The Goddess Test - Book Review

Title ~ The Goddess Test
Series ~ The Goddess test #1
Author ~ Aimee Carter
Release Date ~ April 19, 2011
Age Group ~ Young Adult
Publisher ~ Harlequin Teen
Source ~ Netgalley

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails...

REVIEW

I have always loved the Greek myths and  I am drawn to books that include Greek mythology in their plot. It’s no wonder that I couldn’t wait to get my eyes on The Goddess Test and its take on the Hades and Persephone myth.

Right away I knew that I liked Kate, the main character who represents Persephone. The relationship between Kate and her dying mother is like no other. Kate is so compassionate and the two of them are like one. Actually, this relationship is my favorite part of the entire book.

I found myself disappointed in how Henry, who represented Hades, is portrayed. I wanted him to be pure evil – like the God of the Underworld should be. Instead, Henry falls flat and seems to be an extremely tame version of what Hades should be. I like my Greek gods to be bolder than Henry.

The actual tests that Kate is put through are not so obvious. Maybe I was expecting that she would have a check list of tests that she needed to complete. The seven tests turn out to be rather easy to pass and they are not nearly as treacherous as I would have expected.  

This very light version of a Greek myth has a quick moving plot, a touch of romance, and a surprising ending.

RATING

3 So-So

COVER COMMENTS

This cover is pretty. I like the innocent white dress and the dark and lush plants. Oh, and that font is just right for a book with a mythology theme.