Audiobook Review: The Immortals by Jordanna Max Brodsky

MANHATTAN HAS MANY SECRETS.SOME ARE OLDER THAN THE CITY ITSELF.
Manhattan.The city sleeps. Selene DiSilva walks her dog along the banks of the Hudson. She is alone-just the way she likes it. She doesn't believe in friends, and she doesn't speak to her family. Most of them are simply too dangerous.
Murders.In the predawn calm, Selene finds the body of a young woman washed ashore, gruesomely mutilated and wreathed in laurel. Her ancient rage returns. And so does the memory of a promise she made long ago. To protect the innocent-and to punish those who stand in her way.
Gods.With the NYPD out of its depth, Selene vows to hunt the killer on her own. But when classics professor Theo Schultz decodes the ancient myth behind the crime, the solitary Huntress finds herself working with a man who's her opposite in every way. Together, they face a long-forgotten cult that lies behind a string of murders, and they'll need help from the one source Selene distrusts most of all: the city's other Immortals.
Much like Lev Grossman's The Magicians spoke to a generation of adults who grew up with Harry Potter, THE IMMORTALS will enchant anyone who loved American Gods or Percy Jackson.

The Immortals is a gripping urban fantasy, where the protagonist is more than just a woman trying to help solve a horrendous murder. She is also the Huntress, a Greek goddess dedicated to protecting women and children. I’ll be honest, this is a story that I felt might not work for me, but after hearing rave reviews, particularly for the audiobook version, I had to give it a shot. And my trusted fellow reviewers did not steer me wrong! I have to mention, the author is actually one of the narrators for this book, and she did a superb job! I love when you get an author narration that proves they are just as talented in narrating as writing because no one understands the nuances and characters of a book more than the author. So, you know she nailed the performance.

While walking her dog along the riverbank, Selene discovers the mutilated body of a women who is crowned with a laurel wreath. Being the defender of women she is, she won’t rest until she solves this mysterious death, especially as she suspects it was not an isolated case of violence, but a ritualistic killing that may indicate more killings are yet to come. Her investigation connects her with Theo, a scholarly expert on Ancient Greece who proves to have some interesting ideas about the case. Oh, yeah, and it turns out the murdered victim? His ex-girlfriend. Selene is not thrilled to work with him, but as the case progresses, their paths keep crossing. Their interaction and cooperation seems inevitable.

In the course of these interactions while trying to solve the crime, some sexual tension creeps up between these two. I have to admit, while I felt it added some fun, I also was not into the whole “I am supposed to be a chaste, virginal goddess” thing. Call me crazy, but that is one bit of conflict/personal turmoil I could do without. But, not a sticking point for me, just was something every time it came up I was ready to get past it.

We also get to meet a couple other gods/goddesses. Some of them are in danger/dying as they can only preserve life and power when humans believe in them. And well, there are not that many believers in modern day. I thought this added another interesting dynamic to the story.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. The narration was very well done, not just by Jordanna Max Brodsky, but also by Robert Petkoff. Definitely recommend.