As we continue on with October, I wanted to bring some of the supernatural into my book recommendations. Obviously you can read fantasy whenever, but it hits differently during this time of year. This is technically a YA novel but it is fairly dark for YA; it is actually one of my favourite 2023 releases. If you are looking to get lost in a foreign but familiar world while you mix with the gods, look no further. Let’s get into Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou.
Threads That Bind, Kika Hatzopoulou
Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.
But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.
But the investigation turns personal when Io’s estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.
Why You Should Read This…
I can see why some people reference Percy Jackson in their reviews, as Io and her sisters are descendents of mythological figures. However, this is a much darker story that continues on this mythological story without so closely referencing the original Greek Gods, and it works well- it is more than able to stand on its own without having cameos. (Not to say the PJ series isn’t great.)
The book is set in Atlante, and we see the effects that the Fates have on their descendants. While it is always an entertaining exercise in class to think about how each Fate would play out, Hatzopoulou puts it into practice and builds an exciting but terrifying world. Her use of Greek mythology as a backbone did not feel at all out of place and it did not feel like it needed any justification. (I wasn’t left wondering “Wait, wouldn’t it happen this way…?”.) And I do need to say: you can absolutely enjoy this book without being highly versed in Greek mythology.
The mystery aspect of this book is incredibly well-done, too. I find that sometimes YA mysteries can feel a bit simplified but that is in no way the case here. It kept me hooked the entire time I was reading it, and I cannot wait for the second novel (Hearts That Cut).
Is Threads That Bind on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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