BOOK REVIEW: Olympian Challenger

Olympian Challenger by Astrid Arditi

3.5/5
This book a gave me serious Percy Jackson vibes, and I honestly couldn’t be happier about it. I mean, I am a huge Percy Jackson and Greek mythology nerd, so it started off with everything in its favor. Sadly though, it didn’t quite land in the favorites bin.

Olympian Challenger tells the story of a girl who ends up as a contender to be the next Olympic hero, the only thing is, she ends up there by accident. As she tries to figure out a way home to her ailing mother, she is put through trials and tribulations following the stories of her mentors, the great Olympic heroes that came before her. This lot includes as Heracles, Jason, Adrienne and a handful of others. Throughout the story she struggles with her inner turmoil; to return home or to continue on.

The Pluses:
+ The Greek mythology, duh. I love all things related to Greek myths and stories. I just find them so fascinating. This book managed to blend the two worlds, ancient and modern, together relatively seamlessly, with only a few unexplained hiccups along the way.
+ The characters are wonderful. They’re so sweet and lovable and yet, they still have their realistic faults. But they’re also all so different from each other. They are completely their own people, with unique quirks and flaws.

The Minuses:
– The beginning is very stilted and strange. The author leaves you hanging for far too long before explaining what’s happening with the main character. I had to set it down a couple time because I just couldn’t get into it.
– The flow of time in this book is very off. When I was reading it felt like weeks had gone by for the characters, when in reality it only been days. This make the whole book feel a bit unbalanced, which took away from the enjoyment of the story.

Recap:
Overall, I look forward to re-reading this book when the sequel drops next year. The challengers are relatable and the gods, detestable. I enjoyed how the story was interwoven with stories/myths of the path, instead of just plunked into current-day Olympus.

*Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

xoxo Bree