The Irresponsible Reader - I Read (a lot) and then Rant, Rave and maybe Review

Looking Back at March

On April 2, 2026

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

I finished 16 titles (and haven’t finished 4) last month. That’s 3 months in a row. I love a good streak. That’s down a good number–3 sick days, and a couple of slow reads clearly left their mark. But I had a good time, so I’m okay with that.

The Month in Reading

(thanks to Bookmory for the image)

TBR Piles

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read	NetGalley Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies
End of 2025	4	89	112	192	11
1st of the Month	3	87	115	202	7
Added	2	1	9	2	6
Read/ Listened	1	0	6	2	3
Current Total	4	88	118	202	10

My TBR Range

If you actually want to be able to read that, click on the chart for a larger version.

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 1

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	0 (0%)	6 (8%)
Fantasy	4 (25%)	12 (16%)
General Fiction/ Literature	3 (19%)	8 (11%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	3 (19%)	19 (26%)
Non-Fiction	1 (6%)	6 (8%)
Science Fiction	2 (13%)	6 (8%)
Theology/ Christian Living	2 (13%)	6 (8%)
Urban Fantasy	1 (6%)	9 (12%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western)	0 (0%)	1 (1%)

Review-ish Things Posted
Books of the Month

Other Recommended Reads

Other Things I Posted

Music Mondays

WWW Wednesdays

Saturday Miscellanies

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

True Color by Kory Stamper: The Struggle to Define Blue (and other colors)

By HCNewton

On April 1, 2026

In Uncategorized

True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color—from Azure to Zinc Pink

by Kory Stamper

DETAILS:
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: March 31, 2026
Format: e-ARC
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: March 21-25, 2026

What’s True Color About?

Have you ever had trouble describing a color to someone? Strange sea creatures, sunsets, a (hopefully) food stain on a shirt, paint on a wall? It’s not easy. For some of us more than others, I’m sure (I’m at the weak end)—but it’s not that easy.

Now, try to imagine doing it not for a friend or paint clerk—but for the thousands or more that might read your description (read: definition) in a dictionary or other reference work.

Stamper points to two significant markers in the development of these definitions. The first is that prior to the First World War, Germany was the world’s biggest source of commercial dyes. During the War, two things happened—first, those plants became weapons factories (and learning how easy that was is a bit disconcerting), and second, places like the U.S. had to start producing their own. And if, say, two different suppliers understood a tint of green differently—the camouflage they provided to the Army in Europe could have significant consequences.

The other is a little less dramatic, but no less impactful. When people in the U.S. started making oleomargarine in the 1800s, dairies were upset about them coloring it to look like butter—this resulted in legal battles, and eventually, the U.S. Congress weighed in.

These two things began efforts in the U.S. to codify colors, dyes, hues, and whatnot into some sort of standard.

Fast-forward to when Kory Stamper is editing Merriam-Webster’s website (and from her description, this is not an easy job), when she came across some odd color definitions. The wording was odd, the definitions themselves were puzzling—where did these come from?

Thus begins this story about the attempts to define colors—in a way that satisfies diverse audiences like artists, scientists, and general readers—during the development of their Second and Third Unabridged Dictionaries. Stamper tells the story of putting these dictionaries together, some of the editors who worked on them—and worked with outside consultants like I. H. Godlove (and his wife and colleagues) and others to craft these definitions.

It’s a book of human drama, academic politics, technological limitations, and the limits of human language and understanding.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because I enjoyed Stamper’s earlier book Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries and because I was intrigued by the question—how do you define a color? I also hoped to pick up some tips to help me with that. Spoiler: I did not. But I don’t care. This was better. It’s also encouraging to know that even professional definers struggle.

Why did I keep reading? There’s just so much trivia—especially in the beginning, so many strange little facts you pick up along the way—for example (taken from the publisher’s description, because I hate to ruin stuff like this) “did you know that the word ‘puke’ used to refer to a fashionable shade of reddish-brown before it was associated with vomit?”

But more importantly, I was just fascinated by the way these editors and experts went about putting together these dictionaries—the differences in approach between the two—and so on. Stamper can make what one might think is dry and dusty history come alive and fill it with humanity.

Readers of Nero Wolfe will learn that he wasn’t the only one who had problems with the Third Unabridged Dictionary—although most derided it in reviews or newspaper articles, rather than burning it page by page in their fireplace.

So, what did I think about True Color?

I was, again, fascinated by the people she focused on to tell her story. I wanted to talk to people about them—I’d like to learn more about them and their work.* Her following up with the Godlove family’s living relatives so we could get more insight into the people behind the work was a wonderful touch.

Like her previous book, True Color will disabuse many of what they imagine the behind-the-scenes of Dictionary production is like. You will read about one of the worst bosses around, for example. Stress, overwork, burnout, crazy turnover, rampant misogyny (okay, you might have guessed that given the time periods), tiny budgets, and more. It turns out that Dictionaries are put together by human beings, not beings of pure intellect.

Also, I cannot say enough about Stamper’s use of language. It will not come as a surprise that someone who works on dictionaries has a way with words—she has ready access to all the best ones, after al—but to see it in action is something else. Stamper’s rich vocabulary is on full display here, and she crafts it beautifully.

* I will not—particularly about their work, I wouldn’t understand it. But I wanted to.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Knopf via NetGalley in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

WWW Wednesday—April 1, 2026

By HCNewton

On April 1, 2026

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

It’s Wednesday already and I’ve barely written a thing for the week…well, let’s see if I can break the block with this quick look at my reading and listening.

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?


‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King	Five Days in Paris by Danielle Steel, read by Victor Garber

It’s time for me to get over my disinterest, and I’m starting my year-long project of reading all of King’s works. As per my custom, I’m starting with his second novel. I didn’t know what I was missing!

I can’t get enough of Steel, as you all know. I somehow overlooked this 2000 release–I’m having a blast with it. Although I’m not sure Garber’s voice is great for audiobooks (or anything else, really)

Okay…I tried to do a whole phony post in keeping with the day. But all I could think of were horror and romance titles, and I got bored–you would’ve, too. I can’t invoke E. L. James, even as a joke. I thought about throwing in Louis L’Amour (but I actually have enjoyed his stuff–even if I’m not huge on the genre) or beating up Austen or Gabaldon again. But that just seemed mean. So, okay, enough of the April Fool’s nonsense, on with actual answers.

What are you currently reading?


Paranormal Payback edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes	Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn	Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz, read by Emma Ladji

I’ve enjoyed previous collections edited by Butcher and Hughes. This assortment of revenge tales looks promising, can’t wait to dive in at lunch–and not just because the first story is Butcher’s.

Spencer Quinn, Chet, Bernie…Cat on a Hot Tin Woof almost has to be a winner. Poor Chet has to help Bernie hunt down a missing (Internet-famous) cat.

Krempholtz is really charming me. I had my doubts about starting it, but whatever it was that convinced me to place a hold on it seems to have been right.

What did you recently finish reading?


Nav’Aria: The Marked Heir by K.J. Backer	Return to Sender by Craig Johnson, read by George Guidall

Backer’s debut had some issues (almost all of which could’ve been addressed with an editing pass)–but it’s a good story, well-told, and I’m eager to see what happens next.

Revisiting Return to Sender was a mixed bag–everything I liked when I read it last year, I still liked. The problems I had re: long-term arcs, seem worse. Overall, a rewarding experience, and it definitely primed my curiosity for his May release.

What do you think you’ll read next?


Electric City Switches by M.D. Presley	Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie, read by Adjoa Andoh

Presley’s Inner Circle books are some of the most intriguing UF that I’ve read the last few years. To say that I’m eager to dive into this ARC would be underselling it.

I liked Leckie’s Ancillary Justice, but wasn’t that interested in going on. But at the Book Club meeting, one person had gone on to finish the trilogy and she said a couple of things that led many of us to rethink that. She also raved about the job that Andoh did, so… I am a little worried that the way Leckie wrote Justice will be hard for me to follow in audio format–but since I’m primed, maybe I can handle it.

What are you starting April with?

MUSIC MONDAY: “Birdhouse In Your Soul” by Buffalo Rose

By HCNewton

On March 30, 2026

In News/Misc.

The Irresponsible Reader's Music Monday logo

Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.

The number of artists who can/should cover They Might Be Giants is small–but my personal list grew when an algorithm fed me this song.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Fantasy with Friends: Underrated Fantasy Books

By HCNewton

On March 30, 2026

In Books, Fantasy with Friends, News/Misc.

Fantasy with Friends is a weekly meme hosted by the good people over at Pages Unbound. Fantasy with Friends poses questions each Monday about fantasy, either as a genre as a whole or individual works.

This week’s prompt is:

What is an underrated fantasy book you would recommend?

When I saw this prompt, one title jumped immediately to mind. “Well, this is going to be an easy post,” I said to myself. And then I felt bad that I didn’t think of another book. Then another came to mind, and when I started actually writing. I will do my best to stop thinking about it so I can actually finish this post.

The Tufa Series by Alex Bledsoe

I’ve never seen anyone else talk about this fantastic series about a small ethnic group in Appalachia who are supernaturally wonderful musicians. And just supernatrual, too. I loved each and every one of these, even if I didn’t write about them all. For more information, check out https://alexbledsoe.com/the-tufa/.

The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu

Despite having loved this so much, I’ve yet to read the other two books in the trilogy. There’s Chosen One, who turns out not to have been; there’s a cranky old woman who’s the greatest martial artist alive–who teaches the spoiled brat who turns out not to be that Chosen more than anyone expected; there’s an assassin going around causing trouble and…so much else going on. I was blown away by this wuxia-inspired novel and highly commend it. (as I tried to express here)

The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington

This is the one that jumped immediately to mind. Ewington’s satire/celebration/commentary on D&D and related fiction/games is ridiculous and thoughtful. In this book, a non-adventurer goes around interviewing all sorts of Fantasy types who are adventurers or are adventurer-adjacent about what it means to be a hero. He finds a lot more than that–and maybe learns a bit about himself. (I gushed about it here)

The Part About the Dragon Was (Mostly) True by Sean Gibson

Speaking of hilarity…this book tells the story of how a group of adventurers vanquish a dragon. It’s a well-known historical account. This book also is a telling of what really happened that didn’t quite make the official account. That’s as succinct as I can put it. Don’t miss it. (I rambled about it a bit more here)

I’m sure some of the other posts in response to this prompt will be more thoughtful and will include titles I need to add to my list. I’m looking forward to reading them. Do you have responses to this? (either for the comment section below or from your own post)

GUEST REVIEW: Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne from The Firsty Duelist

By HCNewton

On March 30, 2026

In Science Fiction, The Hybrid Helix

For years now, I’ve linked to posts by The Firsty Duelist–typically from his mother’s Witty and Sarcastic Book Club in Saturday Miscellany posts. Since he started his blog, he’s taught me more about manga than anyone that isn’t my kid. And now, I get the pleasure of co-hosting this review of JCM Berne’s great debut. Enjoy, and give ol’ Firsty a follow.

Cover of Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne
I got this image from jcmberne.com

This book follows Rohan, a man with half-alien parentage which gives him tremendous and spectacular Powers, who is working as a Tow Chief on the space station Wistful, bringing in ships by flying through space under his own Hybrid Power. However, he wasn’t always a Tow Chief, and he didn’t always use his Powers peacefully… When this past starts catching up to him in the midst of a scientific investigation into a nearby wormhole which recently displayed major signs of activity, will he manage to ride it through, or will he have to revert to his old self in order to save those he cares about? Only time will tell…

To put it simply, I loved this book! The pace kept things moving even during more subdued scenes, the dialogue was great and showcased the characters’ personalities really well, and the worldbuilding was super interesting as well. The idea of beings with one parent from a certain alien race having special Powers granted to them by their heritage that their full-blooded parents don’t exhibit is fascinating, and the additional details explained about how this system works later in the book made for some spectacular revelations.

To put it in more detail, this book is a shining example of the kind of sci-fi (or storytelling pace in general) that I like. From what I can tell a lot of sci-fi is a bit slower, or more of a downer, or tries to go more for weirdness than anything else, and this book doesn’t do any of that, which I appreciate. It reads almost like a comic book, which is a comparison definitely helped by Rohan’s quippyness and the fact that he basically has superpowers. And on the topic of those Powers, that was one thing that really stood out to me with this book as well! The idea that not only do some people in this world have the ability to use their own inherent energy to Push and Pull on things around them, as well as an increased healing factor and above-average strength, is cool enough, but the added wrinkle of it being dependent on heritage, and said heritage often using their Powered offspring for intergalactic conquest and warfare, was super interesting to me.

Additionally, this book does a great job not only expanding on the details that are actively relevant to the plot, but also the details of the universe at large. It really felt like the Empire was a massive looming presence, even though they weren’t directly involved in the story. And the ramifications of recent events, especially the ramifications of Rohan’s involvement in said events, also came into play in great ways, further deepening the overall plot. The story pretty much takes place entirely on Wistful and in the surrounding space, but it feels like a much grander scale due to the way the far-reaching parts of the universe play into things.

Meanwhile, the characters were all great as well! Rohan was likeable while still having his own issues to work out, making him a good protagonist trying to do his best despite his flawed past, but for me the supporting cast is even better. The Security Chief Wei Li’s deadpan sense of humor (or maybe just plain deadpan seriousness?) was fantastic to read and always seemed to catch Rohan off-guard, and the scientific research vessel Insatiable was also a highlight for me, with their extremely energetic personality and difficulty with keeping secrets.

Actually, the idea that a spaceship (or space station, for that matter) could be sentient was something that I wasn’t expecting when going into this book, and it surprised me a bit at first, but I feel it makes the story even more unique, and also adds more weight to things like firefights, with multiple ships taking damage or being destroyed. Depending on the scale and origin of the ships involved, destroying them is the same as taking a life, even without taking into account the lives of the crew members, and that additional wrinkle was very interesting. Plus, like I said earlier, the ship Insatiable was really fun to read, and Wistful definitely has a few secrets which I hope will be explored later in the series…

Another thing this book did well was making the different alien species feel, well, alien! There’s a certain alien race in this book that are basically talking space bears, and the way they’re written makes them feel just different enough to feel like aliens, while still having customs and mannerisms that a normal human can understand. I can’t say much more without spoiling some of the latter half of the book, but I really like how the “Ursans”, as they are called, played into things in particular, and some of the offhand descriptions of their rituals and such that I felt did a great job conveying what sort of society they have.

Overall, I can’t say enough about this book! If you want a fast-paced sci-fi story with an unforgettable world, great characters, and a fantastic balance of intense action, a bit of drama, and some good humor as well, then I highly recommend this book.

But, that’s about it for this post! I hope you enjoyed reading what I had to say, and may you have a fantastic day, night, or whenever it is you’re reading this!

-Bye!
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

It’s Still Technically Saturday (in MDST) Miscellany—3/28/26

By HCNewton

On March 28, 2026

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Neverending Stories: On the continuation novel
bullet The Key to Writing Effective Action and Suspense (Part 1): It’s all about answering a question.—Nick Kolakowski follows up on a viral tweet (that I loved), sure, it’s for writers, but we readers can get into it, too.
bullet Modern Retellings for Your Bookshelf
bullet 8 Changes I’ve Noticed in Book Blogging in the Past Few Years—now that Briana says it, yeah, I think I’ve noticed that, too.
bullet 10 Series I Won’t Finish (And Why I’m Okay With That) —I totally get where Already Overbooked is coming from here.

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet A. R. Witham The Shadow of JCM Berne—Witham chats with the author about the fourth book in the Hybrid Helix series, Shadow of Hyperion. How fun is that?

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
bullet Got Luck by Michael Darling—I’m still annoyed that I didn’t read the sequel.
bullet Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron
bullet A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
bullet And I mentioned the releases of: Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye; Got Luck by Michael Darling; and Transgalactic by James Gunn

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Enemy of My Enemy by Alex Segura—”Matt Murdock defends the Punisher in the trial of the century—the murder of the Kingpin—while by night Daredevil staves off a war of succession for the throne of the criminal underworld.” I can’t wait to dive in.
bullet Tales in the Midst: A Collection of Short Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter—6 tales from the Yellowrock-verse
bullet Trace Elements: Conversations on the Project of Science Fiction and Fantasy by Jo Walton, Ada Palmer—”From two of the most acclaimed writers in the field today, a groundbreaking look at how SF and fantasy writing—and reading!—work.”

Opening Lines: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

By HCNewton

On March 27, 2026

In Fiction, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art and we all do judge them that way). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. So, when I stumble on a good opening (or remember one and pull it off the shelves), I like to throw it up here (especially if I’m out of time to come up with a post that involves writing on my part).

from Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite:

Near the topmost deck, in a small lift with glass walls and flickering buttons, I, Dorothy Gentleman, ship’s detective, opened a pair of eyes and licked a pair of lips and awoke in a body that wasn’t mine.

It was the nails that first tipped me off. Blank bodies were just that: blank. My nails ought to have been the same color as the skin beneath—in my case, somewhere in a range of pinks, tending to florid.

Not silver, and not shaped.

This body was already inhabited.

My skin—someone’s skin—broke out in gooseflesh. Of course every human body was a horrifying collection of juices and tissues, acids and effluvia poured into a bag with a bunch of long rocks, a shambling accident of biology that made its own mysterious and often frustrating decisions without reference to the mind. They were disgusting miracles, every one. It was always a bit unsettling to wake up in a fresh form, until habit made a home of it.

But someone else’s home, and my self inside it! A nightmare. Imagine going to the washroom to be sick and having someone else’s sick come out.

I came very close to making this more than a metaphor. It took many deep, deliberate breaths for the squeamish feeling to subside.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Opening Lines Logo

Captivating Character of March: Ruslav

By HCNewton

On March 27, 2026

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

It’s the last Friday of the month, so it’s time for my Most Captivating Character of the Month post. This month, I’ve decided to go with Ruslav, a thug from Adrian Tchaikovsky’s City of Last Chances.

When we meet Ruslav, he’s a despicable person. Truly. And by the close of the novel… he’s still a despicable person, but we’ve discovered a vein of decency in him, and he’s prevented from acting on most of his despicability.

Ruslav makes his money by beating people up for a pair of crime lords–well, doing more than beating people up, but let’s just leave it at that. It’s not just his profession–it’s his passion; he really enjoys inflicting pain. Off the clock, Ruslav falls for women–hard. Once he “has his way with them” (a phrase that makes my skin crawl, but it’s the best I’ve got), he falls out of love with them and really doesn’t give them another thought. He doesn’t love and leave them, because leaving seems to indicate a lot more active distancing from the women than I think he’s capable of.

This is spoilery, so feel free to skip down to the final paragraph, but I don’t think it’s that bad. In the pursuit of his latest “true love,” Ruslav goes to an art show put on by some college students. One painting there catches his eye–he buys it, and is later seen in his quarters staring at it. I don’t think we’re supposed to get the idea that this is great art–maybe not even good art. But it speaks to Ruslav in a way that I don’t think he knew art could. It doesn’t change him–but it reminds him of a younger version of himself and what motivated him then.

What does change him–at least his actions, but not his core–is a deal he unwittingly entered into with a deity. I won’t get into the details, but he literally has to change careers permanently. There’s no change of heart, no road to Damascus moment, nothing like that at all–he just has to stop hurting people if he wants to live.

While remaining a vile person, there’s a moment when he has a heart-to-heart conversation with the man who made that painting. Ruslav opens up to him in a way I doubt he has to anyone in years–if ever. He’s able to talk to the artist about what that painting meant to him and to remind the painter what of him was represented there. It’s probably the best version of himself that Ruslav has been in years, if ever.

And it’s all possible because of the way a piece of art–likely a kitschy painting–struck him in just the right way. In a way that nothing else could. A way that reminded him of something more than being a brute. I find that captivating.

What character would you name for last month?

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

The Lost Daughter of Sparta by Felicia Day, Rowan MacColl: The Unknown Sister

By HCNewton

On March 26, 2026

In Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Lost Daughter of Sparta

by Felicia Day, illustrated by Rowan MacColl

DETAILS:
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: March 17, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 193 pg.
Read Date: March 21, 2026

The Origin of the Book

Day explains this better in the book, but I bring this up because it’s kind of a key to thinking about this book. Day came across a reference to a curse that was imposed on Helen of Troy and her sisters—which led to her rethinking Helen. As she looks into that some more, she reads about Helen’s sister Philonoe being made immortal by Artemis. And that’s it. No details provided.

Which gets her imagination percolating and us getting this graphic novel.

What’s The Lost Daughter of Sparta About?

Whereas big sister Helen was a legendary beauty (literally), Philonoe was born with a birthmark denoting her as ugly—think Gorbachev’s scalp birthmark but covering about half her face. She’s sent to live with goatherds for most of her life, but is brought back by her parents following the Trojan War to get married.

Her future husband is a prince of Gla. If he has a redeeming quality to him, Day didn’t do a great job of making sure we saw it. Her mother reveals to her the nature of the curse that Aphrodite had put upon her and her sisters.

Philonoe goes to Aphrodite’s to ask for help with this curse and is sent on a quest to retrieve three items. Due to a previous sacrifice to Artemis, that goddess is paying attention to her, too. Artemis plays Ghosts of Sister Present with her, letting her see how things are going for them in a way to help her learn about the world.

What did I think about the art?

I’m of two minds when it comes to the art. It’s not the cleanest, most attractive, or most consistent art you’ve come across. But there’s a charm to it—the more I read, the more I enjoyed it.

I know MacColl is capable of cleaner work—I’ve checked out their website and have seen it. So what I’m trying to talk about has to be intentional. There’s part of me that sees some similarities between the art and figures on Grecian Urns I’ve seen in books.

So, what did I think about The Lost Daughter of Sparta?

There’s just nothing subtle about the storytelling, or the dispensing of the moral(s) of the story. It might have been a bit more effective if it were.

Still, it’s hard to fault the moral(s) she’s dispensing—particularly if her daughter is the primary target audience.

This isn’t a feminist re-imagining of a classic character, like so many we’ve seen. Philonoe is a blank slate as far as history and literature are concerned, so Day has the freedom to draw whatever she wants on it—and she’s taken advantage of it. There’ve been so many interpretations of Aphrodite and Artemis over the centuries that one more isn’t notable (and Day likely echoes as many as she diverges from)—the two of them are rather amusing together.

It’s a classic hero’s journey that is full of commentary on Greek heroes and how they are used by the Olympians. I’d have liked to see a bit more of that, really. But what Day gave us was pretty effective.

It’s a fast read with some fun turns—it’s not perfect, but what is? Is Day capable of better? Yes. Can you feel her investment in the project on every page? Yeah, pretty much.

I’m glad that I read The Lost Daughter of Sparta, and I assume anyone the premise appeals to will be, too. I’d suggest checking it out.