"Antigoddess" by Kendare Blake

Antigoddess (Sept. 10, 2013) by Kendare Blake.

The thing we grow up hearing about mythology – whether it’s Greek or Egyptian or Norse (and on and on) – is that gods are immortal. As in, undying and everlasting. Right? But what about a present time when the [Greek] gods are dying? Persephone’s already passed on. Understandable, as she was already half-dead as queen of the underworld. Her mother, the goddess of the harvest (or agriculture), is not yet dead, but she’s stretched thin, as she’s “used as the earth is used.” Athena, ever the goddess of wisdom and strategy (highly useful in battle situations), isn’t about to die lying down. She’s trying to stop this twilight of the gods. It’s mostly selfish, though, because who wants to fight feathers? The messenger god Hermes is with her. Known for thievery and not for courage, he’s a flight risk, though not literally a flight risk right now since he doesn’t have the strength to fly. Winged sandals aren’t going to help him now!

            Cassandra Weaver is an ordinary high school student. Well, sort of ordinary. She wins at coin tosses every time and sometimes has visions of the future. Her boyfriend, Aidan Baxter, loves this about her, and she totally loves him. And what’s not to love? Aidan is fun-loving, reassuring, gorgeous and wholly dedicated to Cassandra. But Cassandra has a past she doesn’t remember. In that past, she was a great prophetess, but back then, her ability was far more a curse than a gift. Cassandra doesn’t realize this, even though she’s been “seeing” bloody and violent things lately. Aidan is there to comfort her, and her best friend, Andie Legendre, and brother, Henry, are nearby, too. What is the meaning of her visions? Why are they happening now? What does it all mean?

            Anyone who keeps one type of image in mind regarding Greek mythology better avoid this book. Just forewarning you. While weak, the gods still have power, but the virgin goddess depicted in a toga is far from the punk Athena in this young adult novel. There are so many questions, as this is the first in a new series, but this kick-off book is very well-imagined. The humor is often wry, which only makes the book more enjoyable to read: “It was rude to stomp your aunt, no matter how dire the situation.” “Antigoddess” is a thrilling adventure of mythology, love, gore and the process of dying. It’s also about discovering one’s true self, though Cassandra’s case is far more unusual than ours would be, as hers is of a supernatural sort. It’s not a depressing book (well, maybe a little); it has suspense and prowess, good and bad. Oh, and Greek tragedy, of course! (For those concerned, there are also scattered expletives.)

            As someone who read this book and is also a fan of Rick Riordan’s mythology-based  books (e.g. Percy Jackson), I want to note how different they are. And rightly so. First off, Riordan’s novels, while enjoyed by a wide age-range, are still considered middle grade. Blake’s “Antigoddess” is young adult with a touch of horror. Riordan’s books are far more kid-friendly than Blake’s. Both authors write great books, but please don’t insult them by trying to compare them. They are different authors with different target age groups. Appreciate their interpretations. After all, even the “historical” mythologies you can research out there have differing interpretations. So why not present-day authors?

            Also by Kendare Blake: Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares