The Goddess Legacy

Quite simply, this was the most entertaining back story I’ve ever read. 🙂

Disclaimer: I read this series out of order. I normally try not to do this, but circumstances conspired against me, and when I had a chance to read The Goddess Legacy before its release date, I jumped at it.

The Goddess Legacy is book 2.5 in Aimee Carter’s Goddess series, and if the book did nothing else, it did convince me to go get the first one straight away! It’s not what I expected — it’s actually five novellas that collectively serve as the prequel to the books. Hopefully, I haven’t spoiled anything by reading this first…I have a feeling that it did…but I’ll let you know for sure as soon as I know.

It begins with Hera, wife and sister of Zeus, who wanted to be a queen in her own right. Instead, she is tricked by Zeus into believing he would share power with her, and remain faithful. (Does anyone know exactly how many bastards Zeus has in Greek Mythology?) In this first novella, I basically knew the story, because it followed the myths very well, but it was interesting to think of it from Hera’s point of view. Despite knowing things would end badly for her, I felt bad for her that they did.

Aphrodite was up next — never my favorite goddess, she behaved like an immature child and somehow ended up getting married to a great guy who was okay with her screwing everyone else on the planet. This was my least favorite of the novellas from a pure enjoyment standpoint, but the story and viewpoint stayed true.

Persephone’s was, perhaps, the most difficult story. I had already fallen in love with Hades myself in the first novella, and I wanted to hate Persephone for not loving him. But can you force love?

The last two novellas set up the world and story that will begin in The Goddess Test. Hades is so sick of his life that he’s begging his fellow gods and goddesses to let him simply fade out of existence. They ask him to give them a century to change his mind by finding him the right woman, but they find 11 right women, and they all die…but who killed them? I have a strong suspicion, which I fear will influence my reading of The Goddess Test, but I am quite simply desperate to start reading, so here goes…

(Update: I’ve read The Goddess Test, and while reading the prequels first definitely influenced my reading of the first book in the series, I can’t say it spoiled it. Actually, it added a bit of perspective that may have been lacking, since Kate is the sole narrator of that book.)

Overall Rating: 4/5

Title: The Goddess Legacy (Goddess Test #2.5)
Author: Aimee Carter

ISBN: 0373210752

Publication Date: July 31, 2012