I understand this is a novel in prose, so I can forgive some of the overly flowery language, but the overly dramatic narrator’s voice almost made this a DNF for me. The narration was not horrible for all characters, but Mary (who is really the main character) was almost impossible to listen to and I found myself fast-forwarding at times.
I found the switch back and forth between characters confusing and annoying at times, it was sometimes hard to figure out which character was telling the story, despite them all being very different. But, that could be because I wasn’t really interested in any of them so they blended together in blandness.
I’m confused about the title… I know Mary utters the line at one point, but Athena is a powerful goddess warrior, and Mary is a girl (not so successfully) wanting to break away from family constraints. She vaguely does this in the end, but more by circumstances and not necessarily by her own strength.
Although the characters are young adults for most of the novel, I would definitely not consider this a YA book. My middle and high students would be immensely bored and there isn’t really anything upon which to draw them in. Maybe a couple who are interested in family histories or slightly historical fiction? I’m honestly not sure who the audience for this would be.
Although meant to be the focal point, Mary’s story was the least interesting to me and her parents’ stories were much more charming and engaging.

I undoubtedly need a hard copy of this book on my shelf and reread it as much as I can. There are passages that I need present in my daily life. I want my daughters to read it. I want to share it with other people's daughters. Thank you, Mary!
#CallMeAthena #NetGalley

To be quite honest, I picked this book up from Netgalley, as I needed an audiobook to listen to and this was one was available as a read now and I liked the look of the cover. I am so pleased I did, I got so much more than I bargained for, this book is beautifully written and the narrators were a joy to listen to.

The book follows the story of Mary a teenager brought up in a small apartment with her siblings and immigrants parents, trying to make a better life for themselves and their family in 1930's Detroit, Mary is trying to find her place in the world, longing to be an independent American woman, whilst he parents want her to be a 'good greek girl'. she can't help repeat the question, why did they every come to America, the land of opportunity if they are still so set in their ways and culture? She then discovers letters written by her parents in their native countries from 1915, Her father Giorgos is born and raised in Greece and her mother, Jeanne in France both living through the horrible war years, and dreaming of a better life. Through these letters we see their hopes, fears and struggles just to survive. The hardship or war and the years after whilst the world tried to recover.

It is a beautiful book about love, hope, survival and family. I enjoyed it even more on discovering the book was loosely based on the author's grandmother and great grandparents. It is so important for our generation and those who follow, to realise the sacrifices our ancestors made for their families in times of war, desperation and hunger.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication date August 17th 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this advanced reader's copy!

This is a dual narrative, following two stories, one in 1930s Detroit, and the other in Europe during WW1. The writing is beautiful, and the author successfully manages to keep the pace uninterrupted while weaving between the two narratives and 3 POVs.
The book sets out to imagine the life of the author's grandmother and show the multi-faceted experience of the American identity as well as show the everyday struggles of immigrant families, especially women in the first half of the 20th century. The book has a lot to say about family, belonging, and the type of wars that are fought.
For me personally, it took a while for the story to pick up, but once it did, I couldn't put it down. The narrators of the book did a phenomenal job of bringing the characters to life and worked very well together.
It is a perfect read for fans of Lovely War by Julie Berry.

Five Things about Call Me Athena by Colby Cedar Smith

1. This book is gorgeous inside and out. I feel connected to all three voices.
2. I read the whole thing in one sitting. I didn’t even mean to. It just engrossed me.
3. Before I’d finished, I had preordered my own copy to arrive on the release date because this is a read again book. This is a make my shelf and mind gorgeous book.
4. Yes, it’s a book in verse and yes, it’s historical fiction but it’s more. It’s greater than the sum of its parts and it defy’s an age range definition. Everyone is going to find something for them in this timeless story.
5. With such a strong debut, I can’t wait to read whatever Smith offers us next.

I can see that a lot of people enjoyed this book, but for me, it was just not THAT.

It is told by 3 characters: a girl in the 1930s, and by her parents before and when they met, during the war.

I found the narrators iritating at times. And the story, even though it was okay, was not engaging for me.

I picked this audiobook up on Netgalley. I love the cover, first off. That is what grabbed my attention. I don't know this author nor what this story is about.

This story is written in verse. If you liked Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, I think you'll enjoy this one. I would go a step further and say it is written with a more mature tone than Acevedo.

From the very first sentence, you feel like the only person this story is being told to. The narrators are engaging. Both the male and female narrators were superb.

This compelling story is about a multigenerational family dealing with life, poverty, war, etc. I have not read many books, in recent times, that cover a declining auto industry in Detroit and the Depression era that forced many middle class families into poverty. There also is a love story in the mix that doesn't feel out of place.

In a subtle yet direct way, Colby Cedar Smith brings up social issues like gender politics and class differences, and societal judgments without making you--as the reader--feel uncomfortable or like she is preaching to you or being condescending.

This story is so many stories in one. It's like if you lived in a multigenerational household, you would get stories from your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and then your parents too. And every one has interesting tales. It's not like you're waiting for the one who knows how to tell a good story. They all weave and blend together seamlessly. You are sitting up, at the edge of your seat, anticipating the next story. Definitely worth the read.

“Call me Athena, the girl that should have been born a boy.” From call me Athena

4 stars

At first, it was hard for me to get into the slower verse style of this writing. As the stories began to unfold, I was hanging on, eagerly waiting for the next lyrical prose to unfold. I really enjoyed Athena, she was such a strong character. Different stories had different narrators, easily enabling you to tell them apart. I only wished it was longer!

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was gorgeous beginning to end, I had chills more then once as I listened to this book.

It's written in Verse, and tells two amazing love stories. As well as stories about women persevering regardless of what would be considered normal during that time.

I loved this book SO MUCH!

An excellent novel in verse from multiple POVs. Was so complex that I was enthralled yet entertained at the same time! Great!

I picked this audiobook up from Netgalley on a whim, because it was auto-approved and I needed something new to listen to. And whew am I glad I did. This story was beautifully written, impactful, and held so much heart. Smith depicts family dynamics, life as an immigrant, gender roles, and finding love from three dual perspectives during war-time and the Great Depression. Each of these characters stories held so much love, heart, and ache. You will root for the three main characters as they come of age during conflicts, famine, and economic disarray. The narrators do a fantastic job bringing the story to life, as well as helping with setting and character confirmation as all 3 of the characters sound very different, making the book easier to understand in some portions. This novel is written in verse, so it's a quicker read; however if you're not a fan of in-verse novels, the audiobook reads as a typical book, just with more flowery, beautiful language. Definitely come pick up a copy from Netgalley, both formats are currently "Read Now."

I started out reading this book as the ebook and couldn't connect well with the characters. But, once I got into the audiobook I felt like I could connect more with the characters and could follow the storyline a lot better. I really did enjoy following this family and seeing the characters grow as people. My heart was full and broken within these pages. This book was definitely eye opening to see different cultures and how they immigrated over to the US to have a better life for themselves. Also, I felt like this book had lgbtq+ vibes in a certain section but, it isn't clear if that was the case or not depending on how you interpret the writing.