Going Greek

Dreamless is the second of Josephine Angelin's Starcrossed novels.  Possible SPOILERS in the review. In Starcrossed, Helen learned that she was a Scion, which explained her speed and abilities to heal.  A Scion is a descendant of a Greek god.  Not only is she a Scion, but she has the face of the most famous scion, her namesake, Helen of Troy.  Oh, and the boy she is in love, just happens to be her cousin.

Helen's mission is to free the Furies, who keep the Scion's of different houses and the Outcast wanting to kill each other.  It is a mission she has to go alone because she is only one who can descend into the Underworld.  It is lonely and exhausting.  As if her mission was not bad enough, Lucas has started to hate her.  She is having trouble coping with everything when Orion shows up in the Underworld to help her.

He is sent by her mother, Daphne, to help Helen find and free the Furies.  He, too, is a Rogue, which is having parents from two different Scion houses. Together they work their way through the Underworld, with vicious beast and the occasional crazy Olympian god to slow them down.

In the waking world, things aren't any easier for Helen, either.  She is exhausted all the time because walking to Underworld every night takes a lot out of you.  Lucas hates her and is avoiding her completely.  Plus, it feels like her best friend, Claire, is pulling away from her sometimes. Oh and there is this creepy ant thing that is watching her.

I like the way these books have a newer take on ancient Greek legends.  I enjoy the back stories to different things like their powers, the feuds, and the gods, but I have to admit that Helen is probably my least favorite character of the books.  I find that the supporting characters in these books are more to my liking.  Maybe it is because Helen seems a little too self-sacrificing for her own good, or that she comes off as too dependent on others at times.

I really did like Orion.  He is just what the Underworld needed to keep it for being a Woe is me Helen hour.  He is smart, strong, and has some pretty funny moments. I feel like despite the hardships he has faced, and there have been a lot, that he is still hopeful for a better outcome and believes in the mission to free the Furies.

Daphne, Helen's mother, is a very complicated character who it seems has some grand scheme she working out.  Daphne is trying to kill the leader of the Hundred Cousins.  Oh and worst of all she has lied to her daughter, Lucas and Helen are not actually cousins.  Those poor kids thinking they are abominations for being in love with their cousin because it did not fit into Daphne's plan, whatever that may be.

It will be interesting to see where the final book goes, especially after what happened in the end of Dreamless, and what Daphne's plan really is.

Currently Reading:
The Girl with the Iron Touch
by Kady Cross