Trigger warning: rape
 Lore was an interesting read to say the least booktok loves lore but it was hard for me to get invested until the last 100 or so pages the multiple twist were wonderful and it was more inclusive than other books I’ve read 

4.25 

this was FUN!! I loved reading a book that talks about the ruthless and brutality of the Greek gods/goddesses and I loved discussing the misogyny that they had (side eyeing Athena). 

I really enjoyed the premise and plot, and all the characters. some parts felt a bit confusing and the writing was a bit hard to follow at times (main reason it didn't get five stars). 

I guess my biggest thing is that half way through, I started to realize I was loving the book just because it had Greek mythology in it. Everything else was interesting, but not always quite keeping me engaged.

This story is essentially The Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson meets Scythe. It’s one of those books that you can’t put down, but once you finish it, you realize that it wasn’t that great. The suspense keeps you reading and helps you forget a lot of the inconsistencies, but after the (subpar) resolution, you’re left wondering why you were so enthralled. 

<i>Lore</i> by Alexandra Bracken uses the gods from Greek Mythology in a way I have never seen before. Every seven years the Agon happens. Nine of the Greek gods, as a punishment from Zeus, are made mortal one week every seven years. They are hunted by those who wish to take their place as a god. These mortals are descendants of Greek heroes chosen by Zeus himself.

This book started off so well! Bracken did a great job of immersing you into this world; explaining not only the past of the Agon, but also the past of the main character. Lore, short for Melora, grew up learning to fight alongside Castor Achilleos. She was trained to believe it was an honor to kill the gods and take their power. Although, that was never a possibility for Lore. First off, her family was small, compared to the many other families in the Agon; they had no one to ally with. Secondly, she's a woman and the Agon is very set in it's patriarchy. She would only be able to wound a god and allow their patriarch to take the power.

This all changes when Lore's family is murdered and she is the only one left in her bloodline. Her family was murdered in the last Agon by the new Ares (known as Wrath). Lore runs from the Agon, believing she can leave it behind. She was fairly successful, until Athena shows up at her door bloody and asking for help. Athena offers Lore something she desperately wants; something she is unable to turn down.

The friendship between the main characters was so much fun to read and it didn't feel forced. Their bond was formed so easily, learning to trust each other when it mattered most. Each character had a role to play, no one was just there to fill a void.

This story was amazing! I kept wanting to read more and more. There is suspense and new twists at every turn, but the ending felt so rushed. Bracken spent so much time building the ending up, only for it to be done in a few chapters. This was a disservice to the characters and the story. I felt myself thinking "This is it? It's over?" I am disappointed in the many questions left about the ending and why it had to happen that way.

The ending is the one reason I had to put this as 4 stars instead of 5. Up until the last 100 pages this book was perfect to me. I would have gladly read a 500+ page book if the ending would've been more fleshed out. I will definitely be reading this again, though.