[Diana’s Review]: Daughter of Sparta (Daughter of Sparta #1) by Claire M. Andrews

Daughter of Sparta
by Claire M. Andrews
Series: Daughter of Sparta #1
Release Date: June 8th 2021
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC
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Sparta forged her into a deadly weapon. Now the Gods need her to save the world!

Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior, hoping to be accepted by the unyielding people of ancient Sparta. But an unexpected encounter with the goddess Artemis—who holds Daphne's brother's fate in her hands—upends the life she's worked so hard to build. Nine mysterious items have been stolen from Mount Olympus and if Daphne cannot find them, the gods' waning powers will fade away, the mortal world will descend into chaos, and her brother's life will be forfeit.

Guided by Artemis's twin-the handsome and entirely-too-self-assured god Apollo-Daphne's journey will take her from the labyrinth of the Minotaur to the riddle-spinning Sphinx of Thebes, team her up with mythological legends such as Theseus and Hippolyta of the Amazons, and pit her against the gods themselves.

A reinterpretation of the classic Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, Daughter of Sparta by debut author Claire Andrews turns the traditionally male-dominated mythology we know into a heart-pounding and empowering female-led adventure.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“The gods are envious of us. They will never understand the beauty of watching the day pass and knowing that it could perhaps be your last. They will never experience the bitter taste of fear as it floods your senses, or the sometimes bittersweet ache of pain.”

I have a weakness for gorgeous covers and Greek mythology. And Daughter of Sparta boasts both!

Daughter of Sparta is a fast-paced action-driven fantasy with an addictive storyline. No joke, the author does not let up on the action. Once Daphne went on her… journey? quest? she could barely catch a break. Someone was always trying to kill her, maim her and/or take her prisoner. And I think because of this, there was no one dull moment.

I admire Daphne’s relentless resilience and reckless determination. Her stubbornness reminds me a lot of Paige’s (The Bone Season). And her drive to prove herself worthy was really a sight to behold. Claire Andrews did an amazing job crafting Daphne’s character.

Also, while I can’t say that I’m a leading expert on Greek mythology, I immensely enjoyed the author’s own take on this reimagining of Daphne and Apollo.

But as much as I enjoyed the unceasing action and adventures of Daphne, I can’t say that I loved Daughter of Sparta. For the duration of the book, I had this feeling that something was missing. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. But it bothered me that while I kept turning the pages excited to find out what happens next, I felt like there was something that just wasn’t clicking with me. This doesn’t make sense, I know. But there you go.

Overall, I had an amazing time reading Daughter of Sparta! Looking forward to the sequel!