Synopsis:
Penelope Weaver has spent her whole life preparing to attend Anaximander’s Academy, where students learn how to bring to life the stories of Greek mythology as well as discover the Greek god whose principles they most embody. Penelope knows she’s an Athena—all smart, practical, and rule-following girls who take part in stories that matter are Athenas.
But when Penelope and her twin brother Paris arrive at Anaximander’s, it appears fate has other plans. Penelope isn’t placed with Athena but with students who are anything but practical and who prefer parties to rules. And that’s just the beginning. She’s given the world’s worst muse, her assigned tasks feel impossible, and the magic of Anaximander’s is overwhelming. Not to mention, there are two very different boys making her new life even more confusing.
But as things go from bad to dangerously worse, one thing becomes clear: in a world where everything is fated to happen a certain way, some stories need to be rewritten. As the world around her shifts and cracks, Penelope is asked to forget everything she thought she knew to help create a better story…even if that changes every plan and breaks every rule.
Review:
At first, I thought this would be too close to the Percy Jackson series – which I loved. And while there are a LOT similarities, I was thoroughly impressed with this series debut. Penelope is a young girl who thinks she knows what she wants. She’s been told that being an “Athena girl” is the best. But her quirky, new friend soon helps her realize she may be right where she needs to be. She’s also stronger than she thinks. The characters in this novel are well-developed and help push the story along. The pacing is spot-on, making it hard to put down. Not only is there plenty of suspense and drama, but an exciting mystery surrounding Penelope. And I love the deeper lessons that she begins to learn. This middle grade fantasy is one of the best I’ve read all year. It’s simply fantastic. And I look forward to the next in this promising new series.