Lore

Lore
Alexandra Bracken
Disney/Hyperion, 2021
480 pages
Grades 9-Up
Mythology/Fantasy/Adventure

Lore appears to be a typical young woman living in New York City, except her life is anything but ordinary. She is the last surviving member of an ancient Greek bloodline and the sole inheritor of a magical and deadly artifact that only she can wield. Every seven years the old families come together to hunt the Gods, made mortal for a short time as punishment for a long-past rebellion. The Agon is deadly. It can rise a mortal to great power--or bring about death, as was the case for Lore's family. After flying under the radar since the last deadly Agon, Lore now finds herself in the thick of it, as old friends surface and competing forces want control of the power she possesses. After finding Athena bleeding on her doorstep, Lore decides to join forces with the powerful Goddess, entwining her own life to that of her now ally. Lore's ragtag band of rebels must hunt, as they are also hunted, to keep New York City from getting completely destroyed and protect the world from an evil and greedy new God, set on eternal domination.

This book had me at the cover. I had to read it and even though it is very long, the exciting plot twists and non-stop action kept me going. Since the pandemic began my attention span has diminished. Long books, especially, lose me and feel overwhelming. Lore is the perfect distraction and escape for an overworked brain and I fell right into the passion of the Agon, with all of its hopes, strategies, and deceptions. There is a romance for Lore, as well as for two other secondary team members, but this is not the focal point of the story, nor does it get too carried away. The main reason the book is best intended for older readers is that it is exceedingly violent as characters are decapitated and brutally murdered as the Agon winds through its bloody path. Older teens used to video games and familiar with The Game of Thrones will have no problem with it, but the book is not for sensitive or younger readers. Graduates of Percy Jackson will find much to delve into and will feel right at home with the contemporary setting infused with Greek mythology. A perfect summer read and escape, though not for the faint of heart.