for me to despise Calliope/Hera any more than I already did, but after reading her story, I really do. I understand that her situation is pretty horrible, and the injustices she has had to endure over the eons are unbearable. However, her pride and vanity are what put her in the circumstances in the first place. It all started with her marriage to Walter/Zeus and spiraled from there. Her sisters tried to warn her against trusting that Walter could have made that drastic of a change, but she was too arrogant to listen. Granted, I'm not excusing Walter's behavior in any way shape or form, but it isn't like his less favorable traits haven't always been very visible. Unfortunately I have to go with the theory that Calliope made her bed and now she has to lie in it and that her crying foul just isn't relevant. Even so, I could have forgiven her initial pride if it had not been for her constant scheming and refusal to even consider anyone else's point of view. Yet somehow Walter doing the same is absolutely reprehensible in her book. At least he didn't conspire against other's backs and intentionally do things to harm overs.
I enjoyed seeing how Ava/Aphrodite ended up with her very understanding husband. Of course, it was quite the rocky road to get there as Ava was seeking out the type of love that burns hot, which we all know can so easily burn up too quick. It took her a long while to find the sort of love that was more of a slow burn of embers and steadfast. Of course, as the goddess of love, monogamy simply couldn't be in the cards, but she definitely learned the meaning of home.
Prior to reading Persephone's story in The Goddess Legacy, I actually kind of liked her. I understood her desire to be with James/Hermes and later Adonis, the man she truly loved rather than Henry/Hades. Now however, I just have a faint disgust for her. She was so incredibly selfish about everything and the way she treated Henry was so horrible. He loved her unconditionally and she just chewed up his heart and spat it back at him. She kept saying that she tried so hard to love him but couldn't get past her disgust for him. I cry bull crap, as he gave her nothing to be disgusted about. He is by far the best of them all and treated her like she was the most precious thing. She definitely didn't deserve it one bit.
I haven't been the biggest James/Hermes fan throughout the series. Something about him just rubbed me wrong, but I can't put my finger on it. I did enjoy his story however, especially as it showed how the gods became what they are today and changed their names. I still think he shouldn't have messed around with Persephone all those years ago, nor Kate now in modern times, but I do understand him a little better now.
Henry/Hades' story was the one I was most anticipating. He is just so closed off in the books that I was hoping to get a better look into his head. While brief, it does just that. I realize now that just because he isn't vocal about his feelings, doesn't mean that they aren't real or deep. In fact, I think his emotions run much deeper and stronger than any of the other gods put together.
Conclusion:
In the end, I'm glad I read The Goddess Legacy as it was enjoyable and I would recommend it to fans of the series. Despite my disappointment in the characters themselves, it definitely added a new level of depth to the series and will be going on my keeper shelf. -
This is my first time reviewing a series of short stories because I usually don’t enjoy them. I had hoped that The Goddess Legacy would be different but unfortunately I didn’t particularly enjoy this series of stories.
The first story follows Hera/Calliope and how she came to marry Zeus and deal with his infidelity. I did not like this story. Hera to me was not a sympathetic character so I found it hard to feel bad for her and then the way she acted so vindictive toward others really bothered me. Individual rating 1/5.
The second story is about Ava/Aphrodite and her struggles with an arranged marriage when it would be impossible for her to stay faithful. It also deals a lot with Aphrodite’s love of both brothers Hephaestus and Ares. This story was alright. I didn’t hate or love it, at times Aphrodite was whiney but it reminded me a lot of the Ava in The Goddess Test so I liked that continuity. Individual rating 2/5.
The third story is about Persephone and her arranged marriage to Hades and what leads her to choose to fade. This was my least favorite story, I spent the entire time reading just shaking me head and wanting to hit Persephone. I really did not like anything about this story. I didn’t feel Persephone’s love for Adonis and I didn’t understand her choices at all. I didn’t even feel bad for Hades because he just seemed so oblivious to everything and like a doormat. Basically this story was ridiculous. Well written, but ridiculous. Individual rating 1/5.
The fourth story follows James/Hermes as he comes to Earth to figure out why the Gods are fading. This was definitely my favorite story of the set. The little relationship that develops between Tuck and James was everything I wanted it to be and it has that classic tragic Greek ending that made me a little teary eyed. It was worth struggling through the Persephone story to read this one! Individual rating 5/5.
The fifth story is about Hades asking the council to fade and the deal he makes that begins The Goddess Test’s. I also enjoyed this story it was interesting to get a glimpse into Hades’ solitary existence and the reason he chooses to fade. My favorite part has got to be at the end when Henry meets Kate for the first time, it was very cute. Individual rating 4/5.
Random Rant: I don’t really understand why this is The Goddess Test #2.5, I haven’t read Goddess Interrupted yet but it wasn’t really necessary to have read any of the series to read this group of stories. So if that is the reason you’re not picking it up, don’t let that be the case!
Overall, this book definitely had its faults but the last two stories were very enjoyable and kind of saved the book for me. I would recommend this to anyone who loves The Goddess Test or Greek Mythology in general. -
I rarely read anthologies. I tend to stay away from them because most of the time, I only know one of the authors that have written the stories and I’m not interested in reading short stories or novellas from series I’ve never read before. However, reading an anthology like THE GODDESS LEGACY really appeals to me because it’s only written by one author, and all the novellas in the book are from the same series (of which I’ve read all the books).
THE GODDESS LEGACY was a good addition to THE GODDESS TEST and GODDESS INTURRUPTED. If it’s even possible, I think I enjoyed some of these novellas more than the previous books. The novellas add so much more information about the background of many of the characters. First, we meet Hera and we more or less begin to understand why she did those things in the previous books. Then we see Hephaestus and Ares fight for Aphrodite’s love. Persephone makes an appearance in her own novella and we truly learn why she left Hades. Hermes also has his own story in which he learns more about the mortals and explains to the other gods why they should take on new modern names. And of course, the anthology wouldn’t be complete without Hades’ story where we learn how hard it was for him to find his new queen.
Personally, I don’t find the stories are meant to be read individually. Combined, the five novellas tell one big story, with five different point of views. The flow from story to story is perfect and allows the reader to enter a new story without any problems.
One theme that is dominant in each story is love. Whether it’s a tragic love story or a heart warming love story, the main character of each novella face difficult issues as they deal with love and unfaithfulness. Not only was Aimée Carter able to give us more information about the individual gods and goddesses, she also found similarities in each of them by drawing out the human emotion out of each character. Fans of The Goddess Test series will enjoy this anthology because it answers so many questions about the mystery surrounding Persephone’s past and all the other gods that are so important in Aimée’s series. Also, it’s a good teaser as we wait for book 3 to be published!
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An electronic advance reader's copy was provided by the publisher
Also reviewed on
Tynga's Reviews -
Este libro es perfecto, porque la autora logro algo que pocas hacen. Haciendo un recorrido por los siglos desde que los Dioses derrocaron a los Titanes y asumieron el completo control, la historia que esta compuesta por
The Goddess Queen,
The Lovestruck Goddess,
Goddess of the Underworld,
God of Thieves y
God of Darkness nos permite seguir un orden de los sucesos que desencadenaron todo lo que pasa en la serie y a la vez nos permite ver la historia contada por los diferentes protagonistas como ser Hera, Afrodita, Perséfone, Hermes y Hades y los demás Dioses. Sus pasiones, deseos, sueños, la sed de venganza, el amor, la traición y mil emociones y sentimientos mas que hacen de estos Dioses tan mortales como cada uno de nosotros.
Ojalá mas historias fueran contadas de este modo, porque te permite tomar partido por todos y cada uno de ellos entendiéndolos amándolos u odiándolos.
Ahora que se muchas cosas que desconocía la espera por
The Goddess Inheritance será eterna. -
I am giving this book 3 stars because I really enjoyed some parts of it. I liked hearing the stories and the backgrounds of the various gods. I will say Jame's story took me the longest to get through mainly because there really wasn't much action until you reached the end. I don't think I am going to continue this series, at least not right now, but I did appreciate this book. Here are my reviews from each book:
-
DNF,so I can't give an accurate star rating.
While I wasn't hooked enough to finish,the first 3 novellas are very sorrowful,painful and dark and the content and writing seemed a lot more mature than the first book in the series. They're deep, heart-rending stories about strong, proud women who know what they want and what they will not stand for. I was glad to see such standards and powerful women represented.
However, I'm just not absorbed into the characters or their world enough to finish the 2 stories about the male characters. There's a stately, laborous,grand sort of feel to Carter's writing which just feels too heavy for me somehow. She's very talented but it seemed too hard going for a YA book,I feel she should free herself up more and have a go at an adult novel,I think she could really shine there. She certainly has depth. -
This is the last one of the series. This is technically the second novella and it follows the second book in the series, but I read this last and I still caught up. This pretty much just follows the main goddesses and gods of the series: Calliope/Hera, Ava/Aphrodite, Persephone, James/Hermes, and Henry/Hades. I really do recommend this series. You don’t have to love Greek mythology, but I really loved this take on the whole mythology. Five stars.
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A lovely novella with the background stories on some of the Greek gods following the whole goddess test. After reading it I did understand more where certain characters came from and their background and even hatred towards one another.
Maybe not nessesary but a nice read. -
This novel was flawless! I don’t know exactly what I was expecting before I started reading it, but in the end, I was positive that it was a perfect reading. I already knew that the novel was going to show 5 stories of some of the characters. But I was surprised to discover that they’re not any kind of stories, but the ones that have a major influence in the characters and the plot’s evolution and in the same time, the ones that initiate the story line of the whole series. These 5 stories are presented in chronological order, starting with the one that represents the origin of the Council and finishing with the period before the adventures from the first volume, The Goddess Test.
In the first story, Hera’s, we find out both the way the Council grew after the victory against the Titans, and the reasons why Hera becomes the villain, although she should’ve been a good goddess, the master of marriage, fidelity and home and also the queen of the gods. I liked the fact that the story is told in a very detached manner, and at some point, you almost forget that she is responsible for most of the problems that the main characters of the series have to deal with later. You are able to understand her involuntary transformation, determined by a joylessness existence, full of degradation, pride, pain, humiliation and shattered dreams.
Although as important as the first story, Aphrodite’s story is related in a lighter atmosphere and the effervescent presence of the goddess of love offers a playful feeling that brings a smile on your face while reading. Usually, Aphrodite seems to be a pretty superficial and capricious character, but in this story you see her true face, you find out what’s underneath that happy mask and under the continuous enthusiasm. Of course, there’s not an absolute revelation, the change is not extreme, because Aphrodite is still..Aphrodite. Only that she proves herself to be more that you see on the first sight. You discover a deeper perspective than you were expecting and the final choice she makes is wise, influenced by a lot of aspects and not just by a blind passion.
And we get to Persephone’s story.. I disliked her in the first book, but I finally got to like her in the second volume, Goddess Interrupted. And now I’m back at the same feelings I had for her in the first novel. I understand that maybe her actions were not intentioned and maybe her relationship with Hades didn’t really have a chance from the beginning. Indeed, the author shows us the story in this manner, but I couldn’t help disagreeing Persephone’s attitude. Despite all the so called attempts to make everything work, I had the sensation that she clenched to all the affairs she could, totally ignoring the way she was hurting others. I know that in the book we read again and again that she knew that her betrayals were hurting others and that she was sorry for the way she found her happiness. But I just can’t help seeing her as the main culprit and to consider that she chose an easy and unacceptable way.
In the fourth story, we discover Hermes’ secret. Similar to the first story, this chapter dedicated to Hermes has a double meaning. On one hand, we find out his love story and on the other hand, we get to know the way the gods managed to reinvent themselves, in order not to fade forever. Furthermore, we also find out the meaning of some of the new names that the gods had chosen and are using in the other books. The story shows a new Hermes and I’m sure that the readers are going to have a different perception of this character in the future books. We have again a more detailed and a deeper portrait than the one we saw in the previous volumes.
The last story is Hades’ and it’s the only one divided in more phases. The action develops from the period after Persephone’s leave until the moments before the first book’s adventures. This story finally explains Hades’ cold and distant attitude from the previous books and not only that you understand him, but you also wonder how was he able to resist like that, considering all the things he lived and his existence full of drama, disappointment and sadness.
Pros:
- One of the things I loved was the way the author managed to play with the reader’s feelings. At some point, you realize that your attitude regarding some of the characters is changing from a story to another and your feelings for them are very different from a moment to other. And I’m not talking just about differences between the previous books and this one, but about differences in the same volume. For example, if in the first story you actually like Hera, in another one you wish she never existed. I think the way you’re influenced by the characters points of view it’s absolutely intriguing.
Cons:
- The pride wars between the gods and the way they live their eternal lives are a little to similar to the human ones. I think I would’ve liked to see more detached and fairer attitudes. Indeed, some of their decisions are admirable, but unfortunately most of their decrees are influenced in a negative way by their own feelings. -
The Goddess Legacy gives readers background information on what really happens in this trilogy.
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A completely unnecessary addition to the series that is so difficult to read as the gods behave like high school students as opposed to all-powerful, immortal deities.
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Originally published at
Winged Reviews.
I am always hopeful (perhaps naively so) about the Goddess Test books, because I love mythology retellings. However, the first two books were disappointing due to poor characterisation and predictable plots. The latest offering, The Goddess Legacy, includes five short stories from the point of view of the other gods and goddesses and delves deeper into their histories and character. While I was frustrated by more of the same from Aimée Carter, some of the stories made me feel emotions other than frustration, and I took that as a good sign.
The first story was about Hera (Calliope), her love for Hades (Henry) and how she reluctantly ended up married to Zeus (Walter) instead. It was predictable, falling for a man who committed to change himself but didn't, but I really sympathised with Hera, who only wanted to rule on her own terms as a daughter of Titans should. In fact, I liked her much more here as opposed to the outline of a villain that she was in the first two books. It was nice to see her as a strong personality who stood up for her ideals, instead of being motivated purely by unrequited love. One small detail did bother me, which was the fact that everyone seemed aware of her feelings for Henry, yet we're supposed to believe no one was suspicious of her as the culprit in the first book? You would think immortals have longer memory spans than that.
Both Aphrodite (Ava) and Hermes (James) were also portrayed well in their stories. Aphrodite learned something about the different types of love offered to her, caught in a love triangle with Ares and Hephaestus. Hermes, who hurt Hades by cheating with Persephone, learned about love and the pain of loss. His story also attempted to explain why the gods/goddesses now go by different names. Again, I expected a little more about the revelation, but it was another case of the concept being more interesting than the execution.
On the other hand, the other two stories were perfect example of why the series frustrates me—characters like Persephone and Hades (Henry). Persephone was whiny, self-righteous and utterly selfish. She judged Hermes and Aphrodite for 'cheating' on her, but seemed to forget that she did the same to Hades. Her immaturity and hypocritical behaviour (not unlike Kate) was unbearable and my distaste for her grew from the last book. On the opposite end of the scale was Hades, who, for a powerful god and ruler has absolutely no backbone. He is a coward, for choosing the easy way out and being unable to move on from Persephone. Man up Henry, get on with your reponsibilities and have some courage to try to find love, instead of fading and being a simpering idiot.
So all in all, I rated it slightly higher than the first two books because I liked some of the characters better as a result of these stories and probably because of the lack of Kate. A great read for fans of the series, but for those that didn't like it you could probably do without. -
****Spoilers if you have not read The Goddess Hunt and Goddess Interrupted. If you haven't read BOTH you will be reading spoilers*****
Wow! When I started reading this, I thought it was going to be a novella. But this is 400 pages long and it is every bit or even more engrossing than The Goddess Hunt and Goddess Interrupted. It shows how things got to the point they are at now. If you had questions, any questions, about how the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus had come to the point that they are now at the end of Goddess Interrupted, this book explains it all.
The story opens with just after the original six Olympians have defeated the Titans. They know they couldn't have defeated them without Hera and she wants to be leader. But Zeus quarrels with her over people not following a woman. The first story is Hera's and let me tell you, if you don't have sympathy for her at the end of it, then you're heartless. We all know what a cheating bastard Zeus has always been in mythology. But this story shows just how painful it is to her. Just what he does to her to keep her from being happy.
There is a story from Aphrodite's point of view and how she comes to marry Hephaestus. And her affairs with other men.
There is the story of Persephone and Hades, not quite like we've always known it, but close enough to the original that it is believable. She tries to love Hades, but there is always a wall between them and even though she's known she was always going to marry him, she can't seem to love him. You have to be asleep not to figure out why it isn't working out, but you do have to read the story to figure it out.
Hermes has his own story which was interesting because I've never known a lot about him. It was different and makes sense with regards to his story in The Goddess Hunt series.
And finally Hades has his story. We find out what happened before the Goddess Hunt started and what happened to the other girls. Why he let the test go on even in the wake of the murders. And what happened when he first saw Kate.
I got so immersed in these stories winding them into the other two stories so that by the time I finished I feel like I am so ready for the next book. I know why Hera/Calliope is the way she is and I honestly don't blame her. I hate Walter! In fact, I hate most of the Olympians except Henry. They are all selfish and proud and jealous and really don't deserve any happiness. But God April can't come soon enough!!!
If you enjoy this series, this is a must! You will be lost without it. It makes everything fall into place but don't read it first. Read it after the first two books. I don't know why it's called a .5 though. It's a full book with five really great stories in them. It makes a great addition to the series!
I received an E-ARC from the publishers at Harlequin through NetGalley for review for which I thank them. I'll be buying my own hardbound copy though as I love this series and want it for my collection.
Never too many books, right? The opinions expressed are my own and not compensated in any way. -
I enjoyed the novellas in The Goddess Legacy. I was able to get to know the characters a little bit more by getting their backstories. The first story was Hera/Calliope, then Aphrodite/Ava, then Persephone, then Hermes/James, and lastly, Hades/Henry.
Even though Hera's story explained her character well and she had legitimate reasons to be the way she was, I still can't stand her. Her story was the worst to read for me because I knew nothing would change for her and she'd spend her entire existence being petty, jealous, and ridiculous. I liked getting some more perspective, it’s just that I still can’t stand her.
I really liked Ava's story. Even though I don't condone her lifestyle and I was kind of taken aback when she told Kate she was married in book two, I liked getting her side of it and watching her fall in love with Hephaestus. Understanding her and the reasons for choosing him really gave her character some more depth.
Persephone's story was important because it was from her perspective. So much of the Goddess Test series includes references to Persephone and assumptions about the kind of person she was and what she felt, but no one ever really got her side of the story. I was interested to see that Persephone was kind of a brat and not the kind of person Kate thought she was and I really enjoyed getting her narrative in the Goddess of the Underworld.
James is another character I can't stand. His backstory was interesting and he was a crucial part of the story and the gods staying relevant to society, so I enjoyed the novella. I found him to be quite petty in Goddess of the Underworld, but James was one of those people who is both likeable and horrible at the same time. I loved his adventure in God of Thieves.
I was looking forward to the story of Hades the most. I wanted to get his perspective about the goddess tests before Kate and sort of get inside his head a little bit. I wish the novella was longer and more detailed, but I was still satisfied by all that I learned. I have such a soft spot for his character and God of Darkness was a bit of an expansion upon the prologue of The Goddess Test, which was nice.
Overall, I enjoyed The Goddess Legacy. There were moments where I wished the novellas were shorter because I knew how I felt about the characters and their stories didn't really change anything for me. I liked getting the backstories, but I am also looking forward to reading the next book to see the plot advance a bit more and that's my main issue with novellas. I got too much of characters I hated, like Hera, and not enough of the characters I was most interested in, like Hades. I would recommend the book to fans of the series who are interested in more content and getting to know the characters before they were the people Kate meets in The Goddess Test.
