Gods and Monsters. A great start to a new series, mired in the mythology of the ancient Romans.
This is the first book in a New Adult Fantasy series from Kaylin Peyerk. The book is primarily set in the Underworld, with brief flashes of memories in the land of the living. The possibility of romance is alluded to but in this book it is not explored and there are no scenes of a sexual nature.
Peyerk has a very easy to read style of writing. The book is well paced and I enjoyed the world building. The characters are interesting and their stories and motives become clearer as the book progresses.
Growing up an orphan, Diana doesn’t know much about her family line; only what she’s read in a small journal that was found with her. Her family seems to be cursed and she somehow seems to possess the ability to mimic the magic of those she touches, which is handy in a fight and fighting is something she does a lot of. She’s eight years old the first time she dies in battle and meets the King of the Underworld, who sends her back to the land of the living to fulfil her destiny as a hero.
Diane is angry, rebellious and has no interest in being a hero for a race she has little time for. She spends much of her time fighting those she wants to fight instead of fulfilling her destiny and consequently ends up dead again, back in the offices of the King of the Underworld and instead of being sent back to her mission, she’s sent to school. Much to her annoyance.
What follows is an exploration of her past, her lineage and their curse. Along her journey she comes across a variety of other beings, including some children of the Gods. She’s drawn to some more than others and her relationships with them lead her to a better understanding of herself and the crucial role she has to play. The family journal makes much more sense to her now.
I really enjoyed this book. Although it’s set in the Underworld, it doesn’t have the feel of the plethora of Hades / Persephone stories which seem to be popular at the moment. Diane is a very relatable character and I’m looking forward to seeing how she develops over the course of the series.
Available from Amazon
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