Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Go the Distance by Jen Calonita

2 reviews

calicat42's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is good for some escape from the world; a way to adventure back into childhood with a twist. It certainly lacks deep character and plot development, but nevertheless is a nice way to make Meg the hero instead of the damsel, just the way she always wanted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Death, Toxic relationship, and Child death

shannasbooksnhooks's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

"'On the contrary, it's very important. You are going to war, Megara. And in war, one must have the will to fight for what they want or they will fall in battle as swiftly as a sword cuts through air.' Meg stifled a sigh, careful not to offend the god in front of her. What do I want? she asked herself."
This book was a good read. I really enjoyed it. However, I wish Meg's quest wasn't stated as part of the book's synopsis. Why? It's not something you learn right when Hera gives Meg the quest - it's a couple of chapters after that. I would have enjoyed the twist of having to save her ex-boyfriend's wife from the Underworld if that had been revealed to us at the same time it was revealed to Meg. The author/publisher/marketers for this book could have easily said "to prove her worth of godhood, Meg goes on a quest to save a soul from the Underworld" without actually stating on the cover/in the synopsis who she's saving. (Because, honestly, if she has to go to the Underworld to save a soul, she would have to deal with Hades again, which I think would intrigue any fan of Disney's Hercules movie. [And who doesn't want more Hades?]) There were some parts of the book that had me asking "Really?", which is what docked it down to 4 stars for me. Overall, I do recommend this as a read - it's a great story and a great take on the possible idea that Meg had to become a goddess to be with Herc.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Grief, Infidelity, and Gaslighting

Speaking of Hades . . . we actually went down the Hades x Persephone route for this!!! The minute I read that Persephone was missing (Chapter 1, I believe, but not further than Chapter 2), I KNEW where it was going. Although a small part of me does wish that we got the beginnings of a Hades x Persephone romance rather than being in the middle of it - because Meg comments that she had "never seen Hades so docile." Like, WHAT?! How did we get there? Although I do think that where their relationship was worked best for the story. Although I do want a Disney Hades x Persephone story from Calonita now.

The main examples: (1) Hera, of all the goddesses (goddess of marriage), is the one to send Meg on the quest. [I know this isn't a spoiler, but I wanted to keep these examples together.] This is something I see Zeus or [Disney's portrayal of] Hades doing, not Hera. (2) Meg's almost-constant insecurity for roughly the first half of the book. I get it - I would be too if I were in her shoes. But I felt like the constant insecurity didn't fit well with who she was by the end of the movie. This does let up around the halfway point, though. (3) Phil just up & leaves Olympus without saying goodbye to Herc. This is a little thing, but still...