Myth Week Day 5- Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Don't forget to enter my contest to win an ARC of Starcrossed! Go here to enter. Today I am happy to review Starcrossed and interview Josephine Angelini

Pub Date: May 31st/11.
Publisher: HarperTeen

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Review:

A compelling and unique twist on one of the oldest myths and love stories...

Helen was a complex character for me- I wasn't sure at first if I truly wanted to root for her, because I was just as conflicted as Helen was with herself. Helen couldn't begin to understand her unusual emotional and physical reactions to Lucas and his family. This proves what a great writer Angelini is, to be able to write such a complex character that can trigger such thoughtful emotions from her readers. On a side note I was rooting for Helen by about a third of the way through the book. :)

Lucas, o my, Lucas where can I even start. This is a great hero in the making. He's strong and brave, but gentle and understanding where Helen is concerned. I wouldn't mind if he wanted to take for a "ride" one night.

The romance between these two was electrifying. A pair of Starcrossed lovers you'll want to root for. The build between these two was perfect in the sense that they start out literally wanting to kill each other, but in the end, are unable to deny themselves each other. Readers beware the ending will of this novel will only leave you wanting more- So please, read at your own risk! :)

I'm happy to say the Josephine has taken the time to come visit the blog today to answer some questions on her newest release. I would like to add that I have had the pleasure of conversing with Josie over email, twitter and such, and she is one of the kindest, most appreciative, down-to-earth authors I've ever had the please to email :) Don't be afraid to tweet or leave a comment on her blog cause she is right on it and always responds! 

Now please join me in welcoming Josie to the blog today!

1. Was it hard for you to get Starcrossed published?

I know this is an annoying thing to say, but no.  It all happened so fast I was still patting myself on the back for landing a manager and agent.  I was thinking to myself, great!  If nothing else comes of this, at least I’ve taken that first major step and gotten representation.  Then, like, a week later my agent, Mollie Glick, had a preemptive offer from Harper Collins lined up, and a few days after that the team at the Foundry was getting preemptive deal overseas as well.  The thing that I kept thinking was, “how the heck did they all read it that fast?” 

I got unbelievably lucky, and I am so thankful for that.

2. You've spun so many unique twists on the myth of Helen of Troy, what
inspired your version?

Homer, Shakespeare, and John Hughes.  Haha!  Seriously, I saw a copy of Romeo and Juliet sitting next to my mom’s ancient version of The Iliad and a light bulb went off in my head.  I couldn’t think of anyone doing a modern day take of the Helen of Troy story (probably because in Homer’s version she isn’t very likable) and I wanted to try it. 

3. If you could fly away with Lucas anywhere, where would you go and what
would you do? (Let's keep this PG13 haha)

I’d ask him to take me to Cadiz, Spain.  I’d want to see where he’d lived for the last six years.  I bet he has a ton of stories he’d like to tell me about it.  Mostly, I’d like to go there with him because I bet he misses his old home. 

4. You kept some characters from the original story (Helen, Hector) why did
you decide to leave Paris out?

Did I leave Paris out?  You sure?  I didn’t leave anyone from the Iliad out.  That’s why the cast is so large, and why in the next few books it gets larger.

5. If you could be one God/Goddess, and have their abilities, who would you
be? Why?

Oh-la-la!  I thought you said you wanted to keep this PG 13? 

6. Why do you think Greek Mythology is having such a strong emergence in the
YA genre recently?

Zeitgeist.  It’s a funny thing.  When I started outlining Starcrossed the only Greek book out there that I knew of was the Percy Jackson series.  I took a different tack—instead of utilizing a mix of the Greek myths like Riordan did I focused on the Iliad, confident that my take was entirely different from his.  It was even aimed at a different age group.  But while I was writing about Greeks, so were others.  I guess we all caught the same bug at the same time, and in a way I’m glad we did.  It’s nice to know that readers will be familiar with the Greek themes and maybe get more out of my story that way. 

7. How far do you plan to take your Starcrossed series?

Three books, and that’s final.  For now.

8. Without getting too spoilery, what can readers expect from Starcrossed
#2?

The second book, Dreamless, is darker, and has more action than the first book.  Helen goes into the Underworld and grows even more as heroine as she learns to claim even more of her power.  There is a lot more danger, and a new character named Orion, who I hope everyone loves as much as I do.

9. Will Lucas and Helen make it the full mile? (I know you can't really
reveal this but it's worth a shot haha)

Actually, I don’t mind revealing this.  They both live through the trilogy.  But are they together at the end?  *sigh* 

10. Do you have any advice for those starting out in the publishing
industry?

I’m just starting out in the publishing industry!  I should be asking you for advice!  J