I think I'll give this one a 4. Maybe a 4,5 or a 4,75. Oh, screw it. It's a 5!!!
Where to begin with this one? You think you know your characters and then "BOOM", the skies open, the fires roar and suddenly you're in a new world. Let me explain...
StyxxSee that gorgeous guy? That's Ash's twin the infamous Styxx. Before his book Styxx was an arrogant guy who saw the light to me. Boy was I wrong Styxx's life was an even bigger tragedy than Acheron's. Everything bad that happened to Ash happened to Styxx as well. And were Ash had at least one or two people who loved him uncoditionally Styxx had no one. He grew up in a violent family, with negligent and many times cruel parents, two siblings who begrudged him every breath, an asshole for an uncle. He was just so caring and loving that you couldn't help siding with him every single time. The one light in his life was Beth and she was taken from him as well. I think I cried the whole way through the book.
BethI loved Beth. She was a nice girl(goddess), fresh and hopefull but she wasn't a naive little virgin. She knew what she wanted and did what she had to get it. She wasn't unnecesarily cruel but she was no pushover either. I enjoyed her snarky side. I think that generally she was one of SK's best heroines so far.
AcheronI am so used to rooting for Ash that I was so majorly disappointed by the fact that he behaved like a jerk. Styxx tried so freakin hard and every time he got only a slap in return. If Ash was a real life person I'd have slapped some sense into him but I won't get the satisfaction. *sad face*
RyssaWhat a selfish bitch. I didn't have much love for her in Acheron's book and I actually hate her in this one. Ash had some excuses for his behaviour but this jealous, spoiled brat had none at all. Every time someone said something good for Styxx or did sth good for him(usually by accident) she was there to poison the moment. She was the only one being spoiled and loved by everyone and she begrudged Styxx every moment of success.
ApolloNow Apollo makes Artemis look like a harmless little kitten. The things this guy does. He is just so perverted and cruel that I don't have the words to describe him. I won't try. Just be prepared for hard-core abuse.
I can go on and on and on. There are so many characters in this book that I won't be able to sum it up if I continue. What you have to be prepared for...
1) Two revelations concerning characters we love. *faint*
2) The "baddie" for me(which you won't get if you haven't read my reviews so bad for you).
3) Prepare to change your mind for many people.
4) Much blabbering.
5) Gods from both Greek and Egyptian pantheons. *fangirling*
Okay...Here I must add some things because it's very obvious were I got bored with writing this. It will be even more spoilerish than the previous so stand warned.
I loved the book. I loved it but still some things annoyed me. To begin with it had the same problem as Acheron's. The "past" part was too long. Yes it didn't exactly drag but it was too emotionally loaded and got a tiny bit tiring by the time you finished it. It was important that we knew these things to be able to invest on Styxx's happiness but it could have been described with less words. Thank god for Galen or I would have dropped the book just because I couldn't bare the bleakness.
Then came the "modern" part which wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. I mean the dessert? Really? How....Boring. It was so uninteresting. All the other heroes had violence and risks and excitement in their live. Styxx decided to live in a tent with the sand for company. It was a bit dissapointing tbh.
And of course in the end everything had to resolve in about 10 seconds flat. The only positive was the Urian thing. I loved that little surprise there.
PS. Did you see the next book's blurb? Why two strangers? I want Savitar(with Apollymi or I'll be really disappointed) or Urian damn it! I want them yesterday.