Isadora's family is seriously screwed up.
Of course, when you're the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that comes with the territory.
Isadora's divine relatives can barely remember her name. After all, they're immortal—and she isn't. Isadora's sick of living a life where she's only worthy of a passing glance, and when she's offered the chance to move thousands of miles away, she jumps on it. But as much as Isadora tries to keep her new world and old world apart, she quickly realizes there's no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Eloquent in its mixing of Egyptology with the experience of being a teenager, Isadora’s story adds something unique to recent literary trends that blend the ancient world with the modern, and the character development, action-packed climax, intriguing family dynamics, and heartfelt romance will draw in fans of this genre.
Publishers Weekly
Sixteen-year-old Isadora talks a bit like a spoiled California teen, but she doesn’t actually become one until her mother sends her to San Diego to keep her safe. Until that point, Isadora lives in an ancient temple complex in the Egyptian desert—this is because her mother is the goddess Isis, and her father is Osiris. What the danger is and why it apparently follows Isadora to America is unclear, hinted at only in dreams. Isadora would rather think about how much she wants to spite her mother, redecorate every room she enters (she’s an aspiring interior designer), and not fall in love with the beautiful Greek boy, Ry, who’s hanging around. As a character, Isadora is (by design) fairly arrogant and self-absorbed, but she also has a point: it’s hard to understand why immortal parents would purposely give their child mortality. White (Mind Games) uses her technical prowess with narrative forms to break up the story, and she brings an irreverent sense of humor to Egyptian myth. Parents you’re literally supposed to worship? Gross. Ages 13–up. Agent: Michelle Wolfson, Wolfson Literary. (Sept.)
VOYA - Meghann Meeusen
When Isadora's newly pregnant mother starts having worrisome dreams, Isadora realizes this might be her chance to escape her ritualistic home life and move in with her brother in California, where she will be safe and free in a way she has never been before. Yet teenage independence is a little more complicated when your parents are actually immortal ancient Egyptian gods, and soon Isadora realizes that while she is enjoying designing a new museum exhibit and trying to stay "just friends" with an alluring Greek boy named Orion, she might actually be facing more danger than she could ever imagine. The Chaos Of Stars sets the drama of family within a world of ancient deities living in contemporary society, wherein extended families have thousands of years of history and mysticism is very real. Still, the most real part of this novel is Isadora's sense of internal conflict over her relationships—both with the parents she believes are indifferent to her and the romantic interest she resists because she cannot trust in love. Eloquent in its mixing of Egyptology with the experience of being a teenager, Isadora's story adds something unique to recent literary trends that blend the ancient world with the modern, and the character development, action-packed climax, intriguing family dynamics, and heartfelt romance will draw in readers who count themselves among the fans of this genre. Reviewer: Meghann Meeusen
School Library Journal
09/01/2013
Gr 8 Up—Life is lonely when you're the 16-year-old mortal daughter of Egyptian gods. Isadora has been constantly reminded of her mortality ever since her parents, Isis and Osiris, showed her her own tomb as a young girl. Tired of her family's long history of feuding and scheming, she is counting the days until she is old enough to get away and live a normal life. That opportunity arrives when some bad dreams and an unexpected visitor cause Isis to send the teen to live with relatives in San Diego because home is no longer safe. Thinking that she is finally out of her parents' reach, Isadora is quickly proven wrong when she learns that her mother wants her to volunteer at a local museum to earn her allowance. Although she is wary of relationships, she can't resist befriending Tyler, a feisty girl and fellow volunteer. And despite her belief that love leads to chaos and disaster, Isadora gets close to Tyler's gorgeous poet friend, Ry. The strong bonds she forms help her appreciate her parents and embrace love for the sake of loving. White cleverly uses Egyptian mythology to depict teenage angst and generational conflict in a light, witty style. Although the characters are simplistic, the themes are clear and well executed. Readers looking for a fresh take on paranormal stories will find a lot to love in this romance.—Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York City
Kirkus Reviews
The relationship between a teen and her parents is complicated--especially if that family is full of Egyptian gods. Despite the promising premise, this latest from White achieves only demigod status at best. Isadora is the daughter of Isis and Osiris, who are unusual parents, and she's not your typical teen either. Her days are an odd combination of interior design and god worship. But although her parents are immortal Egyptian gods, they will let her die instead of keeping her with them forever. This discovery launches Isadora on a petulant, stubborn journey. When Isis gets pregnant ahead of the normal schedule, Isadora won't tell her mother about her dark prophetic dreams. Sent to San Diego to stay with her older brother, Isadora tries to get some distance from her mother while struggling with her feelings for the beautiful, much-too-perfect Ry, a boy who writes epic poetry. Meanwhile, Isadora doesn't pay attention to the signs that someone is after her, not until it's nearly too late and her mother is in danger. It's never clear just who Isadora is; her voice never fully jells into her own, neither modern girl nor ancient child of the gods. Supporting characters such as Ry are flat and two-dimensional, and the danger to Isis is not compelling enough to catch readers up. This novel won't gain the Egyptian gods many new worshippers. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
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