Book #36

The Helm of Darkness by A.P. Mobley

Andy and Zoey are two normal teenagers living in the modern day—that is, until they’re knocked unconscious in a freak storm sweeping the United States. 

When they wake up, the world they know has been tossed away. Their city is in ruins, strange creatures walk the earth, and worst of all, everyone is gone. They stumble across Diana and Spencer, two kids around their age who possess incredible magical abilities, and who claim to be the demigod children of Greek gods. Not only that, they also claim the year is 500 AS, five hundred years after the gods conjured a massive storm that destroyed most of humanity and helped them take the world as their own once again. 

Andy and Zoey are soon handed an impossible task: To save humanity. To lead a war on the gods. 

Greek gods and mythology have always been a fascination of mine, and to see Mobley bring them to life here was delicious. Contrast the gods, monsters, and demigods, with a couple of modern kids and we have got ourselves a novel. It was delightful to hear some of the smaller details of the myths be introduced and weaved into the plot (favourite: Persephone’s incarceration in Hades and how this created the seasons), and I was just living for it all.

For the first time, I have faced the gods as people: beings with personalities, family ties, love. And these individual personalities have resulted in the world as we know it being destroyed, and the gods coming to the fore to rule. Our modern kids, Andy and Zoey, are resurrected to save the day. YES. They are tasked with defeating the gods, but first they need to steal their three objects of power, the first being the novel’s namesake - The Helm of Darkness. Three objects of power, folks, has trilogy written all over it - MORE YES.

Mobley’s characterisation here is incredible. Even the smallest of characters has a backstory, invoking such a love and engagement in me that it was difficult to drag myself away. I loved all of our protagonists deeply, despite their flaws and behaviours. My heart bled most for Darko the satyr - ugh! <3 span="">

Her creation of monsters was also fascinating - I’m probably not educated enough on Greek mythology to comment on whether they were entirely born of Mobley’s mind, or came straight from the pages of lore, but it doesn’t matter. The monsters, the terror, the fights - all fast-paced yet of perfect length to hold attention, and each fight markedly different from the last (pet hate: too much fighting the same enemies in the same settings, with the same weapons). The variety was spot on.

It’s been a while since I’ve been sent something to review I’ve been so invested in. Mobley has nailed every single aspect of this, and I’m so grateful she has chosen me to give this one a shot. I don’t know how she did it, but I feel as though she’s been peering into my mind. I am so pleased with this, and so excited for the sequel. I can only hope Mobley considers me again for a review as I am desperate to continue this journey in my team of mortals, demigods, and the most kind-hearted satyr to grace the pages of young adult fiction.