I really wanted to like this. I really did. It just didn’t hit the spot. I even tried the Audiobook to see if that would change anything and I just couldn’t get into it. I am a sucker for greek mythology and that’s what drew me in in the first place. I had a hard time getting through this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book early.

OVERALL:
Yawn. I wanted to like this. A period piece. A supposed re-telling. Greek mythology. It checked all the boxes, but genuinely I was bored often. It didn’t take long to read and it wasn’t hard, but I did feel it was a slog.

20 SECOND “WHAT’S THIS ABOUT”:
Dora plays somewhat of a Cinderella in this story. Parents died when she was young, left in the care of her uncle, who treats her like a servant, banishing her to the attic, when his “housekeeper with benefits ” moves in. All Dora wants is to be independent, designing jewelry, but alas, she’s a woman. Enter Edward, a young man who is given a “tip” to talk to Dora because her parents were famous for their antiquities. The work together to discover a mysterious vase her uncle is keeping under lock and key.

My favorite part:
Cornelius

ARC provided by Netgalley and Harper Perennial.

A unique blend of mythology and history, Pandora takes place in 1799s London. It’s a fascinating time period, and the author brings the setting to life with rich descriptions and immersive storytelling. The story is told from three different perspectives, which I liked. I enjoy when books have dual and multiple points of view, and it added to the plot and character development. Dora is an interesting woman, and I enjoyed seeing her relationship with Edward change and grow as they become immersed in a super interesting mystery.

After losing her parents in an archeological dig, Dora, who loves to and excels at designing jewelry, is living with and helping her uncle run an antiquities shop. When they receive a vase, and her uncle starts acting strange, Dora, with the help of Edward, starts to unravel its mystery. It feels like the more they uncover about the piece and its connection to Dora’s family, the more there is to learn.

I liked the story. It has a great premise, the mystery and unraveling of it are intriguing, and the exploration of mythology and how it’s woven into the plot is also well done. Overall, I thought it was a unique and interesting historical mystery with secrets, lies, suspense, and a bit of romance. Thanks to Harper Perennial for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for Greek myths, but all the literary and historical retellings that have been coming out lately are just missing the mark. Maybe this just isn't my genre...

Pandora has a gorgeous cover and an interesting premise but it was just so BORING. I imagine fans will say that the prose is lyrical, but I just found it stilted. Paired with the flat characters and glacial pacing, this just wasn't a winner.

I do think the comps given in the summary - Song of Achilles, Essex Serpent, Circe - were pretty spot on, so if you're a fan of those novels then you may enjoy this.

Absolutely loved this historical mystery, one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year. From the ensemble of characters, the tidbits of extra historical fact, the scandalous Georgian gossip sprinkled throughout and a wonderful retelling of Greek myth. The story unfolds leaving the reader questioning is it coincidence or something more, who is our mysterious man that pops up from time to time and will Dora survive?

I very much enjoyed the author's interpretation of Pandora's myth and the minor parallels between it and our heroine. The touches of magical realism were just right and I would enjoy reading a sequel to see where Dora and Edward end up next... and maybe even an ending or adventure for Cornelius too.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book. You have Georgian England mixed with some Greek mythology. I am not exceptionally knowledgeable when it comes to Greek mythology and luckily you don't have to be to follow this story.

The world building was done very well and I very much enjoyed most of this book.

I think the thing that kept this from being a 4 star read for me what the characters. Some were interesting and than others were just very one dimensional. I know the uncle wasn't supposed to be a likeable character but I would have liked to have learned more about him. It just fell a little flat for me.

Overall this was an enjoyable book and I am glad I gave it a chance.

I was immediately ready upon seeing Georgian London and Pandora in the same blurb. Susan Stokes Chapman writes beautiful prose describing an interesting time and tale in history. The reference to Greek Mythology was lighter than I anticipated but the story was just as riveting. The story was fast paced and filled with interesting characters, symbolism, and intrigue. An incredible debut novel.

Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The combination of Greek mythology and the historical setting was what got me to read this book. I must say it's an interesting mix. With three different POVs, this story will have you reading at a steady pace, the character development was lacking for me, some of them fell flat, but the plot and mystery behind it had me reading it until the end. I wished it was done as an audiobook, I think it would be a good way to experience this story.

When I first saw this book, I assumed it would be a retelling of Pandora. However, I discovered this book to be so much more with its mixture of history and mythology. I really liked that the main character was a jeweler, and occupation that I do not see much in fiction. I do wish the relationship between Edward and Dora was developed more, though.

I love greek mythology and history. Great book. Could not put it down. I’m going to have to get more books from this author. Thank you for the awesome opportunity!

Possible Triggers:
Death | Body Horror | Physical/Mental Abuse | Animal Cruelty

Characters:
This story is told from 3 perspectives (Hezekiah Blake, Pandora Blake, and Edward Lawrence).

Edward Lawrence is my favorite character in the book. ‘The oblivious academic’ is absolutely a personality type that I love.

Positives:
+ Loved the subtle weaving of a mythological myth into a THING. Two fascinating time periods smashed together? Awesome for the visual imagery. This appealed to my love of all things ancient Greece and the propriety and genteel manners of Georgian London.
+ What a fun inclusion of a pet! Not only is he there as a lovely moral support but also an artistic muse/provider.

Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this read. It wasn’t what I was expecting (seeing as I went into it blind I am not surprised) at all. I thought it was perhaps a newer, more modern, take on the Pandora story, or perhaps a continuation, but at a later time period. This was nothing of the sort. Instead we have the slow unraveling of Pandora Blakes history being unveiled to us as we follow a budding romance and a fight to survive in a male-dominated time-frame. I liked most of the characters (not Hezekiah or Cornelius), especially how Dora and Hermes worked together in her art. I really enjoyed the Information at the end of the book, where the author talks about her tweaks to history to make her story work.

Such an interesting combination of historical fiction and mythology, two of my favorite things! This book had history, mystery, romance, and even a little bit of magic (if you choose to believe, which I always do).

While the plot started off a bit slow for me, once I got into the mystery of it all, the latter two-thirds or so of the book just flew by.

I do wish the romance had been developed a bit more, though. Dora and Edward clearly worked well together, and they had the same drive to prove their worth against the odds, but I just didn’t feel the spark. Still, I was rooting for them both.

Definitely an intriguing, well-paced read!

Could the myth of Pandora's box have a basis in reality? Stokes-Chapman brings 18th century London to life as Dora and Edward battle their pasts, their social status, and Dora's evil aunt Hezekiah to uncover the truth about an ancient Greek artifact.

I am an absolute sucker for a retelling, and this one is no exception. While I'm not particularly fond of much of historical fiction (give me antiquity or bust), I thought this was a really good interpretation of Pandora's story by Stokes-Chapman. Really enjoyed!

This was a good book, I enjoyed it! A nice cozy historical fiction mixed with Greek Mythology.

Dora lives with her miserable uncle after her parents died in an archeological dig accident. In addition to her uncle treating her poorly, it seems that he has been up to no good. Dora and her new friend investigate and try to find out what is going on.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a magical ride. The beginning is a little slow, but the last half of the book is a whirlwind of suspense and realization. I couldn’t put it down once everything started to piece together and retribution was had.
This story blends Greek mythology with historical fiction and Stokes- Chapman created a flawless, unique story about Pandora’s box.
Any reader of mythology or historical fiction will devour this story and appreciate how the author brought every detail together so seamlessly.

Release date: 1/17/2023!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for my eArc in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy for review. All opinions are my own.

So this starts out really strong. The tension and the suspense are built early on and really suck you into the story. You also really feel for Dora and Edward who are each stuck in not the best situation and wanting to improve their fortunes. And obviously Hezekiah is just awful. There's also the mystery of the vase! Is it cursed, what is the real backstory? What are we going to find out?
This was a very solid 4 star read for me until the end. Then a couple of things happened that just felt off and then one thing that literally always upsets me in a book. The end tied up really conveniently and quickly. I hate to say the book should have been longer, but I did need a little more development in the romantic relationship. We didn't necessarily need more time on the mystery part though.
So I'm really conflicted on exactly what to rate this. I ended up flying through it, it was really engaging, but there were some things that just didn't work for me at the end.

I'll settle on 3.5 stars rounded up

I had a hard time getting into this book. The characters fell a little flat for me but the overall premise of the story was interesting. The pace of this book was a bit slow as well and I had trouble staying engaged and ultimately couldn’t finish it. I love the cover though.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have no idea how to start this review -- first off, I didn't read the book description before requesting it. My bad -- but I saw pandora (which is one of my fave myths) and couldn't help myself. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but there were some things that I did struggle with.

The writing was good, but I found myself a bit irritated at times with Dora and Edward. I wanted to shake them both. I didn't find their relationship/romance very well written. I think I would have preferred if there hadn't been any romance. I felt that it added nothing to the book.

The pacing bothered me. I feel like we get all the action in the last 20%, and the previous 80% was just nonsense that wasn't necessary. It took a long time to get to the point of the plot, and then by that point I was ready for the book to be over.

I like the idea of the mystery and Pandora's myth and how it was incorporated. I would have loved more of the archaeology side in the book.

This was a good book, but just ended up not being five stars for me.

Pandora
by Susan Stokes-Chapman
Pub Date: January 17, 2023
Harper Perennial
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology
I have to admit that I had high expectations of Pandora, a novel that combined 1799 England with Greek mythology, archeology, and antique shops but I only came across a bland, banal book.

The characters are one-dimensional, especially the uncle, a cartoonish villain.
The plot is predictable from the very start and the ending is laughable at best, very ridiculous.
The writing itself needs to improve: despite its attempts at creating an atmosphere, it feels too modern and doesn't follow any manner, behavior, or speech of the times. And there were so many exclamation points and suspension points that made the prose feel amatorial.

I will not be recommending this debut! 3 stars