Book Review: Daughter of Chaos by A. S. Webb

Title: Daughter of Chaos by A. S. Webb

Release Date: 21st January 2025

Publisher: Michael Joseph (Penguin)

RRP: $34.99

Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

In ancient Greece, mortals suffer under the tyranny of the gods—forced to sacrifice the food they depend on, their worldly possessions and even each other at the whims of the Twelve. But an ancient prophecy speaks of hope, of one who will set humankind free.

On the island of Naxos, Danae, a fisherman's daughter, develops strange powers tied to a mysterious tree bearing golden fruit. Driven from her home, she seeks guidance from the oracle but finds only more questions…and whispers of a secret network of believers who have long been awaiting her arrival.

Determined to learn more, Danae joins forces with the legendary Heracles and his crew. Together they battle monsters and gods alike on a quest to the end of the world as Danae seeks the one who holds the key to her destiny.

But a terrifying truth is yet to be unlocked. A truth that could destroy the world as she knows it. Danae must choose to follow her destiny or her heart, while the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders.

Review:

This book was non-stop action from the very beginning. I genuinely don’t think the story lets you sit and pause before taking you back on another whirlwind of an adventure! The author keeps you on your feet as Danae gets thrust into trouble again and again. I love the variation in setting as we see the character travelling around in cities with modern civilisation as well as unknown islands. The story took a while to get into, but once you get used to the pacing and wrap your head around the characters and their origin, everything comes together wonderfully ✨

Something I don’t express fondness for often is where stories have some sort of survival goal. I love when we see our characters building their power and strength from the ground up. It’s SO incredibly satisfying, and was done so well in Daughter of Chaos!!! Every coin earned and spent by Danae always felt so thrilling 😆 I loved Danae’s character development through the end where we see her growing stronger through her loss and struggles, yet we are constantly reminded that the girl we first read about is still in there and unchanging.

What a stunningly captivating first book to a series! After the way this ended, I had to immediately check Goodreads to make sure that there was a second installment coming 😮‍💨

Thank you so much to Penguin for sending over a beautiful ARC in exchange for an honest review <3