Book review by Corey
Lore
Lore follows a girl who has spent years trying to stay away from the violent world of the Agon, a brutal competition where ancient Greek gods are hunted by the descendants of legendary bloodlines. When the games come back to New York and someone from her past pulls her in again, she has to decide whether she can really walk away from everything she was raised to be.
I liked the concept more the longer I sat with it, especially the way Greek mythology gets dropped into a modern, dangerous setting instead of feeling like a straight retelling. Lore herself is tough but pretty damaged, and some of her decisions frustrated me, but that also made her feel more believable. The action is strong, even if the mythology and family history can get a little dense in places.
The Goods
- Cool modern Greek mythology setup
- Lore is a strong main character
- Good action scenes
- Interesting family and legacy themes
- The Agon concept is memorable
The Bads
- The mythology can get dense
- Some family history is hard to keep straight
- A few side characters need more depth
- The pacing slows in places
- Some twists feel easier to predict
My Recommendation
This is a good fit if you like Greek mythology, YA fantasy, and stories with a lot of action and family baggage built into the world. I liked that the book made the gods feel dangerous instead of distant, and the Agon gives the whole story a strong sense of pressure. If you enjoy myth-inspired fantasy with fights, betrayal, old grudges, and a heroine trying to break away from the life she was born into, Lore is worth trying.
