After finishing this book I have two things to say who/what is she? And what the hell is going on?!

This is the first book based in and around Greek mythology I have ever read, and it has sparked an interest to start looking more into it.

This book has taken me on a journey. I feel like I’ve read a few books in the series already, when in fact I’ve only read one! Flicking back to the beginning seems so many adventures ago, and that is exactly what has happened.

The characters are easy to get on with, and are likeable. The FMC was perfect, she starts out as a feisty ordinary girl, and turns into a heroine knowing what she has to do, but not why she’s doing it. I like that we get to learn her abilities along with her, this leaves surprises for the reader, I did gasp quite a few times whilst reading.

The story flows so easily. No adventure seems dragged out or rushed through, there’s time to meet and greet every character and monster. The pacing was perfect for me. I feel a hangover kicking in already. How is this only the first book?! I need the second ASAP.

For anyone looking for spice, there isn’t any. We get a little start of something, that I did not see coming, but it fades to black. And I’m actually glad there’s no spice. It’s nice to read a book purely on adventure, with a dash of found family vibes.

I hope this book gets so much love as I think it should! Go and buy it when it comes out January 16th 2025 you will not be disappointed!

A great young adult fantasy for fans of Ancient Greek mythology. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for letting me read this exciting ARC.

We follow Danae, the youngest daughter of a humble fisherman, from a small island. Her island is devoted in their worship of the Gods, to the point of giving yearly human sacrifice and are judgemental towards those who follow their own rules.

After Danae’s sister goes missing, a chain of mystical events lead her on a hero’s journey. Webb is a conscientious writer and creates lovely depictions of family and blossoming friendships. We meet a large cast of characters, in a number of settings. The story is very action packed and always on the move. The downside of this is that Danae is the only character we’re anchored to, and she’s often taking direction of prophecies and characters who she only met a couple of chapters ago.

Overall, I enjoyed this story because I loved the sisterly bond and found this to be a nice take on Heracles and other Gods.

Daughter of Chaos

Pros:
· Integrates research on Greek mythology to create an immersive setting.
· Most side-characters felt well fleshed-out and intriguing.
· Some original concepts and plot lines.

Cons:
· For a classical setting, the dialogue felt a bit too modern at times.
· Pacing either too fast or too slow.
· The power scaling between gods and a fisherman’s daughter with newly awakened powers and barely any combat experience doesn’t quite work.

Danae, a poor fisherman’s daughter, is forced to flee from her home island of Naxos after harrowing events lead to her persecution by villagers and family alike. Struggling to find answers to visions suddenly sprung upon her, she witnesses the freedom with which gods take, neglect and abuse their mortal subjects.

Soon hearing of a prophecy where she is foretold to bring the downfall of these same gods, she joins notable figures from Greek mythology on an adventure to discover her own powers and escape the power-hungry beings seeking her demise.

The writing is from a third-person perspective and starts off with a very direct, action-based writing style. This soon evolves to incorporate terminology and descriptions to cement the ancient Greece setting. Through the course of the story, I became invested in Danae’s progression and was intrigued by the plot twists involved.

Although including cliché character backgrounds and plot points at times, there are enough nuances to most key characters and side characters to make them feel unique. From a plot perspective, the depth to which the histories and desires of the characters accompanying Danae are explored makes sense. However, with some of the captivating stories and mysterious motivations involved, I really wanted to see more of this brought into the forefront. Especially as the shifts and developments in key relationships felt a bit awkward or emotionally flat at times – mostly towards the end of the book where the plot and character developments alike felt rushed.

Overall, the book has established a solid stable foundation for the rest of the series, giving it the potential to subvert the clichés of a ‘Chosen One’ plot and of Greek mythology retellings.

Looking at the comp titles, I wouldn’t say it uses similar writing, characters or to Priory of the Orange Tree. However, I would say Godkiller is a fair comparison as Danae is fighting against the gods and their subjugation of humans that worship them out of fear. Similarly, it takes a similar approach to Percy Jackson in addressing the flawed nature of Greek gods.

From the tone of the book, I would advise this for readers on the younger side of YA. However. I would be cautious of some of the more mature themes discussed, particularly with abuse of a sexual nature.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. This review is available on both Netgalley and Storygraph.

Greek mythology retelling? ✔️
Great world building? ✔️
Well written? ✔️

Enjoyed the book enough from the above points but it was a bit slow in places which made me think about putting it down at times. But the writing was good enough that it kept me coming back.

Would recommend for anyone who likes fantasy/Greek fiction.

3/5⭐️

Whilst there was a great idea and I found the whole idea so full of possibilities, I have to admit that I did find the book underwhelming. It let me down in it's not so big ways. Just felt a little small compared to what I was hoping for.

Alternate versions of Greek mythology is right up my alley.

This book I would definitely recommend to PJ fans, just for the vibes.

Danae is complex and well thought out and I really enjoyed her relationship to other characters in the book.
Excited to read the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
4 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the storytelling in Daughter of Chaos and the relatable, likable characters,. Loved every single second reading it.

I had high hopes for this one but after a super slow start I kind of feel like it never really took off for me. The synopsis made this book sound great but it just fell completely flat for me.

4.5/5 Stars

Amazing world-building and characters that you grow to love throughout the story's development.
Greek retelling in amazing and the interpretations of the myths was so engaging.
Would love to see more of the side characters and learn more about them in the second book, I already can't wait to read!

I was sent a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.....for a full review please see my Amazon and Goodreads accounts

——FOR MORTALS TO BE FREE THE GODS MUST FALL——

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this as an eARC!

As someone who’s been dipping in and out of Greek Mythology retellings and fictions I went into this book with high hopes and I was far from disappointed.

The story of Danae and the challenges and heartbreak she faces in a small space of time made for an enthralling and emotional read, one which I’m still reeling from! Her character was so complex yet so well written; it was easy to relate to her and feel for her and appreciate her growth.

The world building was exquisite, not once did I find myself having flick back through to remind myself of characters/concepts etc. Despite having numerous characters that were quite prominent it was easy to follow and keep track of individual stories. Watching each character interact with Danae and aid in the telling of her story was also a pleasure, you could really see how each one influenced her in her journey! Heracles was an absolute highlight for me, I loved his character and development with Danae and I really hope we see more of him! His past did make me cry a little but let’s face it the book in general brought out a few tears!

I am so excited to see what’s to come from A S Webb based on this debut! It was marketed as a book for fans of Godkiller and as someone who read and adored this book I wholeheartedly agree, it’s a must read!

One of my top reads of this year! Epic fantasy, dark tragedy, unpredictable story. I was gripped throughout. Danaes character development is subtle but so effective and this book had me cheering her on at every turn. If you wanted the adventure storytelling of Arya Stark but with magic, this is the book for you.

Thank you to the reviewer and NetGalley for the review copy. I do not typically like greek retellings, but the comparison to Godkiller and Priory of the Orange Tree, two books I love, made me want to read this. I don't actually think they are good comparisons, this being much more young adult orientated and faster paced. However, despite that, I did still actually quite enjoy this one. I would say that rather than a retelling it is a reimaging, with a fresh take on the greek mythology. As mentioned, it is a fast paced read, which makes for an easy read however I did feel that certain powerful sections would have had more impact if they had been allowed to brew a little. I also did like Danea as a character. Overall, I would recommend for fans of greek mythology.

This is a retelling of the Greek myth about Danae. She is a multidimensional character in Webb’s retelling - resourceful, capable, demonstrates various emotions, makes interesting decisions.

The prose was one of the strongest suits of Daughter of Chaos - it was gripping and Webb has her own style.
I am looking forward to the second book and I anticipate I will like it a bit more since the slower beginning in this first book will be behind me.

Plot 3/5
Characterisation 4/5
Mood 4/5
Pacing 2.5/5
Resolution 3/5

3.5 stars rounded down. I recommend this book - there are readers who will enjoy this a lot.

The first line on the blur had me... In Ancient Greece .....Greek mythology and history you have me straight away....

This is going to be an amazing series.....

Starting off in a normal Greek island with a religious festival, things only just get started......chaos and tragedy get this book off the starting blocks....Oracles, unknown destinies, and travelling Anciet Greece begin....

This book had everything I love Greek Gods, Famous Hero's, and even Greek Monsters.....A S Webb manages to bring it all together without it being boring making you just want to read just one more chapter when you should be doing something else.....I love the way old Greek tales /Heros were involved with the main character...

Just when you think you know the answers to everything, another spanner gets thrown in to the twist.....so looking forward to how this adventure/destiny is going to turn out....I'm not looking to the wait for the next installment ...

This is definitely going to be a best seller and one of my favourite reads this year.

Daughter of Chaos - A.S. Webb
The Dark Pantheon No. 1
Release Date: 16th Jan 2024
Rating: 5/5 Stars

—

FOR MORTALS TO RISE THE GODS MUST FALL.

—

Greek retellings aren’t something that I would usually pick up, however, reading the synopsis made me intrigued and I’m so glad that it did. Daughter of Chaos was everything that I would want from a Greek retelling - in which it felt more like an Ancient Greek fantasy reimagined. The world building felt unforced, characters were introduced in an accessible way, and A.S Webb hasn’t shied say from the darker side of the Greek gods.

Danae’s character has me invested, desperately wanting to see where she went next, or more often than not, what she was going to do next. The supporting characters never felt oversaturated and it felt like they all had a place and a reason to be there without diluting the story.

The pace, for me, was perfect. There was never a moment where I felt like I was forcing myself to continue, there was always something going on, and I always wanted to know what was coming next. This being said, the reason I haven’t given 5 stars is because the ending felt slightly out of pace from the rest of the book with a lot happening in a pretty short section.

The epilogue … Yes! It sets up the tone for the next book perfectly. It was not what I was expecting to be introduced, but I’m so excited to see where it goes.

Overall, I would strongly recommend Daughter of Chaos to anyone. A. S. Webb, I can’t wait to see where you take book two too! Definitely one to watch for 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and author A. S. Webb for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

To call this a Greek Mythology retelling would be vastly understating what it truly is. It’s more a complete overhaul. A reimagining and reshaping of the myths we’ve come to know and it does it masterfully.

Danae is a wonderful protagonist. Flawed and wonderfully human in that she is both brave and acts with confidence in the moment, whilst remaining unconfident and questioning of those same choices after the moment. I loved the side characters and how they each played a role in defining who Danae becomes as she navigates her path and grows into herself.

I’m so glad I got to read this eARC but equally I’m so sad I’ll now have to wait an absolute age to continue Danae’s journey and find out what happens next. Gah! It’s such a long wait! But I know this author is definitely on my must read list now. What an absolutely phenomenal debut!

Thank you to NetGalley, A.S. Webb and Penguin Random House for gifting me this eARC in exchange for my honest review. The pleasure truly was all mine!

Webb has created a beautifully written high stakes, fast paced fantasy. While the novel is set up with a heavy amount of world building it is worth it to get to the exciting story that Webb creates. The prose of the novel is expertly written and weaved beautifully with the scene of Ancient Greece. The reader is slammed with a plot twist at the end which only propels them into the next instalment. This is an absolutely exciting read, and perfect for anyone who loves high stakes high fantasy reads.

A Greek myth inspired fantasy following a fisherman's daughter trying to bring down the gods. I wanted to like this but the comp titles in the blurb are entirely misleading. Too many characters all lacking in character development, unconvincing romances, an unbelievable number of side quests and dangerous situations, rushed pacing but somehow the plot takes 90% of the book to actually get back to the opening flash forward. This is a YA at best and not a well written one at that. Not one for me.

Enjoyable but a tad forgetul. I enjoyed the setting but the plot fell flat at certain points. Intrigued to try more.