Synopsis
Held hostage by the Midas curse, Daphne, Daughter of Sparta, must bend to the will of the Goddess of Artemis or lose her brother forever.
Mind and body of a lethal warrior, Daphne sets course to complete the impossible: Return the nine sacred items stolen from Mount Olympus and save the Gods or watch as the world falls into complete destruction and chaos.
“And now for the true purpose of your journey. Nine precious items have been stolen from Olympus and must be returned. Each day of their absence from Olympus, the magic, the power of all Olympians, is unbound.”
Finally! A reimaging forged from the traditional myths of ancient Greece that celebrate and embrace the beauty of a strong female main character.
Instead of blending into the background, Daphne is the one leading the charge. Aided by Artemis’s twin, Apollo; her first love turned wolf, Lykou; and would be king of Athens, Theseus-they fight against familiar foes, the ticking of time, and even their own hearts.
Thank you, @cmandrewslit @jimmypattersonbooks for proving to the world that female characters are just as strong, resilient, brilliant, and WORTHY as their male counterparts. I truly enjoyed the adventure and look forward to the sequel, Blood of Troy, out on September 6th, 2022.
This brings me to the first location of importance: Sparta
“Find where the Olympian powers have been hidden away, and I will remove the curse from your body. Should Olympus fall, the gold traversing your body will consume you, and there will be nobody left to save your poor brother.“
The power of the Gods lay within nine items…so why is Artemis demanding that a mere mortal retrieve them?
The question of who Daphne really is and why she is the chosen one remains unresolved throughout ‘Daughter of Sparta.’ Yes, there are hints-glimpses into the mystery of her true identity. I imagine; however, we won’t see any actual resolution until well into the second book later this year.
For now, we only know that she is the chosen one, the only person who can obtain the clues needed to solve this puzzle. Because if Daphne is disloyal in any way, her brother Pyrrhus will remain a deer forever, lost to his human form.
With the help of Prometheus, whose divine curse is knowledge, Daphne is granted permission to “see through his eyes.” But this knowledge is not limited to only the quest at hand!!
This brings me to the Second location of importance: Crete
Zeus no longer brings us rain, and so our crops wither. Hera blesses us less and less with sons to replenish our armies. The lands to the west rumble from Poseidon’s ire, and Athena has not blessed our battles to the east. Their powers abandon them, and soon we will suffer the consequences.”
I don’t think a review on Daughter of Sparta would be complete without discussing a few of the supporting roles played by the Olympic Gods.
This story presents the Gods in physical-human- forms, not just symbols and beacons of spiritual hope.
Artemis: The virgin huntress-cares only for the freedom of women and the creatures of the forest. So why doom one of the things she loves most with an impossible task?
Apollo: Twin to Artemis-handsome, self-assured, blessed with the beauty of the sun-yet unforgiving and unyielding. Promised Olympian escort in Daphnes journey-a dynamic that proves to be a well-written enemies to lovers trope.
Pasiphae: Goddess-mother to the Minotaur, half-human, half-beast. The wife of Minos- Crete king- is now in possession of three items stolen from the gods.
Hermes: An Alliance with Hermes could either help or hinder, depending on how useful he deems you to be-owner of the Kerykeion-a object needed to further Daphne’s quest.
There are many others, including Ares and Hades, but I don’t want to add any further details and present spoilers!
RECOMMENDED LINKS
If you’re interested in learning more about the Young Adult Historical novel Daughter of Sparta and its author Claire M Andrews or would like to purchase the book, please check out the links below.
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