Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)

I was hoping that the reason I couldn't really get into The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter was because of my mood while reading it. However, after reading Goddess Interrupted, I think I've finally come to the conclusion that the series isn't for me.

I enjoyed Goddess Interrupted a good deal more than I did The Goddess Test. There was a lot more going on in terms of action and suspense. And I love a good fighting scene or two, which Goddess Interrupted had plenty of, that's for sure.

But I just couldn't connect with Kate. She was so up and down and mopey and whiny about Henry that I wanted Calliope to kill her. Again. She just doesn't seem to have much of personality. She's strong-willed and determined...except for when it comes to Henry, and then she just sort of rolls over. And Henry! Ugh! They just needed to sit down and have a damn conversation.

I actually did tear up towards the end of Goddess Interrupted when Kate was having an extremely sad moment, though. So that's a bonus.

And the ending. I just can't. There's a huge bomb dropped and then...it ends. Which I kind of expected - the cliffhanger ending, not the bomb.

But guys, this is just my opinion. While I've come to the conclusion that Goddess Interrupted and The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter just aren't the books for me, if you really enjoyed The Goddess Test, I definitely think you should keep going with Goddess Interrupted.

I've been highly anticipating Goddess Interrupted ever since I finished the first book in the series last year! Aimee Carter took me away to a world rich with Greek mythology, but one that still held one foot strongly in the mortal world. This time I knew that I'd be able to dive deeper into the characters, their lives, and the unique problems that they faced as gods and goddesses. I couldn't wait! As soon as this book arrived, I had to devour it.

When I first met Kate last year in The Goddess Test, I fell in love with her bold and brave attitude. Even though she started out as a bit tough to love, she soon transformed into a character that I could really get behind. That's why it was so hard for me when I started reading Goddess Interrupted and realized that the same old Kate was back. Tough to love, thoughts that bordered on depressing. The only reason I was able to cope with it better this time is because Aimee Carter does give Kate a mind of her own. Kate knows she's being that way, she tries to battle it, she just doesn't always win.

That's not to say that Kate's attitude isn't warranted. I'll warn you that Carter's characters face their fair share of issues in this story. From waking Titans, to old love affairs, there is a lot that is laid bare in this installment. I had a great time getting to know more about the cast of characters and how they were all linked. Kate and Henry's relationship didn't steal the show, but instead contrasted nicely to the feelings of war that were floating around the palace. So yes, Kate did have a reason to feel so down. I'll give her that.

What really saved the day for me was the ending. Once again Kate proved herself to be a stubborn and fiery character. I won't spoil, but let's just say that this is a cliffhanger that will make your mouth drop open! Upon reading the last page I was speechless. Despite any qualms I may have had while reading, the ending is more than enough to keep me reading on in this series. Bring on more Kate and more Henry. I'll be here to read it.

In The Goddess Test, I really enjoyed the way Aimée Carter created her own version of the Greek Mythology world and made the Olympian characters her own. In GODDESS INTERRUPTED, she took it to the next level (literally) by bringing the story to the underworld. Greek Mythology is all about personification and giving gods and goddesses human emotions. One thing the author is very good at, is differentiating her characters through emotions and personality, and since there are so many characters in this series, differentiation is a good thing.

For a young woman married to the King of the Underworld, Kate Winters was still very immature and naïve at the beginning of the book. Often, she was wondering if her husband Henry really loved her and if their marriage was just one of necessity. Her doubts were well founded, since Henry never really demonstrated his emotions. Sometimes, I just felt like slapping her because her doubts were present throughout the book and it became very repetitive. Fortunately, we saw Kate mature a little as the book progressed. She gained confidence in not only herself but in her capacity to become a leader. After battling it out against one of the only enemies that can kill Kate and the Olympians, I believe she has gotten closer to being real Queen material. One of the things I love to see, over the course of a series, is the evolution of a character into a stronger person and I think I’ve become more attached to Kate because of her personal growth. However, she still has a lot to learn before being confortable in her role as Queen.

One character I did not expect to meet was Persephone. In the first book, Henry’s memories of Persephone were a big threat to Kate. In this second book, this exact same person might be the only one who has the knowledge to save Henry. The animosity between Kate and Persephone was very tangible, right when they first met. I’m still not sure why Persephone tried to help Kate and the rest of her group, since I viewed her as a very selfish person. And for that matter, I’m still not sure if it was truly necessary for Persephone to have an active role in the book. I would have been content with her being just a memory, since she is, theoretically dead. Besides adding to Kate’s doubts, she really didn’t add to the story, in my opinion.

Along with her fictional character Kate, Aimée Carter is slowly maturing as an author. I love the world she’s created since it keeps me coming back for more. However, I would have loved to see more Henry scenes in this book. He’s such a broody and strong character that any scene with him is an enjoyable one. I just hope he’ll be more present in the third book. Also, the next book is guaranteed to start with a bang since the cliffhanger of this one is a huge. I think we can all agree that having the main character black out is a pretty abrupt and frustrating ending.

Overall, GODDESS INTERRUPTED was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of Greek mythology.

The publisher provided me with a copy of Goddess Interrupted. No goody bags, sponsorship, material goods, or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Previously published on my blog: http://fictionfervor.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/review-goddess-interrupted-by-aimee-carter/

I was not a fan of the prequel to this book–The Goddess Test. It was a decent read, but there was nothing especially spectacular about it. And for the most part while reading Goddess Interrupted, I felt the same way.

Once again, I had trouble dealing with the modern names in this book. If Aimée Carter had used the original Greek names, I wouldn’t have trouble trying to remember who was who in the beginning of the novel. Eventually I pieced them together though. (Of course, when I finished the book, I felt completely like an idiot when I saw a list of the modern names versus the Greek names. It was definitely a facepalm moment for me.)

I have to admit, the plot and action was upped a little bit in this book. There was no longer any big, huge mystery, I think, but the return of Cronus (or Cronos or Kronos or however you want to spell his name) intrigued me. The war between the Titans and the gods in the beginning of time had always fascinated me, and I was glad that Carter had incorporated this into her take on mythology. I was also pleased that Carter managed to explain more of her take–for example, she explained how the gods and humans were created.

The organization of this book was a little bit … odd. Only half of the book is really spent on trying to save Henry, and the other half is spent on trying to make preparations so that Cronus doesn’t escape. The climax was sort of in the middle of the book. And the book leaves at such a sudden cliffhanger.

I despise Kate. She was decent in the previous novel, but now I’m so frustrated with her for putting up a fit with how Henry is treating her coldly. Come on, the king of the Titans–who can kill immortals, you know–is after you and trying to kill you, and you’re going to whine about how your husband isn’t paying any attention to you? Sure, I understand that I would naturally be a little worried about that, but seriously. My gosh, get your priorities straight, woman.

Kate’s relationship with Henry is unique, I’ll give you that. Usually I read books in which (1) both boy and girl are reluctant to be together, (2) girl is reluctant to be with boy, or (3) boy is reluctant to be with girl so girl tries to have a relationship with boy2. But Henry does do a great job of showing that he loves Kate without flaunting it, I think. And he’s confused with who he loves, I get it, so it’s only natural that he would act distant.

Goddess Interrupted was a disappointment. With the poor characters (especially the protagonist), I felt like the bad aspects distracted me from enjoying the plot of the book. I’m hoping that Aimée Carter might be able to redeem herself in the sequel.

Source: Galley received from publisher for review