Neon Gods by Katee Robert

January 04, 2023

Neon Gods by Katee Robert | Book Review

(Dark Olympus #1)

☠ ☠ ☠

A modern take on Greek Mythology - with the same gods, the same Olympus, and the same divide take on Olympus and the Underworld. You have the upper city with high class and a mighty Zeus. While the lower city seems to have a harder time getting by but the "myth" of Hades lingers. Is he real? That is what Persephone questioned when she escaped the courting of Zeus and ran straight into the arms of Hades.

I'm not going to lie - I was super excited to give this series a go. I love Greek mythology and loved the idea of Olympus split up into two with all the little details of who reigns over what, politics, how certain rankings within the families work, and the uniqueness of the characters. While there is a touch of magic in the story... I was surprised there wasn't more due to these beings who are supposed to be "gods." The world-building was super cool at first but certainly took a turn when there were mentions of the United States surrounding Olympus and that those who were able to "escape" or were exiled were in the United States. It was just a weird turn that I didn't care for. The period was a little blurred for me too. Sometimes I felt so present but other times I couldn't figure out if it was the future or even the past. Although I liked some of the characters and would look forward to seeing their development in the full series I didn't care for who this particular book followed. Persephone just seemed like a very cold person with not a lot of personality and Hades has too many red flags to count. Haha.

The last bit to mention is the elephant in the room - smut. This book is heavy with it. I've read some spicy romance but this was my actual first "smut" read. It was a little scarring for me - but I have to say the overall plot/scenery kept me engaged. I mention it because it felt like an experience where there is something you don't want to see but you can't bring yourself to not look. Haha. While that was my experience with this book - I know that wouldn't be to same for others. I just might be curious enough to read the next.

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Retellings, Fiction, Adult, Greek Mythology

Goodreads Choice Awards (Nominee for Best Romance (2021)

"We didn't choose this life. We're trying to survive it."