Painted Blind

Jul 17, 2012 Lyra Gill rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review is also posted HERE.

Out of all the mythological retellings I've read over the past year, Painted Blind is my favorite. The world-building is sublime; the plot is relatively fast-paced; and the characters are engaging. The writing is beautiful - the descriptions of Erik's world are intricately detailed - and not a page of this book bored me. Though I pretty much knew how the story will progress since I am well acclimated with the myth of Cupid (Eros) and Psyche, Michelle Hansen threw...more This review is also posted HERE.

Out of all the mythological retellings I've read over the past year, Painted Blind is my favorite. The world-building is sublime; the plot is relatively fast-paced; and the characters are engaging. The writing is beautiful - the descriptions of Erik's world are intricately detailed - and not a page of this book bored me. Though I pretty much knew how the story will progress since I am well acclimated with the myth of Cupid (Eros) and Psyche, Michelle Hansen threw little plot twists here and there to make this story truly her own.

I love how Hansen portrayed Psyche. Usually, when authors attempt to make a beautiful girl insecure and frightened of all the stares and attention, everything falls flat. They make the girl sound too whiny and ungrateful - and most of the time irritating - but that isn't the case for Psyche. Sure, she may be described as being unearthly beautiful, but like every girl who has to go through life with eyes feasted upon her every move, she quakes under the stares. Like every girl thrust into the public eye for something she's not proud of, she does everything she can to hide herself. The way Hansen talked about Psyche's fear of people and unwarranted attention was definitely believable, and in no way did I even doubt how Psyche felt throughout the book.

What I loved the most about this book was its supporting characters. While I didn't blink my eyes in disbelief about Psyche and Erik's love, I never felt like I actually got to know Erik as opposed to his servant, Aeas, and Psyche's servant, Titus. (Be warned - I'm using the term servant very loosely here.) Yes, I do see that he's very protective and that he does indeed love Psyche very much, but I think that that's all that I got from what I read and nothing else. I really wish that his character could have been explored more, but then again, this book was told from Psyche's point of view. I guess you can't really expect her to paint the man she loves in a bad light. However, as Aeas and Titus were both there for Psyche every step of the way when she had to accomplish the impossible, I really felt like I got to know the both them. Moreover, Psyche described both characters as she saw them - no sugarcoating whatsoever. If they did something that she didn't like, or they wanted her to do something that she won't do, she'd call it as it is. I also loved how Psyche and Titus interacted with each other - their banter was fun to read, and seeing their friendship progress was also entertaining.

Overall, Painted Blind was an entertaining and enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it to readers who love retellings of myths - you won't regret reading this book!(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was so close to a 5 star but 4.5

A Modern Day Retelling Of Psyche and Eros (Cupid) It was the first time I had read a retelling of their story so I did a little research before reading it.

It was a really good story and stayed real true to the story I read of them.

It really is about falling in love Blind.
Betrayal of the worst kind.

I was sucked in from the first few pages and just kept reading before I knew it I had read over half of the story.Thats saying something as this is/was a very long...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Carrie Slager rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

Okay, Painted Blind was nothing like I expected and that’s a good thing because I really didn’t expect much from the blurb. But I still requested it from NetGalley for something new to read. And wow, was I ever surprised.

If I had to describe it one way, I’d call it The Goddess Test on steroids because it has a more realistic romance, better characters and a plot that glued me to my computer chair for over...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Annalisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Painted Blind is a wonderful title for a novel and it immediately grabbed my attention. The story is a modern interpretation of ancient Greek mythology. I am weary of angels, vampires, and poorly written dystopian fantasies so a young adult twist on Eros and Psyche intrigued me. The story started with promise but quickly deteriorated into what felt like Twilight-esque fan fiction. Almost all the elements were there: misunderstood beautiful teenage girl, flaky absentee mother, bewildered and inef...more Painted Blind is a wonderful title for a novel and it immediately grabbed my attention. The story is a modern interpretation of ancient Greek mythology. I am weary of angels, vampires, and poorly written dystopian fantasies so a young adult twist on Eros and Psyche intrigued me. The story started with promise but quickly deteriorated into what felt like Twilight-esque fan fiction. Almost all the elements were there: misunderstood beautiful teenage girl, flaky absentee mother, bewildered and ineffectual father, otherworldly gorgeous potential boyfriend, powerful and jealous enemy, boys queuing up to worship at teenage girl's feet - check, check and check. There is even one scene that involves a storm, a tent, and two testosterone oozing boys - one teasing, the other barely holding his jealousy in check - sound familiar?

I felt like the characters were underdeveloped and many things were unexplained. Why does Psyche hate being touched? What is the back story on her mother? What is it about Psyche that Eros loves besides her beauty? I believe the author wanted to paint Eros as someone so jaded by immortal magnificence that he skips past Psyche’s perfect mortal shell and dives straight for her beautiful soul to fall helplessly in love. The author missed her own point here. The courtship was short and without inspiration: hot Greek god falls for hot Earth chick. In the end, physical beauty is all that matters.

I particularly wished Eros was a more complicated character. He came across as a kind of dull yet oddly temperamental type of nice guy. In mythology Eros (Cupid) is a Puck-like character who causes all sorts of mischief and mayhem with his ability to induce lust and love on a whim. I didn’t see a trace of that impish personality in this Eros. The plot slugged along without much tension, emotion, or surprise. A story about Psyche (the soul) and Eros (love) has endless possibilities. This story ended up reading like a young teenage girls' wish list: be the prettiest girl in the room, have the hottest boyfriend, be better than your BFF (in looks and morals), get rich modeling, have a tricked out I-pod with coolest playlist, have the best ride (winged horse -who can beat that?), live in a mansion by the beach and best of all - leave school early.
(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, a-young-adult, g-fairytale

I loved this book. I took a chance because it was free on Amazon and the description was intriguing enough to pull me in. I also love books that incorporate mythology, but make it a bit more modern. There was a lot of action, a lot of drama, and a lot of love (and this is a clean book - no sex).

Erik was such a great character, especially when you learn his secret (which wasn't much of a secret to me) and he was really great with Psyche. I liked watching Psyche although she is one of 2 reasons t...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Preet rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore mythological stories! I always enjoyed them in school and was so excited to review this as well.

Loving someone without seeing them is such a cool idea. We're so stuck on physical appearances today, that I wonder how different we would be if all we had to focus on was personality. Psyche was one of my favorite characters in the story. I liked that she was fairly independent, but still had Erik as someone to rely on. I actually felt like there wasn't enough of Erik though within...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Renae M. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, debut-2012, fantasy, immortals, mythology, published-2012, fairytales-and-retellings

I am getting very, very fed up with books that perpetuate sexist behavior, condone treating women like possessions, and send the message to teenage girls that this sort of mentality is acceptable and desirable. I just don’t understand how this sort of thing happens. Outwardly, Painted Blind looks really cute, like a sort of modern-day fairytale. But I quickly realized that, while Michelle A. Hansen is a pretty good writer, the content of her writing was…well, sexist and bigoted and a self-respec...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Seanean rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

Psyche has always been beautiful and has always hated that beauty. It has caused her nothing but trouble. After going away for the summer to model, she returns to find her image plastered on billboards and in magazines.

High school just became a whole lot more difficult.

With the paparazzi and fans following her everywhere, Psyche often finds herself surrounded by crowds of people. When she's rescued one day by someone who can become invisible at will, she f...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Rachel Marks rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I read the description of Painted Blind I was completely intrigued. The concept of falling in love blindly is something you don’t normally see in the Young Adult genre. Once I started reading I became completely hooked because the book is inspired by Greek Mythology with a modern day twist..

In Painted Blind Psyche Middleton comes back home after a summer modeling trip abroad. When one of her “risque” photos from a photo shoot ends up on a billboard she suddenly becomes a hometown celebrity....more When I read the description of Painted Blind I was completely intrigued. The concept of falling in love blindly is something you don’t normally see in the Young Adult genre. Once I started reading I became completely hooked because the book is inspired by Greek Mythology with a modern day twist..

In Painted Blind Psyche Middleton comes back home after a summer modeling trip abroad. When one of her “risque” photos from a photo shoot ends up on a billboard she suddenly becomes a hometown celebrity. While trying to avoid a large mob of unruly fans, Erik who has the ability to make himself invisible saves her.

Along with his invisibility, Psyche finds out that this mystery man is from another world. Erik and Psyche start to form a relationship with one condition. Psyche is not allowed to truly see Erik until he deems it is the right time. At first Psyche goes along with Erik’s request, however, her best friend Savannah convinces her that she must see his face.

Psyche’s betrayal infuriates Erik and he throws her out of his house and his world blocking all access to it. Desperate to get back to him and explain Psyche embarks on an adventure where she must complete three trials before she is allowed to see or speak to Erik again.

What I loved most about Painted Blind was the story arc. I started out thinking that the story was going in one direction and then once Psyche figures out who Erik really is the story goes on a whole other path filled with action and adventure that tests Psyche’s love. It was the plot twist that kept me reading because I had to find out what happened next.

I also really enjoyed the character development in Painted Blind. Psyche starts out as a weak girl that is petrified by her fame from her billboard. Once she meets Erik she starts to come into her own and through her trials she becomes a strong, brave woman willing to fight for the man she loves.

If you are fan of Greek Mythology like I am then you will fall in love with Painted Blind. Michelle Hansen expertly crafts an interesting story that stays true to the original myth while adding her own take on the story. I give it 5/5 stars!(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-summer-must-reads, atomr-book-tours, aug-2012

Painted Blind took me by surprise. I am so excited to be a part of this tour put on by AToMR. At first when I started reading Painted Blind I thought the story sounded familiar that was when I realized it is a retelling of Psyche and Eros. I was so excited because I LOVE Greek Mythology and so of course as most of you know when I love a book I stayed up to 3am in the morning reading this book until I finished. I love the way Michelle put her own spin on it and created a loveable cast of characte...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

What would you do if your not-so-innocent photo ended up on a billboard? Psyche made a few wrong choices and may pay dearly for them. She is saved, luckily, by Erik. Erik is an unusual guy. Most men want to impress their women at least in part with their looks; instead, he won't let Psyche see him. It is an odd situation, odder still that Erik takes Psyche to his expensive and private home. Psyche desperately wants to see her savior, but at what cost? ...and what to do with this "goddess" who se...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Rebekah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: self-pubbed-books-of-awesome, fan-girling-ly-fabulous

What worked: This book was amazing, you get to know Psyche and "Erik" and for a minute I actually convinced myself that I was Psyche. The whole thought of having to fall in love with someone purely by their personality really appealed to me because these days, everyone is so obsessed with outward appearances. I really enjoyed the writing and the descriptions were unbelievable: I could practically smell the pine needles in the woods and shivered at the cold in the mountains. So difficult not to g...more

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Jul 08, 2012 roxtao rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received Painted Blind by courtesy of Createspace publisher and Mrs. Michelle A. Hansen, the author of the book. Thank you for offering me the chance to read this wonderful story! Because English is not my native language and because, until now, my reviews were only written in Romanian, please accept my excuses for the possible mistakes.

Since I read the first books of Aimee Carter’s series – Goddess Test, I was desperate to discover other books inspired by legends and mythology. As it happened...more I received Painted Blind by courtesy of Createspace publisher and Mrs. Michelle A. Hansen, the author of the book. Thank you for offering me the chance to read this wonderful story! Because English is not my native language and because, until now, my reviews were only written in Romanian, please accept my excuses for the possible mistakes.

Since I read the first books of Aimee Carter’s series – Goddess Test, I was desperate to discover other books inspired by legends and mythology. As it happened, I found Painted Blind, but I had no idea that these pages were exactly what I was looking for. The synopsis caught me before even having the chance to finish reading it, so I missed the second paragraph. Therefore, when I began reading the book, I only knew that it was about a girl having problems because of a discreditable photo and that she was saved from a difficult situation by an invisible guy. That’s all. I don’t know why, the first page gave me the impression that I was reading a vampire story, so probably that’s why I didn’t notice the first hints. But then, I slowly began discovering (enthusiastically!) that I was wrong and that in Painted Blind I won’t meet any vampires.

About 15 years ago I was reading The Legends of Olympus. Of course, I don’t remember a lot of details, but I do know that the legend of Psyche and…(hmm..I’d better not reveal the name so I don’t spoil the surprise)…one of the gods of the Ancient Greece was my favourite. I loved it and over the years I kept remembering the story and how much I liked it. And now I discovered a book inspired exactly by this myth! From the moment I began glimpsing the hope that this could be exactly that legend, I felt overenthusiastic and eager to discover the whole story. The premise of the book is the same on which most of the gods legends are built: he is a god, she is a mortal and we have a love story full of different obstacles, tests, enemies and the threat of a very unpleasant ending. But, the way the author managed to cover the book’s core in order to obtain a complete story is beautiful. I was charmed the whole time. The characters are credible, their actions and gestures look so careless that you almost forget you’re reading a fantasy novel. Some of their remarks are so funny that it’s impossible not to giggle, even if you’re reading in a public area and you find yourself getting all those weird looks because of it. A pro is that the female character is not enclosed by the classic types. She is neither the weak female character waiting to be saved by Prince Charming, nor the mighty fighter that can overcome anything alone. She’s not always reacting the way you would expect her to and she is not offering the most polite or appropriate remark. On the contrary, sometimes she’s a little unfair in treating the people around her. But this only makes her incredible real.

The grumblers might say that the ending is a little similar to one of the novels from the Twilight series. I don’t know if the author was inspired by those novels but indeed, there are few aspects that could remind you of the series, especially the family life of Psyche. Even more, after a couple of tests, we have the scene where Erik accompanies Psyche to her home, in order to meet her father, to tell him the truth and ask for his permission to take her away. Sounds familiar, right? It may, but from my point of view, Painted Blind offers a much better story! The book has a more enthralling action, the adventures of Psyche are certainly more tensed and the characters are designed better.

Pros:

- I think it’s the first novel in which you can get to know the secondary characters that well. Their portraits are outlined so well, that they could even rival with the ones of the main characters. I had moments when I felt more attached with Aeas, Titus or Thomas than with Psyche or Erik.

Cons:

- One part from the beginning, when Psyche gets harassed by the paparazzi because she posed (almost) nude in a public campaign, seemed a little exaggerated. Considering that the book’s action takes place in our time, I don’t see why such a thing would generate so much chaos. I’ve got the sensation that this part wasn’t reviewed enough and that it was only a compromise solution in order to cast the plot.(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 The Library Mouse rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was initially attracted to this book by the fairytale-like synopsis, and to be truthful I wasn't far wrong. Painted Blind turned out to be a lovely romantic mythological tale that unfurled itself in our present time.
Being the ancient mythological geek that I am, I must confess that as soon as I started reading this book I recognised the origin of the tale. This said it did not taint in anyway my interest and willingness to continue to plough through this story.

In fact I enjoyed seeing these an...more I was initially attracted to this book by the fairytale-like synopsis, and to be truthful I wasn't far wrong. Painted Blind turned out to be a lovely romantic mythological tale that unfurled itself in our present time.
Being the ancient mythological geek that I am, I must confess that as soon as I started reading this book I recognised the origin of the tale. This said it did not taint in anyway my interest and willingness to continue to plough through this story.

In fact I enjoyed seeing these ancient characters depicted in the present time. I thought the adaptation and combination of mythological obstacles with current times a nice twist. By doing this Michelle A. Hansen remained faithful to the original story whilst putting her own spin on it.

Painted Blind had a good pace through out it. It sped up and slowed down in sync with the events, and at no point was I inclined to put it down although work demanded it.
When I initially met Psyche and her amazing good looks, I confess I thought I had stumbled upon yet another girl who just didn't know how pretty she was; but that essentially had little substance. But she surprised and her genuine fear of heights and crowds made her a soft spot for me. I was even more pleased when she remained faithful throughout the book to these flaws that made her that more real in my eyes.

The only aspect that I would have liked to have seen slightly different would be ending. Throughout this book I was brought to feel for the characters and as per all good story plots there was a building up of events. So when I reached the end and heaved a sigh of relief it would have been nice to catch a glimpse of them living their happily ever after. Because of this I felt this book didn't live up to all the potential it could have had. But then again I am somewhat of a hopeless romantic!

Painted Blind was a very nice contemporary romance with ancient mythological roots. Michelle A. Hansen has started with a good debut novel and I will be keeping an eye out for more of her work.

If you liked this then I would suggest reading The Goddess Chronicles by Aimee Carter. This is another mythological series with anciently gorgeous greek gods as protagonists. Remaining on a similar theme I would also recommend Starcrossed by Josephine Angiolini. If on the other hand you're willing to stray from greek mythology to another kind of paranormal then I would suggest reading the Die For Me series by Amy Plum.(less)

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Aug 30, 2012 Shane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Are you willing to trust in what the eyes can't see, but allow yourself to fall intensely into a story about love and other things supernatural? Exquisitely written and undoubtedly original, Painted Blind stirs up an interesting take on belief while keeping readers entertained along the way.

This was a very fascinating story. I got so caught up I didn't want to leave the novel for a second. It just kept getting better, heating up as it moved along. Yes, the emotions were a bit instant, but I enj...more Are you willing to trust in what the eyes can't see, but allow yourself to fall intensely into a story about love and other things supernatural? Exquisitely written and undoubtedly original, Painted Blind stirs up an interesting take on belief while keeping readers entertained along the way.

This was a very fascinating story. I got so caught up I didn't want to leave the novel for a second. It just kept getting better, heating up as it moved along. Yes, the emotions were a bit instant, but I enjoyed it regardless. I loved the world building; the mythological appeal meshed with modern attractions. The fact that Psyche got to travel and explore the unearthly as well as the realistically exotic places. Everything about the story was entertaining, addicting, lovable, and impressive.

Psyche (great name) was a likable main character. She's not exactly from a perfect home but the bond she shares with her father was just wonderful. I admired her need to to be honest and open to him, along with her friend. But sometimes that openness made her impulsive when it came to telling the truth (too much of it). I've never read a story where the supernatural wasn't exactly kept in secret by the main character. That piqued my interest more, I think. But at the same time I had mixed feelings about Psyche sharing so much, especially with Savannah. And my oh my, that Savannah was a piece of work. I always questioned her so-called friendship with Psyche and even screamed "no!" when she decided to share such a sweet discovery with the two-faced chick. So, when Savannah met her demise I was far from shocked, more happy to be rid of her from the story (sorry for my bluntness, and possibly spoiler). She had it coming.

Okay, enough about the girls. Let's talk about Erik, the mythical being who's hotness beamed throughout the pages. I never knew I could fall over for a guy who's face wasn't seen for most of the story. It's his mysteriousness that got everyone hooked. Something about the way his voice and overall aura was described had me mesmerized. Of course, his true identity just had to be someone of great yumminess (that's not even a word). He was just perfect.

I can't possibly conclude this review without stressing on the writing style and specific details. I felt whatever the characters felt, saw what they saw, and basically believed everything that was written. To be honest, I didn't read the description before going into the story, and from the cover I thought it was some sort of contemporary novel. But after reading it I feel like the awesomeness of the story isn't given justice through the cover, at least not enough. That minor thing aside, I saw fireworks.

Again, I loved the message within the words; loving and trusting something you can only feel. And before the sealed gets revealed, I was enjoying every bit of the wait. But got even more anxious to see how things would turn out when love was unveiled. This was such a wonderful story and I strongly recommend that you get yourselves a copy and prepare to fall deeply in love with the modern spin on Greek Mythology and its celestial Gods and Goddesses.(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Ashley (Firestarbooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, must-review, ebook

Wow! Gosh! I love how this book was original. This is my first ever retelling of Eros and Psyche~ I didn't realized this when I started reading, and was kind of glad because I won't "spoil" myself (yes I am not familiar with the myth of Eros and Psyche) #fail. The prologue immediately dragged me in. It was so mysterious that I just knew I had to read on. Hold up! Before I go any further, shall I talk about the cover? I am so sorry but the cover is not pretty. Please change it. :( I am not trying...more

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May 31, 2012 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read a few reviews for this book and decided to check into this book. I picked it up at Amazon for four dollars for my kindle. Yesterday afternoon when I sat down to read I decided to take a peek at it before I started back into the books I'm supposed to be reviewing. I stayed up until after midnight to finish this book and I never got back to the books I was supposed to be reading. oopsy. That should tell you how much I was enjoying the book though! :)

I was pleasantly surprised by this book....more

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Jun 30, 2012 Soma "Insomnia Of Books" rated it 5 of 5 stars

Real love is something hard to find, but once it's there, it's also very hard to keep. Michelle A. Hansen draws a line between fake affections and real, overwhelming love, she shows you that real love is worth any sacrifice, and that it's indeed worth fighting for.
17-year-old Psyche, swears that her strict father will never see the photos she took in some modelling sessions, but one of the photos ends up on a huge
billboard in the main street.
After this incidence, Psyche struggles to stay norm...more Real love is something hard to find, but once it's there, it's also very hard to keep. Michelle A. Hansen draws a line between fake affections and real, overwhelming love, she shows you that real love is worth any sacrifice, and that it's indeed worth fighting for.
17-year-old Psyche, swears that her strict father will never see the photos she took in some modelling sessions, but one of the photos ends up on a huge
billboard in the main street.
After this incidence, Psyche struggles to stay normal, but against her will she starts to fall for Erik, the mysterious guy who saved her from a group of admirers by making her disappear. Yes, Erik can be invisible.
After taking her to his magical kingdom, Psyche knows that Erik can touch her, talk to her, or kiss her lips, but she can only hear him, she can only feel him when he's near. Erik doesn't let her see him, so Psyche has to prove to herself that she can fall in love blindly. She has to prove that real emotions come from the heart not from the eyes. But that's not as easy as it seems.
After struggling so hard to keep herself from trying to see Erik, she finally gives up. But betrayal is something not easily forgiven, Psyche has to try quite hard to bring her real love back.
What will Psyche has to do to bring Erik back? Will Psyche suceed in making him forgive her? And will they finally be together and live their magical happily ever after? Check this out when you read, Michelle A. Hansens first novel, the captivating standalone, Painted Blind...
Michelle A. Hansen created a huge masterpiece, the characters are all so overwhelming. I loved Psyche's wit, her teasing attitude, and her cute sense of humor. Actually, the whole book has a touch of humor in it, which had me laughing hard. I loved how Psyche developed from the first line till the end, she makes a few silly mistakes but she tries real hard to correct them. Psyche is stubborn, definitely a plus!
Erik is gorgeous, magical, caring, loyal, emotional and over-protective (I'm not exaggerating), he is definitely special. Although he makes a few mistakes, but he grows up and fixes them. I full-heartly adored most of the good guys in the book, they were all so gentle and kind.
And I loved the touch of Greek mythology in the novel, you might not know what I am talking about now, but when you read the book, you will be surprised at how many unexpected, wonderful twists you will encounter.
This book will take your breath away, it will leave your heart pounding, and your skin tingling. Although it's a standalone, but you will enjoy it as much as you could have enjoyed reading a whole series, maybe even more. This novel is thought-provoking, it is full of intriguing characters, exhilarating twists, and wonderful scenes. No matter what you like, you should definitely read Painted Blind....(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Heather Tisdale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I was surprised that I was able to get behind this story as well as I did. It's a cute tale of a girl who finds herself surrounded by drama created by the jealousy and pettiness of of Aphrodite. Suddenly surrounded by the members of the Greek pantheon, Psyche encounters everything from love to absolute terror. Over the course of her epic adventure, the agoraphobic girl that is terrified of mundane situations, grows and develops as she finds strength within herself to attempt to achieve her heart...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, egalley, fiction, mythology, teen, kindle

"Painted Blind" is a wonderful adaptation of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. It remained faithful to the original story while mixing in some new elements that made it exciting and fun to read. Psyche is an admirable female lead. She knows she has her flaws and problems, and despite her beauty, she has been able to remain humble and level headed. Her beauty is left to our imagination, and I only wished that Hansen had spent more time detailing the problems she's had with her appearance as well as h...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Aly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: myths, ya, 2012-summer, favorites

I got this book from the author and when I first saw the over I was close to dismissing it because the cover isn't all that interesting (not to mention she was never blindfolded at any point during the book). On a random whim I clicked it and read the synopsis. Totally blindsided that it was about a myth (Yes, mythology nerd here.) and then blindsided again by how flawlessly it was written.

I loved Psyche because she wasn't whiny. Or ungrateful. Or another Bella-reincarnate. She was strong, beau...more I got this book from the author and when I first saw the over I was close to dismissing it because the cover isn't all that interesting (not to mention she was never blindfolded at any point during the book). On a random whim I clicked it and read the synopsis. Totally blindsided that it was about a myth (Yes, mythology nerd here.) and then blindsided again by how flawlessly it was written.

I loved Psyche because she wasn't whiny. Or ungrateful. Or another Bella-reincarnate. She was strong, beautiful (She hid her beauty but for a very good reason, she wasn't just hiding being gorgeous because the author wanted a completely stunning protagonist that wasn't showcasing her looks because then readers wouldn't be able to connect to her), determined and kindhearted. She didn't want to "marry" Theron because he was gorgeous and abusive (that shouldn't EVER be a trait that makes you want to "marry" a guy, no matter how sparkly he is or how pretty his wings looks). (view spoiler) No stupid unnecessary love triangle.

Besides the no love triangle, I loved this book because of the dynamic side characters. Mostly in YA, side character development takes a backseat to make-out scenes and the protagonist lamenting over how gorgeous her boy-toy is (or in most cases *boy-toys are). Titus, Aeas, Thomas (even though he appeared towards the end he still managed to make me feel for him)Savannah (view spoiler) Rory and her dad. Everyone was beautifully developed and characterized, including Aphrodite, Zeus, Hephaestus and Persephone.

They didn't make out for half the book which in a world where books had more plot then making out wouldn't be a surprise but sadly we don't live in that and until we do, I will continue to be pleasantly shocked when the male and female protagonists have a decent conversation.

The book was a fun (and at times not so fun) play on the myth of Eros and Psyche. It was, simply put, as seductive as mortal sin and since (finally) getting around to reading it yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised. (less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Farrah rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A wonderful modern retelling of my favorite myth: Eros and Psyche!
I was a little skeptical about a modern retelling. How was the author going to transfer ancient events into modern day? But not only did she manage it, but she created a brilliant love story with thrills and a perfect ending.

I really liked Psyche. In myth and all the retellings, Psyche is a strong character, and this Psyche is just as strong. Ever since...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A wonderful modern retelling of my favorite myth: Eros and Psyche!
I was a little skeptical about a modern retelling. How was the author going to transfer ancient events into modern day? But not only did she manage it, but she created a brilliant love story with thrills and a perfect ending.

I really liked Psyche. In myth and all the retellings, Psyche is a strong character, and this Psyche is just as strong. Ever since she did an ad that was photo-shopped to look like she was nude, everyone has been treating her differently. Suddenly, she's a celebrity. However, Aphrodite takes offence with this picture, as Psyche had posed as Venus. So, now Psyche has to pay the price of insulting Aphrodite. She was remarkably strong throughout the story. She was kind, and demonstrated it on several occasions that made me like her all the more. The tasks that she has to complete are different in this book, modified to fit the retelling. But throughout them, she remained steadfast in her devotion and never faltered. That's probably the best part about her: She never doubted her love for Eros, even when forsaking it would have been easier. If I had one complaint, it would be how completely she broke down after Eros left her. She got herself together eventually, but it took awhile for her to find her resolve and start fighting for Eros. It didn't bother me a lot, but it was a little frustrating.

Eros, or Erik as he calls himself at the beginning, was sweet. Though he was angry with Psyche after she saw him, he forgave her easily after he saw that her love was real and that she would fight for it. This Eros was a little deeper than the other versions of him. We get to know him more as a person than just as the god of love. He was a sweetheart and I was so happy for him and Psyche when they got their happy ending.

Painted Blind is a little darker than the original myth. The emotions are more tumultuous, the story is a little more gruesome, particularly at the part of the underworld. This underworld was dark and terrifying and a horrible place to be. The only other Eros and Psyche retelling I've read is Destined, which is much lighter and happier. I loved both books, but they were different even though they told the same story. While Destined is light, Painted Blind was dark. It was an interesting change, and one that definitely worked out for the best.

The story was brilliant. Of course, those who know the myth will already know the basic story line, but the changes from the original myth are the parts the I want to focus on. As I said, the tasks were different, the relationship between the lovebirds, the details of the story. All of these changes served to make Painted Blind a wonderful book. Even if you know the myth, like I do, you'll still be on the edge of your seat throughout the story. I think some people might raise an eyebrow at the thought that a modern girl would give up her current life to live in another world to be with the man she loves, and to marry him. It wasn't any bit of a problem for me, but I think some people might find it strange. To those people, however, I say that if I was Psyche, I wouldn't hesitate to jump into my hottie's arms and have him carry me away to his mythical world and not look back. :)

So, Painted Blind was a wonderful, spectacular retelling of Eros and Psyche. If you like the myth, you'll want to read this. And even if you don't know it, read this book, because I guarantee that you'll fall in love with the story and the characters.

5/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy! (less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, favorites, kindle, review-on-blog

I am on a mythology kick right now, and Painted Blind is hands down my favorite YA mythology book I have read in 2012. It has all the amazing elements of an epic myth but it also has a fantastic romance. I read the book twice already this year!

Psyche is one tough cookie. I loved her determination and sense of humor. I also thought her little quirk was adorable. I mean she is super beautiful and she doesn't like crowds because of the attention. She just seemed so humble. Actually, erik did too. I...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying that I was lucky enough to receive Painted Blind from the author in exchange for an honest review.

"Painted Blind" is based on the myth of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche is an amazing female character, she’s someone who us as teenage girls can relate to and not portrayed as your usually damsel in distress. I love how she's still humble regardless of her beauty and fights for the ones she cares about.
Hansen does a fantastic job developing the characters throughout the novel. The p...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Whitney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, fantasy, romance, young-adult, read-in-2012

Painted Blind is a modern version of the Psyche and Eros myth. I didn't know that going into this, but as soon as I saw the main characters name was Psyche, I had suspicions.

I don't do well with summarizing novels, and I feel like the summary this novel has suffices:

Seventeen years old and agoraphobic, Psyche Middleton vows her dad will never see the risqué photos she took during a summer modeling stint abroad, but one of them ends up on a billboard in her Montana hometown. Now everyone—especia...more Painted Blind is a modern version of the Psyche and Eros myth. I didn't know that going into this, but as soon as I saw the main characters name was Psyche, I had suspicions.

I don't do well with summarizing novels, and I feel like the summary this novel has suffices:

Seventeen years old and agoraphobic, Psyche Middleton vows her dad will never see the risqué photos she took during a summer modeling stint abroad, but one of them ends up on a billboard in her Montana hometown. Now everyone—especially her dad—can see it. And yet, somehow, those are the mundane things in her life because she is about to fall unexpectedly, head-over-heels in love with Erik, a mysterious young man who rescues her from a crowd of admirers, and who she’s never actually seen because…he can make himself invisible.

As strange as this may seem, it’s about to get even stranger. Erik takes her to his palace in an idyllic kingdom, and she is swept into the beauty and culture of his world, but his affection has one condition: she may not see him. Overtaken, intrigued, and still not wholeheartedly believing he’s real, Psyche is going to have to decide if she can love him blindly; because if she can’t, she may lose him forever.

This story felt LONG, but not in a bad way. A LOT happened in this novel, and the heroine goes to the ends of the earth to be with Erik. I could believe Psyche's attraction to Erik, even though he refused to reveal what he looked like to her. However, this felt a lot like instalove, especially in that marriage was discussed just 20% through the story, not long after Psyche and Erik first started talking.

Another reason this was a 4-star read, instead of a 5-star read, was that it felt like everyone believed, too easily, in the mythology. Her "best friend", her father, the boy who aided her in her tasks...I know they're teenagers, but when they're deciding on something like immortality and marriage, I would hope for a little more skepticism in believing in invisible teenage boys, and making dust that make people fall in love.

That being said, it was a fun read. There were a few times I yelled at Psyche, and especially at Erik (view spoiler), but these characters weren't perfect - which is refreshing to read. The story flowed well and it was fast-paced for the most part. It kept my attention and I found myself thinking about it while in the middle of other books.

*This book was provided to be by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.*(less)

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Oct 31, 2012 Stefan Eveline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Psyche is lovely young girl naive sincere and loving.After going away for the summer to model she returns home only to found out that her photos from a photo shoot ends up on a billboard.She suddenly become a celebrity and paparazzi follow her everywhere and she hates crowds.
Eric is there to save her from the crowds and from the paparazzi and he invited her in his world.She found out that he is from another world and she trust in him because she feel safe with him.
He can make himself invisible s...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Amy (Books, College, and Other Random Things) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, reviewed

I received a copy to review from the publisher via NetGalley.

Psyche spent her summer in Italy modeling. Her dad only let her if she didn’t do any nudity. Unfortunately, Psyche took questionable photos and doesn’t intend to tell her father. In the ad, Psyche was emulating Venus, and Aprhodite found out and sent her son Eros to make Psyche fall in love with the most hideous being.

Pysche was never going to tell her dad about the photo shoot, but that was until her ad is found on a billboard where e...more I received a copy to review from the publisher via NetGalley.

Psyche spent her summer in Italy modeling. Her dad only let her if she didn’t do any nudity. Unfortunately, Psyche took questionable photos and doesn’t intend to tell her father. In the ad, Psyche was emulating Venus, and Aprhodite found out and sent her son Eros to make Psyche fall in love with the most hideous being.

Pysche was never going to tell her dad about the photo shoot, but that was until her ad is found on a billboard where everybody in town can see. On top of that, she can’t already stand being in crowds with people, and Erik, a guy that can go invisible at whim, starts following her.

He saves her from a group of people at the carnival, and he continues to find her and talk to her. Eventually, he takes her to his home… in another realm. Psyche starts to fall for him, but she still hasn’t seen his face. With Savannah’s, her best friend’s, encouragement, she decides to find out what he looks like only to find out that he’s extremely handsome…and Eros, the god of love. He becomes furious and literally throws her out of his mansion. Will Psyche be able to pass Aphrodite’s three tests or is she doomed to forget Eros forever?

I absolutely love Greek mythology, and love finding books incorporate them. The tale of Psyche and Eros is one of my top three favorite myths. I don’t condone that Psyche took those pictures, but she explains the truth to her father. I really liked Erik/ Eros, but I would have definitely had a hissy fit and give him a verbal smackdown for being thrown out the window.

I expected that Savannah was going to turn out to be a rat. I won’t go into details, but I didn’t like her one bit. I thought Psyche was really strong for the most part. The only times when she complained is when Eros first kicked her out and during the hardest parts of the trials, which I think is pretty understandable.

I was torn on whether to give this book a 4 or a 5, so I ended up going with a 4.5. Mostly because I felt at times it drug a little bit during Psyche’s trials, and I missed having Erik/ Eros in the story. He was in it a lot until the trials.

I liked that the story stayed pretty true to the myth, and didn’t stray too much from it. Michelle was able to do a great modern twist to this myth.

I hope Michelle writes more stories on other Greek myths in the future.
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Jul 07, 2012 Allyson rated it 3 of 5 stars

With so many YA novels being self-published these days, it’s extraordinarily easy to become bogged down by the mediocre offerings floating around. Which is why I’m grateful to come across a story like this, where a beautiful old legend gets a makeover that isn’t absolutely horrifying. A contemporary retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, Hansen delivers a faithful reproduction, with modern elements to help ground the reader. I do feel there were a few flat moments, particularly with the support...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Annejhoyce rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, loved-and-hated, heartbreaking, made-me-swoon, arcs-and-galleys

Review from my blog: http://everythingatoc.blogspot.com/20...

I have taken Classical Mythology and World Mythology courses over my semestral studies so I've been familiarized with the Greek gods and goddesses along with their myths. Once I read a passage in class about a woman who went through lot of physical and emotional turmoil over a love for a god that left me breathless and Painted Blind does not disappoint on its own delicious re-telling of Psyche and Eros's love story.

First of all, I did...more Review from my blog: http://everythingatoc.blogspot.com/20...

I have taken Classical Mythology and World Mythology courses over my semestral studies so I've been familiarized with the Greek gods and goddesses along with their myths. Once I read a passage in class about a woman who went through lot of physical and emotional turmoil over a love for a god that left me breathless and Painted Blind does not disappoint on its own delicious re-telling of Psyche and Eros's love story.

First of all, I did not expect any of what I just read at all! This book left me breathless as well. This was far.. way far from being a fluffy romance read. It's full of emotions, adventure and a beautiful view of the immortal world.

I didn't thoroughly loved this book but by reaching the end, I was satisfied. I guess you can say, I had a love and hate relationship with it. Now, after reading this book, you won't even need any convincing that Ms. Hansen has one brilliant imaginative mind. Although, there was a lot of exciting aspects to the story, the execution to some of it was rather sloppy in my opinion. There were a lot of scenes that could have been more efficient, in a way that it would have been realistic, but I get that this is fictional fantasy so I just decided to shrug it off and keep reading.

There was a lot of twists and turns, characters that you or may not be familiar with that are given a fresh personality and the love aspect of the book was crazy but beautiful all the same. This book did have the type of relationship that progressed way too fast to get a handle but it's individual characters blossomed throughout. Psyche's especially. There were a lot of faults to their characters but I liked them nonetheless. The sub-characters and their stories also warmed my heart. The villains of the story acted like so accordingly which receives a thumbs up for me!

This story is definitely a hit or miss depends on how you like your dose of happily ever after. I like mine heavy with a little bit of drama so this suited me just fine! Trust me, Painted Blind is packed with almost everything, you'd wonder if it's right for a book to be all-in-one.(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Painted Blind is a wild ride. I went into this novel thinking it was going to be a nice romance story, but boy, Michelle A. Hansen grabbed me by the heartstrings and she took me on the most fantastic romance adventure. Hansen delivers a lot of fun humor along with an action-filled romance about what a girl in love will go through and do to win back the love of her guy and his trust. Hansen gave me thrill after thrill with Psyche and Erik’s love, but she also put some very serious scenes in this...more Painted Blind is a wild ride. I went into this novel thinking it was going to be a nice romance story, but boy, Michelle A. Hansen grabbed me by the heartstrings and she took me on the most fantastic romance adventure. Hansen delivers a lot of fun humor along with an action-filled romance about what a girl in love will go through and do to win back the love of her guy and his trust. Hansen gave me thrill after thrill with Psyche and Erik’s love, but she also put some very serious scenes in this story that had me in tears, along with me cringing for Psyche. Hansen totally surprised me with this beautifully dark romance novel, always love it when an author gives me way more than I was expecting. Hansen is a wonderful, intriguing writer and she wrote an awesome novel.

Psyche has just returned from Italy where she had a summer modeling job. Now that she’s home to enjoy her senior year, her life is back to normal until the day she walks out of her hometown ice cream shop and looks up at a billboard ad to see her half-naked body beneath a waist-length wig looking back at her. Psyche knows the poo is fixing to hit the fan with her father, and how she’s going to explain this picture to him she has no idea. For a girl that has never even dated or had a boyfriend, this picture is getting Psyche all the wrong attention. But when the prefect guy rescues her and sweeps Psyche away to his most incredible world. She knows Erik is her meant to be forever love, but then Psyche listens to her best friend and betrays Erik's trust. Psyche will have to go to the only person that she believes can help her to get Erik back. But this person she’s looking to for help, is the person that wants her dead.

Erik is not your normal human guy. He has waited a long, long time to find a girl that just loves him for whom he is and not for what he looks like. Psyche was that girl, but when she does the one thing he asks her not to do all trust is gone…and trust is everything to Erik. And believe me, when Erik tells her it’s over and to get out, he definitely means it. He's a guy that takes action. I couldn't believe he did what he did Psyche, but I have to say I loved it. Even if Erik is a hard guy, he is my kind of guy, it’s always the deep, quiet bad-boys who loves their girl with all their heart and soul.

Painted Blind is about a girl who starts out to prove her love but will become strong and true to her own self when she’s faced with her own inner fears, and who will go to hell and back for the guy she loves. I recommend Painted Blind as an enthralling dark fantasy love adventure.

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