Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Goddess

by Josephine Angelini

Read: April 22 - 24, 2013 

Published: May 28, 2013 by HarperTeen *UPCOMING*

Source: Around the World Arc Tours

Category: Paranormal Romance

Series: Book 3 Starcrossed

NOTE: Goddess is the third book in a series. The first two books are Starcrossed and Dreamless respectively. I tried to make this review as spoiler free as possible for the series. But if you are adamant about avoiding spoilers, I caution you to read ahead at your own risk. This review is safe if you've at least read the first book.  

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched. (From Goodreads)

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Starcrossed was probably the first paranormal romance I read after Twilight and realized that there were others out there. I devoured it quickly and was enamored by the whole story. Plus it takes place on Nantucket, which is an island that's part of my state (though I've never been there). The only element in the story that threw me off a bit was the Greek-inspired world building, since it is structured differently from most stories based on classic myths. Unfortunately, after really liking book one, I was very disappointed by book two Dreamless. This was partially because of the pseudo-triangle that develops, but also because I didn't think the characters accomplished all that much for most of the book. After feeling very muddled about the first two books, I was hopeful that the finale would bring it back around for me. 

Although I felt like the mythology was the strongest in Goddess, I was never able to work up to the momentum and wonder I felt when reading Starcrossed. I also had a lot of trouble engaging back into this story and its characters. I think spreading my reading of the books out over 3 years affected my reaction to them. But I have started to wonder if I'd love the first book as much if I went back to it again. 

Goddess is a big story. The past and the present converge, gods show up, secrets are finally revealed, lines are drawn, not everyone is who we though they were, and neither will they all survive. After having trouble grasping the mythology in the first two books, I felt like it ended up being the best part of the third. I really liked the role of the fates and the way the modern characters' story plays off historical Greek events. We have always known that Helen is a descendent of Helen of Troy. In this book, Helen Hamilton has dreams of her historical character, which worked really well in this plot.

One of the elements that I struggled with in Goddess was also what made it feel like such a big story, namely the fact that so much information is held back from being revealed until this book. Because there were lots of different characters and details converging, Goddess features several switching perspectives. We even get a few new characters popping up. Although I do like third person rotating perspective, I think all the different POVs slowed down the story in places, and it took a long time for the various pieces to converge. I always get impatient when the reader knows certain information but has to wait for the characters to figure it out. There is a big secret that's been hanging around since the first book, and waiting this long to see it revealed became tedious. Also, several characters in this book make decisions that they think are the best for everyone, but without telling anyone else what they are doing, and it causes major drama that could have been avoided with a bit more communication. 

This series features one of those love triangles that isn't really one. You know the annoying kind that is like a fly buzzing around your head? It isn't actually going to do any damage but you just want it to go away. From book one it has always been clear whom Helen loves best (and he loves her too), so it was frustrating to have this other guy in the picture. I actually did like guy #2 and he was important to this story. But it just felt like we were all wasting our time investing in him as a potential love interest. This is a personal preference, but I enjoy seeing a couple actually be able to function together throughout a series, instead of road block after road block until the end for the sake of tension. Thankfully, the triangle at least didn't drag out too much in this installment.

I am actually really bummed that I could not muster more enthusiasm for Goddess. I even tried to convince myself that I liked it better. But the more I've stepped away from the story, the more I realize that I just didn't feel connected to it. However, I think that if you have been invested in this series all along, enjoyed Dreamless (and don't have the same love triangle quirks that I do), you will probably end up loving Goddess. I think many will find it be an epic and satisfying conclusion to the series. 

Moments to watch for: 
A classic love triangle move: I love you! But I love him more!
A scene on a beach in Cape Ann, Massachusetts - only for the fact that it's where I live.
A scene right out of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Daphne finally cracks and reveals her master plan.

Love Triangle Factor: Mild
Cliffhanger Scale: Series finale