What did you know about Aphrodite and what was your opinion of her before reading Aphrodite in Pieces? Did your feelings about her change over the course of the novel?
I only thought of her as someone who men loved, and she was able to have any man she wanted. My only reference to her was from works of art. I did not know she had no parents and basically had to figure out life using her feminine wiles. If only she could be left alone on her island to live Nerite.
I knew she was beautiful and attracted all men. I have seen her depicted in many artworks. I was aware she was Rome’s Venus. I really enjoyed this book because it has such an original approach. I especially enjoyed the end, no spoilers here.
I knew she was the goddess of love, I’m not sure if I knew she was also the goddess of beauty. What has changed for me is that I have gone from not having any specific feelings about her to now seeing her as a person, with lived experiences.
My first thought when starting this book was that Aphrodite was demurer or less strident than the character that appeared in this book. But in considering the book a bit more, I think the author wanted a strong female, one who was willing to stand against Zeus or Hera. I grew to love Aphrodite over the book. She was quirky but she also loved her children. The author did a splendid job in creating Aphrodite.
I just new very basic information. I loved how she was ‘real’ and flawed, but wanted to be better. I really enjoyed that.
I knew her as the goddess of love and associated her with Cupid, getting people to fall in love. I also knew she was a beauty that everyone wanted. I didn’t feel strongly about her before the book. I felt that Lauren Bear developed her beautifully as a person. She was naive at times, stubborn and certainly passionate. If she felt strongly about something she wasn’t above revenge. Like everyone she had her flaws. I liked how she became more self aware and learned to love herself.I saw her as a woman who learned her worth.
I had a very limited knowledge of her before this book. I didn’t particularly like her at first, but she definitely grew on me as the novel progressed.
I was a fan of a show called Xena warrior princess.In that show she was a bubbly woman. I did like this take on her. She was stronger
I had read other books and studied mythology, so I knew about Aphrodite, but this book brought her fully to life. Bear made her faults, motivations, desires, fears, and failings drive her forward. We understood the motivation behind her decisions, even when they were not ones we would support. She seemed almost human in her reactions, only on a grander scale. It was great to see her painted as a whole, instead of just a face people admired.