Book Review: Daughters of Chaos by A.S. Webb

Official Synopsis: For mortals to be free, the gods must fall in this sweeping epic fantasy debut.

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In ancient Greece, mortals suffer under the tyranny of the gods—forced to sacrifice the food they depend on, their worldly possessions and even each other at the whims of the Twelve. But an ancient prophecy speaks of hope, of one who will set humankind free.

On the island of Naxos, Danae, a fisherman's daughter, develops strange powers tied to a mysterious tree bearing golden fruit. Driven from her home, she seeks guidance from the oracle but finds only more questions…and whispers of a secret network of believers who have long been awaiting her arrival.

Determined to learn more, Danae joins forces with the legendary Heracles and his crew. Together they battle monsters and gods alike on a quest to the end of the world as Danae seeks the one who holds the key to her destiny.

But a terrifying truth is yet to be unlocked. A truth that could destroy the world as she knows it. Danae must choose to follow her destiny or her heart, while the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders.

This book is definitely a different, and darker, take on Greek mythology and Gods than I have read before. Danae has struggled throughout her life and after having suffered a tragedy is sent away by her father, to see the oracle. But visiting the oracle only leaves her more confused, alone and in even more danger than she could have anticipated. This leads her on a journey with a whole cast of characters that we are all familiar, and unfamiliar with depending on your level on Greek mythology knowledge.

Danae learns she is destined to kill Zeus, but doesn't know why, or how, she is supposed to do this. After watching her nephew get taken in the night, and having her sister die because of it, Danae is left with a lot more questions than answers. As she works her way through the sea with Heracles, Jason and others, her questions lead to answers that lead to even more questions.

As the beginning of the series, this book definitely leaves you wanting more. I had a lot of questions upon finishing this book, but because I wanted more. There are so many things that come up within the story, sometimes to a point where it is hard to keep up. There is a lot of adventure in this book, along with violence and but of romance, but like one/two scenes of that. There are a lot of moments that are described in detail that could be triggering to some, so make sure to look out for that/look it up if you are worried.

This book is a debut, and is definitely a strong one. I enjoyed the written and how the plot moved, and even though some scenes felt too long, they moved quickly. Danae being the main focus means sometimes you end up wondering as much as she is about the situation. There is a lot of fun Greek mythology references and I'm excited to see where the rest of the series ends up going.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Daughters of Chaos comes out January 14, 2025.

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