ARC Review: Jessica Therrien’s Oppression

I just finished Jessica Therrien’s debut novel, Oppression. Wow, what a unique and fantastic YA tale.  I'm not usually a fan of Greek mythology, but this book was so well done, I was completely smitten and can’t wait for Book 2.  I’ll do my best not to mention too many spoilers, but if I do…sorry.

Elyse is an 89 year old woman who ages slowly thanks to her gene pool and looks like she's 18.  She's not human; she’s actually a descendant of gods, specifically Asclepius, known as the God of healing.  Elyse knows none of this, of course, since her parents hid her from the other descendants in order to protect her.  It was a decent plan until they died, leaving Elyse to spend the majority of her life alone. 


Since she never knew who or what she was, living among humans was always a challenge, especially due to her youthful appearance.  Throughout a lifetime, she found solace among a few humans that she loves dearly.  As she makes yet another move to a new area, this time San Francisco, she meets a young, handsome and mysterious man, William.  From the moment, William was introduced, I liked him.  And as more of his story unfolded, I grew to adore him. The two of them together are wonderfully matched. Like Elyse, William is a descendant—from the bloodline of Aphrodite, the Goddess of love.  Does that sound delicious or what?  It is...trust me.

As William introduces Elyse into the local descendant community, Elyse learns about her parent's past and also her untold future.  As a child of Asclepius, she is the last healer and is considered the new mother.  And her future and ability are tied to a prophecy that may just set her oppressed people free.  Each child of the gods carries their own unique power, but naturally, there are those that are far superior than others, namely The Council.  This band of select few govern the descendants, using methods that are cruel and deadly not just for descendants but for mankind.  Everything seems great until Elyse's human family is threatened.  And prophecy or not, Elyse will have to make a choice that could kill her.

This book was a page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Oppression has a dark yet seductive undertone of Greek mythology that is cool and enticing.  There were hints of Shakespeare weaved throughout the tale, including the ending that left me spellbound.  Although book one had a general ending, it left me with the understanding that this series is far from over.  In fact, it's only the beginning.  Bring it on Book 2.  Oppression was a 4 for me and releases February 28th.   You can pre-order it via Amazon or Barnes and Noble.  In the meantime, add it to your GoodReads list.  

Mina B.