The Portable Jack Kerouac
Jack Kerouac
A classic tale of sacrifice and love that resonates with the themes of sacrifice in 'Of Poseidon'.
Of Poseidon
by Anna Banks
Children's Books
★★★★★5.0 (1)
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks is a YA sea-myth romance that trades deep mythology for a clumsy heroine, a secretive prince, and a slow-burning pull between them, which makes it a quick, fun pick.
What It's About
Of Poseidon is a young adult romance that uses Greek sea-god mythology more as a backdrop and motive than as a subject for scholarly study. The story follows Emma, who has always believed she is ordinary and accident-prone, and the book builds its appeal around the gap between how she sees herself and what the people around her seem to know. Its central question is about identity: what it means to discover you may be something other than what you assumed.
The prose is brisk and dialogue-heavy, with a steady flow of attraction, banter, and tension. Expect romance first and mythology second. The world-building is intentionally light, so the rules of Galen's family and the Gift are introduced as the plot needs them rather than laid out in advance. Readers who want a detailed cosmology may find the explanations thin.
The reading experience is comfortable and a little breathless, like a summer read that wants you to keep turning pages. Emma's clumsiness supplies humor, while the family politics around Galen add weight without making the book heavy. It works best as the opening volume of a series, and the ending leaves plenty open. Reading it is less about solving a puzzle than about watching two characters who keep misreading each other.
Read this if you…
- want a sea-myth romance with a slow-building push and pull between two leads
- enjoy young adult heroines whose self-doubt is part of the charm
- are looking for a fast, light first book to decide whether a series is for you
Skip it if you…
- want a rigorous or detailed retelling of Greek myth
- find love interests with hidden motives and withheld information off-putting
Key Ideas
- 1
Identity as something discovered, not chosen
Emma's sense of herself as an ordinary, clumsy girl is the emotional engine of the book. Much of the pleasure comes from watching her reconsider her own history and abilities as new information arrives, and from seeing how uncomfortable it is to be the last to learn something about yourself.
- 2
Romance built on secrecy and agenda
Galen is attracted to Emma but also needs something from her, and he is careful about what he reveals. That tension between desire and a hidden purpose drives many of the scenes, so the romance feels charged by mistrust as well as by chemistry.
- 3
Myth as backdrop, family rivalry in front
The sea-god setting gives the story its glamour and stakes, but the immediate conflict is interpersonal: a brother's planned marriage, a search for the right girl, and loyalty within a powerful household. The myth supplies the costume more than the argument.
- 4
Clumsiness as humor and vulnerability
Emma's accident-proneness is used for comic beats and for moments of real insecurity. It keeps her relatable and gives the romance some lightness, so the book does not take itself too seriously even when the stakes rise.
Limitations
Common criticisms focus on the romance. Attraction arrives quickly, some decisions are driven more by the plot than by character, and the secrecy around Galen can wear thin for readers who want openness early on. The mythology is largely a frame, so anyone hoping for deep world-building or original lore may feel shortchanged. The book also reads as aimed at younger teens, and its tone and pacing will feel simpler to adult readers than the premise suggests.
Questions Readers Ask
- Who is Of Poseidon best suited for?
- It suits teen and adult readers who enjoy light young adult romance with a mythological twist and do not need the story to be deeply original. Readers who like a heroine who grows into her own strength, and who enjoy romantic tension built on secrets, will likely find it satisfying. Those seeking complex prose or intricate world-building may be less impressed.
- How does it compare to Percy Jackson?
- Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books are more adventure-driven, with quests, monsters, and a strong comic voice that leans on Greek myth in a direct way. Of Poseidon is more of a romance, with the myth serving mainly as setting and motivation. If you want mythology with humor and action, Riordan is the closer match; if you want a sea-based love story, Banks is.
- Published
- 2012
- ISBN
- 9781742738802
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Category
- Children's Books
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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