Author: Peta Crake
Publication Date: August 12, 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Rating: 4/5
Links:
Goodreads
Review:
More than just a love story! It's a wild roller-coaster ride spanning worlds and dimensions!
Being a messenger to the gods is simple enough. Being a messenger to the gods with Hermes as an admirer, Aphrodite's son as a suitor, Zeus as an Uncle, and a couple of all-powerful beings either wanting you dead or playing as your friends, on the other hand, is definitely a little bit too much for a girl.
The beginning of Harbinger is a little bit deceptive because it makes you think that it's just a harmless story about a demi-god finally meeting the girl who could put his searching heart to rest. Well, Harbinger is like that, but it's also so much more.
What starts out as a simple enough love story between a mortal and a demi-god turns into a full-fledged search for truths and answers for the heroine Ophelia. She begins to question herself, her friends, the people she trust and their loyalties.
The best part about the story? Ophelia. She's stubborn and hard-headed, but she knows that good friends aren't all that easy to come by, so she gives her all to protect them. Although she could be a little hot and cold on some things, it's mostly because she's struggling with the fact that she was being torn from what her heart wants and staying true to her own personal rule not to get involved with gods.
Another thing I liked about this story is its effective love triangle. Granted, that Aden was a permanent fixture from the start, it couldn't be denied that Hermes posed as an effective threat to him. If only Hermes got a little bit serious...
Also, I appreciate the fact that the story did not merely explore the world of the Olympians. It also included bits and pieces from Egyptian and Norse mythologies for variety. Aside from these, the author also incorporated her own brand of storytelling by humanizing the gods and even giving additional elements that precede even the gods themselves.
All in all, this story was a great read. I highly recommend it for fans of stories involving Olympians and those that enjoy reading about surprising turns in adventure stories spanning dimensions; and of course, also to those that enjoy love stories involving stubborn heroines.
Was Ophelia a name from Greek mythology? All I think of is Shakespeare when I hear that name. I'll have to check this out. I've read several good books involving Greek gods lately.
ReplyDeleteThere was a brief reference in the book saying Ophelia as the name of a girl who harbored an unrequited love, and that Ophelia's mother was a fan of unrequited love. I just can't recall exactly if it was in Greek mythology. There was a reference about Shakespeare's Hamlet, too. =)
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