Aphrodite

Rogerson (Herc) opens this solid if familiar retelling of the Greek myth with Aphrodite narrating the unusual circumstances of her own birth: when Cronos, son of the god Ouranos, cut off his father’s testicles and threw them into the sea, “those balls were me.” Newly sentient Aphrodite is responsible for weaving threads of Fate that tell her the stories of every being in existence. It’s overwhelming, and soon the gods are tangling themselves in her threads as well, giving her visions of their fates. When she sees her closest friend and first love, Prometheus, in great danger, she hatches an ambitious plan to save him from his destiny: she will walk into Olympus and announce herself as the brand new Goddess of Love. With the power of a goddess, maybe she can save Prometheus and finally take control of her own destiny. Unfortunately for her, being a goddess is a little more complicated than she anticipated, and before she knows it, she’s started a war that may destroy them all. Rogerson gives Aphrodite an energetic voice and manages not to lose sight of her humanity in the sprawling story of her life. There’s little to make this stand out in a crowded field, but die-hard fans of mythological retellings will find plenty to enjoy. (Nov.)