Book Review: "Daughter of Sparta" by Claire M. Andrews

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Cover of "Daughter of Sparta" by Claire M. Andrews

*Spoiler alert!*

4/5 stars

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.

GIF: "This is Sparta!"

Nine mysterious objects of importance have been stolen from Olympus, and the gods' powers are fraying as a result, throwing the world into chaos. 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 (both have been transformed into animals, Lykou a wolf, and Pyrrhus a deer), Daphne must use her fighting prowess and wits to overcome the odds stacked against her. 

GIF: Spartan battle

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.

GIF: Hippolyta of the Amazons

Daughter of Sparta does have the common YA tropes of "chosen one" and "enemies-to-lovers, " but I think they were decently handled in the story. 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.)

GIF: "You're a hero"

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!

GIF: "This is a pen!"

Happy reading!

--BookOwl

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