Dreamless (Starcrossed, #2)

by Josephine Angelini

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Hades and Persephone has always been a personal favorite of mine, as far as classic Greek mythology goes. It's such an interesting myth with fascinating possibilities and what if's that I've always turned over in my mind, which is why I have really come to enjoy Josephine Angelini's portrayal of the Greek gods and goddesses. She adds a whole new dimension of dynamic and originality to them and the world she has crafted so wonderfully. The way that she's had Helen deal with the furies so far, has been handled so flawlessly and amazingly well. Her characters have experienced wonderful character growth and have been developed exceptionally well, making them likable and easy for readers to connect with.

Orion, I'd have to say, was my personal favorite added to the cast. His personal tragic history and intriguing powers havd a way of making me extremely protective of him. I loved how he possessed wonderful humor and bravery, as he protected Helen from the very dangers of the Underworld. I could definitely understand how Helen could feel an inkling of something stirring - for him. Their connection was both interesting and pleasing to witness. There was a level of trust and care that could have potentially been turning into something else there between the two of them and it was quite enjoyable to read.

The romance added wonderful dynamic to the book and was beautifully written. There are so many possibilities that could happen by taking the story this route and I'm very pleased to see that Josephine Angelini hasn't disappointed me yet, with it. Although, watching Lucas and Helen having such a tough time trying to stay away from each other sort of pulled at my heart and made it ache just a bit. It's heartbreaking to witness especially after Lucas tried to make Helen hate him in such an unappealing and unflattering way. I'll admit, that even I was a bit annoyed by that part.

One of the most interesting things I found about Dreamless and the story that Josephine Angelini is wonderfully crafting, is that she implemented sleep deprivation as the cause of what's killing Helen. She has to travel to the Underworld to deal with the furies and trust the help of Orion to navigate her through the dangers that await her there. She's not physically sleeping, which means that she's not sleeping at all and that is detrimental to her health and is taking its toll on her. Despite a couple of minor drawbacks here or there, I found that the story being told was timeless, beautiful, and filled with gritty action packed danger. It's perfect for fans of Meg Cabot's Abandoned or Melanie Dugan's Dead Beautiful.