Aphrodite's Blessing

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for mythology lovers everywhere!
Review: Aphrodite's Blessings is a great book that will capture all mythology lovers with it's magic. It contains three different greek love stories, all narrated by the girls and women that lived them. The myths have enough details to make it seem as if you are really there, without dragging the stories on much longer than they need to be. A lot of greek tales have the women as simple pawns or prizes to be won, but this book takes on a whole new turn. The princesses that star in the stories have real hopes and fears that have a lot in common with what girls today feel. Their thoughts are so real that in some ways I could still relate to them, even though they existed so long ago.

The only downside to this book is that it has a very easy reading level even though it is directed towards young adults. If you find the book even half as interesting and real as I found it, you will have trouble being able to put it down! Because of this, you will most likely finish Aphrodite's Blessings after only a day or two. But don't get me wrong, this amazing book is definitly worth five stars!

Rating:
Summary: Aphrodite's Blessings Review
Review: Faced with life's challenges as they mature into young ladies, three Grecian teenagers receive help with love and romance from Aphrodite, goddess of love, as told in this first person narrative. The first, Atalanta, embraces her tomboy athleticism until she is thrust by her father into marriage. She is forced into running races against her potential suitors. If she wins the suitors are put to death. Through her intuition Atalanta realizes she has received the gift of winning from Aphrodite. She never loses a race until she meet her true love and her character is forced to take on a challenge. The second, Andromeda, is urged to sacrifice herself to a sea monster after he mother, Queen Cassiopea, boasts to the gods that she is the most beautiful queen. Aphrodite intervenes and sends a savior to slay the sea monster and protect Andromeda. She recognizes that her savior, Perseus, is her genuine love, thus breaking out of her shy shell to acknowledge her own persona. And finally, in Psyche's story, the heroine is blessed with actual beauty that exceeds Aphrodite's. Eros is sent by Aphrodite to shoot arrows and make Psyche fall in love with an ugly suitor. However, Eros is captivated by Psyche's beauty and falls in love with her. In order for the two to be together Aphrodite challenges Psyche to four tasks. Upon completion of the tasks she is made a goddess and is allowed to join her love, Eros. Therefore Aphrodite's gift is her son and his love. Based on Greek mythology this trilogy is wonderful for teens that may have any interest in Greco-Roman myths. This novella would function well as a complimentary text for a classroom assignment or research project. McLaren does a fantastic job of illustrating how confusing romance and love is for teenagers. One of the concurrent themes throughout the stories is that all of these women are living privileged lives compared to other women their age. Together the three exemplify some of the typical stereotypes given for teens, the tomboy, the inhibited and the beauty queen.

Rating:
Summary: Love is the greatest gift
Review: Faced with life's challenges as they mature into young ladies, three Grecian teenagers receive help with love and romance from Aphrodite, goddess of love, as told in this first person narrative. The first, Atalanta, embraces her tomboy athleticism until she is thrust by her father into marriage. She is forced into running races against her potential suitors. If she wins the suitors are put to death. Through her intuition Atalanta realizes she has received the gift of winning from Aphrodite. She never loses a race until she meet her true love and her character is forced to take on a challenge. The second, Andromeda, is urged to sacrifice herself to a sea monster after he mother, Queen Cassiopea, boasts to the gods that she is the most beautiful queen. Aphrodite intervenes and sends a savior to slay the sea monster and protect Andromeda. She recognizes that her savior, Perseus, is her genuine love, thus breaking out of her shy shell to acknowledge her own persona. And finally, in Psyche's story, the heroine is blessed with actual beauty that exceeds Aphrodite's. Eros is sent by Aphrodite to shoot arrows and make Psyche fall in love with an ugly suitor. However, Eros is captivated by Psyche's beauty and falls in love with her. In order for the two to be together Aphrodite challenges Psyche to four tasks. Upon completion of the tasks she is made a goddess and is allowed to join her love, Eros. Therefore Aphrodite's gift is her son and his love. Based on Greek mythology this trilogy is wonderful for teens that may have any interest in Greco-Roman myths. This novella would function well as a complimentary text for a classroom assignment or research project. McLaren does a fantastic job of illustrating how confusing romance and love is for teenagers. One of the concurrent themes throughout the stories is that all of these women are living privileged lives compared to other women their age. Together the three exemplify some of the typical stereotypes given for teens, the tomboy, the inhibited and the beauty queen.

Rating:
Summary: My all time favorite book!!
Review: Greek myths are fun to read, but they're even cooler when written in first person. I loved the perspective of the women in this book and found each story to be extremely romantic and engaging. After I read it, I went out and bought two other books by the same author!

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: Greek myths are fun to read, but they're even cooler when written in first person. I loved the perspective of the women in this book and found each story to be extremely romantic and engaging. After I read it, I went out and bought two other books by the same author!

Rating:
Summary: Aphrodite's Blessings Review
Review: I think that this book opens a portal between the mortal world and the world of the gods. It is great for either a lover of history or mythology, a beginner on it, or even someone who's never picked up on this form of history at all. It is very detalied, and accurate to most stories that I have read on the subject, with a hint of childish view. It is a great book to read and I highly recommend it. A definate 5 stars!

Rating:
Summary: Entirely Surprising!
Review: I was not expecting this book to be the steamy source of sexy stories that I was expecting. Rather than disappointing me with the story of Aphrodite's birth or the spreading of Hera's legs, this book got my mojo going when Zeus ate the Titans.

Rating:
Summary: Two Thumbs Up!
Review: This book has got to be one of the best books I've ever read, and I liked it so much that I'm now absolutely obsessed with all Greek myths! My favourite has got to be Psyche's story, for it's the story with the most feelings. When I read retold myths, they are somehow rather vague. I recommend waiting for Oddyseus too.

Rating:
Summary: Great !
Review: This book is awesome! I was reluctant to start it at first, but I loved it!! My favorite stories are Psyche's and Andromeada [not to sure if thats the right spelling]. Atalanta's was good though. I recommend this book if you love rOmance !

Rating:
Summary: My all time favorite book!!
Review: This was the best book! I especially love Atlanta's story. I didn't like Phyche's story that much at first, but it got better as it went on and now I love that one too. I also loved Andromeda's story. They were all great and I read it again and again.