STUNNING MYTHOS, SLOW BURN (LIKE…REALLY SLOW).

This one had so much potential. Set in ancient Greece and steeped in Greek mythology, Daughter of Chaos is lush, lyrical, and beautifully written. The lore? Chef’s kiss. The world-building? Gorgeous. The pacing? Painfully slow.

The story kicks off with a tragic event that unlocks mysterious powers in our FMC, launching her into a journey of self-discovery. She ends up crossing paths with none other than Heracles (yes, that Heracles), and joins his legendary party as a means to get where she needs to go—and hopefully find answers.

The premise is everything I want in a myth-based romantasy: epic journey, deep lore, an emerging power, and a slow-burn romance. But I do mean slow. The romance doesn't come into play until much later, which I’m usually fine with in an epic—but even the main quest felt like it took its sweet time getting off the ground.

That said, the one thing that absolutely saved this for me? The narrator. Her voice was phenomenal—mesmerizing and full of emotion. Honestly, if it weren’t for the audiobook narrator pulling me in with every word, I might have DNF’d. But she carried me through and I’m kinda grateful because that ending plot twist did give me just enough intrigue to consider giving book two a shot.

Tension & Spice: ⭐
World-Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Banter & Sass: ⭐⭐
Emotional Impact: ⭐⭐⭐

That was it! I honestly am kind of annoyed that I read this whole book, but it wasn't all bad though. Starts with what I liked... I did enjoy the plot overall, and loved how Greece and the gods were incorporated. I also immersive read with the audiobook, and I thought it was done very well. I really enjoyed the accent. That about sums up what I liked. The pacing was sooo slow. I feel like this whole book could have been summed up in 250-300 pages. I also felt like the author was doing a little too much with the writing style. A lot of the adjectives and extra sentences just felt unnecessary. Every time I thought about DNFing something a little wild happened and I would keep going.

Overall my feelings towards this book were mixed. Firstly, the positives. I really liked the nice, detailed descriptions, and overall thought the writing was solid and enjoyable. The descriptions of the cities were especially nice. I loved the way Danae thought her way through problems to find solutions - she had to work for things rather than having everything fall into place perfectly for her. Without spoiling too much, I also liked Jason's character arc. I also really enjoyed the narration. The different character voices were enjoyable to listen to, and there was always a clear distinction between who was speaking so I was never confused. However, the pacing felt pretty uneven. Some things felt too stretched out, and others felt rushed over. The beginning in particular dragged a bit as it took a bit long to get started with the proper plot - I think this is something that is quite common for first books in series, however. I also wasn't a big fan of the romance. I would recommend this book to fans of Greek mythology and feminist retellings like Circe or Elektra, and will potentially pick up further books in this series as I think the author's writing was promising and I'm intrigued by where the plot will go in the future.

I received this audiobook as an advanced reader copy for free on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For starters, the narration is excellent. The narrator and writer did a great job of making you feel like part of the scene. The story itself was interesting. We have a girl from a small island thrust into a world bigger than she could imagine. I was invested in the MC even before she leaves the island. I found her easy to root for, which is important to me for a main character. The book is action packed and (if you're like middle school me) you'll even meet some familiar faces along the way.

I do think that the narration was a big reason for why I enjoyed this book so much, I'd be interested to see if I'd enjoy the book the same amount if I read a physical copy.

In "Daughter of Chaos," readers are transported to ancient Greece, a world teeming with gods, prophecies, and legendary figures like Heracles. The story follows Danae, who embarks on a perilous quest amidst divine interventions and mythical challenges, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. As she navigates this treacherous path, Danae must confront formidable foes and unravel cryptic prophecies, all while grappling with her own destiny.

While the premise initially captured my interest, the execution left much to be desired. The pacing felt sluggish, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. The narrative's tendency to "tell rather than show" hindered my ability to feel the tension and emotional stakes of Danae's journey. Additionally, the character development lacked depth, preventing me from forming a strong connection with Danae and the other characters. Despite these shortcomings, I see potential in the series. If it continues, I might give it another chance, hoping for improved character exploration and a more immersive reading experience in future installments.

Thank you NetGalley and MIRA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Did this follow normal Greek mythological concepts or stories, no it definitely did not. Did I still really enjoy my time and blow through the book, YES!!

I love mythological stories. I also love variations to these stories and seeing them play out in different ways. That being said, I did not get hung up on all the ways this story was different from the standard mythological tales. It was kind of like an alternate reality situation for me.

I loved the time jump from the beginning to give us foreshadowing to the ending. I was also totally bought into the mystery and the prophecy! Danae was a decent main character but I am really hoping we see her personality grow in coming installments, very coming of age feeling. I loved several of the side characters and the quests were fun as well.

Overall, I loved reading this but audiobooks always hit better for me so there is that! The cliffhanger ended had me spewing and I will gladly rump into book 2 to see where Webb takes us next.

Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb is an immersive tale that weaves mythology, magic, and destiny into a gripping narrative, echoing the wonder I felt when first discovering Greek myths as a child. The characters are deeply engaging, each carrying the weight of their own fate while navigating a world rich with divine intrigue and mortal struggles. With its lyrical prose and masterful storytelling, this book rekindles the timeless allure of myth, making it a must-read for anyone who once dreamed of gods, heroes, and the chaos in between.

I really wanted to love this book, but I had a hard time getting into it. I listened to the audiobook version. The narrator did a nice job. This book is well written, but I felt like I needed a little more out of it (especially from the ending). If you enjoy Greek epic fantasy, I think you should give this book a chance. I would be interested in reading the next book in this series. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for my audiobook copy!

I was quite into this at first. A substantial portion of the narrative’s start takes place in Danae’s home on the island of Naxos. It’s the quietest part of the book, but I was immediately drawn into Danae’s home life - her relationship with her parents, her sister and the other island folk. I almost started comparing it to Madeline Miller’s CIRCE (which I think is the gold standard among Greek mythology retellings). But then…

…Danae is forced to fulfill her destiny and flee Naxos. At this point, the book grew more chaotic. It felt like a subway car of events - “and then this, and then that, and then the other thing…”. None of these happenings built upon one another, rendering the tale increasingly arbitrary. It felt like DAUGHTER was trying to wear the cloak of THE ODYSSEY (a book I love btw) at this point, but the fit was all wrong. I suppose one of the issues I had is that Danae didn’t grow or mature as a character in any way. She is the same at the end as she was in the beginning - actually, probably worse - which made it hard for this listener to want to follow her on her journey.

Danae also felt like a supporting character in her own story - constantly getting rescued/sprung from prison or slavery… Over and over she kept stumbling right into a person she needed to meet. When this happens four, five times it goes from coming off as convenient to lazy on the author’s part. Even the choice Danae makes at the midpoint of the book - to find Prometheus and further understand the prophecy bestowed upon her - is flimsy at best. It felt like she was constantly at the mercy of the plot, rather than the main driver of it.

For the record, I loved the narrator Lucy Walker-Evans - she gave a great performance. But the book’s unbalance in pacing, dull FMC and the arbitrary journey she goes on caused the listen to fall fairly flat.

P.S. For a book that’s all about the gods and how awful they are, their presence is surprisingly sparse. How are we supposed to fear the Big Bads if we rarely meet them?

You ever get so mad at the Gods you decide to go after them yourself? No? Oh well that’s okay because Danae decides to go after them herself! This is a fun read and definitely for those who love Ancient Greek mythology! I enjoyed this read and it definitely gives a more modern Odyssey vibe which I’m here for!

2.5 Stars
This started off pretty strong for me but it felt like it took so long to get to where it did and ultimately left me feeling unsatisfied with how it ended. I liked the narration and felt that the narrator did a great job at bringing these characters to life and keeping me interested in the story. I think I might have enjoyed this more if the ending didn't feel so rushed and though I liked this enough I'm not sure if I'm invested enough to continue the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ARC!

A refreshing and exciting take on Greek mythology retelling. I was immediately intrigued by Danae’s life, her fate, and those she met along the way. Fast paced and action packed, this book was hard to put down!

The ending? Immediately in need of book 2…

Daughter of Chaos is a fast-paced read that explored a rich Ancient Greek scenery. I really liked the unique perspectives surrounding Classical mythology and the orgin of the Gods, as well the appearance of some of the great mythical heroes like Heracles and Jason and the Argonauts. Lucy Walker-Evans is a brilliant narrator, and kept me engaged and eager to keep listening.

Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb is an ambitious reimagining of the story of Danae, mother of Perseus, fated to free humans from the oppression of the gods. Told in the nature of a classic Greek Odyssey, in this first installment of the series we begin the Denae’s journey to fulfill her fate.

While the writing felt uneven, Lucy Walker-Evans provided an engaging narration that kept me engaged in the story, giving the characters distinct voices which made this story easy to follow.

Purists will be frustrated with some of the modern updates and diversions to the story, but I found these modifications refreshing and cannot wait for what comes next. For those who loved PC Cast’s Boudicca, Medea by Elish Quin and Circe by Madeline Miller, who love strong female characters, this book is for you. I only caution readers that this reads more like an epic fantasy and this book begins with a slow burn, be prepared for a commitment for this is not a standalone novel but the first installment in a series.

Thank you, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars
Print Pub Date: Jan 14 2025

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This would be a 5 star except the beginning is pretty slow. It was very modern-day Odyssey-esque and kept me excited to see what mythological creature or god I would get to see next. There was so much mythology twined into this book but with lots of fresh new ideas. I am excited to see what comes next. The ending definitely was a shock that left you needing to know more.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

while i do enjoy greek/roman retellings, the genre is definitely oversaturated and needs to be a superstar in originality for me to truly be blown away.

i’ve got the gist of this book — our fmc is destined to destroy zeus, but danae went on such an odyssey that i forgot this was the original plot.

as for the alc, the narrator did a fine job!

An amazing telling of an original Greek Epic. Danae is the daughter of a fisherman who had a daring and outspoken personality compared to the other women in her village. When her sister gets kidnapped and returns pregnant their family becomes outcasted. However the child is stolen by a shade and in her grief her sister takes her own life but Danae gets blamed for her death and is cast out of the village. Her father sends her out to find an oracle who can give her answers but this begins a quest from the fates she never imagined for herself. She must take on the gods and free humanity as told in the prophecy of Prometheus. Danae joins Hercules and the Argonauts on their epic quest in order to fulfill her destiny and save humanity from the gods cruel tyranny.

This book was amazing. It felt just like an Ancient Greek epic while still giving a fresh new story for people to enjoy with refrences to known Greek tales. Danae is an interesting and relateable main character that keeps you engaged in her story and plans as she navigates new and dangerous situations. The narrative of the story is well done giving it a relateable modern voice but still from ancient times.

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up.
Daughter of Chaos is a good start to an epic odyssey.
I read an ebook in tandem with the audiobook and I'm glad I had both. The audiobook, narrated by Lucy Walker-Evans, was fantastic! And really, the only reason I finished reading in a timely manner. She gave Danae more personality that what I was reading in print. So really, 5 Stars for Lucy!
DOC is well written but long winded. However, it IS based in greek mythology soooo, that's kind of par for the course. There are plenty of recognizable characters (they sort of overshadowed D.) throughout Danae's quest, giving a comfortable familiarity to the tale. My biggest gripe was the pacing and that DOC felt kind of like 2 separate stories to me. The 1st third-ish felt like a world away from the rest (it also dragged a bit). Maybe that was the point, but I forgot about Danae's nephew, and what set her on her path, the majority of the time. I wasnt expecting the ending and it may have convinced me to continue on with the series.
Overall, still a great read, particularly if you enjoy greek mythology.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for an eARC and Harlequin Audio for an advanced audiobook!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Danae is the daughter of a fisherman living on the island of Naxos where residents have been mysteriously disappearing. A festival honoring Demeter goes wrong, resulting in a seer calling for human sacrifice and Danae's sister going missing. Then Danae sees a vision of a sprouting tree with golden apples, leading the villagers to believe she is a demon and forcing Danae to run for her life. She goes to the Oracle at Delphi in the hopes that she can lift the curse, only to get caught up in the Quest for the Gold Fleece with Jason and his Argonauts. Danae learns more about her powers and her fate as she journeys across Ancient Greece with the Heroes of legend.

This was quite a fun audiobook to listen to. The narrator did a good job with the text and the voices. The pacing of the story started off a bit slow in the beginning, but then quickly picked up in the middle and end. I enjoyed the Greek Gods and Heroes as characters, although they weren't necessarily their traditional depictions. I think that Dane could have used a bit more development in her character. I know that this is the first book in a trilogy, so there might be more to her character in the later books. Overall, I found this to be a fun reimagining of Greek myths. I think this will appeal to people who enjoy adaptations of classic stories and more generally to fans of fantasy.