About the Book:
Title: Daughter of Sparta
Author: Claire M. Andrews
Series: Daughter of Sparta #1
Page Length: 400
Publication Date: June 8, 2021
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Books
Synopsis: Sparta forged her into a deadly weapon. Now the Gods need her to save the world!
Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior, hoping to be accepted by the unyielding people of ancient Sparta. But an unexpected encounter with the goddess Artemis—who holds Daphne’s brother’s fate in her hands—upends the life she’s worked so hard to build. Nine mysterious items have been stolen from Mount Olympus and if Daphne cannot find them, the gods’ waning powers will fade away, the mortal world will descend into chaos, and her brother’s life will be forfeit.
Guided by Artemis’s twin-the handsome and entirely-too-self-assured god Apollo-Daphne’s journey will take her from the labyrinth of the Minotaur to the riddle-spinning Sphinx of Thebes, team her up with mythological legends such as Theseus and Hippolyta of the Amazons, and pit her against the gods themselves.
A reinterpretation of the classic Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, Daughter of Sparta by debut author Claire Andrews turns the traditionally male-dominated mythology we know into a heart-pounding and empowering female-led adventure.
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My Review:
Daughter of Sparta is a captivating and immersive quest story that follows Daphne as she tries to save the powers of Olympus. Set in ancient Greece, the novel is a retelling of Daphne and Apollo, but it is very different from the original story. I’m a fan of Greek mythology and appreciate how well the author interwove the stories of the Gods and Goddesses into this novel. It definitely gives you a different perspective of some of the classic God and Goddesses like Apollo and Artemis, which I found intriguing. I also like that the author didn’t focus specifically on one mythological story, and instead twined several together to create a new and fresh tale.
Daphne is a fantastic protagonist! Brave and determined, she is a true warrior. All Daphne wants is to be accepted as a Spartan even though she was not technically born in Sparta. Daphne’s sense of isolation and of not being fully embraced by the Spartans is clear from the first pages, and her need to belong propels many of her actions. She has spent much of her life trying to prove her worth to people who deem her unworthy, and yet she never gives up. There’s a fierceness about her that is admirable and empowering. I love her strength and confidence, as well as her relentless spirit.
The love story is not the focus of the novel, and it is a slow-building romance. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Daphne and her love interest at the start of the story, but I ended up liking them! Their story is very different form the original myth between Apollo and Daphne, which surprised me, but it’s an interesting spin on their tale. I like that the author took the essence of the original characters and stories and put new spins on them.
Though this is a fantasy, there are many themes that readers can relate to, the desire to be accepted and to feel a sense of belonging chief among them. Daphne’s journey, both physical and emotional, is intriguing, action-packed, and immersive and shows the power of determination, resilience, and fighting for something bigger than yourself.
I also really enjoyed the humor, sarcasm, and witty banter throughout the story. It broke up some of the more serious and intense scenes and added depth to the characters and relationships. Some of my favorite parts were the great and humorous conversations between Daphne and her counterparts!
I think readers who like unique stories with dynamic characters, quests, a lot of action, and a slow-building romance will enjoy Daughter of Sparta, and I’m thankful to NetGalley, Claire M. Andrews, and Jimmy Patterson Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- Daphne! She is a dynamic and well-developed protagonist!
- The themes and messages of acceptance and love.
- The mythology.
Recommendations:
This is a great story who like enemies-to-lovers romance, epic quests, and mythological retellings!
Great review! It’s been so long since I’ve read anything on Daphne and Apollo’s story that you have me interested in checking out their story…and then maybe this book.
Thanks! It was interesting – not as gripping as I’d hoped but still a good read.
Great review Julie. Not my thing, but it sounds interesting.
Thanks, Carla! I didn’t love it as much as I hoped, but it was a decent read. 🙂
We can’t love them all.
So true!