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The Goddess Test
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The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
We were actually planning on reading the Scarlet Letter this month Gwenn.Wuthering Heights is awesome, and I would reread it with you, even if Leigh and Sheri don't want to (we can do multiple buddy reads).
Importance of being Earnest is tons of fun, and I would also be willing to reread it (or anything Wilde did. MMmm. Dorian <3).
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free on kindle, and also free at Gutenburgproject that I would like to read with people
Importance of being Earnest - i haven't read it i..."
We were planning on reading the Scarlet Letter this summer. I have to read it for a class.
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Sheri wrote: "You beat me to it Alyssia :) I would read Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice. I've never read either of those."I haven't actually read Pride and Prejudice either. Shh, don't tell.
I'm pretty sure that's a crime for an English major. But I did specialize in American Lit, so maybe I won't be stoned?
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Dorian grey <3 here too. Yay scarlet letter!Pride n prejudice i also have not read. So it has upvotes from me.
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I liked Henry at the end. I would like to see him open up more. I was mad at James for his deception. She trusted him and felt betrayed by that deception. I was disappointed that it didn't have more mythology.
Did y'all want to read
? I am up for anything.
Jekly looks cool to me
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I havent read hyde though. But im up for anything
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I'd be up for Jekyll. Gwenn, you can borrow Hyde if you want.
I sent it to you. It's a quick read.
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I haven't read any of those.
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finished the book. I'm glad I finished it. If it hadn't tried to be greek mythology, it would have been a lot better in my opinion. magic and immortals in a modern setting is fun. i like modern magic and immortals. But if you're gonna set a book in a mythology that is well known, perhaps doing something besides pretending that your characters are similar because of superficial details is a good idea.
She sorta covers this in her book, it's true. saying that the greek gods are based off of them and not the other way around. and saying that the myths had become distorted from history. but, if you're not going to use the myths as they are, why use them, you know?
I was hoping to see more about dealing with the hardship of having a invalid family member, but that was pretty much just magicked away.
james was cute though. and it was cute how hera used Calliope, muse of verse, as an alias.
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@Alyssia – if you and Meg/Gwenn (☺) don't want to read the other two GT books, me and Leigh can read them another time and we can go on to something else.
@Leigh - I'm up for Cinder whenever you want to start. Do you have the audio?
Gwenn is preferable :) I think Lys is up for it, but I'm not really. but i'd love to hear what you guys thought about Cinder. I plan on reading the rest of that series.I promise i'm usually way more moderate about things. Greeky mythology is near and dear to my heart and i get ranty about it.
I'd love to read scarlet letter with people :)
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Leigh, ⚔️ Wonder Woman ⚔️
(last edited May 30, 2013 03:40PM)
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rated it 4 stars
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Yes,I have the audio of Cinder. I would like to read
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I have the audio of Cinder, too. When do you want to start it?
Hey. I am actually writing out my review of the Goddess Test right now, so stay tuned. As far as what we read next:I said I would read the Goddess books, and I will. I know you've been wanting to get to them for forever, Sheri.
That said:
I am great with Jekyll, or Wither (which I have from the library right now). I am ok with The Selection. I would need to read the Immortal Rules before the Eternity Cure, but I could definitely do that. I am good for The Scarlet Letter, and I would be happy to read the Iron Fey series with you guys, because the spinoff I haven't read, and the newest one in that series comes out in October, so I want to get current. :)
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We don't mind ranty :)
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I keep going back and forth on Wither. I checked it out from the library, too, but I'm not really sure I want to read it anymore.
Sheri wrote: "So, finish the GT series, then Jekyll, then Scarlet Letter?I keep going back and forth on Wither. I checked it out from the library, too, but I'm not really sure I want to read it anymore."
I understand. I keep looking at it, and then picking up something else.
I feel similarly about The Selection. It looks like another version of Matched, which I thought was mediocre.
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I keep seeing Wither around, so I'd be ok with checking it out too. Unless Lys gulit trips/bribes/asks me very nicely, i wont' be reading the rest of the Goddess series. just to spare you guys the vicious bile i will be spewing about it. um. i mean... you know what i mean. it's awkward cause normally i am not so hateful. it is uncomfortable. ask lys, i am the soul of nonconfrontational-ness. and making up words :)
but everything else I'm happy to read with people. i like geeking out about books with people.
there are other buddy reads i can do while you guys are doing GT though. so don't hold back on my account. obviously. since i'm new.
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Interesting fact about Wuthering Heights:in the days before Edward, Heathcliff was voted the most desirable male literary character.
Which is absolutely hilarious once you get into Wuthering Heights and realize what a *$($ he is.
Also: Gwenn is typically quite non-confrontational. But we are egging each other on, I think :)
There is so much I do not like about this book.First off:
the slut shaming. Slut shaming is a huge problem in today's society, and the marketing of this book for a YA audience makes me sick.
Considering that the story of Hades is, originally, a story of rape, and slut shaming is a central factor in rape culture, I found the entire thing disgusting. Carter removes the rape and the innocence of the female characters, but spends a lot of time reinforcing purity myths in casual ways.
Secondly:
I adore Greek mythology. I do not need you to bastardize one mythology to incorporate your mythology. Why is the Xtianity even a part of this?
The Seven Deadly Sins? Seriously?
Build your own fricking mythos if you can't just use the one you're using!? OR, go ahead and right "The Goddess Test, Christian Version". Ignore the fact that such a thing would be creating a false idol and would get you in trouble with your mythology. It probably doesn't matter. Consistency isn't important. That's why we can take the Greek Gods, possibly the most sexed Gods and Goddesses, and turn them into a bunch of prudes and virgins, except that damn "slut" Aphrodite, who deserves, for her sluttiness, to be looked down upon. Over and over again. especially by Zeus. Cause that's not the ocean calling the rain wet.
Back to slut shaming: it's ok, because we loved each other? Otherwise, I fail at all things. I am not worthy of a husband, or immortal life (hmmm ....) because I have sinned! because I have committed lust. Oh, travesty! (see: slut-shaming/point1/ rapeculture/ thepuritymyth/ whatchristianitydoestoyoungwomen)
Thirdly:
There doesn’t seem to be much effort to connect to the mythos that the book is supposedly based around. Like, I'll put aside all the sex issues (which are plentiful), and ask: how do some of these characters match up? What'd you do, run out of time? There are loose connections for many, dubious connections for some and really surface connections for most. The worst part is certainly in the way they relate to each other. And, I know I said I would put "sex" aside, but ... Hera wants to bone Hades? Really? Really? The Goddess of Marriage wants to ... no. No I say.
Alright:
On to the plot. Let's forget the problems I have with the implications toward women, femininity, sex, Christianity and the bastardization of Greek mythology.
All that aside:
1) What kind of horrible mother is Diana? I am going to make you spend YEARS of your life caring for me in my sickness? I am going to set you up to experience horrible things? I am going to lie to you at every turn. PS. I love you. PS. I have taken on human aspect to raise you to marry the man that my other daughter didn't want. It's all cool that you are a tool, because I love you. If you survive, you'll be immortal, so that school stuff, that isolation, that pain and misery and constant depression that I've put you through? No stress. You get to have sex with Hades (after you're married!) so, it's all cool.
I mean, yes, I have manipulated you for years. And I have signed on to let all these other people manipulate you. You get to feel responsible for a bunch of horrible things, and you get to be a toy in everyone's life, and it's ok.
Now, on the one hand, this is actually pretty Greek. I mean, not all of the gods that Carter brings in, but still. The problem is, as a plot, it doesn't really work. Why isn't Kate livid about what has been done to her? Why does she roll over and take it? (oh right, rape culture... I mean, what?)
Henry. Um, didn't you saay no one ever said they loved you? And no one wants to be with you? And everyone is afraid of you? Waaah?
But, didn't that chick there want you? And say she loved you? And you were like: no. I want a young virginal ninny please. All sweetness and milky white bosoms?
I think I had more, but my husband interrupted my rant and I lost steam. Anyways.
That's what I've got.
Despite this, it's a "fun" read in many regards. It's quick and you can easily become hooked. Like sugar. And then you finish and you're all hyped on something, and suddenly you realize there's no substance, and that hyperactivity becomes anger.
I just read the Kirkus review for the next one. It says "lower your expectations" and that it's largely romance.
eep.
Leigh-I really like your new icon.
What's it from?
Sorry for above rant.I ... am done.
Sorry.
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I really like your new icon.
What's it from?"
I saw doing a search for photos and thought it was beautiful.
I loved the rant! I don't tend to analyze what I read so I enjoy your comments. I either like it or I don't.
you are very eloquent in your tearing it appart. i just hated on hades.right, slut shaming. as the book teaches you, if you like 2 boys and court both of them, but sleep with one. YOU deserve to be punished because the boys had a fight about you and one got hurt. not the one that flat out Killed someone even if it was self defense. you the hussy are to blame.
(the fact that it was Apollo, the healer/sun/music god that is rather bisexual if not mostly homosexual was the one that got territorial over Aphrodite, the sex/love/lust goddess is laughable. If anyone would kill someone Aphrodite slept with it would be Ares)
I've been thinking about the 7 deadly sins thing and you are absolutely right that it doesn't fit in with the greek mythos at all. However, if we go with the book cannon that they are mearly the immortal beings with perviews of power that the greek myths are based on, and that these same immortal beings are capable of changing through the ages, then perhaps they decided they liked this christian idea and adopted it. Now. really anthing that the greek gods are based off of would not mesh well with saying no to over indulgence, wrath, or lust. the only thing they might have agreed with is that pride is a thing that only the Olypians can have. mortals can't have it. no. bad mortals. know your place and lick my boots and tell me how awesome i am.
Re: your circling back to slut shaming and how bad it is int he book. agree again. sorry, sex is soemthing that happens and if you're both adults and consent (which could be argued in this case since they both were drugged, though how exactly soemthing affects both gods and mortals I have no idea and that is a minor detail that bugged me. Even when i thought Calliope was just a muse and not a goddess, i was confused why she was a taste tester. very strange)
So her mom actually being a god was something sorta alluded to in the prologue. Diana was like, give me 20 years, i can get you a girl to pass your tests. then there's a 18 year old girl being pushed into situations to be near henry and her mom even made sure she knew about the hedge. so I wasn't terribly surprised. just miffed.
I'm pretty sure the reason why mom was terminially ill was to program little kate into needing to fix things that cannot be fixed. like McFly's mom's nurse complex in back to the future (she easily became romatically attracted to people that she needed her help) then hades just needs to show up, go 'sob story. also I want to just retire and follow my beloved wife to oblivian. but when i put my century notice in, my favorite person tried to hook me up with people. i'm so tortured and i need your help so she will stop setting me up on dates and refusing to let me die in peace'
/eyetwitch
hera would never. ever. ever betray Zeus and try to hook up with Hades. She loves zeus even though she hates his infedelity and she will become a crazy psycho while punishing his illegitimate children and rape/seduction victims. but she won't punish zeus because she loves him. and she is the goddess of marriage and would never ever break her marriage with zeus or try to cheat on him.
you know who would have tried to kill all of hades's potential brides? Demeter. cause he stole her baby away for half the year. something that every year it happened even if she knew it was happening, she would make the earth die and freeze over to show how displeased she is by being separated from her daughter.
dude. can you tell we're english major types? we have verbose rants.
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I feel quite inadequate compared to y'all. Lol
yeah. we sorta are. sorry. um. i'm glad some people liked it :) if you like greek mythology percy jackson is fun and light and still rather respectful of his source material. um um, greek mythos books... OH.
American gods by Neil Gaiman is very. very. good.
it focuses more on the norse mythos, but the greeks and egyption, and russian, and just lots of others feature in there also. it is very good and cohesive and the plot is well put together :D
um. Just cause i'm all Nay! doesn't mean that i'm not interested in what people liked about it. you can disagree with me, i wont get grumpy w ya :D
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wasn't hermes's son cute? i do like me the villains. and that percy liked athena's 'daughter' was cute. cause Posidon and Athena are diametrically opposed in the mythology. He's brute force and she's clever solutions. Ares and she also don't get along, but they are more rivals than enemies. so it was cute that their (Posidon and Athena) kids shared cute little hearts for each other.
i actually haven't read past the first 2 books. They're cute books though.
ack. another long post. sorry.
I love you all. <3. And, other than the slut shaking aspe t, I think I would like this book if I didnt analyze it. Sometimes being an English major is a downside. One time I had a mythology teacher tell me I wasn't allowed to talk for a week because I was "a know it all that the other kids are rolling their eyes at". So. Sorry if I went overboard. I'm still fine with reading more of the series. They were recommended by a friend and I was really excited. It just didn't seem to pan out.
Night everyone.
Please excuse the typos in that last post. Stupid phone updates. "Slut shaming aspects". And also " outside of . Probably others too. I'll fix them tomorrow. :)
Oh no. Should i worry about typos? Eek. I am very bad at typing accuracy. And spelling. And. :( i suck. I suck, I mean. With capitol i's
Shut Up & Read
Books mentioned in this topic
Wither (other topics)The Iron King (other topics)
The Selection (other topics)
The Scarlet Letter (other topics)
The Eternity Cure (other topics)
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