Like many myth geeks, I loved reading D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths. I followed the trail of magical into fairy tales and down the slide into mythology. Brodsky took the idea of Greek gods and moved them to modern New York City, powered down and living among mortals. Artemis is a far cry from her old self, but she still hunts those who offend her spirit of justice. Instead of a pack of hounds, she has her faithful dog Hippolyta. As Artemis is scaring off a mortal man from his abused girlfriend when she feels a call go out from one of her worshippers. Although she's certain worshippers no longer exist, her goddess abilities seem to be returning to her.

Gods among the mortals isn't a new idea in fantasy, but Brodsky's version is firmly anchored in research. Depending on your wheelhouse, this level of detail can be an attraction or a bore. Personally, despite my long fondness for ancient Greek art and myth, I did find the explanatory babble occasionally cumbersome, although not as bad as I would have expected in an urban fantasy. It works because Theodore Schultz is the ultimate professor, easily expounding on ancient culture and mythology at every opportunity, even in a police station.

Although I am drawn to thoughtful characters, Artemis is no Athena (fun fact: I mistakenly named my rottweiler Athena instead of Artemis. She also was no Athena, metaphorically speaking). Her strategy in solving the mystery is to investigate crime locations and to accuse everyone she knows of the crime. Ordinarily, this headstrong thoughtlessness would irritate, but Brodsky makes it work for her. However, much like the deities in mythology, she also distinctly lacks a sense of humor. As in mythology, Theo is the character that helps the reader connect to the story.

On the downside, the author clearly follows the theory Conservation of Character, which was kind of a disappointment. There were a lot of insignificant mortals in mythology, so I missed the lack of inconsequential players, along with missed potential in minor gods and half-children. Strangely, early on we are introduced to Gabriela, a completely stereotypical Latina chica, her girl-friend speech pattern, her gay-dar, her moods that "could turn on a dime" and physical affection with Theo. I felt kind of embarrassed for Brodsky creating such a stereotypical mess of a character.

Setting was one of the high points: what's not to love about New York City? She even nails the strange stale and fetid smell of the subway in the heat. However, Brodsky chooses to set her story fairly solidly in time, a serious mistake. I was puzzlingly distracted by more than a few mentions of Alexander Hamilton (the person, not the musical), and my reading buddy noted references to Amy Shumer, Anderson Cooper and Saturday Night Live! are going to badly date the books. Seems kind of a rookie mistake, but then it is a first book. So much of NYC is fairly timeless that it is a surprising choice.

Plotting is perhaps one of the weaker points. It roughly revolves around "who killed Helen," Theo's ex-, "and why?" but it does develop a couple of related sub-plots. I will say that I was able to identify the villain fairly quickly, and as I've said before, if I'm able to do that, you are performing the literary equivalent of ALL CAPS! MURDERER HERE! There's a romantic subplot that feels incompletely realized. Basically, why is the virgin goddess falling in love while she's avenging a woman? Goddesses are capricious and all that, but seems a bit hard to conceive that our cold moon goddess is mooning over a man as she's hunting a killer. Brodsky didn't really quite have the chops to pull it off.

It wasn't until the end that I realized one of the philosophical underpinnings of the world-building, the idea that deities can be maintained by adapting to new traditions, was utterly ignored with Persephone, goddess of harvest, and Leto, goddess of motherhood. Somehow the females all became weaker while the males became stronger. Clearly, Brodsky's never worked with a gaggle of moms-to-be, had to buy stupid baby presents every year or look at a facebook feed full of fat little faces. The Cult of Motherhood is strong.

Overall, I'd say I enjoyed reading it, but I do tend to rely heavily on skimming over the boring bits, whatever they may be. The approach seems to be a little more of the literary-fiction angle than the UF angle, which may be why there's a blurb from Deborah Harkness on the front. People who don't groove on Greek myths or on NYC may be more bored, although it's worth noting that Artemis' approach is more like a superhero- powerhouse, not a magicky-wishy--thinky approach. This was generally solid, and more palatable than early Harry Dresden books. I think there's some interesting potential, so while I wouldn't add it to my personal library, I'm also willing to continue the series.

Three-and-a-half stars. Rounding down because the world-building sexism bugged me. ( )

The Immortal's starts quickly but it takes a while for to reader to invest themselves in the characters. You know the main character's Athena, as that's part of the synopsis, but when you first meet her she has fallen far from her original glory and this is discordant with how the reader believes Athena should be. Now, this is not necessarily a bad as the plot revolves heavily around the concept of diminishing immortality, but it does make Athena initially less compelling. As the story progress you grow accustomed this new age and how its affects the old gods and you being to embrace this less than divine goddess. The losing strength is a powerful, authentic, and prominent theme it's just not immediately compelling as you are on the wrong side of the loss.
Nonetheless, the story moves forward, slowly gathering momentum as you are introduced the second main protagonist, who is immediately compelling, and the the authors slowly doles out bits and pieces of the plot. If you are strictly a quick-paced reader this is not a book for you. I digress through; the story progresses and the characters evolve. You meet other Olympians and are presented with both timely bits of backstory and possible perpetrators. The story continues like this up to its conclusion where it has a nice reveal but a slightly underwhelming climax, which was at once too predictable, too easy and lacked the emotional impact it really needed.
On the whole though, I very much enjoyed it. ( )

My interest in Greek mythology drew me to this book, and the mystery Brodsky wove kept it going pretty well.

The love story between Selene and Theo didn't seem as authentic as it could have been. I have a hard time understanding what it was about Theo that Selene (Artemis) was attracted to, and just calling Theo a Makarites seems a little lazy. Theo sounded attractive enough, but to Artemis? Thousands of years, and this is the guy she falls for?

The ending could have been wrapped up quicker than it was, once the mystery got close to the end I kept feeling like I wanted the story to go quicker, but the pace was a little too slow for my liking–Brodsky was still adding backstories toward the end, which I felt was unnecessary. Besides some of the extraneous content, the core story was rather interesting. I liked the obvious amount of research that went into Greek history, and the way that Brodsky painted the modern-day gods and goddesses. There was interesting dialogue throughout.

I'd give this one 3.75 stars if I could, but a solid 3.5 will do. ( )

This was a really interesting book. it was kinda slow at times. The gods are turning mortal and someone is killing girls.
( )

Goddess Artemis assumes the Selene DiSilva as her name and adopts Manhattan as her home. While walking her dog one morning, the “former” goddess stumbles upon the body of a young woman washed up the shores of a river. The woman’s body is horribly maimed and wreathed in Laurel.

Additionally, this victim has all the signs of a ritualistic murder and recognizing the how the crime is of significance, Selene vows to seek justice for the young woman. Her investigations lead her to ally with Dr. Theo Schultz, a professor of mythology & classical studies. ( )

That was an fun read. It was like reading an adventure of Xena in New York City. The pacing of the book is well down. The book doesn't give away the mystery until the right time. When you look back on who the antagonist is the cues were all there. I enjoyed how it set itself up more adventures. My only knock on the book is how the Olympians are tough to care for. I liked Selene but I didn't love Selene. The other protagonist was too much of a Joss Whedon smart ass come to life. Some of the terminology may be tough to read or say but I didn't mind. The mystery was well done and actually kind of scary. I think the author did a very good job for a first book.

I read this book via NetGalley. I thank them for this book. #NetGalley ( )

This is an urban fantasy, folks. The world is awesome and impeccably researched. Selene is no-nonsense and badass and stubborn, but also realistically cautious and fragile around emotions. The mystery felt fresh and different. The supporting cast was more than stereotypes and woven into the story. There’s a bit of romance, but it’s the slow build I enjoy. It’s a Magical New York™ again, but not in the usual way. And the writing’s the smooth, well-plotted kind that I just lose myself in. I may need to break my rule of not reading within the same series within at least six months, because the next book comes out next month and I might just cave.

8/10 ( )

Uneven- the male lead isn't nearly as interesting as Selene. Feel a bit like [b:Relic|67035|Relic (Pendergast, #1)|Douglas Preston|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389576748s/67035.jpg|23046] by Preston and Child mixed with urban fantasy. ( )

A smart, engaging thriller that finds the Greek pantheon dispersed and living in the modern world. Several of them, including Artemis, Apollo, and their mother, Leto (There should be a semi-colon there somewhere, I think.). Translating these capricious immortals to the modern age can prove problematic, since their personalities and behaviors tended to be shown as extreme, but Brodsky chooses to give them all a sort of amnesia regarding the past--their memories are vague and they can't quite determine whether those memories are real or are stories humans have told of them-- and to have their powers be fading, the combination of which allows them to keep the broader strokes of their personalities, without the more outlandish aspects of their personalities manifesting. And, I just really explained that poorly. It makes total sense in the book.

Anyway...

Gods. Living in Manhattan. Not smiting nearly as much.

The book follows Selene diSilva, who was once known as Artemis, as she tries to solve a series of murders of innocents. She teams up with classicist Theo Schulz, whose ex was the first victim, and they run around trying to figure out who's trying to revive the Eleusinian Mysteries. It all gets rather complicated and occasionally feels like it goes on too long (the book is essentially a 440 page mystery novel), but the depictions of the gods and the slowly-developing relationship between Selene and Theo are what kept me riveted.

It's not perfect, but it's incredibly enjoyable and the author clearly knows her mythology and I'll happily continue on if she chooses to make this a series.Just one request: Can we leave Selene and Theo in the background next book and focus on Dash? ( )

A fun, quick read - a mystery-style urban fantasy with mythic Greek underpinnings. Probably a good choice to read on a beach. ( )

I'm not one that usually likes the murder/ thriller genre but this one was amazing. It was heavily steeped in Greek mythology with the characters we thought to be stories are actually alive and well and living amongst us mere mortals. The main character Selene (aka Artemis) is the main character who stumbles across a murder victim who has signs of an ancient Greek ritual being brought back to life. As the "Protector of the Innocent" she has dedicated herself to protecting women. By following the clues she has found she runs into Theo, a Greek mythology professor from the university who wants to help her find out who is performing these ancient atrocities before anyone else is killed. I found the humanization of the Greek gods and goddesses thoughtful and engaging and definitely rooting for Artemis to seek revenge for the fallen. ( )

More paranormal romance and crime thriller than urban fantasy, one is given a world where the Olympian gods live in our midst as diminished versions of themselves, only Selene DiSilva, who was Artemis, and who still tries to live up to her reputation as the protector of the virtue of women, finds herself dealing with a plot to bring back the real old time religion of human sacrifice. This is not quite the novel I expected but I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. ( )

The Immortals is not what I was expecting, but it wasn't a bad read. The Greek mythology is impeccably researched, and from the dialog, I'm not at all surprised that the author has spent time in academia. The vivid descriptions of New York City are also very accurate, clearly taken from first-hand knowledge. What surprised me most was the tone. It's more weighty and somber than other urban fantasies. The gods and goddesses take themselves very seriously, despite the absurdity of their presence in an otherwise perfectly realistic world.

Working in the novel's favor is a solid mystery and an interesting cast of characters. The romance developed a little quickly for my tastes, but it was cute and helped lighten an otherwise grim story. In short, I won't be rushing out to buy the next book, but I would recommend The Immortals if you're into Greek mythology and looking for something different. ( )

The Immortals is the first in the Olympus Bound series by Jordanna Max Brodsky. It is an urban fantasy/murder mystery blend that has the ancient Greek Gods living as semi-humans, several of which have ended up in New York City. Selene DiSilva, once known as Artemis, is walking her dog along the Hudson river when she discovers the corpse of a young woman. The body has been horribly mutilated, dressed in a chiton and wreathed in laurel. The woman had been crowned and dressed like an ancient Greek priestess... or, more likely, a sacrifice. A virgin sacrifice. Once known as the Goddess of Virgins and the Protector of the Innocent, Selene feels an ancient rage return. Human sacrifice was never part of the ancient rites! She cannot let this crime go unpunished.

This was an interesting read. You really need to like your Greek mythology though. The author goes deep into the Eleusinian Mysteries as part of the plot and one of the characters, a classicist, gives a semi-lecture on how it all works. It also helps to have a foundation of the 12 main Olympians and how they're all related. Brodsky has included a family tree at the beginning of the book (yeah, its somewhat circular) as well as appendix of the main players of Greek myths, both of which are quite helpful. If you aren't interested in the myths then this book probably isn't for you. The author has really done her homework. You can feel her love of Greek mythology on every page.

As to the mystery itself, it is decent. There are plenty of clues laid out along with some misdirection. Selene's view of the world helps obscure things too. Her own confirmation bias brings us down wrong paths, making wrong assumptions simply because she had decided she wanted someone to be the bad guy because it fits her world view though not necessarily the facts. I think if you really know your mythology you will probably be able to figure out who is really behind it all anyway, a lot sooner than Selene does.

My favorite part is how the old gods have managed to fit into society. Or not in some cases. They don't age the same way mortals do so they constantly have to reinvent themselves to keep their true identities hidden. The modern name chosen for each are all pretty great, each one matching up with an aspect of that god or goddess. Selene, meaning moon goddess, and Silva, meaning forest or woodlands, is just perfect for Artemis. Not all gods have accepted the transition well, some have spiraled into insanity. Others still have certain parts of their aspects worshiped (money, communications, liquor) and do pretty well for themselves.

I enjoyed the book. Selene and her siblings coping with modern society is really what made it for me as well as how Brodsky blended ancient and modern mythologies together. Hopefully book two is just as enjoyable, though a little less of classicist lecture. ( )

Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2016/03/14/audiobook-review-the-immortals-by-jord...

The Immortals is a gripping urban fantasy, where the protagonist is more than just a woman trying to help solve a horrendous murder. She is also the Huntress, a Greek goddess dedicated to protecting women and children. I’ll be honest, this is a story that I felt might not work for me, but after hearing rave reviews, particularly for the audiobook version, I had to give it a shot. And my trusted fellow reviewers did not steer me wrong! I have to mention, the author is actually one of the narrators for this book, and she did a superb job! I love when you get an author narration that proves they are just as talented in narrating as writing because no one understands the nuances and characters of a book more than the author. So, you know she nailed the performance.

While walking her dog along the riverbank, Selene discovers the mutilated body of a women who is crowned with a laurel wreath. Being the defender of women she is, she won’t rest until she solves this mysterious death, especially as she suspects it was not an isolated case of violence, but a ritualistic killing that may indicate more killings are yet to come. Her investigation connects her with Theo, a scholarly expert on Ancient Greece who proves to have some interesting ideas about the case. Oh, yeah, and it turns out the murdered victim? His ex-girlfriend. Selene is not thrilled to work with him, but as the case progresses, their paths keep crossing. Their interaction and cooperation seems inevitable.

In the course of these interactions while trying to solve the crime, some sexual tension creeps up between these two. I have to admit, while I felt it added some fun, I also was not into the whole “I am supposed to be a chaste, virginal goddess” thing. Call me crazy, but that is one bit of conflict/personal turmoil I could do without. But, not a sticking point for me, just was something every time it came up I was ready to get past it.

We also get to meet a couple other gods/goddesses. Some of them are in danger/dying as they can only preserve life and power when humans believe in them. And well, there are not that many believers in modern day. I thought this added another interesting dynamic to the story.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. The narration was very well done, not just by Jordanna Max Brodsky, but also by Robert Petkoff. Definitely recommend.
( )

Received via Orbit Books in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
Also posted on Silk & Serif

The first thing that really captured my interest with The Immortals was the depth of the research committed to get all the details right in reference to the Greek gods, their world and their cults. Clearly, Brodsky wanted a novel based on mythological fact rather than pure fiction. When I realized that Theo would be an academic and Selene would be a Greek goddess, I became concerned that the novel would become incredibly outlandish or unrealistic, but the narrative never veered from it's Greek mythos roots and the characters never broke away from their core foundations. I was impressed that a romantic fiction novelist took the historical and mythological details seriously.

It's usually easier to begin a book of this magnitude with aspirations for a novel with true historical detail than actually committing to the art. Generally, I find the author's interest in academic details begin to fizzle when the romantic aspects of the tale begin to develop. Brodsky stays her course and builds upon a well developed world to create a palatable romance in the midst of so much ancient drama.

I loved the fact that in Brodsky's debut novel we see role reversal in genders. Stereotypically we see female humans who fall into the realm of gods, teaming up with an attractive male God, whom the main character inevitably fall in love with. Normally this main character realizes their own super powers or learns of a secret lineage..however, Brodsky turns this routine plot on its head with a female goddess who meets a male human who's just that - an every day human. I loved that the gender roles were reversed!

My only complaint was the obvious love triangle between Selene, Theo and Selene's ancient mythological lover. I despise love triangles and didn't particularly enjoy this one. Unfortunately, I can never see a true need for a love triangle in a novel and it only forces me to dislike both the main character and the love interests. I'm kind of a jerk that way. Regardless, I found The Immortals to be a unique novel with some serious intellectual details to keep me satisfied throughout the treacherous love triangle.

Although the idea of Gods living among modern day humans has been done to death the novel itself was engrossing, well plotted and well researched which more than made up for some of the novel's predictability. I could have definitely done without the love triangle ad the ending was disappointing, but overall the novel was a fantastic start to what promises to be a fantastic series. A story of the ill fated lovers, mystery cults and aging Greek gods who live among us in modern day New York? Definitely worth the read!

I am unable to write a review to quite capture my feelings on this novel, but I can say that it was a satisfying read that was difficult to put down. Brodsky is a talented writer.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy novels about the Greek pantheon, romance, action, murder mystery and strong female protagonists. This book would be extremely satisfying for the historical reader looking for a little history mixed with modern day romance and intrigue. I would not suggest this novel to people who do not enjoy love triangles or struggle with academic details in their mystery novels. ( )

Loved this book. It's been awhile since a book has grabbed me from the first page and then kept my interested right to the end. I really want to read more with these characters (which is why I tend to just read series novels - one novel with characters I like just isn't enough for me).

I'm a fan of myths so the premise is why I picked up this novel in the first place, and it didn't disappoint me. ( )

Selene, aka Artemis, lives in modern day NY and defends women, but most of the gods, including her mother, Leto, are fading due to lack of worship. When she discovers a female body by the riverside killed in a ritualistic fashion, she begins to investigate enlisting the help of classicist scholar, Theo. However, the two soon realize that one of the gods is trying to gain immortality and more innocents will die soon. Part fantasy/mythology, part serial murder, part romance, Brodsky distills the elements of various genres. While the research into the Greek gods is interesting, some parts are a bit stilted and the pacing lags a bit around the middle. Overall, an entertaining read. ( )

My interest in Greek mythology drew me to this book, and the mystery Brodsky wove kept it going pretty well.

The love story between Selene and Theo didn't seem as authentic as it could have been. I have a hard time understanding what it was about Theo that Selene (Artemis) was attracted to, and just calling Theo a Makarites seems a little lazy. Theo sounded attractive enough, but to Artemis? Thousands of years, and this is the guy she falls for?

The ending could have been wrapped up quicker than it was, once the mystery got close to the end I kept feeling like I wanted the story to go quicker, but the pace was a little too slow for my liking–Brodsky was still adding backstories toward the end, which I felt was unnecessary. Besides some of the extraneous content, the core story was rather interesting. I liked the obvious amount of research that went into Greek history, and the way that Brodsky painted the modern-day gods and goddesses. There was interesting dialogue throughout.

I'd give this one 3.75 stars if I could, but a solid 3.5 will do. ( )

It's been a couple of weeks since my last review. I was on vacation and having a great time in Memphis! I didn't get a lot of reading done during my vacation but I did finish The Immortals while I was on the airplane out.

Selene DiSilva is a Greek goddess living in modern day Manhattan. She was once known as Artemis, the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo; goddess of the Hunt, protector of young women.

Selene has lived thousands of years and spent most of that time doing what she’s always done, protecting women who need protection. That job is getting harder now as Selene is becoming weaker. Those who once worshipped the Greek gods have become fewer, causing Selene and her fellow Immortals to diminish in power.

When Selene discovers the body of a young woman who has been wreathed in laurel, she suspects the murder has ties to the gods. She vows to find out who this young woman was and why she was murdered. As Selene works to solve the mystery she has several run-ins with Theo Schultz, a classics professor who is also the ex-boyfriend of the murder victim. Selene finds herself drawn to Theo in a way that she hasn’t experienced before, but Theo is also a suspect in the murder. The two of them team up to find the murderer, clashing with the NYPD and other Greek gods along the way.

As the storyline unfolds, Selene and Theo uncover a group of people trying to revive the secret religious rites known as the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece. Belief in these ancient rites may be a catalyst for the Immortals’ to regain their powers but unfortunately, it also involves human sacrifice.

This book was a nice introduction to a new series. Unlike a lot of the readers, I have not read the Percy Jackson series yet, so I am looking at the premise of modern day Greek gods through fresh eyes and I like it. I did have a bit of a hard time liking Selene’s character at first but she gradually grows on you. I liked geeky Theo a lot! He was charming, smart and funny, adding some much-needed humor to offset Selene’s serious persona.

I want to thank the publisher (Orbit Books) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review. ( )

Ancient Gods reappear in New York City. The Huntress becomes involved with a professor looking to solve the murder of an old girlfriend. Is there an ancient cult involved. excellent read with lots of research on the topic. A new way to get teens and adults to reread the myths and legends of the ancient world. Well done! ( )

Selene wanders through the streets of New York city, helping women who have been preyed upon by men; she protects the innocent. Unfortunately, Selene's power is waning and though it scares her, she also knows that it might be inevitable. Shortly after hearing a summons from a true believer, things begin to change and Selene finds herself embroiled in a mission to find a man who murders women in order to complete and ancient ritual. With Theo, a classics professor by her side, she faces a choice she could not have predicted. Will she remain Selene the private detective, or return to being the Goddess Artemis, with all the power, coldness, and anger this entails.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm going to straight up say, I am a huge mythology geek. When I realised that this book is about Greek gods living in the modern world, the only thing that would have given me pause before picking it up, is if it were paranormal romance or YA. I'm happy to report that The Immortals is neither of the aforementioned and is actually quite grim and dark. That being said, I must acknowledge that the premise - ancient Gods in our present times, is not something that is at all new; however, Brodsky does put an interesting twist on her story.

Once humanity stopped worshiping the Greek Gods, they found that their powers began to depart and so upon the orders of Zeus, the great diaspora began. Some Gods, like Dionysus mange to hold off the great fading because each night in bars across the world people still imbibe. Apollo, God of music becomes an Indie Rock star and Hermes, the messenger benefits from things like branding through the apparel brand Hermès, and of course the fact that in the present, the transfer of information is faster than it ever has been. Even the little known Victory is doing well thanks to Nike. These Gods have managed to still to retain some of their strength but lose some of their talent - like Apollo's ability to heal or Hermes ability to fly for example have been forever lost. Not all Gods fared as well, Dionysus or Apollo. Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth for instance, simply faded away and died because she lacked the strength worship would have given her and because there's no place Goddess of the Hearth, in a world where people heat with gas or electric. Though Artemis has many names, being the Goddess of the Hunt is a largely diminishing power in a world of factory farming. Still, Artemis insists om protecting the innocent and holding fast to her virginity.

Much is made of Artemis's virginity in The Immortals and her relationship with Orion. I must admit to being quite conflicted by it all. On one hand, some would call Artemis explicitly feminist but then there is also the overt fixation on virginity and purity which stems from a place of misogyny and patriarchy. When you really think about the myths, Artemis is surrounded by rapist, even her father Zeus. That being said, her constant hunting of men, combined with the over fixation on virginity was absolutely a problem for me. To some degree, I would have preferred an asexual Artemis to the version we got in The Immortals.

As the protagonist of the story, Selene/Artemis left so much to be desired. I found her to be almost robotic. Even in times when she was mourning for the loss of Orion, who had died millenniums ago, this character actually aroused very little sympathy from me. Selene is neither human nor Goddess and thus she is very difficult to even remotely like, let alone identify with. Selene walks the street as a vigilante but not because she cares for women but because some part of her tells her to punish the men who hurt them. She is even willing to turn her back on a woman who returns to an abuser though we all know that there are multiple reasons why a woman may choose this option. Selene walks away from the few women she gets close to claiming that because she is a Goddess, she doesn't care about what happens to humans and yet, she is not a Goddess any longer. I simply didn't like her as a protagonist at all.

On the other side of the equation is Selene's male love interest, the classics professor Theo. Unlike Selene, is easy to relate to, a bit of a geek, funny and very bright. There is however a problem with his character. For much of the book, though the character of Theo is male, he reads like an author insert. I understand a professor being excited about his life's work but Theo was at times pedantic. I felt like I was reading lecture notes and it took away from the story. Yes, for The Immortals to work, the reader must understand the Elusinian Mysteries; however, the degree to which Theo broke down every little detail, despite the simplified version Brodsky featured in The Immortals, pulled me out of the story repeatedly. The plot often suffered to get a point across regarding mythology or the value of mythology in the modern age. This approach is not the wisest way to go about world building. I firmly believe quite a lot of the mythos could have been cut out of the story to give us a much tighter meta.

Read More ( )

A smart, engaging thriller that finds the Greek pantheon dispersed and living in the modern world. Several of them, including Artemis, Apollo, and their mother, Leto (There should be a semi-colon there somewhere, I think.). Translating these capricious immortals to the modern age can prove problematic, since their personalities and behaviors tended to be shown as extreme, but Brodsky chooses to give them all a sort of amnesia regarding the past--their memories are vague and they can't quite determine whether those memories are real or are stories humans have told of them-- and to have their powers be fading, the combination of which allows them to keep the broader strokes of their personalities, without the more outlandish aspects of their personalities manifesting. And, I just really explained that poorly. It makes total sense in the book.

Anyway...

Gods. Living in Manhattan. Not smiting nearly as much.

The book follows Selene diSilva, who was once known as Artemis, as she tries to solve a series of murders of innocents. She teams up with classicist Theo Schulz, whose ex was the first victim, and they run around trying to figure out who's trying to revive the Eleusinian Mysteries. It all gets rather complicated and occasionally feels like it goes on too long (the book is essentially a 440 page mystery novel), but the depictions of the gods and the slowly-developing relationship between Selene and Theo are what kept me riveted.

It's not perfect, but it's incredibly enjoyable and the author clearly knows her mythology and I'll happily continue on if she chooses to make this a series.Just one request: Can we leave Selene and Theo in the background next book and focus on Dash? ( )

A copy of this title was given to me, free, in exchange for my honest review.
This is not the adult version of Percy Jackson. But, the same thing that lured readers to that series, will hook them with this story. It's the ability to see the Greek gods in a different way. They are no longer off in the distant land of Olympus. They walk beside us, they go to school with us and some even bed us. They are not playing at being mortal, they are slowly becoming one. Not everyone is happy about it.

Theo Schultz and Seline Sidilva team up, an unlikely bubmling duo, to catch the killer of innocents. They don't trust the police to understand all of the greek clues, and they shouldn't. This pair was almost always bumbling, sometimes it was awkward but other times it was adorable. Looking back, was everything believable? No, but neither was the premise to be honest. Brodsky navigates through this unbelievableness smoothly with plausibility. I enjoyed being lost in this world of olympian god what if.

4 stars ****