Esta es la segunda vez que leo este libro porque lo leí por primera vez durante el confinamiento y, aunque quería seguir la saga, nunca terminé de hacerlo y llegado el momento de continuarla preferí releerlo para refrescar todos los detalles.

That was probably one of his shittier decisions, having sex with someone the gods threw in his path. Still, getting off in Jono’s arms had been the only good thing to happen to him today, as fleeting as it was.

Tras mi primera lectura le di una puntuación de 3.5 que sube a 4 tras la relectura. No por nada, en general me ha gustado algo más y diría que es por una simple cuestión de tiempos: en ocasiones, no solo la lectura, el estilo y la trama influyen sino que el momento en el que cogemos un libro también afecta a nuestra visión del mismo.

En este primer libro conocemos un universo lleno de fantasía, magia y criaturas de todo tipo. Esto ya es un plus para mí, que adoro el urban fantasy y son tramas que tienden a dejarme más que satisfecha y con muchas ganas de más.

When it came down to it, Patrick had never truly escaped that basement. Part of him was still standing in a grave.

Comenzaré con lo malo, para quitarlo cual tirita, y luego ya culmino con el buen sabor de boca de lo que sí me ha gustado.

Durante mi primera lectura me resultó un pelín largo, aunque no me sucedió durante la relectura y sigo pensando que fue más cosa mía y de mi cabeza que de la historia. Lo que sí mantengo después de este segundo acercamiento a la historia es que, en ocasiones, la autora peca de repetitiva. No es que sea algo horrible que te saque por completo, es en detalles tontos (lo cual hace que la repetición sea aún más innecesaria) como en descripciones: una vez que se nos dice que la cicatriz de Patrick «es vieja y ha perdido el tono rosado», ¿qué necesidad hay de volver a decirlo? Puntualmente la repetición podría ser un intento por  remarcar una idea o por recordar al lector un detalle importante, pero en este libro Hailey lo hace en varias ocasiones de forma innecesaria, lo que puede acrecentar esa sensación de que sea largo.

“You promised me—” He broke off, unwilling to voice the one desire he’d been wishing for since waking up in hospital in London on the operating table, veins on fire, screaming as his body twisted itself into something new. He wanted a family. A home. Pack.

Por lo demás, la historia me ha gustado mucho. Tiene un buen ritmo y la trama es de lo más interesante. El universo tiene un poco de todo, desde un virus que es el origen de los cambiantes, pasando por videntes hasta llegar a una amplia variedad de dioses, todos ellos egoístas y manipuladores.

A mí que me fascina la mitología griega y siempre me gusta encontrar esta reflejada en las tramas de fantasía que leo, me encanta que los autores consigan darle un girito especial para que resulte diferente y original y, en este caso, los dioses son seres inmortales que luchan contra el olido. Patrick, nuestro protagonista, no siente especial cariño hacia ningún inmortal debido a sus experiencias personales, pero se ve obligado a trabajar con ellos.

You could take a soldier out of war, but you couldn’t take the war out of the soldier.

Otro punto importante en las sagas de fantasía urbana que no puede fallar para que a mí me guste son los personajes secundarios. Necesito sentir que el protagonista no está solo, que tiene amigos y un círculo de apoyo que esté ahí para él, y en esta ocasión tenemos varios personajes que cumplen con esta función y que además aportan distintos perfiles y subtramas que entiendo se irán desarrollando en los siguientes libros

Como protagonista, Patrick cumple con creces. Es agradable de leer, con actitud sarcástica y rebelde, es un poli al que le cuesta seguir las reglas y que está acostumbrado a hacer las cosas solo, sin ayuda de nadie. En él hay un raro equilibrio entre ser el amo y ser vulnerable; por un lado es fuerte y tiene potencial para serlo aún más, pero por otro tiene un pasado que le ha dejado secuelas no solo emocionales sino también físicas, y esta dualidad hace de Patrick un protagonista muy completo.

“I’m going to kill him,” Patrick said.
“Defeats the purpose of keeping him safe, yeah?” Jono replied.
“He’d be safe in a grave.”

Su compañero y co-protagonista es Jono. Un personaje del cual en este primer libro solo vemos un pequeño esbozo, aunque lo que se intuye es más que bueno. Con Jono se desarrollará más a fondo la trama de los cambiantes, dado que él es uno de ellos, y también esa parte más tierna y romántica junto a Patrick. Pero, como os digo, aún está todo muy en el aire porque este primer libro se centra más en presentar el universo, a los buenos, los malos y los que sencillamente están ahí para que gire la trama; además, como el principal narrador es Patrick, al final nos quedamos con la sensación de conocerlo a él mejor que a Jono. Pero tiempo al tiempo.

Patrick did friendships, not relationships, because both were dangerous to lose, but one more so than the other. Some part of him didn’t want to know what he was missing, but it was difficult to ignore with Jono’s hands on him.

This is the second time I read this book. I read it for the first time during the covid lockdown and, even though I did want to continue reading the series, I never did it. But I couldn't forget the story either, so a reread was needed to refresh the plot details and fully enjoy the story

That was probably one of his shittier decisions, having sex with someone the gods threw in his path. Still, getting off in Jono’s arms had been the only good thing to happen to him today, as fleeting as it was.

The last time I rated this with 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding it up to 4 after this reread. I don't have a specific reason for doing so. In general, I liked it a bit more and I think it's just due to the timing. Sometimes, you just read a book in the wrong or the best time, and that like it or not influences your experience.

During this first book we discover a world of fantasy, magic and full of different creatures. This is a huge plus since I love urban fantasy!

When it came down to it, Patrick had never truly escaped that basement. Part of him was still standing in a grave.

I will start with what  I didn't like as much (since yes, there are things I wasn't in love with), so that we end on a good note.

During my first time reading I found it a bit too long, and as I dind't think the same while reading it for the second time, I believe it had something to do with my mood while reading it then more than with the book itself. What I do continue thinking is that, sometimes, the author is too repetitive. And no, it's not a horrible thing that messes your rhythm while reading, more like stupid little things that totally could have been avoided.

“You promised me—” He broke off, unwilling to voice the one desire he’d been wishing for since waking up in hospital in London on the operating table, veins on fire, screaming as his body twisted itself into something new. He wanted a family. A home. Pack.

Aside from this, I loved the story. The pace is really good and the plot is completely interesting. The universe has a little bit of everything, from a virus that originated the shifters,  to seer and big variety of gods and goddesses, every one of them amazingly selfish and manipulative.

I find greek mythology to be fasticanating, and it's always good to find it in my fantasy books, but I love it even more when authors success at giving a twist to it, making it different from everything before. And in this case Turner made it, making the greek gods immortals trying to survive and escape oblivion. And Patrick, our main character, doesn't feel any affection toward them due to old traumas.

You could take a soldier out of war, but you couldn’t take the war out of the soldier.

Another importat point in urban fantasies are the supporting characters. I need to feel that the MC is not alone, that he (or she) has friends, a close circle that's there for him, and in this case we have a couple of them that check all the boxes, and also are totally different from one another, providing different plots and dramas each of them.

As a MC, Patrick is perfect. He's easy to read, sarcastic and rebelious; he's a cop that has a hard time following the rules and that's used to do things on his own with nobody to help. In him we find an unusuar balance between being badass and vulnerable. And this is possible becuase he's strong and kickass, yes, but he has a difficult past that marked him forever, not only emotionally but also physically, and this duality  makes a pretty complete MC of Patrick.

“I’m going to kill him,” Patrick said.
“Defeats the purpose of keeping him safe, yeah?” Jono replied.
“He’d be safe in a grave.”

And, of course, let's not forget about his partner and the another MC, Jono. In this first book Jono is not that defined. 

Su compañero y co-protagonista es Jono. We only get a  brief scketch of his character, but what we know about him so far is nothing but promising. Also, with Jono a couple of plotlines are opened: the shifters and the romance. But it will not be until the second book when all these topics get defined, since this first book mostly focuses on introduced the universe, the good guys, the bad guys and those who are simply there to have the story going.

Patrick did friendships, not relationships, because both were dangerous to lose, but one more so than the other. Some part of him didn’t want to know what he was missing, but it was difficult to ignore with Jono’s hands on him.