The Eye of Zeus

May 18, 2020
Tweenage trials are taken up a notch in Adams’s Greek mythology–based series opener. As 12-year-old Phoebe Katz is shuffled from foster home to foster home, the only constants in life are peculiar coincidences and Carl, her caseworker, who found her as a baby on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. At her latest school, Dexter Academy, Phoebe makes two friends, book smart Damian Rodina and brave Angie Spaciacolli, but even their friendship can’t ward off trouble. When another incident sends the trio to a statue of Athena, Phoebe learns she’s a daughter of Zeus, and that a prophecy has foretold that she will destroy Olympus. The god Ares kidnaps Carl, however, and Phoebe and her friends have no choice but to travel to ancient Greece. Once there, everything Phoebe does seems to prove the prophecy. But if she can complete six trials, the prophecy might just be surmountable. Robin Thompson’s gray-tone illustrations are dynamic, enlivening the group’s journey as they face myriad gods, demigods, and monsters. Though fans of Percy Jackson will note the abundance of similarities, Adams’s quick pacing and witty dialogue still make this a worthwhile entrée into Greek mythology. Ages 8–12.

April 1, 2020
A young girl discovers that she's a daughter of the Greek god Zeus in this middle-grade fantasy series starter. Phoebe Katz is a 12-year-old foster kid, and havoc, including hailstorms and lightning strikes, seems to follow her wherever she goes. As she moves from one terrible foster home to another (and from school to school), her one constant is Carl, the social worker who found her at the Manhattan bus stop where she was abandoned as a baby. Phoebe is determined to make things work at her new school, Dexter Academy--especially now that she has two new friends, Angie and Damian. But trouble finds Phoebe yet again when she discoversthat she's not only a daughter of Zeus and the twin sister to the great hero Perseus, but also connected to a prophecy of the end of Olympus itself--which is why she was sent away as a baby. After the god Ares, who wants the prophecy to come true, kidnaps Carl, Phoebe and her friends time-travel to ancient Greece to rescue him. Nerdy Damian's convenient encyclopedic knowledge of Greek mythology, Angie's daring, and Phoebe's developing demigod powers help them as they tangle with personages of myth, including numerous monsters. This first installment in Adams' Legend of Olympus series is a nonstop, fast-paced adventure with an engaging, brave, and resourceful protagonist; fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, in particular, will likely enjoy it. Phoebe's story arc involves her coming to terms with who she is and with her place in the world. The book intriguingly examines the balance between her choices and the unfair expectations that have been placed upon her--both as a troubled foster child and as a demigod child of prophecy. Phoebe's touching relationships with Carl and her two best friends form the heart of the book, and the charming, realistic grayscale illustrations by Thompson effectively show the people and the creatures they encounter. Fans of Greek mythology will find much to love in this fun novel.

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April 1, 2020

Gr 3-7-Phoebe Katz has been in New York City's foster system practically since birth. Bad things happen around her, but they're definitely not her fault-or are they? After another "accident" at school leads to the discovery that she is Zeus's daughter, sent away because of a dark prophecy, Phoebe and her two best friends must travel to ancient Greece to rescue her beloved social worker and hopefully save Olympus. The first in Adams's latest series combines the action and adventure of Greek mythology with a tough, sarcastic New York sensibility. Fans of Karen Rivers's The Girl in the Well Is Me will recognize a similar fierce and charming wittiness in Phoebe's voice, as well as a lovably imperfect character. And with an ending that leaves the situation in Olympus uncertain-as Zeus points out, life there is a never-ending cycle of misery-readers can look forward to plenty of opportunities for sequels. VERDICT A great addition to any library collection, with a fiery, smart protagonist readers will love. Share this title with "Percy Jackson" fans.-Kaitlin Frick, Darien Library, CT

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