THE GODS OF ATALANTIS by EMILY KLOTZ: A Review (No Spoilers)

Can books be on your TBR list before they're published? If so, The Gods of Atalantis had been on my TBR for at least a year. There has been a lot of hype around this book, and I'm here to tell you that the hype is real.

The Gods of Atalantis is, unsurprisingly, a story about Atlantis. The island has many gods, but the central two are the Sea Mother and Sun Father, who exist as both the sea and sun, but also as humans who are reincarnated generation after generation. We primarily follow Mireia, a girl from a tiny fishing village, as she is scouted as the potential reincarnation of the Sea Mother. She undergoes a series of trials to determine if she is really a goddess, but the person least convinced is herself.

Atalantis (in my opinion) has a lot of Disney vibes, but that's an oversimplification; the themes are a bit heavier, the action a bit more violent (within reason!), and the characters are certainly deeper and more complex than what you'll find in a classic 60-minute Disney film. The vibes are cozy, approachable, and fun, with a literary follow-through that packs a punch. Some of the ~vibes~ I got included Aladdin, Moana, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Atlantis (obviously!), Mulan, and (a DreamWorks production) The Road to El Dorado.

Something the author does really well is balance the characters' strengths and weaknesses. Part of this is the baked-in yin and yang of the Sea Mother and the Sun Father; they are meant to complement each other. But even within themselves, they have flaws that are realistic and human. Mireia can be selfish and short-sighted. We can be disappointed in her decisions, but we understand her. It's almost frustrating, in a familiar, relevant way, to want to shake her shoulders like she's our friend and say, "Girl, get a grip!" There's a real groundedness to the characters and the choices they make.

Another personal favorite thing that Emily does is the absolute flavor of the characterization. The Sea Mother tends to swell with pride, or suffer a torrent of emotions, or have a sinking feeling, or bubble with excitement. The Sun Father might beam at her with a glimmer in his eye. He might light up when she makes him laugh, or he might give her a fiery look when she's on his nerves. I live for it!

My spicy take: give this to your kids instead of Harry Potter. It's for a slightly older audience (the protagonist's adventure starts at 13, rather than 11), but Atalantis has all the coming-of-age, epic adventure, brand-new-world flavor that scratches a very particular Millennial itch—for those of us who want to recreate that experience without the tarnish of the HP brand, this is a really excellent place to reroute that energy. You get a young, scrappy protagonist from humble origins being whisked away into a world which is much more grand and magical. A group of children arrives at the palace on boats, and the protagonist finds themselves facing tests which begin at "Sorcerer's Stone" difficulty (think find the flying key) and quickly escalate to "Goblet of Fire" difficulty (think underwater task and hedge maze). Atalantis, being for a slightly older audience, takes its reader more seriously. Beyond learning how to use magic, we learn the essence of magic—what magic is, and why we should care.

CONTENT NOTE: one of the very integral themes of the book has to do with slavery. Some people might choose not to engage with that subject matter. The slavery has nothing to do with skin color (everyone in the cast is a person of color, and the author makes a point to tell us that you wouldn't be able to tell these groups of people apart just by looking at them)—it is based on geography (the Hacenians didn't originate on Atalantis) and technology (the Hacenians don't have magic and therefore are not "advanced"). It reads as a commentary on the delusional foundations of slavery: those seeking power over others will find any justification for the subjugation of others. The protagonist is half-Hacenian and quickly decides to do her best to end the practice of slavery. So the message is good, but be prepared to have those conversations. This is also only Book 1, so we don't yet know how these issues will be handled. In the meantime, there is offensive language regarding the Hacenians (barbarians, dogs, and half-breeds, etc.) that some might be sensitive to.

I'm not entirely sure how to articulate this, but this feels like what YA ought to be. Atalantis is something I would have adored as a teen. It has the potential to be one of those epic series that you grow up alongside.

Safe to say this is as enthusiastic recommendation from me! 👍

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Sage T. Green, Author