Sunday, 13 November 2011

Book Review - The Dig

Title: The Dig
Author: Audrey Hart
Series: Zoe & Zeus (book 1)
Publisher: Backlit Fiction
Release Date: 7 Nov 2011
ASIN: B0064GU2AM

Synopsis
Zoe Calder has always been an outsider. Stashed away in boarding schools since her parents died, Zoe buries herself in the study of ancient worlds. Her greatest thrill is spending her summers with her archeologist aunt and uncle on digs around the world. And one day, while investigating a newly unearthed temple in Crete, Zoe discovers a luminous artifact that transports her to ancient Greece.
As Zoe quickly learns, the Olympian Gods are real, living people—humans with mysterious powers… Powers that Zoe quickly realizes she has come to possess, as well. However, when the people of ancient Greece mistake Zoe for an Olympian, the Gods must restore the balance of the ancient world… No matter what.
Zoe is forced to play a confusing and dangerous game as Hera rallies the gods against her—all except for Zeus, the beautiful, winged young god who risks everything to save her.
Out of time and out of her element, teenager Zoe Calder finds herself in ancient Greece, battling against the power of the Olympians and the vengeance of a scorned goddess—all for the strange and mysterious boy she has come to love
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My Review
I was contacted by the author and received a pdf copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Zoe has always been a bit of an outcast, she doesn't really seem to fit in anywhere, but during the summer she goes to Greece with her Aunt and Uncle who are both archaeologists. She's been going with them to 'digs' for years and she loves to help them, exploring is exciting, all the things you can find.
When Zoe goes through a tunnel and finds a mysterious item that takes her back in time. At first she thinks she is in some sort of amusement park recreation, but she soon realizes that everything around her is very real, even the Greek Gods.
I found this book quite easy to get into but I must admit to begin with I didn't really like Zoe, she was an OK character but I didn't feel connected. As the book went on I felt a bit closer and as she started to discover who she was and what she could do,I started to like her a bit more and was interested in what was going to happen to her. She grows as a character and starts to feel more real.
The setting of Ancient Greece was really well done, all the details and research that must have gone into recreating it was breath-taking. It felt like I was there.
Then we meet Zeus - ah Zeus! This book is different for the fact that all the Greek Gods appear as teenagers, not how we are used to seeing them, I was hesitant about it at first but Audrey Hart really made it work and I could really picture it all.
Hera is a great character, she's like the school queen bee, seems nice but is really a total b***h, and when she doesn't get what she wants you better back off.
The book is quite short at just over 200 pages and I got through it quite quickly. I got more into the story as I went and really wanted to know how it ended. I did predict the ending, I could see it coming, but I am left wanting to know what happens next so I will be looking out for the next book in the trilogy.


My Rating
I would give this book 8/10, definitely worth a read, it's a great twist on Greek Mythology.

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