So, I decided over whether or not to do a post (or, rather, two posts) on this book. First of all, it's very short. It's only 160 pages with fairly large print. Second of all, even when I picked it up it seemed kind of fluffy. I mean, there is nothing wrong with reading fluff, but do I really need to write about it. Third of all, I'm very swamped right now. Which is why I still don't have June's list of books up yet. Lastly, I wasn't sure how I felt about a book series where the main character jumps around from book to book. But I decided if I liked the book halfway through I would give it a post. Well, I'm halfway through so here is my post.
Now two things. Number one, this book follows Athena. Athena is a girl on Earth who knows that she is different and feels that she doesn't fit in but doesn't understand why. Then, one day (in the opening chapter, actually), she gets a letter from Zeus and discovers that not only is he her father but that he is principal of a school for gods and goddesses and she is invited to attend. So, some belief needs to be suspended here. I know with mythology belief needs to be suspended in general, but they are really pushing it here.
Number two, there is no real chronology here. Zeus is grown up but Poseidon - who is Zeus's older brother in mythology - is just a teenager who also attends this school. Aphrodite, who is a titan who far predates Zeus and Poseidon, is also a teenager who attends this school. Hermes, Zeus's son and Athena's half sibling, meanwhile, is all grown up and seems to be the delivery boy for the school. But so far there has been no mention of him being Athena's sibling. Or of Poseidon being Zeus's brother, for that matter.
Now on that note so far the story is actually pretty good so far. Like I said, Athena finds out she is Zeus's daughter and is invited to this school.
*** Mythology Point #1 *** Athena is an orphan who lives with her friend Pallas, and Pallas's parents. She decides to ask Zeus when she gets a chance if Pallas can attend the school with her.
She decides to attend and her childhood friend Pallas helps her pack.
*** Mythology Point #2 *** While Athena and Pallas are packing, Athena's childhood toy - a wooden horse on wheels that has a compartment in it - gets packed with her stuff.
Hermes picks her up and she finds herself at the school. Being a brainiac she decides to take five classes - which is apparently considered a lot according to Ms. Hydra who helps Athena get set up.
*** Mythology Point #3 *** Okay, for crying out loud, this one is really obvious. But for the record, Ms. Hydra does have nine heads.
Athena meets Medusa and her sisters (though she doesn't know their names yet) who are pretty cold towards her, Pandora (who doesn't stop talking), followed by Aphrodite.
*** Mythology Point #4 *** Aphrodite informs Athena that Medusa is human unlike her sisters and that Pandora is a very special human to the gods.
Athena and Aphrodite go to their first class together, called Hero-ology. Their there teacher, Mr. Cyclops, gives them an assignment. They have to pull a statue of a hero from a helmet. That hero is their assignment for the semester. They have to guide the hero on a quest. Athena asks how they are supposed to do this and is mocked by Medusa for not knowing the basics. Mr. Cyclops informs Athena that she will have to do some catching up since she is new.
*** Mythology Point #5 *** Yes, Mr. Cyclops only has one eye. Athena pulls Odysseus and Aphrodite pulls Paris. Aphrodite muses that maybe for Paris's quest she will have him fall in love.
Medusa makes fun of Aphrodite for picking love as a quest and calls her "Bubbles." Athena asks why and Aphrodite admits that it is because of how she was born.
*** Mythology Point #6 *** Aphrodite was born of sea foam.
After assuring Aphrodite that sea foam is beautiful, Athena is called to the office - and the announcement makes it clear that she is Zeus's (favorite) daughter. Athena drops her bag, spilling her toy wooden horse much to her mortification, and goes and meet Zeus for the first time. While there she finds out that her mother Metis is also in the room - as a fly in Zeus's head.
*** Mythology Point #7 *** Zeus swallowed Metis which is why Athena was born from his forehead.
After talking for a bit, Pheme shows up to bring Athena back to class. She admits to overhearing Zeus say that Metis is a fly in his head, but assures Athena her secret is safe with her. But when they get back to class she immediately runs over to Medusa.
*** Mythology Point #8 *** Pheme is the goddess of rumors and gossip - and Aphrodite tells Athena this.
Aphrodite has a different class (Beast-ology) to go to then Athena, so Poseidon offers to take her there. Poseidon is the hottest boy at Mount Olympus Academy. Even Medusa seems to be in love with him. They arrive at their next class and Mr. Landon is their teacher.
*** Mythology Point #9 *** Landon is the dragon that guards the tree of golden apples. Poseidon jokes that Mr. Landon has "the worst dragon breath."
Next is lunch where Medusa and her (now named) sisters mock Athena over her mother. After leaving Athena decides to spend some time knitting.
*** Mythology Point #10 *** Athena is known for her weaving skills.
She also attempts to eat a cookie, without realizing it is a "oracle-o" cookie. The cookie informs her that she will be famous. Unable to eat a talking cookie Athena leaves. On her way out she sees a poster for an invention competition. The poster has the same tag line as what her cookie told her so she decides to sign up. Poseidon sees her there and after making a comment about how he heard Athena was smart, tells her she can be his assistant on his project. Athena, upset at his sudden change in attitude, turns him down. Poseidon leaves annoyed. She then runs into Aphrodite with her friends Artemis and Persephone. Aphrodite urges Athena to join the Goddess Girl Squad - the equivalent of a cheerleader squad. Athena is already feeling so overwhelmed between her five classes, being behind in those classes, and signing up for the invention fair - but she also wants to be friends with Aphrodite and make her dad proud so she agrees.
So, like I said, this book is a bit of fluff. But I'm already halfway through it and I really don't see how these story lines are going to all get resolved in the next five chapters. If Athena was the protagonist of the next book I wouldn't mind, but it's about Persephone. However, with that said, I do like the story so far and I love all the mythology references. And, while Athena did help take down Medusa I always see her foe as Arachne...
Anyway, that's it for tonight.
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