Published: 2021
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy / Mythology
Audience: Grades 11–12, Adult
Number of Stars: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Goodreads Link: Lore
Content Warnings: Abuse, sexual violence, neglect, illness, loss, and murder.
Publisher’s Summary
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2021)
“Epic from start to finish.” —Marie Lu, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Warcross
“A brilliant and breathless twist on classic mythology!” —Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Lunar Chronicles
Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals. They are hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality. Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory after her family was murdered by a rival line. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man—now a god—responsible for their deaths. Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek her out: Castor, a childhood friend and first love Lore believed to be dead, and Athena, one of the last of the original gods, now gravely wounded. The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and a way to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to rejoin the hunt, binding her fate to Athena’s, will come at a deadly cost—and it may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.
Review
Lore, written by Alexandra Bracken, is a combination of Greek mythology, action, mystery, and fantasy. Bracken tells the story of a teenage girl living in modern-day New York City who is a descendant of an ancient Greek bloodline, the Hunters. Her name is Lore Perseous. Every seven years, the Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals during a deadly event called the Agon, where descendants of heroic bloodlines hunt the gods hoping to kill them and take over their powers. Fortunately, Lore fled this violent world years ago after her family was brutally murdered. She was determined to never return to the cycle of this bloodshed and revenge. However, her life changes when Athena, one of the last remaining gods, appears on Lore’s doorstep seriously wounded and seeking protection. Lore and Athena team up forming an unlikely alliance, considering Athena is the one who ordered the murder of Lore’s family. Not only does this draw Lore back into this competition she has left behind, but it also uncovers a dangerous conspiracy involving a new god who is determined to overthrow Zeus and permanently reshape the balance of power between mortals and immortals. She confronts painful memories, betrayal, and begins questioning destiny and power. Throughout this story, Lore struggles with whether revenge truly brings justice and if people can break free from cycles of generational violence. She navigates betrayals, shifting loyalties, and deadly battles. Lore confronts her past and decides what kind of future she desires.
Some of the themes in this story include:
- Revenge and consequences – The Agon itself is all about revenge and consequences.
- Power and corruption – exploring how the pursuit of power can corrupt individuals and societies.
- Fate vs free will – the characters struggle to determine whether they control their destinies or are bound by ancient prophecies.
- Survival and sacrifice – Many characters must make difficult but courageous choices for the greater good.
- Loyalty and betrayal – Doing what is right vs doing what others expect you to do. Lore finds out the difficult truth that Athena is the one who betrayed her family.
- Identity and self-discovery – The characters struggle with the expectations put upon them by their families.
- Mortality vs immortality – The Agon strips the gods of their immortal status and powers and forces them to walk the Earth as mortals for 7 days. During this time they can be killed.
- Feminism- Only male descendants of the ancient bloodlines are allowed to ascend and when a woman tried to, she was constantly hunted. It is debunked that women are weaker than men.
- Men want the power where women are trying to end it.
Some activities that could be done with this book:
- Greek Mythology Research Project – Students choose or are assigned a god, goddess, or hero mentioned in the novel and have them create a presentation comparing the original mythological figure to the author’s representation.
- Students choose a theme from the story, analyze is and give examples of it throughout the story.
- Character Representation – Choose a character and create a visual representation showing powers, alliances, conflicts and betrayals.
- Debate: Fate vs Free Will – use evidence from the story to debate whether Lore’s destiny is set or whether she can shape her future by the choices she makes.
- Choose a character and dissect their character development in the novel.
🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections
- Greek Mythology Research Project:
- Activity Idea: Students choose a god, goddess, or hero mentioned in the novel (e.g., Athena, Hermes, Artemis). Have them create a presentation comparing the original mythological figure to Bracken’s modern representation.
- ELA (Theme & Character Dissection):
- Activity Idea: Choose a character and dissect their development. Analyze how they navigate “Loyalty and Betrayal”—doing what is right versus doing what their family expects.
- Debate (Fate vs. Free Will):
- Activity Idea: Use evidence from the story to debate whether Lore’s destiny is set by ancient prophecies or whether she can shape her future through her choices.
- Social Studies (Feminism and Power Structures):
- Activity Idea: Explore the gender dynamics of the Agon. In the book, only male descendants are traditionally allowed to ascend. Discuss how Lore and other female characters challenge the idea that women are “weaker” and investigate how they attempt to end the cycle of power rather than just joining it.
- Visual Representation:
- Activity Idea: Create a visual map of a chosen character showing their powers, alliances, conflicts, and the betrayals they face.
