Equal Parts
Nomen est OmenWhile the ancient Romans were what we may consider these days to be a bit socially awkward, philosophically speaking they knew their shit....
The name says it all
Let's start by giving praise where praise is due. I loved this book, the concept of it was brilliant. I am plainly put- a sucker for a good antihero. To be honest I always was, but in this day and age even more so. I think what pushes my rebellious side lately is the saturation of self-righteousness that seems to be everywhere. Everybody's constantly outraged by everything, and the internet breaks every five minutes because of something so colossally stupid that I welcomed.... YES WELCOMED a morally challenged maniac. Just for shits and giggles.
Achilles.
The big cheese.
A psychopath and a killer with a penchant for Maybelline.
…....Achilles.
When you choose to attach a name like that, a legendary name, a powerful name to a character, you silently say, 'They share common traits'. This is true for all weather you want it or not (try naming your character George Bush if you don't believe me and see how far that gets you), and honestly that's what threw me. I kept expecting to find those common traits... The legendary Achilles was a Myrmidon- a precise, structured warrior that lived his life by a set of rules branded into him by others since birth. Then there is the whole matter of his rather famous, untimely death. Achilles of Equal Part was batshit cray-cray, emotional whiplash kind of guy with a sense of duty that served only himself.
Then there is the Death Mask. Dia de Muertos full on.
Now there is another subtext on its own.
There are so many different folk tales and hidden meanings in the way the Latin America celebrates the Day of the Dead, and yes, I expected some connection. The author made a brilliant display of just how important the public persona and the mask is for the MC, so at the end, when his name was Henry Westwood and all of this was *because fuck you,that's why*, I was left deflated. There were so many endless possibilities, and the end result got me trying to mash 300 Rise of an Empire with the best Mexico has to offer and got this.
What started with Achilles developed in a pattern throughout the novel where more then once I found myself curious about an element that Winters introduced, but then failed to use. There were superpowers, yes? We only saw a few jumps by Finn and some mindfuckery by Molten. In a city where crime rate is higher then the Nitrogen saturation in the air, you would think we would see some more shebang out of it all. Then the romantic side of it all. I don't care who the hell you are, how powerful, how badass, how sexy and enchanting. If you hurt a girl she will be angry. Very, very angry...She wouldn't stand around listening to the man that hurt her spout BS and then start explaining herself. The whole nightclub scene was underwhelming and disappointing. He gave her some lamery, she beamed at him, and he swung his Mjolnir happily ever after.
If you're wondering what the hell is going on with the hammer...read the book.
At the end of it I will say that this is not my last book by Winters, and I enjoyed Equal Parts. I just needed more detail, more engaging moments to find it brilliant. And it can be brilliant! Emma Winters has got all it takes - originality, shock value, sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic.
PS: I am aware of my current profile pic and the whole theme going on here. Kinda prophetic.
