Pandora Gets Jealous by Carolyn Hennesy

Genre: Greek Mythology

Demi-god Pandora Atheneus Andromaeche Helena – you can just call her Pandy – is quite the procrastinator, a trait that most people can relate to. With only a day until her project is due, Pandora still hasn't found the perfect idea yet. For this project, she had to find an object that illustrated the enduring presence of gods in everyday life. Pressed with time and pressure to do well, she decides to bring a forbidden box belonging to her father, Prometheus. Prometheus was entrusted with this box by Zeus. If the seal of this box is opened, all the evils will flood into the world and cause immediate devastation. Pandy didn't think of the harm that could happen. After all, all she had to do was make sure that the box is never opened, right? Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario did happen, and now it is up to Pandy to capture all the evils before all humans are wiped out forever.

The story of Pandora's box was actually one of the first Greek myths I've ever read. I've never read a retelling of a Greek mythology before, but this was wonderful to read. For a retelling of a classic myth, the story was fresh and unexpected as well as effortlessly humorous. Pandy's voice gives it a fun and adolescent edge. She may be foolish at times, but she is determined to right her wrongs and take responsibility for her actions. Now, that is a character I can admire. The Greek gods became less formidable and more relatable after I was done reading; their witty banter with each other made them more humane. I also love how the author incorporated Greek terms into modern language, such as when straight-A students were described as straight-alpha students. This is a novel that completely hooks you in and doesn't let you go until the end, a must-read for Greek mythology lovers.

*Note: This was also reviewed for Book Divas.