Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test, #2)

by Aimée Carter

After surrendering her mortal life, Kate’s about to be crowned queen of the mythical Underworld, home to the Gods.

Her king – dangerous, mesmerising Henry – the boy she sacrificed everything for, is becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then he is abducted in the midst of her coronation.

Forced to take up her role in a bitter war between the Gods, Kate battles to save Henry’s life. Worse, her only hope of victory means turning to Persephone, Henry’s first true love…and the greatest threat to Kate’s future. Kate now knows that rescuing the one she believed to be her destined soulmate could mean losing him forever.

‘A fresh take on the Greek myths adds sparkle to this romantic fable.’ Cassandra Clare on The Goddess Test

• ISBN13: 9781848450783
• Publish Date: 1 April 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 11 March 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Mira Ink
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[reveriesociety_]

This was so amazing! The feels were killing me!

I normally stay away from MCs who are all angsty and wallow all the time, because really, we all know they're annoying! But there's real, legit drama going on here, and not once did it feel annoying. In fact, I think Kate was completely justified in her self-doubt. Her situation is just heart-breaking and I just want to hug her and tell everything's going to be ok. :3

[Artemis]

At least this was semi-better than the first book. Kate is still a mindless drone and I hate her but the plot wasn't to bad. Called the ending though.

[Katie King]

Color me shocked: I liked Goddess Interrupted! This is because of one main reason:

I hated the first book. Absolutely hated it. Straight up 1 star. But this book?? WHAT A TURNAROUND. I mean, it’s not the best book ever but relative to how I felt before? Amazing. In order to highlight the differences, I’ll evaluate the points I discussed in my review of The Goddess Test.

Kate

Before: Kate is whiny, cries a lot, and does little else.

Now: Kate is a tough-ass bitch. But in a good way, like she doesn’t take crap from anyone. Someone won’t tell her what happened and she says “spill, bitch!” Someone tells her she’ll be safer if she stays behind and she says “f- that!” Those are exaggerations but it was along those lines (although not as aggressive ;)). She decides she’s gonna put herself in harm’s way in order to help someone else, which is obviously a huge step forward for her. She also doesn’t cry every other page. I really grew to respect her in this book. A 10,000% better character.

Henry/Hades

Before: Struggles with his love for Kate, also a sensitive virgin.

Now: Henry changed relatively little compared to Kate. He still struggled with his love for Kate, but we didn’t see from his POV very often (or at all, idk). As a result, he just seemed very distant and cold for much of the book. I’ll get into that later. I could see his love for his family and willingness to protect them, so it felt pretty realistic and not like he was a “love everybody or nobody” person. We also find out he wasn’t a virgin before Kate so we can all breathe a sigh of relief that stereotype wasn’t used after all.

Romance

Before: For 80%, Kate agrees to keep her mom alive. Then she decides she NEEDS Henry in order to live.

Now: Another COMPLETE turnaround! Kate struggles between feelings for her husband that rejects her, and a boy who loves her. I’m not going to lie, this emotional struggle was easily the best part of this entire book, forget the plot! Carter wrote these scenes with such depth that I very strongly connected with Kate. When she was worrying about Henry’s family, she was also juggling Henry ignoring her, James fighting for her, and trying to accept Henry’s obvious love for his first wife, Persephone. When Kate saw Henry and Persephone in her vision, my heart broke right along with her. The feels got to me!!

Plot (or lack thereof)

Before: Ooh, arbitrary matchmaking tests!

Now: The plot was still a little dumb. Calliope/Hera is in love with Henry/Hades but he only sees her as a sister, so in order to exact her revenge she tries to release the Titan Cronus. In order to keep Cronus captive, Kate must find Persephone, as she is the only one who knows how to lock/unlock the gate. Obviously this is awkward since they’re both romantically tangled with Henry. Kate sticks it out and manages to keep Cronus locked up, but for who knows how long.

Honestly, I enjoyed Goddess Interrupted so much that I don’t even care about any of it’s flaws. :)

[stefu1]

I really didn't like it until the end when Kate was all hey I'm going to do whatever I want because I'm important and I shouldn't care what other people think and stuff that was the only good part but the whole book was really dumb. The end was totally weird and also makes me question everything I really hated how she was all "does Henry like me" and everyone was all "yeah he likes you" and she didn't believe him and then he was like I really don't like you and is like oh I do like you it was really confusingoh WTF about the baby that so weird

[Angie]

I didn't like Goddess Interrupted as much as the first book in the series. I didn't dislike it, but there were too many ridiculous, eye roll inducing moments to be wholly enjoyable. Kate is back from Greece, but she doesn't get the warm welcome that she anticipated. In fact, Henry essentially gives her the cold shoulder. Then the manor is under attack, the original six are kidnapped, and no one knows how to get to them. That is, except for Persephone. Kate must now head to the Underworld, track down her sister, and convince her to get involved in the life that she gave up. While also not killing each other.

Goddess Interrupted is very over-the-top in the dramatics department. Calliope is behind the attacks, as she wants Kate dead, and then decides everyone deserves to die even if she must fade with them. She's incurring the help of the Titan known as Cronus, who's been locked away, and she sets on freeing him to wreck havoc. Other weird stuff happens as Kate tries to keep Cronus from killing her while he's still locked away, but not quite fully locked away, or whatever. I don't even know. It was an all around bizarre situation, since it seems like Cronus wants to kill everyone and doesn't particularly like following Calliope's orders.

We're also introduced to Persephone in Goddess Interrupted and she is absolute worst! Why was Henry so in love with her? She's not a nice person at all! She's selfish and petty and frustrating! Kate immediately dislikes her and vice versa. Yes, Persephone does help with their rescue, but she's awful! I couldn't even understand why she was behaving this way toward Kate, since she didn't even want to be with Henry nor did she want the job of Queen of the Underworld. She has her sexy Adonis in the afterlife, so what is her problem?! There is some spark of niceness in her, but overall, I didn't get her. All sympathy I had for her for being forced into that marriage is gone.

What I did really like about Goddess Interrupted was this screwed up romance. Kate is desperately in love with Henry despite him treating her like crap upon her return and after she rescues him. She's willing to put her happiness on hold in hopes that he'll grow to love her more than Persephone, which is an unfortunate message to be sending, but it's great entertainment! Kate does stand up for herself though and tells Henry exactly how she feels. It's him who's closed off until...things happen. I'm a bit annoyed at myself for cheering for this dysfunctional relationship.

In the end, Goddess Interrupted was an okay sequel. I was entertained, but also annoyed. The ending is huge cliffhanger, which isn't a problem since I have the finale handy. But there's also a twist, which happens to be my least favorite plot device ever! Somehow I'm not surprised though.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Kim Deister]

Goddess Interrupted is the second book in the Goddess Test series, beginning six months after the first book. There is a bridging novella, The Goddess Hunt, that covers that six month gap. The more we get to know the different characters, the better the books get. I love the blending of traditional Greek mythology with contemporary humor and interesting reimaginings.

It is quite unusual to have a married heroine in a YA novel. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is something you don't often see. It is in keeping with the story line, but I wonder how that detail plays to readers who are actually in the YA demographic. Which I am most definintely not, but I have kids who are, so does that count?!

I love Greek mythology and I like the way that they author uses it. For purists... yes, there are changes to the traditional mythology, but that is a part of retellings and reimaginings of established lore. Watching ancient gods and goddesses deal with modern problems can be rather funny at times.

In keeping with that, the gods and goddesses change their names with their times, established in the first book. They maintain their character traits that we all know, but are given a bit of an update. For someone who loves Greek mythology, its's fun to pick them out and identify them.

Kate and Henry have an interesting story. Both have come into their relationship with baggage and I like that the author didn't make that all magically go away once they were together. Things like that don't go away overnight, and Carter recognized in the transformation of that relationship.

The one thing that bothered me with the portrayal of their relationship was Kate's reaction to it throughout most of the book. She spent a lot of time in angst over Henry and his behavior, and feeling bad about herself because of his baggage. I suppose part of that is her young age, newly married. But there were times when I just wanted to see her stand up and get angry.

Some Quotastic Goodness

--It hurts being the one who loves more.
--If I were a better man, I would be able to show you the love and affection you deserve. As I am not, I can only offer you what I'm capable of giving. But I assure you, just because I do not show it, doesn't mean I do not feel it.
--You can say you love me all you want, but if you only ever act like the opposite's true, then I can't trust your words anymore.
--Being with Henry doesn't mean you have to give up who you are. Henry doesn't define you.
--Being brave doesn't mean never being afraid, you know. It means going for it anyway because you know it's the right thing to do.
--I don't want to be the person who tries to force you to feel something you don't.

My Recommendation: If you enjoy Greek mythology and reimaginings, this is a great book! You should read at least Goddess Test first, as this is not a standalone novel. I would also recommend reading the bridging novella, The Goddess Hunt.

This review originally appeared on my blog, http://thecaffeinateddivareads.multifacetedmama.com/?p=8733.

[mrs_mander_reads]

Loved this book just as much as the first. I read it in just a couple of sittings. The story is definitely addictive. The only complaint that I have (and I think I said this in my review of the first book) is that the gods/goddesses don't really align with their Greek identities at all; they aren't as mischievous, conniving, and unpredictable as I would like for them to be. That being said, Henry's character is one of my favorites. I don't know that I've ever read a book about or based on mythology that's portrayed the Hades character in such a positive light, or allowed the reader to see the hardships there were in his job. He's always the evil one, and I like that, at least in this series, he's a little more human.

[Chelsea]

I loved this book. I loved the first book, I loved this book and I’m sure I’ll love the next book. I just really like Greek mythology and I love how the author uses it. It’s really unique! The plot in this book was just as good as the first book. I liked how Persephone was added into the book and I loved the role she played. I did hate the crazy cliff hanger at the end though! Especially because I couldn’t find the next book fast enough!

I still really liked the characters. I liked Kate more, she seems to have grown up over the summer. I don’t like how there isn’t much Henry though. I really like him and wanted to see more but there was lots of James and Ava which I guess made up for it.

I’m still a little mad at people who don’t give this book a good rating based on the mythology. People complain that it’s not right and whatnot but that’s the point isn’t it? To take something and change it to make it yours. That’s what a fiction novel is supposed to be! I would recommend that everyone give this book a chance because I really enjoyed it and if you don’t critique the mythology parts like you shouldn’t, then you’ll like it too!

[ellieroth]

3.8

DDDDDDDD:

http://el-extrano-gato-del-cuento.blogspot.com/

[wyvernfriend]

I did want to enjoy this, the back of the book promised big conflict, romance, tension and what I got was a whiny girl who should have been sent to college and to get a job for a few years before she was involved in the events of the first book even.

If you're asking yourself if you love him during what is basically your honeymoon you got married too fast. The fact that you spent six months with another man? That you didn't jump his bones the minute you got back? Maybe the two of you have issues you need to deal with before getting caught up in ceremonies. FFS Talk already, get someone to help you, stop taking their "of course he loves you" and start asking you mum, particualarly, what the hell she means by that.

It wasn't a bad read, it's just the conflict was all in Kate's head, she annoyed the heck out of me (and FYI Henry, tell her to get her ass up to the real world instead of being happy she wants to spend her whole time down with you, she needs more life experience)

I'm sorry, this did come across as a "marry in haste, repent at leisure" scenario, and a little bit of real delayed gratification with the two of them rather than rushing into stuff would have been a good idea.

I'm curious to know how the series goes on, but I hope Kate isn't as whiny in the next one.