Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Thursday, September 22, 2011

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Title: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Release Date: May 31st, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 496
Source: Ebook from Publisher via Netgalley
Series: Starcrossed (#1)
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge 2011 (hosted by the Story Siren)
Summary (goodreads.com): How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.
My Review:
I really liked this book. The ways the famous Greek myths are put forth in this novel are not only unique, but fantastic as well. Most YA Greek myths books are about demi-gods and monsters and God Parents, but it’s rare (at least for me) to read a book that deals with a historical event such as the Trojan War and in particular the “love story” between Helen and Paris of old. The love story of Starcrossed drives me batty but also makes me ridiculously happy because for once the characters don’t have smooth sailing (I won’t say anything else for fear of HUGE spoilers). Read Starcrossed, if you don’t want to face the wrath of the Gods!!


1 comments:

Ceska said...

I found Helen's story to be fascinating even though I am quite familiar with the legend. Also, I found it addicting and I realized it's because I LOVE Greek mythology. After all, Greek mythology is one of my favorite units to teach; plus, The Iliad the The Odyssey are some of my favorite classics. So, it should come with no surprise that I absolutely relished this aspect of the novel.

Another thing that I loved was the setting. Nantucket really came to life in Starcrossed. It's the perfect location for a book like this, because there's fog, intense storms, angry seas, the isolation of the beach, and Helen's widow's walk. Every aspect of Nantucket really set the mood of the story and beacause of this.