moserk's Reviews (128)

Tough. While I really wanted to like this, I nearly retired it DNF -- but somehow managed through. It felt more fanfiction than a retelling and bounced around so much that I struggled to follow and engage. A great idea, but not so great execution. Maybe the physical book is better than the audiobook???

The sheer volume of characters (8, I think?!) narrating different chapters felt seemingly random and was completely overwhelming. I appreciate a good POV shift but this was far too many (although i quite enjoyed the Night Chorus and its execution in audio!!). Many characters fell short with little depth/development and none seemed to carry a unique tone/voice which further complicated things. Some characters even felt unnecessary + unrelated to Phaedra; specifically, I wanted much more from Medea.

My 2nd (but possibly biggest) disappointment came from the audiobook's chosen pronunciation. A number of "common" names (Poseidon, Aphrodite, Dionysus, etc) were pronounced in a way I've never before heard. This continuously pulled me out of the story and further complicated my ability to understand the storyline amidst all the shifting perspectives.

Enjoyable for the bulk of it, but the ending wasn't my favorite. Not to say I had a different/better ending in mind, but it just came out of nowhere for me - maybe rushed even?

Anyhow, solid character development which I appreciate. Just a "meh" last 6ish chapters (there's 45 so more "good" than "meh").

Light-hearted, cozy listen. Fun way to dip into fantasy without diving head first.

"How to open a coffee shop for dummies" vibes with lil business lessons including marketing, product development, competitive analysis, and maybe most importantly --- selecting a good partner.