Book Review | God of Fire by Helen Steadman - A Must Read For All Greek Mythology Lovers

Recently I have been loving mythology fiction, especially Greek and Norse, so when the opportunity arose to take part in the blog tour for God of Fire by Helen Steadman I leaped on it!

Cast out of heaven at the hands of Hera and raised beneath the sea, this is the epic story of Hephaestus, god of fire.

The only Olympian whose injuries never heal, the god of fire endures eternal pain from his wounded leg, making him perhaps the most human member of the pantheon. As if his physical pain were not enough, Zeus punishes Hephaestus further by sentencing him to life with Aphrodite. Unhappily married to the adulterous goddess of love, he is fated to repeat his childhood pattern of rejection, stoically shouldering emotional agony as part of his everlasting burden.

With his foster-mother's help, Hephaestus lays claim to his legacy and finds his saving grace: the ability to harness fire and create magical metal artefacts. Of course, the other gods waste no time taking advantage of his inventions. A silver mouse for Apollo. A girdle for Aphrodite. Armour for Athena. A bow and arrow for Eros. Winged sandals for Hermes. A throne for Hera. A golden mastiff for Zeus.

But the god of fire is nobody's fool. The magic of Hephaestus has a shadow side, as gods and mortals learn to their cost when Zeus orders him to create Pandora and her infamous receptacle...

One of the things I loved most about this book was the way Steadman breathed new life into the characters, I was instantly transported into the world of the gods and goddess. She gives them enough depth and complexity without getting carried away, there was never a moment where I thought 'I know too much about this character' - and trust me I've had those moments with other books. And the way she explores the gods' relationships with each other and the mortals is fascinating, delving into their motivations, desires and struggles in a way that I've not seen before!

I absolutely loved reading this perspective on creation! The way Steadman described the entire process of creating man and woman was so captivating. I found myself absolutely loving the conversations that were had during the creation process, all so relatable and humorous.

God of Fire is a must read for anyone who love Greek mythology! Thank you to Random Things Tours and Helen Steadman for having me on the blog tour - it's been fun!!