Suzanne Williams (1)

Prelim Review: As a kid who grew up on the tales of gods and heroes of Greece, I wasn't sure what to expect. With the...frustration I felt over Disney's Hercules I was a little reluctant truth be told. However I shouldn't have worried. Holub and Williams kept the spirit of the tales without sacrificing (much) of the tales themselves. Much of who Athena meets and what happens, while twisted so as to fit the junior high setting and tropes, were fun takes on the real myths. How Medusa got her snakey-hair for instance or the invention of olives.

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First I should point out that I was one of those people who went to see Disney's Hercules movie and spent almost the entire movie commenting to my friends that I couldn't believe the liberties they had taken. It was pointed out to me that the actual myth was probably too hardcore for Disney (or children). I am also a fan of the television shows Hercules: the Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, both of which took enormous liberties as well, but stuck to the mythology well enough.

I sincerely wish that the Goddess Girls book series had been around back then. Holub and Williams managed to adapt the myths of Medusa, Athena's birth, parts of the Illiad/Odyssey and even a few others into a sanitized, but entertaining read appropriate for the age group (10 ). The four Goddesses we follow are Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite and Persephone. Pandora is also a character, but as she's not a Goddess she isn't officially part of the mix. We only see a couple of the Gods--Zeus, Hermes and Poseidon--though in later books I'm sure that'll change.

I found it to be interesting that Poseidon, who is Zeus' brother, was instead shown to be significantly younger than Zeus--not quite keeping in line of things, but that's okay. Athena's transfer and adaptation to 'Olympus Junior High' is rocky, but relateable for young girls in a similar situation. Not knowing the school rules, trusting the wrong person with sensitive information, making rivals and enemies simply by being yourself--these are all things kids go through. Just because Athena happened to accidentally rain inventions down on the mortal plane or she showed up Poseidon by having Odysseus totally trounce the Trojans, well that was just fun.
… (mer)

Artemis wasn't one of my favorite Goddesses growing up. She sounded so fierce and scary, plus I'm not really big on hunting. Like the other Goddess Girl books Holub and Williams give this a twist so that the problems Artemis faces--a first crush, living up to everyone's expectations and family matters--still remain true to the original myth, but have modern relatabilities.

The other Goddess Girls are around, helping Artemis and continuing their own stories. While its not necessary to have read the previous three books, it doesn't hurt either. Even though this is Artemis' book, the other girls all have roles to play (just as she did in their books) and a larger understanding of the world is always helpful.

I did find it pretty hilarious that everyone believed Orion to be 'star material' for the very first school play. Orion, in mythology, was later turned into a constellation by Zeus, so that was an amusing way to include that facet of the myth. The little toss in about Actaeon, also a nice touch!

The Goddess Girls series continues to be a delightful series. The positive portrayal of friendship, handling social pressure and class troubles make this a highly recommended series for middle grade girls as well as for teens looking for a light and fun read.… (mer)

This book is an adorable middle grade series that spins up some new and exciting stories about everyone's favourite Greek gods and goddesses.

Persephone is friends with the other goddesses, but she always finds herself presenting in a way that makes everyone else happy. Her Mom is also uber strict, which is super annoying. She meets Hades, and finds herself a new friend that she doesn't have to pretend around. The two bond, but her friends and Mom think he's trouble. Persephone will learn the values of being herself in this wonderful read.

This series is a delight and I now need to read every single book. It's positive, teaches morals and good lessons, and puts a super fun spin on Greek mythology. I highly recommend this super incredible series if you're looking for a middle grade book to get hooked on.

Four out of five stars.

Four out of five stars.… (mer)