The Immortals by Jordanna Max Brodsky

Characters:

Selene DiSilva (Artemis) = protects women, protein only diet, Goddess of Virgins, 2 time former NYPD officer, and lead character (aka: Cynthia Forrester, Melissa Dubois, Phoebe Hautman, Dianne Delia

Hippolyta = Selene’s dog, shelter puppy, named after Amazonian Queen

Leto = Artemis’s mother (aka: Leticia Delos)

Boreas = God of the North Wind

Hephaestus = the Smith, made a golden bow and arrows for Artemis

Theodore Schultz “Theo” = professor of myths at Columbia, former lover of Helen a Makarites, helps Selene try to solve the mystery of the cult and murder of women in this book

Professor Everett Halloran = Theo’s co-lecturer, Helen’s fiancee, kind to Theo

Helen Emerson = Everett’s fiancee, murdered and found in the Hudson River, research female symbolism, and the Greek mythologies

Bill Webb = Theo & Everett’s department chair at Columbia

Detective Brandman = Considers Theo a suspect in Helen’s murder, Theo tells him about his Greek ritual theory

Gabriela Jimenez = New York American Museum of Natural History worker, friend of Theo’s in charge of Native American exhibits

Jenny Thomason = a sacrifice of the cult

Asclepious = Greek God of medicine and healing

Orion = only man Artemis ever loved “the Hunter” Son of Poseidon and mortal woman

Paul Solson (Apollo) = Artemis’s twin brother, calls her moonshine, she calls him sunbeam, singer for a rockband

Nathan Balinkski = decade older than Theo, disliked each other since they were both in Graduate school together

Dash (Hermes) = now a movie producer (aka Swifty O’May)

Gwenith (Demeter) = Artemis considered her a suspect in leading the cult

Aiden (Hades) = Artemis visits him and wife to see if they are responsible for the cult, indicate that they are anticipating a party of dead Gods

Cora (Persephone) = wife of Hades, not friendly with Artemis, preparing for a party of the Gods in the underworld, she thinks the Gods will die and pass through soon

Captain Geraldine Hansen = counter-terrorism division, worked with Artemis as a former version in the NYPD

Sammi Mehra = murdered woman

Fritz Mossburg = Greek theater specialist at Columbia

Martin Andersen  = has a dead wife, Latin specialist at Columbia

Dennis Boivin (Dionysus) = God of Wine, Theo’s former college roomate

Ruth Willever = Helen’s roomate, friend of Theo’s

Book Review/Summary:

I think my new favorite genre of reading is the one that has ancient mythology, magic, or the “impossible” living and happening right alongside and intertwined with the ordinary world we all live in.  Percy Jackson, Magnus Chase, Harry Potter, The Paper Magician, etc. are so much more appealing to me, maybe because I can still see the magic in the world if I read these books.

Selene is the current version that Artemis calls herself, and is starting to wane in strength and power from being a Greek Goddess.  Over the course of the book she deals with seeing her mother fade away, her crazy family, a mysterious cult trying to bring back ancient Greek Gods with long forgotten rituals, and the feelings that humans have about life in general.  An interesting take on how the Greek Gods are living among mortals and those who are worshiped and thriving while others are not, due to the nature of what humans worship and value in modern day society.  Selene stumbles upon a sacrifice and vows to seek revenge for those who killed Helen who prayed to Artemis with her dying breath.  Selene’s search for the cult leads her to Theo and family members she has not seen in a long time.  As the cult progresses Artemis realizes some of her powers are coming back to when she was worshiped and feared by the Greeks in the ancient times.

While there is a slight glossing over on modern societies worship of certain aspects while neglecting nature and faith; it is more in relationship to the Greek Gods mentioned and not a full blown commentary on society.  In interacting with the other Gods Artemis realizes what is happening to them and why, and makes you root for her along the way.  Artemis is joined by Theo who is mixed up in the murders by his own foolishness and fate of who he is.  Apollo and Artemis have conflict that most siblings do, but being Greek Mythology it goes deeper than normal sibling spats.  The relationship between her and Theo and her and Apollo gradually shifts as the story progresses and more is revealed about each of them.

The foundation for the second book, Winter of the Gods, in the trilogy is laid when Artemis goes to visit Hades and Persephone.  The hints of a party and their belief that the Gods will be coming to the underworld are mentioned, but not followed up in this book.

In the end Artemis realizes who is leading the cult, and who this person really is.  Through family alliances the cult is stopped, but it is mentioned that once the Gods hear of how to bring back their power there might be some who try it.