Daughter of Sparta

Daughter of Sparta #1

by Claire M. Andrews

Sparta forged her into a deadly weapon. Now the gods need her to save the world!

Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior, hoping to be accepted by the unyielding people of ancient Sparta. But an unexpected encounter with the goddess Artemis—who holds Daphne's brother's fate in her hands—upends the life she's worked so hard to build. Nine mysterious items have been stolen from Mount Olympus, and if Daphne cannot find them, the gods' waning powers will fade away, the mortal world will descend into chaos, and her brother's life will be forfeit.

Guided by Artemis's twin—the handsome and entirely-too-self-assured god Apollo—Daphne's journey will take her from the labyrinth of the Minotaur to the riddle-spinning Sphinx of Thebes, team her up with mythological legends such as Theseus and Hippolyta of the Amazons, and pit her against the gods themselves.

A reinterpretation of the classic Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, Daughter of Sparta, by debut author Claire M. Andrews turns the traditionally male-dominated mythology we know into a heart-pounding and empowering female-led adventure.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Greek Mythology, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Fiction

375 pages, Hardcover

First published June 8, 2021

About the author

Claire was raised in both Alaska and Scotland, but currently lives in Vermont; when not writing, she can usually be found outside swimming, skiing or hiking across the state’s famous green mountains.

If you want to learn more about Claire, you can find her here -
https://www.instagram.com/cmandrewslit/
https://www.twitter.com/cmandrewslit
https://www.pinterest.com/cmandrewslit/
https://www.clairemandrewsbooks.wordp...

Feel free to ask her questions! She would love to hear from you!

Reviews

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

this story is basically the entire percy jackson series and all the greek myths squeezed into one book.

obviously, i approve. lol.


this is a really entertaining story and i think readers who enjoy quest-based plots will have a lot of fun with it. i really enjoyed how this shows the fickle, almost cruel, nature of the gods. their characters arent downplayed at all and i found the unsoftened portrayal of them to be refreshing. i think it helps that daphne is a total boss and can hold her own against them.

overall, this is a riveting adventure story, full of myths and legends, heroes and villains, gods and mortals. and its only the first book! this series is going to be a wild ride.

↠ 4.5 stars

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my most anticipated releases for 2021 and I have to say that it was a disappointment :(


I'm a sucker for Greek Mythology. Even more so for enemies-to-lovers, so when I heard that Daughter of Sparta included both of which I loved -- well to say that I was excited is an understatement. Unfortunately these high expectations I had were not met *depressed*

“You think we gods play such petty games with our powers, but they are nothing compared to the games mortals would play with just a small fraction of them.”

Daphne and her brothers have always been considered as outcasts in the face of the Spartans. Longing to be accepted by her people, Daphne will do anything for them despite how they've treated her.

When an encounter with Artemis leads Daphne to find out that her brother has been cursed, she'll have to go on a mission to do Artemis's bidding lest she lose her brother forever. But of course, Artemis is oh so kind enough to offer the help of her very own brother the irony, the one and only, Apollo.

And so the journey begins with Daphne and Apollo travelling around places to retrieve the items Artemis has demanded for -- and whether or not Daphne is able to get them... well the fate of the world rests in her hands, no pressure at all.


It sounds really interesting, right? Especially having a god as a companion?? And not just any god, but Apollo??? Yeah... I wish I could say it was done amazingly.

Idk maybe I just have the worst attention span known to humanity but I kept putting the book down and doing other things. Like I didn't really care enough to read the book and was quite bored a lot of the time. And it's funny because there's like a lot of action but I just wasn't invested enough?? It was all pretty underwhelming :/

"Good strategy is a matter of perspective. One is only strong as the other is weak."

The characters were pretty amazing though. The way Daphne spoke in such a sophisticated way omg so many good quotes coming from her. And she's arrogant but not in the annoying way. I love Daphne's strength and her love for her people even though they treat her terribly And the way the author doesn't stress the fact that she's nOt LiKe OtHeR gIrLs because of her powers and mission. My respect📈

Apollo was... Apollo. Nothing new there of course. His charming personality had me swooning at times but also I was distrustful of him throughout the whole book... so that definitely didn't have me loving him. The side characters I adored -- Lykou and Theseus were really fun and sweet, although I didn't really hold much of an attachment for the two. Honestly, none of the characters had me with the "I would die for them" feeling which is pretty sad but oh well.

I really liked Daphne and Apollo as individuals but to be honest, I didn't really ship them... like their bantering was perfect and hilarious but I just cannot ship the two because my mind kept thinking of all the ways Apollo might be playing with her feelings or something since he's, you know, a god -- and as they say, never trust the Greek Gods👀

The romance in general wasn't really a huge focus. It was all on Daphne's journey to rescue the Muses and her character growth throughout the story. I wouldn't even have been able to enjoy the romance much anyways considering how suspicious I was of Apollo lol.

Okay, also something I've noticed for a long time in literally every Greek mythology book I've read-



🛑!!spoilers below!!🛑




Why oh why is the villain always Ares. Like I'm not even surprised anymore when a character says "There's a traitor in Olympus" -- like please don't even bother saying that when I already know it's going to be Ares. And of course that's literally what happened here🤡 Poor Ares, always being picked on and turned into the villain🥺 Like I get why it makes sense that Ares would be the villain in novels but like?? CHOOSE ANOTHER GOD. It's not even a mystery anymore😭 It's so old. I'd love for the villain to be someone I'd least expect, just please

And Theseus's death was so underwhelming💀 I only found him slightly interesting but I didn't care much for him, so his death was not really sad.

Oh but the way Apollo got rejected by Daphne in the end has me wheezing I can't it's too funny omg. GO DAPHNE BAHAHA




🛑!!spoilers end!!🛑



Anyway, I do feel like I was slightly scammed by that synopsis because I mean?? Reading the blurb had me so hyped, and the book really had so much potential but just the execution fell flat for me.

Also I can't believe this was actually going to only be a standalone at first with that ending?? Thankfully there's going to be another book. I just hope I enjoy it much more than this.


____

Pre-read Review:

Apollo as a love interest is something i never knew i needed in my life🥺🥺

[Booktastically Amazing · Rating 5 out of 5]

~Special thanks to Netgalley and Jimmy Patterson Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!~

When you find a book that you actually like, and you just stand there.
Bamboozled.
-Booksy, 2021

I can honestly say, I squealed for about five minutes after having found out that they actually let me read this.

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 4.7 awestruck stabby stabby fwends

I need Dr. Booksy to take the floor now because Booksy is crying in pain as to why this had to end.

*cleans glasses*
*clears throat aggressively*
*adopts a British accent*

Known data: Booksy willingly chose to keep this book in the 'Currently Reading' pile, for about three days.
Unknown data: What the heck did she try to accomplish??? Three days later, she's still a mess.
Hypothesis: Booksy needs help.

This book was without a doubt, a blessing. It was such an extremely enthralling story, filled with gripping action that left my 3 am self (welcome back, my love) in a state of shock. Apart from that, of course, I must mention that I gasped in horror/betrayed/heartbroken/YASS GIRL about six thousand and twelve times, because UM HOW COULD I NOT. (Dr. Booksy is a guest, not the driver. All caps belong to Booksy. Forgive her intrusion) The book obviously had some things I disliked, but they are so little and so rarely present, I dare not take it out from Why Did This Happen Arsenal. Ha! Smart being, 'tis I.

The lack of actual want to do other things besides, sleep, cry and eat, have forced me to actually sit my butt down and write this.

The writing , y'all. It was splendid and so very delicious. Forget about a snack, it was a whole MEAL. I had a CRUSH on this writing. I was MARRIED to it. You get it, right? The descriptions were exquisite, the way certain things were handled, like the pace, and feel of the story were staggeringly amazing. And best of all? I remember none of the, 'Not like other girls'. You want to know why? Because GUESS WHAT! All of the female species found in between the pages of this story actually had a certain degree of personality and vigor to do something else than just be present. Which as you know, I absolutely adore. What else can I say about the writing... hmmm... oh! I NEED MORE OF IT.

So, let's talk a bit about the plot. Oh, how I wish I COULD SPOIL, DANG IT.
It was so astoundingly well-thought-out. The way it all started, from beginning to oh so bittersweet end, left me craving for more. And not because I NEEDED more, regarding the details and such. But because I NEEDED AND WANTED MORE. All the little clues, and masterfully placed questions and intriguing conclusions. I couldn't believe what I was reading- a book with an actual PLOT. The twists and descriptions left my heart feeling full, forgetting the fact that I do not have one. A heart, that is. All the things had a purpose, which I loved and had actual meaningfulness to the story. Picture this, try not to breathe for two hours. That's how it felt. And no, I don't mean in Basic YA Breath Holding. That's another topic for another time.

Next on, because if I stay too long in a section, I'll somehow convince myself to 'take a break' and return in 'five minutes'. Y'all KNOW those five minutes feel like three and turn out to be five hours at the end of the day. Pfft, I don't know how I've survived this long without getting sued for Endangerment to Productive Beings.

The characters. My PEOPLE, the characters were so GOOD! I was annoyed and feeling like I had been smack down with a truck at the same time, because of how surprised and flabbergasted they made me feel. Well, most of the characters, of course. We can't have it all, it's against the rules of Life.

I was stupid enough to google Daphne (who is the MC , by the way ) and basically decided to read her whole life history. Which included spoilers. LOTS OF DANG SPOILERS. So yes, I would recommend not doing that. The crushing sense of disappointment that will invade your soul afterwards, will taste like your parent's stories of when they were young and literally had to walk across the Pacific Ocean to get to school. *sigh* That makes incredible SeNsE, naturally. You know what WASN'T natural? How an amazing MC this girl turned out to be. See, I am sure all of you have experienced a certain satisfaction when the main character in a novel (be it YA or otherwise) actually has a spine and is willingly to pull it out and use it as a sword to cut people's heads off. Metaphorically, obviously. Unless you count this girl, I don't think the word 'metaphorically' existed in her vocabulary. And oh my goodness, did I LOVE it. Since it is an ARC, I'm not going to be able to quote this wonderful human being, so I'll have to deal with describing her in three words.

1.) Warrior
2.) Slightly arrogant (with reason, because, COME ON)
3.) Stabby

The rest of the cast characters were wonderful in their utmost detailing (Dr. Booksy is slightly drunk on chocolate). It was full of color, and flamboyant sarcasm. For which I live for. Again, I cannot delve in too much into each and every one. So I'll just state the following: All of them were well constructed, all of them had a story, also, ALLL of them were a LOT of characters. I advise you to keep a mental notebook handy and Wikipedia ready to be googled. Oh! And don't forget, THERE ARE GODS AND MYTHOLOGY AND GOSH DARNIT I NEEDED MORE. Alas, I will never be satisfied, satisfied, satisfieeeeddd. *smirk*


The romance was good. No, it was GREAT.
Why? Because it was barely present. *smile like nobody is out for you*

I suggest that if you're looking for something that will make your toes curl (and not because of all the action. Although those are the best) would very honestly advise you to find another book slightly more... romantically focused. Don't get me wrong, it was sweet and swoony, and cute, and bloody (don't mind that last one). But it isn't anything to make your nonexistent heart go for a run. Scratch that, sometimes it went for a sprint. With a rain shower nearby to cool down.


On a closing note , the action was a palpable delight, the characters were a whole buffet and of course, the whole story was amazing from start to wonderful finale. Did it have flaws? Yes, and I don't mean the grammar or anything. But I think that in the mood I was in when I read this, that specific subject was not of importance to me. The book actually lived up to the hype which I'll forever be grateful for.

I just realized y'all.
IT ACTUALLY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE.

I recommend this to people whose expectations have slightly lowered but are still sky-high (if that makes sense) and actually want to enjoy their next read. If you're not a fan of an overly enthusiastic fast-paced book, then um... maybe don't read this. Also, if you actually have plans before reading this book, please cancel them. It will help your mental facilities to cope.
I think.
Although I never have plans, since I'm extremely antisocial and socially awkwar-

Disclaimer: Any and all opinions said up there are my own, and please feel free to call me out for any errors or any offensive comments, so I can get right on it and get it fixed!

P.S: The mythology . I need a moment.
I have no clue whether it was accurate nor if it had misconceptions, but really? I'm just glad it wasn't boring. I can't with this.
I literally can't.
*fans mascara less puny eyelashes*
It was so beautifully crafted, and I got flustered on multiple occasions because of how much I enjoyed reading about it. Now, I'll go compulsively add mythology books to my TBR, thank you very much-

Oh! AND THANK YOU FOR READING THIS, SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU.

It's been a looong while since I've sounded so optimistic during a review. It's creeping me out.



------------------------Previous Review------------------
Your ARC for Daughter of Sparta has been accepted

Publishers:



Me:

[aly ☆彡 (on holiday, will be back soon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I start with the review, please know I'm at the bottom of the caste when it comes to Greek mythology because let's be real: I barely hark back my full history, and what makes you think I have the full idea of other culture's myths in my brain (but there's always Google so all is cool)

"A threat to you is a threat to me, kataigida"

Daughter of Sparta is a reinterpretation of Daphne and Apollo, transforming what has historically been male-dominated mythology into a thrilling and inspiring female-led adventure. Therefore, if you enjoy Greek mythology or Percy Jackson, I'm placing my bet that this novel will not disappoint. Emily Andrews breathed fresh life into Daphne and Apollo, transforming their dismal fate into something more favorable and fascinating.

If I have to describe this book in a word, it would be: PACKED , and pack it is with actions, emotions, thrills, and adventure. Treated as misfits in Sparta, Daphne and her brothers struggle to acquire the honor of being true Spartans and so the Agon in the Carneia was supposed to bring their family honor and glory. But when Daphne's brother fails to show up for the race, Daphne had to step in and what was supposed to be a simple race ends up bringing down Daphne's brother, the gods, Olympus, and the entire universe. Now Daphne had to be on a quest to retrieve the nine stolen treasures from Mount Olympus and restore their abilities.

From the first chapters, Daphne's sense of alienation and of not being fully accepted by the Spartans is palpable, and her desire to belong fuels many of her actions. Daphne is a determined and remarkable fighter with a touch of latent magic who never hesitates to plunge herself headfirst into danger, and I like this shift of narrative. Women in Greece did not have many rights, albeit Sparta was an exception. Daphne as a strong warrior rather than a hapless damsel in distress added to the plot's appeal.

After making digging into Daphne and Apollo's story, there seems to be devoid of anecdote and they are often tragic and melancholic. However, this does not appear to be the case with Andrew's Daphne and Apollo. Apart from Daphne's dogged determination, we could also see Apollo's willingness to make up for one of his careless pasts. Despite their initial disagreements and a few disputes, we see them learn to know each other and connect along their voyage. Like, the basic bitch in me always screams for Hades and Persephone, but maybe I will consider Daphne and Apollo from now on ✨

My favorite part of this book? Definitely, the side characters. With Lykou and Theseus in the picture, this book almost promised the found family trope (I'm just sad that Theseus did not make it to the end). I love the pairing and the dynamic between each of them — Daphne and Lykou's friendship (despite the hint of potential romance in the beginning), Apollo and Theseus' funny bromance, and Apollo and Theseus love-hate relationship. The main squad in this are wildly different, with each one facing their challenges and bringing their own thing to the collective table of would-be heroes. The author took care of them so the readers would have the full experience of Daphne's journey.

Be that as it may, considering my lack of foundation in this myth, it is unavoidable that I would struggle a little. This novel has a vast cast, and the author throws the reader right into the middle of the action from the first page, regularly utilizing Greek phrases and mentioning characters from other myths. But again, no worries, because we always have Google, so it's fine but the point remains that it can get perplexing through times.

And as much as I found the plot entertaining, and while I enjoyed the quest Daphne was sent on, I felt that the story could have benefited from less action and more character development for Daphne and Apollo. We love a full pack of action books, but I can't help being the character-driven person that I am. I see the growth, there is a backstory as well but I know it could be balanced out better.

Regardless, this book is still amazing as it is. I did not put much expectation when I see one of my friends being quite disappointed by it but I was pleasantly pleased by how quickly this book drew me in. Andrews weaves a true-to-mythology portrait of the gods that are both truthful and charming, in a sense that the gods are less than perfect and, at times, less than benign. The ending was so fitting and it kind of gives you the same sense as the original Daphne and Apollo, but with a glimmer of hope for something more in the next installment.

[Sofia]

Did somebody say...

SPARTA and FEMALE WARRIORS and GREEK GODS and ENEMIES TO LOVERS???

*punches TBR button with fist*

[Lucie V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅ Mythology / Gods
✅ World-building
✅ Action
✅ Plot
✅ Fast pace
✅(🆗) Kickass main character
🆗 Hate-to-love (kind of) / Romance

_______________________

Second read/listen: It was an enjoyable re-read, but I am still not a fan of the romance, and Daphne got on my nerves a few times. I will still read the second book to see where this is going…

_______________________

3.5 stars

Spartans don’t fear death. Death fears them.

Daphne is a young woman living with her two brothers and adoptive parents in Sparta. She is not seen as a true Spartan, however, and will forever remain a mothakes, a non-Spartan who is not allowed as many liberties as true Spartans are. Daphne spent her life training and fighting, hoping to one day be seen as something more than a mothakes. When she has the opportunity to take her brother's place in a ceremonial race to catch a stag and bring the gods favor and good harvest to the land, she decides to go with it, hoping that she might gain status and recognition, but little does she know her life is about to change drastically.

The gods are just and cruel, beloved and feared. Ligeia insists that the gods are so merciless because they love us, that they only want us to better ourselves. I believe it’s because the gods are envious of us. They will never understand the beauty of watching the day pass and knowing that it could perhaps be your last. They will never experience the bitter taste of fear as it floods your senses or the sometimes bittersweet ache of pain. They also fear us because they understand that whipped backs will always heal, and eventually, they will no longer bow.

At the behest of Artemis and under the threat of never getting her brother back, Daphne is forced on a quest to recover nine mysterious items that were stolen from Olympus, with the help of Artemis's twin, the gorgeous Apollo. This book is full of action and ancient Greek myths and creatures. It's fast-paced, and our heroes barely have the time to catch their breath before another problem appears. They are either fighting monsters, trying to escape them, solving riddles, or battling gods. I have to admit that I am far from being an expert on Greek mythology, but I enjoyed the details of the Greek folklore that were woven into the story. The author knows her facts about Olympus and its inhabitants, and a great deal of research has gone into this book.

The world-building is interesting and complex, but there was a lack of focus on the characters that affected my appreciation of the story. This book focuses on the quest and all the action, and not enough on the characters and their relationships. Some characters were introduced for a chapter or two, and then disappeared; others were there for a while, but felt shallow and unidimensional, which means I did not care about them. A lot of things happened in a 400-page book, and I think I would have enjoyed this story more if the author had spent more time developing the characters’ personality and their bonds, instead of just having them run from one quest to the next.

“You found pleasure in my pain! You enjoyed watching me fall!” I roared, darkness flooding my vision. “Now watch me rise!”

The story is told from Daphne's point of view, and while I love her fiery personality, it took me a while to warm up to her. At first, she seems so focused on her honor and reputation that it makes it hard to like or relate to her. I did warm up to her, though, and by the end of the book, I liked her well enough, but I still feel that she lacked depth in general. She is proud, strong, and stubborn, and she has quite a temper. She is also very determined and resilient; no matter how hard it gets or how much she wishes to go home and forget about the whole ordeal, she pushes through and emerges stronger than before. She could have been a great main character with a little more work and layers.

Daphne grows throughout the book, but it does not always feel smooth and natural. As an example, when she finds a cave full of imprisoned monsters, she reflects that they are all outcasts and monsters, just like her, and so she feels compelled to help them. Where did that come from? How is being a mothakes can feel similar to being an imprisoned demon who will not hesitate to slaughter other humans? This “connection” moment felt forced, as did a few others. It was nothing major, but just a few reflections or comments she made here and there that made me frown or roll my eyes. Like her proclamations that Spartans were oh-so-strong and that one didn’t need love when they had steel and all that “I want everyone to see me as a badass” speech. It felt like she was trying too hard at times, and at the same time, it felt like she was carrying the whole team on her own.

Apollo first appears as an arrogant and sexy god who can be quite a flirt, but he shows a more vulnerable and almost human side as the story progresses, which I liked. That being said, he remained mostly a vain and arrogant character that I can’t say I particularly like. He is not a bad character, but I don’t care about him, and I don’t care if Daphne and he end up together or not.

“You should not have accepted his gift,” Apollo mutters, turning back to the horses.
“Why should I trust you and not him?”
“You should know better, Daphne, than to trust any of the gods.”

The kind of hate-to-love relationship between Daphne and Apollo was expected since this is a loose retelling of Apollo and Daphne's story, but I find that it lacked depth and development. Daphne was wary of Apollo, and with reason, since gods are known to be cruel and to disregard human lives sometimes, but after that, I didn't really feel the change between them. Apollo was annoying Daphne, they went through a few adventures together, survived a few life-or-death situations, and suddenly they were kissing, she was feeling all giddy and he was professing his undying love for her... I am happy that they don't end up together, I would have been disappointed if Daphne decided to just roll with it and remain with Apollo.

This is a good book for fans of Greek mythology and YA fantasy. There is action, some intrigue, a little bit of romance, and a powerful main character. I liked it well enough, but I was still expecting more in general. The ideas are there, and there is a lot of potential, but the execution fell a little flat for me.



On a side note...
I had to brush up on my Greek mythology while reading this book. Here is a crash course on what (or rather who) you need to know to understand this book better:

- Artemis and Apollo: twins and children of Zeus and the Titan Leto. Apollo is the God of music, poetry, light, prophecy, and medicine, and Artemis is the Goddess of hunting.
- Ares: son of Zeus and Hera, God of war
- Hermes: son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia, God of merchants, thieves, and travelers
- Demeter: Goddess of agriculture and fertility, and the mother of Persephone.
- Minos: King of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa
- Pasiphae: immortal daughter of the sun god Helios and Perseis, wife of Minos
- Ariadne: daughter of Minos and Pasiphae
- Minotaur: son of Pasiphae and the Cretan bull, but Minos claimed him as his son
- The Nine Muses are goddesses of the arts and the sources of all knowledge. They are also the caretakers of Hesperides, the source of all the power of Olympus.


Follow me on Instagram 🙂

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might be a bit biased, but this book changed my life!

[✨ Helena ✨]

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.



- Ancient Greek setting
- Daphne on a quest
- Artemis, Apollo, etc
- The GODS THEMSELVES, YAY!!!
- And even better...ENEMIES TO LOVERS!!!

[Ellie]

this book has ENEMIES TO LOVERS TO ENEMIES?!!!?!!!?

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ⭐️

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Tani]

I'm all here for Daphne spilling the blood tea on the Greek gods.

[☀︎El In Oz☀︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Well that was rather disappointing:/

* spoilers for book below *

I feel like I shouldn’t be surprised with this, because one of my main issues with mythological Retellings are the fact I usually don’t like how the authors interpret it. I love the MCU’s interpretation of Norse Mythology and Madeline Miller’s Greek mythology Retellings, but I didn’t like this one. Perhaps it’s because it strayed a little too far from actual myths, or maybe because I flat out was bored.

The plot was so action packed it was overwhelming. It felt like everything and nothing happened at the same time 💀
Overall it was such a basic plot I was bored. What could have been a difficult quest for the Muses was in fact a simply easy one. Every challenge or villain was defeated. Daphne made a million convenient allies that always said ‘call for me when you need me most and I shall appear’ like ??????

Daphne was such a ~ not like other girls ~ trope. She was always talking about how she hated looking nice, fashion, romance, anything to do with femininity or just looking nice. She literally said ‘why need a dress when you can have a weapon’ like girl.
I hate when authors make their MCs seem tough by rejecting things like dresses or makeup or romance. Anyone can enjoy these things and still be badass! This is why I love Aelin from TOG so much. Bc she knows she is pretty, loves dresses and looking pretty, embraces her feminine side, while still being a total badass.
And beyond that, Daphne was just plain annoying. Her decisions were made in seconds and always right. Seriously?

Apollo was typical Apollo. Charming and all that. He wasn’t different from any other iteration of him I’ve seen. Minus the fact this one wasn’t actually charming in the least bit.

Theseus!! Oh I love him. He outside of this was one of the Greek mythological people I liked and this version of him wasn’t as good but enjoyable except how he died???? Like he doesn’t die that way in the actual stories. Anyways.

Why was Ares the villain yet again? It’s always him like can we please choose someone else. It’s either him or Hades made into the villains and it’s easy to guess and motives are always the same as well.

The romance was AWFUL so glad it wasn’t a large plot point. Not for me and it was just so bland and had zero chemistry whatsoever.

Overall the book was so underwhelming. Plot, characters and everything about it felt so surface level and bland. I won’t continue with this series bc I for one can’t see the Trojan war being interpreted by this author. I will keep Achilles and Patroclus’ tale to Madeline Miller only <3

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating ~2.5?

I really wanted to love this one, but sadly did not. I didn’t care for the romance and overall the events that took place just felt far too easy. It shouldn’t feel so easy to best the gods, who all the mortals claim to be so clever.

The greatest indicator that the book did not resonate with me is that I don’t feel all that compelled to pick up the sequel. Might I eventually pick it up? Possibly. But I’m not at the edge of my seat gearing up and eager to do so.

This book feels forgettable and in a sea of many books/series I hope to read, some of which are piling up on my bedroom floor, it’ll likely be lost and forgotten.

[Zoraida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daphne and Apollo is one of my favorite myths. This is definitely a fun reimagining of the classics. I don't know if this will be accuarate for everyone but it gave me the high action Xena vibes I missed from when I was a kid! Also, Apollo has my heart.

[Yeg · Rating 4 out of 5]

~3.5 stars~

I'm a sucker for Greek Mythology. Even more so for enemies-to-lovers, so when I heard that Daughter of Sparta included both of which I loved I had to read it. If you know the original tale of Daphne and Apollo, you would know that their romance was doomed from the start. Apollo was obsessed with Daphne after being struck by Cupid’s arrow, but Daphne was struck with an opposing lead arrow.

So while Apollo was madly in love with Daphne, she was repulsed by him. Eventually, Daphne plead to her father, the river god Peneus, to save her from Apollo’s advancements and in return he turned her into a laurel tree. In this story though, Daphne is not helpless in her situation nor to Apollo’s advancements.



I loved the change in narrative. Greek women did not have a lot of rights, though in Sparta it was a little different. To see Daphne as a strong warrior instead of simply a helpless damsel gave me strong Megara vibes from Hercules. I always hated in Greek mythology how helpless or villainized the women were, even if it was clearly the men causing all the problems. To have a change in narrative was so refreshing and made this story that much more fun. just as the author herself says:

When I first started writing Daphne’s story, my goal was to bring to light the often-underappreciated women of Greek myth and history—I wanted to give these women the stories they deserved. Gone are the jealous wives and damsels—here are strong, nuanced women who tell their own stories. Women in ancient Greece were allowed very few, if any liberties; places like Sparta, where they were allowed many more privileges and rights, were the exception, and make for some exciting storytelling, both in historic and contemporary writing.

──────⊱◈◈◈⊰──────

The issue for me is this: the first half, though it was action-packed, felt a little lethargic. It was lethargic in a way that I wasn’t invested in the characters or their dynamics yet. Yes, they were going on in this dangerous quest, but I didn’t know much about the characters or felt much about them. And so, I wasn’t too enthusiastic at first.

Once I got past that first half though, it got so much better! I got to know the characters a little better, I saw their chemistry and their dynamics slowly form. That for me made the story more enjoyable. I was finally rooting for them, I could understand their aspirations and their personalities. More importantly, they grew on me. Daphne, Apollo, even Theseus and the other minor characters!

I feel like I need to say this because this is what I gathered from the tiny amount of Greek myth inspired or retellings I read and it's about the villianization of some gods
so basically, the villain here is Ares ( anything new??👀👀) Like I'm not even surprised anymore when a character says "There's a traitor in Olympus" -- like please don't even bother saying that when I already know it's going to be Ares. like the quote itself, honestly from what i got from all my Greek inspired Books, every single of this male gods are a villian for themselves, every much as bit as Ares. yes he is the God of War and doesn't have a very good reputation SO WHAT????

My point is, there are surely some things that in span of time has become a cliche or trope and I really want it to change, in this case, the villianzation of the specific male gods.

Oh by the way Apollo got rejected by Daphne in the end has me wheezing I can't it's too funny omg.🤣🤣 GO DAPHNE BAHAHA

Apart from that, Daughter of Sparta also featured several known personalities from classic Greek myths such as King Minos and the Minotaur, Theseus, the Sphinx of Thebes, Hippolyta of the Amazons, and of course, the Greek gods. Some Greek myth stories were also re-imagined here in the book and I liked how it helped further plot and give it more life. and we got to see a better and unique side of the 9 Olympian in one picture and i liked that ( ahh my ever so loving Hades and Persephone were there as well 😢❤)

──────⊱◈◈◈⊰──────

Anyway, to keep it brief, I enjoyed this more than I thought so that's a point. it was an unique esque vibe to one of the characters in Greek myth and my Greek loving ass always look for these things. and with that ending, I hope the sequel will be better as well. I think readers who like unique stories with dynamic characters, quests, a lot of action, and a slow-building romance will enjoy Daughter of Sparta.

[Beenish]

I'm obviously going to read this because Madeline Miller has given me a taste of Greek mythology that I just cannot turn away from.

Plus, female-led adventure? I'm in!
Who doesn't like a born-to-be-a-warrior female protagonist?

[AziaMinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Rating : B

"A well-matched army may battle for years, even decades, numbers diminished by foolish actions, battles won by wise men. But even the most powerful army can fall from a single misstep."



I'm loving this whole "Greek-retelling" stories, and this was a good addition to all the other books coming out. But like with most Greek stories, this was mostly focused on the quest instead of the characters. People introduced - even gods - are there and gone with barely a nod. Even the main characters seemed one-dimensional, never going farther than the most basic of emotions. Daphne was a good protagonist, but she could've been a great one with just a bit more work. And don't get me started on Apollo(talk about ego to the extreme.)

The story left off at an okay spot, but since there's a second book coming out, maybe it'll make more sense. And it looks like it'll be even more action than this one

[Claude's Bookzone]

DNF 51%

I might try this another time. It has everything I love, but for some reason I'm just not drawn to the characters.

[Jess (oracle_of_madness) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Books for this incredible arc!

Daphne is a young woman living with her brothers and adoptive parents in Sparta. However, she is not seen as a true Spartan but as a kind of Outcast. Daphne has the opportunity to take her brothers place in a popular race to catch a stag and return with the garland it's wearing. Little does she know her life is about to change when she meets Artemis and agrees to help her.

This book is about an incredible quest full of danger and bringing to life the thrilling myths and legends of ancient Greek Mythology.

I definitely recommend this for fans of Mythology and young adult fantasy. There is something for everyone here; romance, conflict, prophesy, a powerful female warrior and the amazing depictions of Greek gods and goddesses. Definitely check this one out!

[La Crosse County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Spoiler alert!*

Daughter of Sparta is the first entry in Claire Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" trilogy. It takes the classic Greek tale of Daphne and Apollo and gives it a bit of a feminist spin, recentering Daphne as a Spartan-trained warrior called upon by the gods to save Olympus.



Nine mysterious objects of importance have been stolen from Olympus and the gods' powers are fraying as a result. Turns out the nine "objects" are actually the nine Muses. Daphne is tapped by Artemis to recover these nine artifacts before it is too late, and Apollo is to guard her on the quest.

Unable to refuse the gods, as they hold the fate of her best friend (Lykou) and her brother (Pyrrhus) in their hands Pyrrhus has been transformed into a deer, and Lykou, into a wolf , Daphne must use her fighting prowess and wits to overcome the odds stacked against her.



I have to confess that I was not familiar with the tale of Daphne and Apollo, but after I finished reading Daughter of Sparta, I did a little Internet digging! I am glad the author put a more feminist spin on the tale, as Greek myths like these tend to end badly for women caught up in the cruel games of the gods.

The original myth of Daphne and Apollo is no exception to this rule. As someone who enjoys Greek mythology (among many other mythological stories), I have always had this bone to pick with its treatment of girls and women.



Daughter of Sparta does have the common YA tropes of enemies-to-lovers and "chosen one," but I think they were handled decently here. Daphne gets to shine here as the main heroine of the story, and I enjoyed watching her kicking ass and taking names in Greece, where women don't have as many rights as their Spartan counterparts and must wear veils in public. (I guess too much hasn't changed in that regard, as misogyny still remains rampant, despite the progress we have made since Ancient Greece.)



As previously mentioned, I grew up reading and truly enjoying the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" and "Heroes of Olympus" series by Rick Riordan. (The movie adaptations of the books I refuse to speak about.) I am happy to announce that I discovered another Greek mythology-steeped story with a kick-ass hero(ine) at its center in Daughter of Sparta. I look forward to reading the next two entries in this series!



Happy reading!

-Cora

Find this book and other titles within our catalog.

[Lucía Cafeína · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 <3
¿PERO Y ESTA FANTASÍA? No comprendo por qué no ha habido más hype alrededor de esta novela con lo estupenda y emocionantísima que ha sido: mitología a tope, con un montón de referencias y guiños, con una protagonista maravillosa y una trama llena de aventuras y peligros. Deseando leer la continuación!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for so long to get my hand on Daughter of Sparta and let me tell you - I wasn't disappointed at all. Well, I guess in a way I was a little but that's due to the lack of romance throughout this. Yeah, we get hints and maybe a kiss or two.. but that's it. Ugh. Don't give me chemistry and then basically zero romance. It just didn't make sense to me.

Other than that, I really liked getting to know Daphne. Even though we started off knowing how her douche of dad really thought of her - which, yes, broke my heat a little bit. Then we see her become a little bad ass and go on this really awesome adventure. Heck, I was having the time of my life once the gods and goddess entered as well. I'm pretty sure I should have been suspicious of things way before I actually started to.. but I still ended up enjoying all the twists, turns, and betrayals.

I'm not sure what's going to happen in the next book but after that ending - I definitely need to dive into it. Beyond excited for it all.

[Valerie May · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.95 stars

I am so thankful that the kind of plot twist I've been avoiding is not in this book! This book is so full of adventures with like little to no time at all for the MCs to rest. It's fast-paced. It's like an enemy or a problem, or an adventure appears quick enough one after another. If you can consider fighting to death, escaping, solving riddles, battling monsters, gods, bandits, and whatnot an adventure, that is.

The romance is not that intense, a bit lacking in my opinion, especially in the ending. A lot of adventures. Camaraderie is present. Writing style can be still improved, I think. Another one thing I like about it is it doesn't really have a plot twist (maybe in the second installment? idk) but it has so much going on. The pacing was good, was well thought out and polished well, despite it being fast-paced. Andrews was able to write this straightforward, leaving little parts or scenes for the unnecessary unlike other fast-paced stories out there. Like almost ALL that happened in this story were important and were sequenced carefully. The MC's learned what they need to do, off they go, travelled, duty-calls, met with some bad luck, rescues, then the ending. I like that about this book, since many authors nowadays are vying to put a plot twist in middle or end just to get readers hooked, shocked, or whatever desired effect they want. (Don't get me wrong, I still love and want plot twist and to be shocked and surprised). It's like the flow of this story is natural.

Before this book, I have not read any fictional/fantasy book about the Olympian gods except for Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus. So my impression and how I was trying to picture the gods while reading this are entirely different to who they are in this book (characteristics & attitude-wise). I had a bit of a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that they are not as much as ridiculous as I thought they would be. Which is somehow a good thing because that had made it a little more realistic.

I just kept wondering though, how does Daphne start spilling her tears right away? Wasn't there supposed to be like watery eyes or blurred vision first or something before tears start pouring down her face??

Many thanks to the publisher for the e-ARC thru Edelweiss. This review is based in an advance reader's copy, so there might be some changes in the published book. Will try to read the published one and give it a review too.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is by no means a bad book, but I think it would've benefitted from a slightly slower pace. I think the author should've spent more time on character development, because as it is, I wasn't super invested in any of the characters. There was some excellent retelling of the Greek myths. but I was occasionally frustrated by Daphne's character, and her romance with Apollo felt off to me.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

I may not always be into mythology. However, I always find myself wanting to give them a try.

[Haley Crandall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never in my ENTIRE goodreads career have I given a book one stars. But this book was limboing with the devil because the bar was so low. I’m sum, this book was practically the author’s self insert fanfic about wanting to get f*** by Apollo. Like it sucked COLOSSALLY

The plot? Freaking Swiss cheese from the amount of holes in it. Gods would just randomly show up. Like what?? I was so confused the entire time. And the writing? SUCKED! The words and the actions were so different from each other. Like she would write that she is strong and don’t need no man. But her actions would be like “and Apollo glanced my way and my face heated up and I started giggling like a schoolgirl” WHAT?! LIKE HUH?!

Another thing that REALLY bothered me was the fact that the author kept changing what happened in Greek mythology. Like Daphne did NOT kill the Minotaur. Nor did she OUTSMART THE SPINKX. It just annoyed me soooooooo much. Like one of the reviews on the book said that it was “well-researched” yeah no. The fact that she used so many foreign words was the WORST! I couldn’t read it bc there was like no context and I would have no clue. And the other fact that Apollo called her storm in Greek. REVOLTING. NO.

I hated how marketed it was for “feminists”. It was trying so hard to be “girl power” but it missed its mark big time. Like you don’t have to express every second that you don’t need a man and your strong all by yourself. Yes, I think it’s a good idea to change the narrative, but it could’ve been done so much better. It just felt so toxic. Like sis we get it but you can also have a man too, it’s not one or the other.

The only redeeming factor in this dumpster fire of a book was freaking lykou. It was so bad it was pure gold. The fact he was a wolf? Freaking ate that up.

I went into another depression episode just by reading this utter garbage. Please read if you want to lose ur sanity.

[Ashley Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy, Greek god or loyal wolf shifter BFF?? I’ll take one of each. Thanks.😘

ATTRACTIVE WOLF SHIFTER BFF is like the new(ish) YA fantasy trope and I am so here for it!
❤️🐺❤️🐺❤️

I’m now convinced that in order to have a successful YA fantasy book it must include a sexy man who shape shifts into a wolf! (Throne of Glass, From Blood and Ash etc) 🐺💜🥰

ANYWAYS, the wolf shifter friend is only one of the many things that makes this book so enjoyable. I feel like SO MUCH HAPPENED! It was non stop action!! I loved it all.
I was worried that there would be a love triangle🤮 but there was not so that made me very happy. I am concerned for the rest of the series though. Im really hoping that the author doesn’t follow the real story of Apollo and Daphne, I would just be devastated if it ends like the myths say it does. So I’m crossing my fingers for a happy ending.
🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

I saw someone compare this book to a female version of Percy Jackson and I would have to agree. It doesn’t copy it so that it feels like the same story, it definitely felt like a new plot and it keeps you guessing the whole time but you will see some similarities for sure.
Im really looking forward to the next book!❤️💙💜

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Spartan tale led by a very fierce and stubborn female protagonist who must go on a journey with the god, Apollo. Solid writing, engaging plot, and a cast of characters that I really enjoyed.


Goodreads review published 11/09/22

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. There were moments I LOVED... but unfortunately they were few and far between.

The concept is amazing - revisiting Greek myths through a feminist lens with most of the slants close enough to the myths with which we are already familiar that it becomes completely believable that it could have happened this way instead. Our heroine is Daphne, who I initially loved... but this lessened as the story went on. Some of her decisions and reactions were questionable, and I'm sorry - but I just didn't feel the chemistry between her and Apollo. Apollo himself was an obnoxious teenage boy and while yes, this is believable as a Greek God, there wasn't really anything that felt godlike about him. He would have fit in great at my high school back in the day. Daphne randomly confessing love for Apollo was so tropey and did not fit with the strong and empowered character she claimed to be. Don't get me started on the portrayal of Artemis.

The narrative sometimes drawled in unnecessary directions. There were far too many side characters with their own stories touched on, but nothing delved in very deeply. The ideas were all great, but there just wasn't enough room to include EVERYBODY. Also, with the name Sparta in the title, I had thought we would get to learn more about Sparta. Silly me.

I read the entire book and did feel compelled to see it through, but I was really hoping for more. Maybe I've just been spoiled by just how good other mythological reimaginings have been of late.

Thank you Hatchette Book Group and Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Andreea Zelenyak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, not bad at all! I was gonna skip this one but I gave it a try (because, female worrior Alert!!!! ) and Oh, Boy..this was good! The main character was a bit annoying but Appolo (the god of poetry music dance…) made it easy to bear :)))
It was fast paced and to be honest, I’m a sucker for ancient Greek mythology.